Loving Life

  • Loosening My Grip: Why Can’t I Get Pregnant? (Part 4)

    You can read “Why Can’t I Get Pregnant” Part 1 and Part 2 and Part 3 in case you missed it.

    As my journey continued I was encouraged by friends, began to rely more on prayer, allowed God to loosen my grip on that which I held onto so tightly.

    Multiple Blessings

    Shortly after taking the pregnancy test we called the fertility doctor and I went in for blood work that week.  That afternoon they called me back and wanted me to come back in to do some more blood work and an ultrasound.  I asked what was wrong with the blood work from earlier and they informed me that my counts were higher than they expected.  Of course they reassured me that there was nothing to be concerned about but I still had a vice gripping at my heart…..what if…..somethings wrong…..was this what God was preparing us for…….  Jake went with me to the doctor, they did more blood work, and then I went in for the ultrasound.  The technician quickly found the baby’s heartbeat and showed us our little one and as she moved over a little bit we noticed a second heartbeat and another baby. WHAT!?  The technician said she needed to check and see if there was a third baby and Jake said I gripped his hand tightly and my face went white.  Thankfully God knows exactly what we can handle and give me two beautiful babies.  I praise him for this amazing answer to prayer in my life.  It was a character developing process to get to this point but little did I know that God was not done with me yet.

    The Heartache Was Real

    As I look back I can still sense the pain and heartache that I went through over those years earnestly praying for children.  God chose to answer our prayers but after much pruning in both of our lives.  When I first went to God asking for a child my whole hand was gripped around having a child and he had to loosen my grip one finger at a time.  There were times it was very painful and I didn’t want to let go but slowly I did and after all the heartache the blessings were even more numerous than I could ever imagined.  The timing God chose was perfect in many aspects of our lives including our jobs to insurance to family situation and more.  God not only answered my specific prayers he also revealed his perfect timing in our lives.

    Questions

    Here are some of the questions I found myself struggling with during this time in my life:

    • Why Can’t I Get Pregnant?
    • What’s Wrong with Me?
    • Why Would God Give Me this Desire and Not Fulfill It?
    • Is God Going to Answer My Prayers?
    • Does God Hear Me?
    • Am I Not Good Enough to be  Mom?

    If you are going through the heartache and asking yourself any of these questions and/or more my heart and prayers go out to you.  I know it hurts.  There are more people than you realize who are going through a similar situation.

    You Are Not Alone

    I want to let you know, You Are NOT ALONE!  Many couples experience similar journeys.  Take time to pray and share with your close family, friends, and mentors.  Allow them to come alongside you and pray with you.  God can work a miracle in our lives if we let go of those specific items we are holding onto so tightly.  Not only is His timing truly amazing he has something special planned for your life and for the lives of your children.  My heart and prayers go out to you and if I could reach through the computer and give you a hug I would do it in a heartbeat.  It’s okay to cry, talk about it, and slowly start loosening your grip so you can see what amazing plans God has for your life.

    This concludes my “Why Can’t I Get Pregnant?” series, however, stayed tuned for the next Loosening My Grip series.

    A little bit more about the Loosening My Grip series

    Looking back over the last few years it is much easier to see God’s perfect timing.  It was painful waiting, having people constantly ask questions, going to the doctor, praying, dealing with the emotions, and feeling like God didn’t even care.

    After much prayer and resistance I have decided to start my “Loosening My Grip” series.  I came up with the theme and idea more than a year ago.  Every time I start to write a little more on this topic I decide to just not do it.  Why?

    • It is personal
    • I still struggle with many issues in my life and continue to learn of more areas that I need to loosen my grip on
    • The feeling of inadequacy to write on the topic
    • No one else probably has these issues nor would they want to read about mine

    God has been working overtime on me to do it even though my flesh says stay away from certain areas.  It is difficult writing about those topics that are really near and dear to our hearts.  Most likely the series will not always go in chronological order because I am writing the topics as God lays them on my heart to write.  Maybe there is someone out there that has experienced similar struggles or is currently going through this situation in their life.  I hope to be an encouragement to you.  I want you know that you’re not alone; we have strength and support from a God that is so much bigger than any one of us.

