finding the beauty

{reflecting}

2014-02-12T16:12:00.003-06:00

I have been in a reflection sort of mood. I've been reminiscing about when the kids were all smaller - when I had no idea what I was doing. And all of this reflecting has made me absolutely LOVE the season of life I am in now. Seasons are so interesting. I am thankful that God designed our lives that way. I definitely think it is one of His many mercies toward us. Seasons are especially interesting when you realize that you are in the middle of one and can view it from the outside. I am in the season of "getting a taste of the 'bigger years,' while still knee deep in the 'little years.'"

Iris is 18 months old and quite the clown. And this is the age that has always made me a bit kooky. Like crazy-lady-gonna-run-away kooky. But this time it's different. There is more grace, more patience. I am constantly comparing how different it was when Reed was this age. When I tell Iris that she can't do something, she turns it into a game - usually running off, with a maniacal laughter, and leaving a mess in her wake. When I would tell Reed that he couldn't do something, he would throw a huge, raging fit. Full on, thrown down, ugly hissy-fit. He would get SO angry and it would blow me away, make me angry, and humble me all at the same time. I would just sit and cry in defeat. Because even though I would discipline him and correct him, I would think that it was futile and get so discouraged. But God is so good, because I can look back at the me-then and say with confidence to the me-now that "It gets better!" All the hard work, all the training, all the correction and discipline pays off in huge ways. Because although their personalities are very different, what has really changed is me. I am different. I am a different mom then I was. All the prayers, that God would change my heart and that I would display the fruit of the Spirit, are paying off. God has done a work in me (with a long way still to go, mind you) and for that I am thankful.

I am also remembering how hard it is to take a toddler anywhere and actually carry on a conversation. I mean seriously. Iris is a storm of food on face, dirt in nails, vaseline in hair, and cereal on floor. "It's time to go, Iris," I tell her and she goes completely boneless as I mop the floor with her thighs all the way down to her pink converse. It is exhausting. She is exhausting. But I can breathe, give thanks, and press on, because I know this madness will end, and I know the time put into training now is and will be completely worth it.

Because I have 3 big kids to prove it. They are actually like little people now. Well-behaved. Respectful. Polite. And overall, they are a blessing to be around and I like them, I actually like them. I am not embarrassed or worried about an outburst or temper tantrum from one of them. But here's the thing. My husband and I have put in the time of sowing seeds and God has done the growing. We have prayed, we have laughed (I have cried), and we have spent hours training, correcting, and disciplining. They weren't born this way and we didn't "get lucky," as if we hit the parenting jackpot and were given better-than-average kids. What is really happening is that we are reaping the harvest. We are reaping the joys of having children that are a joy to be around, not just for us, but for others as well. We have always prayed that our children would bless others. That they would cause people to stop and consider the words in Psalms 127 that children are a blessing from the Lord. That they aren't just little consumers using up the earth's resources. That all kids don't spit in the face of their elders while they play on their smart phones. This blessing, this joy to be around is not just a sentiment that we wished for. It is one that we fought for. We have interceded for them and pleaded with God. And He has used our broken, sinful selves to bring about His grace in their lives, because He is a good and loving God that desires for us to be sanctified completely and thereby blessing our children. The seeds - the training, tears and prayers - were sown and we are reaping a harvest that is worth it all.

Enjoying our children, liking our children, fostering a deep relationship with them is tough stuff. It is the work of plowing and digging up the soil even when the sun has set and we are bone-tired. It takes hard work, it takes dying to self. And it takes the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives to not get frustrated, angry and downright selfish. It takes remembering the grace of God and setting our eyes on Christ in order to extend that grace to little lives He has entrusted to us.

{on becoming a pastor's wife}

2013-02-28T07:44:00.003-06:00

I used to smoke pot in 8th grade. And if you had asked me then if I thought one day I would be a pastor's wife, I would have blown that joint right in your face.

But by God's grace, a pastor's wife is exactly what I am. I mentioned in one of my last posts that 2012 was a big year for our family. Patrick became the pastor of our church in August 2012, which meant that Iris was only a few weeks old. I can remember several people asking how I was going to handle that with a new baby, three other kids and Patrick still working as a real estate broker on top of everything else.

