Giving it all for HIM!

This is our sponsored child from Compassion International.  He is from Brazil.  His name is Henrique.  Lately the Lord has put in my heart and in my path the tremendous need for orphans, for the poor and needy! It breaks my heart every time I read a post or a blog about the orphans (there are over 149 million of them) I want to do so many BIG things to help! But today I was reminded of the two sponsored children we help.  Most of the time all I see them as is a bill we pay each month that goes to Compassion or towards World Vision.  Today I was challenged by Ann Voskamp, she said, "I’m wildly angry that I want to forget the struggle of the poor so I can pin the next pretty idea on Pinterest."
I could say the same after reading this post.  I am angry at myself for caring more about my comfort, of having a nice home, going out to eat more often than I care to admit, having healthy kids and just taking for granted all the blessings I have! I need to do more.  I need to care more! I want my heart to break at the things that break the heart of God! So I was challenged today to do what I can now, do the small things.  Write to my sponsored children more often.  Talk about them with my kids more, pray for them more!

How am I loving? Am I loving God and loving others with all that I am and giving God all the glory for it? Am I stepping out of my comfort zone and giving all, am I willing to suffer for the cause of Christ? Just some things that have been in my heart lately...JESUS He is worth it ALL!

Summer 2012

Here is our family beach picture that we had taken this summer from our wonderful friend Sherry of Synergy Photography.  We had such a great time at this session, and I thought it was amazing that she got everyone to look and smile for this picture! We also had a great time playing on the beach with her family.  I am treasuring the moments and memories with my family this summer. 

We are now preparing for the new School year that is fast approaching.  I am so thankful for the Lords great blessings! To God be the glory!

What's on my heart.

James 1:27 says that "pure and undefiled religion is this, to visit widows and orphans in their distress".  -The Lord sure has put this on my heart lately! It doesn't get any clearer than that! The bible commands us to take care of widows, to take care of orphans.  My heart breaks for the orphans I see in pictures, that I read about in blogs.  I want to DO something! I don't want to just sit here and feel sorry for them! I keep asking the Lord how can I help, what can I do? I tell Him I am willing, I am ready.  Do I wait, or do I try to make things happen on my own.  I really want to get involved with foster care.  I am praying that the Lord would put this on Stan's heart too! I want to make a difference, I want to take care of the children who don't have parents, or parents who just can't take care of them right now.  So I wait, I pray and I hope that God would make it clear how I can be involved! I am willing, it is scary but I refuse to let fear stand in my way!
Psalm 86:11, "Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your Truth; unite my heart to fear your Name."

The kids in Florida!Caleb

Kimmy

Morgan

Joshy

Nathan

It's Christmas time.  Two weeks of no school work.  I have so many things I want to get done during that time.  Since homeschooling takes up so much of my time and energy I want to accomplish some things.  Some of those things are...
Making a scrapbook for my parents for Christmas.
Catching up on the laundry.
Cleaning this house from top to bottom.
Making Christmas shirts with the kids.
Baking with the kids, and
of course blogging!
I am terrible at blogging.  Mostly because I don't have time, but also because I think who really cares what I have to say.  I've never been good at journaling, but it is fun to read others blogs and they are always so inspirational to me. 
I do want to put up some new pictures of the kids that were taken this past August on a very HOT day! They were taken by my wonderful friend, Sherry of Synergy Photography!

FEAR

A while back while sitting at the hair dresser, and completely out of the blue, I had a seizure, well what the "experts" say was a seizure.  I think it was probably fainting! They never found anything wrong with me! So last Sunday I was standing in the choir and we were singing There is Power in the Blood and all of a sudden I got really dizzy and light headed.  I really thought I was going to pass out.  So quickly I made a choice to leave the choir in the middle of the song.  I would rather be embarrassed by leaving the choir rather than falling out in the choir loft, which I would die if that ever happened!!! So this morning before church I was a little nervous about singing again.  I tried hard not to think about it.  But half way through being up there I started to feel light headed and dizzy again.  My heart started beating a mile a minute, my legs were shaking and I could not make them stop! So I started praying! I did not want to leave two weeks in a row, so I told myself nothing happened last week, it wouldn't happen this week.  We started to sing the choir special and in part of the song it talked about how Jesus takes away our fear.  I knew then that God was going to get me through, but I was still shaking and my heart still felt like it was going to beat out of my chest! I kept looking at Lisa (our choir director) and smiling and trying to focus on the words of the song! I have never felt fear like that! Not fear of being up there but fear that I was going to pass out or have a seizure up there! I have never had a panic attack before but that is what it felt like.  My dad and my sister both have panic attacks.  My dads fear is talking in front of people, my sister's is elevator's.  She cannot ride on one! I always thought they could get passed their fear if they just tried and put their mind to it! But after this morning I believe it is real! I am not one to give into my fear, and I will fight this and not give into it, but for the first time I believe fears can effect you in a very real way! But I do know that "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of love sound mind and power..."
I am so thankful for His peace that got me through that whole episode this morning! I so want to worship Him this Ressurection Sunday without any fear! Since being in choir I found such freedom in worship! I love to worship my Savior! He is so worthy!