    Loosening My Grip is a series on areas in my life I am learning to let go of slowly.  Several months ago I was studying Jonah and one of the phrases popped out at me was “Whatever you are holding on to in this life, hold it loosely so it won’t hurt when the Lord has to pry your fingers open to take it away.”  I have found that in some areas God has had to pry my fingers off of whatever I am holding onto one finger at a time.  There are areas in my life that I feel like I need control over and hold onto them tightly when God really has something so much more beautiful in store for me.  I have been learning how to let go and hold onto things more loosely so God can do His work in my life.

    Photo by Downstairs Dev

  • Travel & Vacation: Enjoying Charleston’s Piers

    Boats loading on the edge of the pier.

    The boats are getting loaded up at the end of the pier.

    Little crabs at the waters edge

    They would run down the sand picking up pieces to eat and then would run back up the beach when the wave came in.  It was neat to watch the wave of crabs running back and forth.  We were standing on the edge of the pier these little crabs were scurrying back and forth with the tide coming in.  The girls thought it was hilarious.

    I was moving fast enough so Brina ran back to check on me.

    Love seeing the thoughtfulness and compassion in this sweet girl.  She truly does care about others and wants everyone to have fun together.

    Karlie on the run!

    Karlie noticed that Brina and I were still coming up the pier so she decided to check out what we were up to.  When did my babies grown up?  So excited yet sad to see how much they have changed even over the past year.

    Standing at the edge of the pier looking at the bridge that leads to Daniel's Island.

    The girls thought it was a little scary at the end of the pier, but thought it was super cool looking at the bridge.

    Karlie and Brina running down the pier

    The girls had a race down the pier.  They were running and giggling the whole way.  It’s amazing how educational and entertaining time at the pier can be for the kids!

    The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax.  Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away.  Explore with a good attitude, look for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories.  It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine.  Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn.  You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!

  • Loosening My Grip: Why Can’t I Get Pregnant? (Part 3)

    You can read “Why Can’t I Get Pregnant” Part 1  and Part 2 in case you missed it.

    Through the journey I have seen God answer prayers and guide my life in the direction of people who could help.  Even though God was continuing to work in my life the process at times was painful.

    Time of Encouragement

    During the Case Study I had to be at the Life Center three days a week at 5 am for 12 weeks to stretch, work out, turn in our journals, and a variety of other activities and discussions.  In many ways the 12 week Case Study was a time of healing and encouragement.  I was spending several hours a week with women who knew exactly what I was going through.  I continued doing the case study and finished it. It was a wonderful experience and it encouraged me to open up to others as well.  When I started talking a little bit more about my situation I found out that I wasn’t alone and many women struggle with not being able to pregnant every day.  It is often a difficult topic to discuss with people, even close friends and family.

    Learning to Rely on Prayer

    Jake and I had continued praying for a child.  One night at Dinner we were discussing the journey that God had taken us on throughout our marriage and I asked Jake “Do you think we are praying the wrong prayer?”  I know it sounds bizarre but I just felt God working in my heart specifically in this area of our lives.  Thankfully I have a husband who I can speak openly and honestly with about my thoughts and struggles. “What if we only have one opportunity to have a child?”  I was willing to change my prayer even after the years of praying for a child if that is what God wanted from me.   “Maybe we need to ask God specifically for children?”  We decided that God had directed our paths to this point it was worth trusting him on this as well and began praying that God would give us children.

    Loosening My Grip One Finger at a Time

    Jake and I prayed fervently about having children.  We committed our children (that we still did not have) to God because He knows best and if for whatever reason he did not give us children biologically there were other options to consider.  We were at that point in the journey where we were completely okay with considering adoption.  It was a time of strengthening our marriage, prayer life, and realizing that God was in control so we could let it go. After much discussion we decided we would enjoy another year together trying and reevaluate after a year what we felt like God was leading us to do regarding our children.

    Joyful Anticipation

    A month later I was exhausted, Jake was convinced that I was pregnant so like many times before I took a pregnancy test and it was negative.  I was sad, my heart hurt, why is God taking me on such a roller coaster?  I would get excited thinking I was pregnant, take the test, and no.  After another week of exhaustion and dreaming about food (specifically meatballs, yet another story) Jake suggested that I take another test.  I delayed another few days because I didn’t want to see another negative test (and the tests are expensive).  Finally I decided I might as well do it so I could let Jake know I took another test.  I was convinced it would be negative so I didn’t even bother to wait for the test results and went ahead with my shower.  When I got out of the shower I looked at the test and couldn’t believe my eyes.  I went and got Jake, showed it to him and rejoiced in our answer to prayer.  At this point in the journey I had a lot of mixed emotions that day from complete joy to relief to uneasiness (what if the test was wrong)?!