Iris at 2 weeks

I can honestly say that God gave me an extra measure of grace during those first couple of months. Iris is a wonderfully calm baby and when she isn't hungry or tired, she is so happy. This was, and still is, such a gift from God. I was also genuinely excited to see what God was going to do in our church and in our family. I trusted that He had called Patrick and the Lord has proven to be faithful to that calling. My faith has been strengthened by the way God has moved in Patrick's life and I am reminded of God's perfect plan and perfect timing. A year ago, I would've grasped and clawed for Patrick the busier he got, demanding that he be home to help me - I mean I just had a fourth baby for cryin out loud - I would have been justified, right? But thankfully, I didn't feel that way and although it was hard at times in those early months, I had a peace in my heart, knowing that this was God's plan and I could rest in His goodness.
And this journey that we are on has been so good. Our church is in the candidacy phase to become part of the Acts 29 network, and that has been such a blessing. It is an amazing church planting network that supports pastors in their call to shepherd their churches. I am so thankful to be a part of it, especially as I meander this new role of a 'pastor's wife.' I never felt any pressure from our church to be someone that I am not and I am so thankful for that. But I am becoming keenly aware that like anything else, if I am not resting in who Christ has made me, then I will put the pressure on myself. I am a people pleaser by nature, and have to be careful to not fall into that trap. But on the other hand, I want to be willing to give of myself and not hunker down under the guise of protecting my family. It is a fine line between those two and I need the Lord to direct my steps and keep my heart in check.

Our church is considered a re-plant by Acts 29, since Patrick is now the pastor and the church is under new leadership, and so I am a "church-planting pastor's wife" (sounds complicated). I was pretty stoked to win this book in a random drawing that I stumbled upon the other day over at Kendra's blog. The book I won is The Church Planting Wife: Help and Hope for Her Heart, by Christine Hoover. She blogs at grace covers me and it has been such a source of encouragement to me.

I am looking forward to reading it. I desperately want to glorify God and be a helpmate to Patrick and the good Lord knows that I could use some guidance in this area as it is so new to me. I didn't think that my life would change that much, because I am still me. But my life is different and at times I can't put my finger on exactly why. I am praying that I will glean some wisdom from the other women that have gone before me.

miscellany monday {fourth child observations}

2013-02-25T07:48:00.000-06:00

Ever since Iris was born, I have had a running list of things that I have noticed since we became a family of six.

Iris at 6 weeks old

First, everyone comments on how she looks like one of her siblings. I have yet to hear that she resembles one of the parents who actually conceived her.
The only time I have heard that she looked like me was from the sweet, random 80 yr old in the store. I thanked her for feeding my unfortunate narcissism.
People assume that I have it all down now that I have 4. And I have absolutely no problem letting them believe it.
Conversely, people allow me tons of grace for NOT having it all together. "Oh, it's okay," they say, "you have 4 kids, I'm doing good with just 2." "Don't worry that you're 45 minutes late." And I am thankful that the expectation bar has been lowered. Because that's how I like to roll, people. Always lowering the bar, always lowering the bar.
People tell me that she must be laid back since she's the fourth. I can remember hearing that when Reed was born and I got a rude awakening. He was and is not laid back, and in fact, he is very obstinate and let's just say, passionate. So I think it depends on the child's personality. So far, Iris, is shaping up to be more like Patrick and Meadow - calm and content. Saige and Reed favor their momma - ~~emotional~~ passionate and opinionated we'll say.
I hear a lot of "God bless you," when I have all four of them in the store. I used to hear "you've got your hands full," but I guess people just jump straight to, "Holy crap, she's is crazy," and they just give me the sympathetic "God bless you."
I get a lot of random people telling me all about their grandchildren, which I love by the way. I guess they feel like they can tell me, because apparently I love children. Oh and they usually think I am even more awesome since many of them (the grandmothers) have a friend named Iris.
If you go to lunch with other moms with multiple children, bringing the total to 10 kids you may or may not be asked if you're part of a daycare. True story.

