Christmas around our house is officially here! Each year on December 1st we are blessed to celebrate the birth of my fantastic husband, and I am so thankful for that. It is the PERFECT way to begin our holiday festivities. This year for our first season as a married couple we are celebrating in a whole new way, living in our house together! When people ask me what the best thing is about being married I have to say it is unequivocally that we go to sleep and wake up each day with each other.
Being our first married Christmas we are keeping traditions we started last year, like giving each other a new ornament, and hopefully starting some new ones. I am definitely looking forward to spending many Christmas seasons with my love in the years to come and sharing our traditions with our family.
The last several months have brought several changes to our lives...obviously being married is a BIG change, but if you can believe it there is one that tops it. We have some dear friends from NewSpring who have felt the call of God to step out on faith and plant a church. At first I was hit with emotions of sadness for losing them, but clearly we know they are in God's will and this has not been entered into lightly. About this same time Adam and I began praying through what God had planned for us, and although we weren't exactly sure what was coming, we knew it was big. In September, about a month before our wedding, we announced to our family that we are going to help our friends plant this church.
Let's go back a little if you will...
If you know much about me at all, you know NewSpring has been a huge part of my life since I began attending in April of 2008. They did some amazing things for me on Mother's Day 2009, I have made some amazing friends, and it is where I met Adam in January of 2010. I absolutely love all that I have been able to be a part of through this church, and to be quite honest I NEVER in a million years thought I'd be called to leave it. So, when God started working on our heart in July and August of this year we merely thought we would be moving to a different campus or something of that nature, we had no clue we would be leaving the church we have called home for the last several years.
I've had people ask me what happened at NewSpring to cause this...and to be plain, the answer is Jesus. This has nothing to do with politics, hurt feelings, or differences of opinions; on the contrary this is the result of seeking Jesus and desiring to see lost people meet him. So in January we will be packing up our house and moving to Indianapolis. This is a move I never expected. I do not want to leave my family, especially my mom and my sister. We are very close, and our friendships have grown over the last few months of wedding planning and now move planning.
As we look upon the Christmas season we are beginning, I can't help but think this is the most fitting time to be thinking of these things. After all, Jesus is the reason for it all. We ask simply that you pray. For us. For our faith to grow. For Alexa to make friends. For hearts in Indy to be softened to us. For our pastor and his wife.
This year has been about new adventures for us, and this is going to be the best one yet. I hope to keep you updated here through words and pictures as our life there unfolds.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
The End...
Today marks the end of an era for me...or I guess actually that would be last Monday and today I start a new one. For the past 2.5 years I have been part of an amazing home group that meets on Monday nights. This is where my walk with Jesus has grown, and it is where I have met 3 of the BEST friends I will ever have. Jesus brought me into this group at a time in my life when I needed nothing more than solid Christian friendships. It wasn't necessarily what I was seeking, but HE always knows exactly what we need, even when we don't!
Over the past 2.5 years lots has changed in my life...I now have a 4.5yr old instead of a 2yr old, and every day I see just how much I have to learn from her. She is growing by leaps and bounds, and forming a personality that is super sweet (most days). I also recently bought a house, which was a major transition for us because we went from living a few hundred feet from my parents to 25 minutes away. And, let's not forget that almost 11 months ago I started dating an amazing man who loves Alexa and me in ways I never thought possible. OK, my faith was lacking in that department.
Yes, 2.5 years can change a lot, and today is probably one of the hardest changes I've ever made. I sit here writing this blog when I am normally sitting in a circle of friends learning, dicussing, and sharing Jesus. I never thought I would see the day when God called me to leave my home group, but at this point in my life my main priority weighs 40lbs and is sleeping in a room across the house. My growth mentally, spiritually, and emotionally with this group was more than I could ever ask for...but now it is time to focus on her.
I miss my girls, and tonight is only my first Monday away from them. I know they miss me too. Change isn't easy, but it is the right thing to do, and I know I am going to see some amazing change and growth in my sweet little girl because I was obedient to Jesus. I hope one day I'll be able to reconnect with a group, be it the girls I've been meeting with or another, but until then I will make the best use of this time and pour out HIS love on her. Thank you Jesus for giving me this opportunity to show your love to the most important person in my life!
Over the past 2.5 years lots has changed in my life...I now have a 4.5yr old instead of a 2yr old, and every day I see just how much I have to learn from her. She is growing by leaps and bounds, and forming a personality that is super sweet (most days). I also recently bought a house, which was a major transition for us because we went from living a few hundred feet from my parents to 25 minutes away. And, let's not forget that almost 11 months ago I started dating an amazing man who loves Alexa and me in ways I never thought possible. OK, my faith was lacking in that department.