    ……this series will be continued next Wednesday!

    A little bit more about the Loosening My Grip series

    Looking back over the last few years it is much easier to see God’s perfect timing.  It was painful waiting, having people constantly ask questions, going to the doctor, praying, dealing with the emotions, and feeling like God didn’t even care.

    After much prayer and resistance I have decided to start my “Loosening My Grip” series.  I came up with the theme and idea more than a year ago.  Every time I start to write a little more on this topic I decide to just not do it.  Why?

    • It is personal
    • I still struggle with many issues in my life and continue to learn of more areas that I need to loosen my grip on
    • The feeling of inadequacy to write on the topic
    • No one else probably has these issues nor would they want to read about mine

    God has been working overtime on me to do it even though my flesh says stay away from certain areas.  It is difficult writing about those topics that are really near and dear to our hearts.  Most likely the series will not always go in chronological order because I am writing the topics as God lays them on my heart to write.  Maybe there is someone out there that has experienced similar struggles or is currently going through this situation in their life.  I hope to be an encouragement to you.  I want you know that you’re not alone; we have strength and support from a God that is so much bigger than any one of us.

    Loosening My Grip is a series on areas in my life I am learning to let go of slowly.  Several months ago I was studying Jonah and one of the phrases popped out at me was “Whatever you are holding on to in this life, hold it loosely so it won’t hurt when the Lord has to pry your fingers open to take it away.”  I have found that in some areas God has had to pry my fingers off of whatever I am holding onto one finger at a time.  There are areas in my life that I feel like I need control over and hold onto them tightly when God really has something so much more beautiful in store for me.  I have been learning how to let go and hold onto things more loosely so God can do His work in my life.

    Photo by Downstairs Dev

  • Travel & Vacation: Great Parks in the Charleston, SC Area

    Cool moving bridge at Center Park

    We found a cute little park on Daniel’s Island, SC with a lot of shade and water fountains (thankfully since it was over 107 and humid that day) only a couple miles down the road from where Jake was working.  This was the most entertaining part on the whole jungle gym!  It was a moving bridge!  You could get on it at one location of the jungle gym and either have someone push you across or you could stand at other side and spin a wheel that pulls you across to the other side of the jungle gym.  The girls (and Mommy) where fascinated by this cool moving bridge and it provided quite a bit of entertainment for all of us!

    Karlie sitting on the wall!

    Karlie thought this wall in the park was awesome!  She would climb up, sit for a few minutes watching everyone and talk anyone nearby then get down.  I think she liked being up higher and over looking the park!

    Brina coming through the blue tunnel at Center Park.

    She thought it was hilarious going through the random tunnels and would giggle when she “caught” me watching at her!  So sneaky!

    Brina saying "hi" to her new friend

    These bubble blowers were such a HUGE hit!  It was so cute seeing Brina just checking out it’s face, it really was a bug friend to her!

    So....when I blew through here bubbles come out?!

    I tried to find these again this year but they must have sold out.  When you blow through the tail of the dragon fly the silver wings spin and a lot of bubbles come out of the dragon fly’s mouth.

    Mommy's about to get blasted with dragonfly bubbles

    This was shortly before a wave of bubbles came my way.  Brina thought it was awesome blowing dragonfly bubbles my direction!

    Karlie on the run at Waterfront Park under the Arthur Ravenel Bridge

    The Waterfront Park under the Arthur Ravenel Bridge is one of our favorite parks to hang out at in Charleston.  It always has shade from the bridge and has very clean restrooms and a cold water fountain.

    Brina playing at Waterfront Park in Mt Pleasant / Charleston, SC

    The Waterfront park is a great place to hang out before going into Downtown Charleston.  You can play in the park, walk on the pier, enjoy ice cream from the snack shop or watch free movies in the evenings during the summer months.

    Sitting on the slide at Waterfront Park

    Brina and Karlie taking a few minutes to cool down and talk while sitting on the slide.  They thought it was such a cool place to sit!