KAPOW! The AMAZING Super Baby on the attack!
(Iris at 6 months)

Happy Monday!!

{miscellany monday}

2013-02-18T06:58:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday to everyone! I decided to jump back into {miscellany monday} because sharing about other things I find on the web is one of my favorite things about this blog!

1. 5 Ways to Fight Slavery

I liked this post - What Christians Do About Modern-Day Slavery over at the d esiring God blog. It was informative, convicting and challenging. We need to do our part in fighting the evil of human trafficking and this article helps point out some easy and obvious ways to do it. I can't help but think of this quote by Martin Luther King Jr.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

2. Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart

This is a review of J.D. Greear's book, Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart, by Tim Challies.
Challies says, "Greear sets out to accomplish two things: to help the Christian find assurance that he has been saved, and to help the unbeliever resting on a false assurance see his danger and to turn to Christ." It looks like a great book and would be helpful for anyone who struggles with the assurance of their salvation.

3. A mover and a shaker

Iris is on the move!
So far she still army crawls everywhere, but she gets up on all fours and rocks it like a rock star. I love to see their personalities take shape. She's 6 months and I love this age!

4. The Greatest of These is Love

photo by cloistered away

My friend, Bethany, wrote a great post on Valentine's Day last week. I could totally relate and I know you will too.
Check it out, will you?

Grace and peace to you

this glorious Monday morning,

a new year and a faith strengthened

2013-02-15T21:04:00.000-06:00

A new year. I can hardly believe it's 2013. And that it is already February. What?!?! Life most definitely moves faster the older you get...

4 crazy kiddos

A lot changed in 2012. I had baby #4, I became a pastor's wife and I decided to homeschool. Whew. That IS a big year. I spent most of 2012 on a blogging break because I was, and still am, searching for balance in my life. But I am processing what the Lord has been teaching me and thus I am blogging for today.
I have been learning that my entire Christian life comes down to faith. I know, I know, ground-breaking, isn't it? But as simple as it sounds it has been life-altering and many of the dots of my walk with the Lord have been connected, so to speak. I have realized that the same lie that Eve believed in the garden - that God was withholding something from her and that He couldn't be trusted - is the same lie that is whispered in my ear daily. And the battle in my heart and mind is a battle of faith - who will I believe? Will I believe the lie or will I believe and remember the faithfulness of God? Will I believe that He is withholding something from me or will I believe that He works all things together for my good (Romans 8:28)? A couple of years ago, I can remember crying in the shower and asking the Lord if he was good. Was He really good? I desperately wanted to believe it, but knew that I wasn't living like I did. I would say that I believed in His goodness but when it boiled down to it, did I really? How we view God dictates how we live this Christian life. And I knew that, I knew that if I was questioning God's goodness, it was affecting how I lived. I didn't want to doubt - I wanted to believe in my heart what I knew to be true in my head. I wanted to see fruit of the new creation that Scripture promises. And praise be to God, I believe that He has been answering that prayer ever since - slowing showing me His goodness and faithfulness.
This verse from Romans has made a huge impact on my life:

"Yet [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Romans 4:20-25

I am seeing more and more that God has the power to do what He promises, and my prayer is that I am fully persuaded like Abraham. I believe that He is the one that is faithful. He is the one in whom my heart finds joy and the one in whom I can take refuge. But oftentimes it's a battle to believe these truths in the depths of our soul. In 1 Timothy 6:11-12, Paul exhorts believers to "Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called..."I have to fight to believe the promises of God. When I am tempted to worry, to get angry, to be impatient, I remind myself (with Scripture) that His Spirit is in me and therefore, I have the power to display the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 6), and that I am a new creation (1 Cor 5:17). I fight the lies and the temptation with the truth in His word.

John Piper's Future Grace has been so helpful in this battle of faith. This book has helped me to see how trusting in what Christ did on the cross is my strength for the future - minute by minute, day by day. It's not just enough to look back and be thankful for what He did. I also have to look forward and trust that He will remain faithful to the end.

