Mother's Day

These are the days I dreamed about as a little girl.  Having my own kids to share with, laugh with, and take care of.  Before my journey of motherhood began I never imagined that that I would learn some of the most important life lessons from my own children.  I thought of all the things I wanted to share with them, teach them, and show them.  I didn't know that they would be the ones to teach me, show me, and pour into me the love that only comes from a child.

I am blessed beyond measure.

These are the Mother's Day cards I made for all of the kids at church to give to their mom.(thanks to pinterest;))

Maddox

Sebastian

Tyler

Hope you all had a Mother's Day that was just as special as you are!

Grace and peace,

New Balance

It's been a while since my last post. 6 months to be exact. I could give you a plethora of reasons why... but I won't.  I will just tell you it's because of BALANCE.  Or rather, lack of balance.

At the end of 2011 I found myself in a place I hope to never be in again.

I was wrapped up in my training schedules, boys ball schedules, church schedules, work schedules, schedules, schedules, schedules.......It was awful.  My "smartphone" was constantly buzzing, binging, and ringing.  I was burning up the road driving an average of 450 miles a week and I only work 10 miles from home! I wasn't enjoying the journey at all. Not even a little bit.  In fact, I was very unhappy.

Then in late December I had a minor surgery that forced me to slow down for 5 weeks.  I was in heaven.  I took the time every morning to read my bible, pray, and just listen.  I realized I was not living my life the way God had intended me to. . .

I had put unrealistic expectations on myself to be this super-mom, wife, friend, blogger, runner, Christian.... I just got caught up in it all and trying to do it by myself.  I felt pride when someone would make a comment like "I don't know how you do it all!?"   To tell you the truth, I'm not sure how I did it all... In fact, I don't even remember most of it. I made trivial things my priority.  I lost sight of my number one. God.

So I decided to just STOP. COLLABORATE. and LISTEN(just like vanilla Ice).  Seriously.
I spent the first month of 2012 praying and listening.

I committed to getting up early every morning to have my quiet time with God. To read His word, pray, and just listen.

Then I stopped the schedules and I stopped the buzzing and binging by trading my "smartphone" in for a plain old fashion Zack Morris phone.  That is when things really slowed down.  I no longer had all of my schedules at my fingertips.  Facebook, twitter, blogs, words with friends, and emails were no longer a distraction. Suddenly, my time at home became more precious. valuable.  The boys haven't asked me to step away from my phone once this year.

Our schedules have resumed. The boys are playing baseball, I just ran my 5th marathon April 28th, I still work a full-time job, and schedules still get hairy.  But my focus has changed. My focus now, as a Christian, is to serve God and put him first no matter what.  I continue to meet with God every morning to read His word, pray, and listen.  I've committed my time to Him.
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed"~Proverbs 16:3 


This doesn't mean that I still don't have goals. I have many, many, many goals. All of which I am more confident now, than ever, that I will reach.


God has given my life balance. New balance.

Thank you to all of you who checked on me during my 6 month absence from the blogosphere!!

Grace and peace,