    Karlie relaxing on the boat's railing

    Karlie content to relax for a few moments against the boat’s railing.  This little park is in front of the Information Center for Daniel’s Island right next to a pier.  The girls really liked this park even though it did not have a lot of shade, a restroom or water fountain they still requested to go to this park to walk the pier and “pet” their turtle friends.

    Karlie and Brina driving the little white boat

    The girls thought it was very cool having the boat in the park.

    Hanging out with Daddy on the boat.

    Karlie is laughing at Daddy, while Brina and Daddy look at the camera.  The girls thought this park was so much fun that they had to take Daddy by to check it out too!

    Talking about the boat.

    An inside shot of the boat.  The girls and Daddy were having a fun decision about boats by the time I got their.  Jake had to be melting that day, it was well over 100 degrees and he was in pants and a long sleeved shirt.  Thankfully he was okay going to the “turtle park” to have a picnic with his girls over lunch despite the heat.

    One of the turtles

    They named each turtle and every time we go back they catch on their friends.

    My two little monkeys on top of the jungle gym!

    Karlie and Brina on the top for the jungle gym at a park across from one of the Daniel Island schools.  I was thankful for the higher railings at the top since they one was a good distance up.  They thought it was so funny how little Mommy looked from WAY up high!  It was over 108 degrees that day and no one else was brave enough to play on the jungle gym (or maybe they were smart enough to stay inside).  This park had really nice restaurants but the water fountain was broken.

    Brina bringing their flip-flops over

    This is the Mt. Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park.  It has a wide area with the rubber padding.  The girls loved playing at this park.  You could also rent paddle boats, go to a Water Park or go on a hike.

    Caught Karlie sneaking down the long slide.

    The girls loved being “big” enough to climb up to the top of the tallest jungle gym and go down the long slide.  It took them several tries to work up enough courage to get up the climbing wall or pole but it was well worth it!

    Spinning in the yellow tire swing.

    The girls liked spinning and spinning in the yellow tire swing.  It made me sick just spinning and watching them after a few minutes.  They thought it was hilarious to jump off and run across the playground after spinning for several minutes!

    Karlie riding on another one of the spinning items at the park.

    She could spin herself but her preference was to have me stand beside her and spin until she said that was good.

    They literally wore out their flip-flops on this Charleston trip.  Since we were staying in a different location we were able to visit several parks and they girls played hard.  We tried to meet Daddy over lunch most days to take him on a picnic to one of the cool parks the girls have discovered, if we didn’t get a chance to go with him over lunch they would insist he check out the parks after dinner in the evening.  The girls were very good despite the heat during our visit to Charleston that week!  Although they would crash by the time we got back to the hotel at night, they were ready to head back out at the break of dawn!  What amazing memories we made during our park explorations in Charleston!  We are already looking forward to our next trip together!

  • Book: “If You Take a Mouse to School” by Laura Numeroff

    In celebration of the girls being in school for a few weeks now I decided to highlight a book that is about school.  The girls really enjoy Laura Numeroff’s book and one of their favorites is If You Take a Mouse to School.  It is a fun and engaging book about a mouse going to school.  The girls think it would be so neat to take a mouse (or any pet for that matter) to school with them.  We have read this book and several other ones by Laura Numeroff many times.  It is a great book for beginning readers.

    Here are a few of Laura Numeroff’s popular  “If You Give…”  books that are a hit in our family:

  • Living on a Budget: Creative Cash (September Update)

    September is my eighth month tracking my Creative Cash.  What is Creative Cash?  Creative Cash is finding ways to come up with extra cash to share with others as well as work on our current goal.  I am working part time, a stay at home Mom, and wear many other hats from day to day, however, I feel that it is important to save money for our family by using coupons and buying items on sale but to earn a little money to help with the extra expenses and to share with others.  The extra amount I bring in on top of the work is what I call “Creative Cash” which means finding ways to make money creatively or with items and talents I have already.  I plan to continue this goal for the remaining months of the year.  Despite the many financial obstacles that we have faced as a family we have been blessed with so much.  My husband and I believe it is important to be accountable with our finances and give to others.

    Explanation: The creative cash will be made throughout the entire month through various endeavors.  As it comes in the money is placed into our savings account and withdrawn at the end of the month so it can be split.  It is my goal to make at least $100 extra a month to help with our goals as well as share with others.  At the end of the month the money will be split 50 / 50 with half going towards our current goal we are working on (which at the moment is paying down debt) and the other half going to charity.