"...what it means to believe in Jesus is to experience him as the satisfaction of my soul's thirst and my heart's hunger. Faith is the experience of contentment in Jesus. The fight of faith is the fight to keep your heart contented in Christ - to really believe, and keep on believing, that he will meet every need and satisfy every longing." - John Piper, Future Grace

That's where I'm at. I love to write out my thoughts, so thank you for reading! I have lots more to say, but I am cutting this post off now and plan to write more about the other changes that I mentioned earlier in this post (i.e. homeschooling and being a pastor's wife).

But I would love to know how you fight the good fight. Leave a comment and let me know!

Blessings!

{on ovens, teapots, cleaning and God's light}

2012-10-22T11:44:00.000-05:00

We got a new oven this past week, because our old oven was a causality of my last pregnancy. Let me explain. Since I can't drink coffee when I am pregnant (not because I like to avoid caffeine, but because I like to avoid puke), I drink A LOT of tea. I turn into a Brit the minute I conceive. So when I was pregnant with Iris, I boiled water on the stove every morning. I used a whistling teapot that was a wedding gift many moons ago. It was yellow. A happy bold yellow. Since it whistled, I would turn it on and walk away, because you know, that's what moms do - multi task - and come back when I heard it whistle. Well one day, I walked back into the kitchen and I could smell this awful charring smell. I yelled for Patrick because I thought something was about to explode in the oven. And then I realized that my teapot was what was getting charred. Me and my baby brain forgot to put water in the teapot! And I saw that my yellow teapot was melted to the glass top of my stove. Yeah. Awesome. And in the process of prying it off, the entire top cracked. Patrick was so kind about it and we have laughed about it on more that one occasion. I am thankful that he doesn't love things more than me.
In preparation for the new stove, we had to pull out the old one. And I knew what that would entail. Cleaning. I was not looking forward to seeing what was behind the oven. When I got the mop out and started to clean, I saw a whole lot more that needed cleaning - the baseboards and the cabinets were atrocious. I don't notice them anymore since I don't have a crawler - who knows the last time that I gave it a good scrubbing. Have you ever not wanted to turn a light on because you didn't want to see the dirt that is lurking in the corners? When the light streams through my windows, it reveals so much grossness that sometimes I honestly just shut the blinds so that I don't have to see it. So I don't have to stop and deal with it. And as I was mopping, I started thinking about how much my life resembles that. I oftentimes don't want the light of Christ to shine on the yuckiness in my heart, to reveal the gross sin that is lurking in the corners. In BSF last week, we studied Genesis 4, about Cain and Abel.^"The Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted?And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it'” (Genesis 4:6-7). God mercifully warned Cain that he was blind to the sin that was crouching and lurking in the shadows. He warned him that it wanted to rule over him. I have been thinking all week about what sins are crouching at the door and want to rule me? They aren't the "big" sins, but the less discernible ones in my life, that lurk in the shadows of my heart. Impatience, selfishness, self-righteousness... these are what I am tempted to give into. I am constantly teaching my kids that Love is patient and kind, it's not rude. And every time I say it, I am reminded of my own rude and impatient heart. While cleaning, I was reminded of this truth:

"...for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Ephesians 5:8-14

What a wonderful promise. Expose the dark places of my heart to the light of Christ and darkness no longer reigns there. This is because when sin is exposed, when it becomes visible, it is in the light. I may still struggle with it, but I am no longer blind to it. It is there for me to deal with instead of ignoring it, it is there for me to confess and allow the Holy Spirit to clean it out. I want His light to reveal the places in my life that don't bring him honor and that hurt the people around me. Because that's what sin does, it hurts those around you whether you like it or not. Instead I want to love with the love of Christ and not give in to the sin that is crouching in the darkness, I want to be the light. I don't want to be blind or comfortable with the sin in the dark places of my heart. I don't want the sin in my life to hinder me from authentic relationships. So I am opening the windows and letting the light of His Word expose my sin.

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:5-9

This promise in scripture is both challenging and comforting. I am going to take hold of His faithfulness and allowing the light of His Word to expose the sin I don't want to deal with, the dirt in the corners. I am relying on his forgiveness to wash and make me clean. And I am praising Him for the times in my life that I am forced to clean and deal with the yuckiness in my life, in the corners of my heart.