Yes, 2.5 years can change a lot, and today is probably one of the hardest changes I've ever made. I sit here writing this blog when I am normally sitting in a circle of friends learning, dicussing, and sharing Jesus. I never thought I would see the day when God called me to leave my home group, but at this point in my life my main priority weighs 40lbs and is sleeping in a room across the house. My growth mentally, spiritually, and emotionally with this group was more than I could ever ask for...but now it is time to focus on her.
I miss my girls, and tonight is only my first Monday away from them. I know they miss me too. Change isn't easy, but it is the right thing to do, and I know I am going to see some amazing change and growth in my sweet little girl because I was obedient to Jesus. I hope one day I'll be able to reconnect with a group, be it the girls I've been meeting with or another, but until then I will make the best use of this time and pour out HIS love on her. Thank you Jesus for giving me this opportunity to show your love to the most important person in my life!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
What are you waiting for?
Do you ever have one of those situations when you want to yell at someone "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!" I seem to have more than my fair share lately, and to be perfectly honest I think it is God reminding me (once again) that I need to calm down and wait on his time. I don't like being patient, I don't like waiting, I don't like not knowing the answer or when something is going to happen. Just one more thing on a long list that God is working on. Makes me wonder if part of the reason I'm waiting is because I am not patient and content with him.
Philippians 4:11 says Not that I am speaking from want for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstance.
That is my desire. Contentment in my Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else. Learning more and more each day to depend completely on him and not worry about what is coming next or more importantly when it is coming. I know God is in control and ultimately I'm not and that is all that matters.
Philippians 4:11 says Not that I am speaking from want for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstance.
That is my desire. Contentment in my Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else. Learning more and more each day to depend completely on him and not worry about what is coming next or more importantly when it is coming. I know God is in control and ultimately I'm not and that is all that matters.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Spring Fever
I don't know about you, but this warm weather has me itching for Spring! I'm even wearing open-toed shoes today. Not only is the warm weather begging my toes to peep out, but it is encouraging me to try my hand at gardening. With plans underway to begin a garden Saturday, I am already excited about the prospects of having fresh veggies around for the Spring, Summer, and Fall! Not to mention the gorgeous flowers my yard will soon boast.
Over the last several months my frugalness has branched out from just toiletries at CVS to full fledged grocery bargaining at Publix and Bi-Lo. Now if I can include gardening in this equation it should cut my grocery budget down even further. While being frugal is fun and often challenging, one of the biggest challenges I face is using everything I've worked so hard to get for free or close to free.
My goal for March is to only buy items that are free while grocery shopping. This will force me to depend on my overflowing pantry to meet our food needs, and try to clean out my freezer at the same time. I am also in the process of creating a weekly meal plan for our family as I often struggle in the "what's for dinner" department. I know I'm not the only mom out there who feels this way! It is a constant battle, but one worth fighting so we are eating better and being budget friendly at the same time.
Of course this will not include things like milk, eggs, fruit, and veggies...I'll have to continue purchasing some fresh veggies until the garden starts producing, but this should allow me to cut our grocery budget from $30 to $40 per week to $10 to $15 per week. The excess will pay for gardening supplies and add to our budget for savings next month.
Over the next month I will update periodically on our progress...hopefully with pictures, and as March draws to a close I will report our successes and shortcomings as we continue to strive for more frugal living.
Over the last several months my frugalness has branched out from just toiletries at CVS to full fledged grocery bargaining at Publix and Bi-Lo. Now if I can include gardening in this equation it should cut my grocery budget down even further. While being frugal is fun and often challenging, one of the biggest challenges I face is using everything I've worked so hard to get for free or close to free.
My goal for March is to only buy items that are free while grocery shopping. This will force me to depend on my overflowing pantry to meet our food needs, and try to clean out my freezer at the same time. I am also in the process of creating a weekly meal plan for our family as I often struggle in the "what's for dinner" department. I know I'm not the only mom out there who feels this way! It is a constant battle, but one worth fighting so we are eating better and being budget friendly at the same time.
Of course this will not include things like milk, eggs, fruit, and veggies...I'll have to continue purchasing some fresh veggies until the garden starts producing, but this should allow me to cut our grocery budget from $30 to $40 per week to $10 to $15 per week. The excess will pay for gardening supplies and add to our budget for savings next month.
Over the next month I will update periodically on our progress...hopefully with pictures, and as March draws to a close I will report our successes and shortcomings as we continue to strive for more frugal living.
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