    To be honest September was not a great month, however, it was better then August.  In August I wasn’t able to do any extra activities to generate creative cash; our family had several out of town trips, guests, events, and a lot of other activities in August that took up the extra time I had available.   I am thankful that we have had the opportunity to travel together as a family and create many great new memories, however, the creative cash has been effected by it.  Although life is still busy we are at least home more now giving me the flexibility to focus on this goal as well as other ones.  I anticipate October being another busy month but now that the girls are back in school life will once again return our new “normal” and I hope to come closer to meeting this goal.  Thankfully I was able to save some extra cash even though I did not reach my my goal of $100.  I want to share with you the ways we did it so if you are looking for ways to make a little extra creative cash for your family hopefully we can be an inspiration in getting your creative juices flowing:

    • $7.97 – Items sold on Ebay (after fees):   The all the items sold were coupons.  I encourage you to look around at some of the coupons you get the mail, newspapers, magazines, in your stockpile, or other places and if you will not have the opportunity to use them then consider selling them for a little extra creative cash.
    • $39.00 – Other miscellaneous amounts earned  (rebates, returns, cash back,  extra money, etc…) that was added to my stash for the month.  Most of the cash this month was from a rebate check I received.

    It was a harder month to set the extra aside because it was very busy and I was not able to participate in as many extra creative cash activities.  The good news is despite the crazy schedule I was able to get a few dollars of creative cash.  September’s “Creative Cash” total was $46.97 which means $23.48 extra that goes towards our current goal (saving for 3 to 6 month Emergency Fund) and $23.49 goes towards charity.  I didn’t hit my $100 goal this month.  It has been really busy with school being out part of the month and traveling with the family.  I am happy that I was able to contribute something this month and every little bit helps us get a little closer to our goals as well as helps others along the way.  I have a plan of action on ways to earn creative cash in October so stayed tuned, hopefully, it will be another month where we can get closer to our goal and share with others.  Each month I do a variety activities to accomplish this goal, the items above are just the ones I did specifically in September.  I look forward to sharing more of the things that work well for our family as I do them in the upcoming months.

    I will share with you the challenges, successes, and updates as I go through this journey so you can keep me accountable or even go through it with me by participating  and sharing your story. Taking the extra time to find ways to help our family as well as invest in the lives of others is important to us.  I hope that we have been able to encourage you to find ways to come up with some creative cash for your household as well.  Obviously, each situation and family is unique so decide what works for you and go for it!  Do you know of another way to earn creative cash?   I would love to hear your idea!

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

    Photo by StopNLook

  • Loosening My Grip: Why Can’t I Get Pregnant? (Part 2)

    If you missed it, you can read “Why Can’t I Get Pregnant” Part 1.

    Now that I have learned to let go of my personal agenda, that I will not always receive clear answers, doctors can be puzzled, and to rejoice with others even when my heart is heavy I can continue onto the next phase which I had been longing for right?

    Learning to Share with to Others

    After three years of trying to have children and the emotional roller coaster I was getting discouraged.  We did everything the doctors told us to do yet still no children.  At this point I decided to start praying specifically for a person I could talk to about what I was going through.  When certain people would bring up the tough topic I would share a little bit about what we were going through.  Although, they were extremely compassionate and many began praying along with me none of them had been through similar situations.  I found out that several of my friends and family members had experienced miscarriages which is another equally emotional situation when you are trying to start a family.  One beautiful lesson I learned during this time in my life is by opening up my heart to others it gave them the confidence to share their own struggles.  Even though my struggles were different it allowed me to pray for others while going through a tough season myself.  Each person has their own set of items they are learning to loosen their grip on and by praying for others it took my focus off myself so I could be an encouragement to those around me.

    Power of Praying Friends

    By opening my heart to a few people it did ease some of the hurt I was feeling.  Some days were still tough but at least I had a network of people praying for us as a couple and as a family.  I felt like my OB wasn’t interested in helping and when I would call his office I would get the nurse’s voice mail after several prompts and since I wasn’t pregnant, scheduling or an emergency many times the nurse would never call me back.  When you have a group of people praying with you the direction seems so much clearer.  At this point in the journey I knew it was time to consider seeing another doctor.

    Miracle of Answered Prayers

    A few months later after much prayer I decided to ask Jake’s cousin, Mandy, who was a local nurse for recommendations on OB’s doctors.  Mandy was truly an answer to prayer.  She is a nurse and knew a lot of doctors so she had a better idea of where to direct me.  I ended up going to one of the OB’s she recommended.  Mandy was more of an encouragement then she’ll probably ever know during this season in my life.  God used her to guide me to the professional doctors I needed in my life during this time.

    A Fresh Perspective

    The new doctor was great, listened, and recommended I at least consider meeting with a fertility doctor.  We met with the fertility doctor and he was very positive, however, wanted to do more tests.  Then wait a few months. One of the recommendations he made to us was for me to consider finding a less stressful career.  I was working long hours at an attorney’s office and Jake had been encouraging me to look for something less stressful as well, but I didn’t want to stop working until after I had kids (yet another area I was attempting to control in my life).  Also, during this time we were made aware that the prescription I was given by my previous OB was 4 times stronger than what I should have been taking (which is why I was so sick).  Thankfully, God worked in that situation and gave us wisdom to stop taking it.

    Difficult Decisions

    After seeing the doctor Jake and I prayed about my work situation again and decided (reluctantly at first) that I should quit and look for something part time that was less stressful.  It was difficult giving up a job that I worked so hard at but at the same time if I wanted a family it was something I needed to do.   A couple months later I found a really neat part time position that was great and more laid back, yet another amazing answer to prayer.

    A New Opportunity

    During that waiting period Mandy approached me and told me about a new Case Study a friend of hers was doing called “Fit & Fertile” and it was being led by the fertility doctor I met several months before.  The study was on changing your diet, exercise, and lower stress level to see if a series of non-medicated changes could help women get pregnant.  In that group I met amazing women that were experiencing similar situations.  Some of them already had one child but couldn’t have a second and others were like me and were unable to get pregnant even the first time.  The nurse and doctor did blood work before and after the study but otherwise that was it.  I was a little weary of the case study working but God had obviously directed me to it so I had to follow through with it trusting He knew what was best for me.

    ……this series will be continued next Wednesday!

    A little bit more about the Loosening My Grip series

    Looking back over the last few years it is much easier to see God’s perfect timing.  It was painful waiting, having people constantly ask questions, going to the doctor, praying, dealing with the emotions, and feeling like God didn’t even care.

    After much prayer and resistance I have decided to start my “Loosening My Grip” series.  I came up with the theme and idea more than a year ago.  Every time I start to write a little more on this topic I decide to just not do it.  Why?

    • It is personal
    • I still struggle with many issues in my life and continue to learn of more areas that I need to loosen my grip on
    • The feeling of inadequacy to write on the topic
    • No one else probably has these issues nor would they want to read about mine

    God has been working overtime on me to do it even though my flesh says stay away from certain areas.  It is difficult writing about those topics that are really near and dear to our hearts.  Most likely the series will not always go in chronological order because I am writing the topics as God lays them on my heart to write.  Maybe there is someone out there that has experienced similar struggles or is currently going through this situation in their life.  I hope to be an encouragement to you.  I want you know that you’re not alone; we have strength and support from a God that is so much bigger than any one of us.

    Loosening My Grip is a series on areas in my life I am learning to let go of slowly.  Several months ago I was studying Jonah and one of the phrases popped out at me was “Whatever you are holding on to in this life, hold it loosely so it won’t hurt when the Lord has to pry your fingers open to take it away.”  I have found that in some areas God has had to pry my fingers off of whatever I am holding onto one finger at a time.  There are areas in my life that I feel like I need control over and hold onto them tightly when God really has something so much more beautiful in store for me.  I have been learning how to let go and hold onto things more loosely so God can do His work in my life.

    Photo by Downstairs Dev

  • Vacation & Travel: Vermont Fun & Celebrations

    Karlie, Daddy, and Brina putting together their lego creations!

    Thankful for a husband who invests time in the lives of the children.  The girls adore their Daddy!  I love all three of you so very much!

    Writing and drawing on tree bark.

    It is amazing the cool stuff you find in Vermont.  As Daddy and PopPop were splitting wood these pieces of paper fell off  of the tree and the girls thought they were the neatest “craft” paper.

    Daddy taking Brina for a short ride on the four wheeler.

    Brina all smiles after her ride on the four wheeler with Daddy.  So much fun!

    Karlie's turn on the 4-wheeler

    Karlie is pleased with herself for “helping” Daddy drive the four wheeler!

    Karlie and Brina riding with PopPop on the tractor.

    The tractor was out so the girls enjoyed riding for a few minutes with PopPop!

    Fun times in Vermont

    It’s the little stuff that make them smile.  Thankful for opportunity to spend time with Nana and PopPop.

    Celebrating Nana's Birthday!

    We were able to celebrate Nana’s birthday during our visit.  The girls helped make and decorate the cake for the party.

    Blowing out the candles!

    It was a blessing to share Nana’s birthday with her!

    PopPop and the girls!

    Brina admiring the butterfly plates while PopPop and Karlie watch Nana cut the birthday cake.

    Nana enjoying her birthday!

    Nana is a beautiful lady both inside and out. We love you Nana!  Thanks for sharing your birthday with us.

    PopPop getting into the festivities!

    Fun times with PopPop.

    Karlie target practicing with Daddy.

     Karlie did pretty well hitting the target.

    Brina had a blast practicing.

    Brina thought is was a lot of fun to sh0ot and find all the empty casings.

    Boutique of fresh and wild flowers from Vermont!

    Brina and Karlie loved picking the beautiful flowers from PopPop’s garden and along the trails.

    Enjoying some sparkler time!

    Standing on the rocks spelling out their names with sparklers!

    Brina and Karlie saying goodbyes to PopPop and Nana.

    Time to head home.  Saying goodbye and ready for the final leg of our long road trip!  We are thankful for our time with PopPop and Nana in Vermont.

    A Vacation To Remember series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed.  Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away.  Explore with a good attitude, look for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories.  It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine.  Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn.  You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!

  • Book: “You Were Born for This” by Bruce Wilkinson

    I recently finished the book “You Were Born for This”  Seven Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles by Bruce Wilkinson.  In his book Bruce shares several stories of how God was able to use him to encourage believers as well as lead others to Christ.  He goes through ways that you can be guided by the Holy Spirit to deliver a miracle to another person.  There are four main parts to the book:

    • Welcome to Everyday Miracle Territory
    • Four Keys to a Life of Miracles
    • How to Deliver a Miracle
    • Three Keys to Special Delivery Miracles

    Bruce Wilkinson puts in a number of examples and stories of how he was used to deliver a miracle.  Included in the back of the book is a Epilogue with more stories from readers of his book.  If you want to go through the book with a group he provides discussion questions for either a four week or seven week study.

    I thought the book had a lot of great reminders of how important prayer is in our life and to be in tune with the Holy Spirit because you never know when you have the opportunity to share with someone.  Bruce also addresses that we often fear speaking directly to a stranger about something personal and will question the prompting we feel or justify a reason for not stepping up with excuses such as “Who Me?” or “Do What?” or “What Will They Think?”

    The author gives several step by step ways to learn how to act on these miracle missions from prayer, having the heart for people, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you, and taking risks of faith.  I think we all have those moments when out of the blue we think of someone and fail to act on that prompting only to find out later that the person was going through a tough time; what an amazing blessing of encouragement we could have been if we had just called, written that letter, emailed or stopped by to see them.  Wouldn’t it be great living a life full of sharing blessings with those around you.  We do not know what the person next to us is going through at the moment.  A simple question like “I really want to help you.  What can I do for you?” can open the door for you to encourage someone.

    A handful of my favorite  quotes from the book:

    “I’ve noticed something reassuring. When we ask to be sent by God, He matches each of us with people we can help.”

    “A nudge is an inner push that directs us toward a person, a place, or an action.”

    “During a God arranged encounter you will know what God wants”

    “Knowing that we are sent, we take deliberate risks that place us in complete dependence on God for a miracle.”

    Rate my review & be entered into a giveaway: I reviewed this book for “Blogging for Books.”   By rating my review, it allows me to choose another book and enters you in a GIVEAWAY!   The rating is a two step process.

    Step 1:  Rate my review below (select the number of stars, enter your email, and hit submit).

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    Once you rated my review AND confirmed your email, you will automatically entered in a giveaway for this book by WaterBrook Multnomah!!!  They will pick one person to receive a copy of the book for themselves!  WaterBrook Multnomah will contact the winner directly.

    Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher through the Waterhouse Multnomah.  The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”