Blessings to you this Monday!

miscellany monday {random}

2012-10-08T10:03:00.001-05:00

One of my absolute favorite things about blogging is the ability to share with you all the awesome things I come across in cyberspace. Here are four of them.

1. Honest Toddler. It is probably one of the funniest blogs I have ever read. I have literally cried from laughing so hard. If you are a mom (or if you have ever spent more than a minute with a toddler) and you have a sense of humor, then check this post out. I had a hard time picking just one for those of you new to that blog. You might want to check out the other posts with your smart phone in the bathroom, because I guarantee that you will wet your pants. Don't say I didn't warn you.

2. Craftfail.com is hilarious, and this made me laugh. I like look at this website when I get disillusioned with pinterest. It's therapeutic.

3. This is so funny. No explanation needed.

source

4. And, of course, Happy Columbus Day!

one week photo shoot

2012-10-01T08:51:00.001-05:00

My good friend, Terri, offered to take pictures of Iris and I gladly took her up on it.

Here is our sweet Iris Elaina at 1 week. Enjoy!

iris elaina. july 25

2012-09-28T09:26:00.000-05:00

This post has been a long time coming. Iris is now 2 months, but better late than never, right?!

Our fourth baby, Iris Elaina, made her way into the world on July 25th at 11:40 am. She weighed 7lbs 5oz and was 19" long.

We decided on her name about 5 hours after she was born. Iris was the 5th name on my list of 5. I liked it, but wasn't sold on it. But when she was born, she came out a little feisty. All the other names seemed too docile and passive, so we decided on Iris. She's calm and content, but she's definitely not going to be a pushover.

Mimi picked out these shirts for the kids. It's uncanny that she chose purple given her name wasn't decided yet.

The big 3 ready to meet their baby sister.

Proud BIG sister Saige with a knitted cap from the nursery. Once again, uncanny that it's purple. God cares about the details!

Meadow, her bling, and her baby sister somewhere in that blanket and hat

Big brother Reed

The Wimberlys Six

Two days old

I hope to blog more about how being a family of 6 is going, so check back if you're curious!

Happy Friday!

my first baby is six

2012-07-24T12:39:00.000-05:00

This entire pregnancy has been a wonderful reminder of my first pregnancy with Saige. Her original due date was Aug 3 and this baby girl's original due date is Aug 1. I have reflected on where we were living and how I felt during my first pregnancy more than I have in a long time. Seeing Saige grow up, is a beautiful reminder of what babies turn out to be - a little person with their own personalities, talents and gifts from God.

My dearest Saige,

How lovely you've become. You are such a smart young lady, with a contagious laugh and a natural ability to lead. Your Daddy and I are so proud of you and of who you are becoming. Our prayer for you is this:

Lord,

You have Saige on a journey, and she needs her mind to be ready for the challenges, and the adventures that are ahead. The world will offer many distractions and the enemy will try to make her stray from the path You have carved out for her. I thank you that You go ahead of her to light the way, are with her always to keep her steady, and You even follow after her to comfort her when she missteps.

Father, I ask that you give her a mind that is calm and full of hope. I pray that Your grace will turn her thoughts toward You and strengthen her walk of faith.

May she be a girl who is marked by self control and confidence in Her faithful God.

I pray this in Your name that never changes.

Amen.

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self‑controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:13, NIV

We love you, sweetie!

-Mommy and Daddy

bring it on

2012-07-23T09:53:00.000-05:00

I am scheduled for an induction in 2 days. Let me repeat that. 2 days. On the one hand, I can't believe it's that close, and on the other, I feel like it's been the longest of all my pregnancies. It has felt like an eternity. I am sure it has something to do with the fact that I have 3 other children under the age of 6, but I could be wrong.
I can't wait for things to go back to normal for my body. I was pregnant with my first at this same time 6 years ago and I can totally feel the difference. I am getting old people. I can't wait to bend over, oh what a joy that will be. My hands and feet not swelling, I can't even remember what that's like. Sleeping on my back or tummy, what's that? Not having acid rush up my throat at 2am, causing me to vomit - that will actually stop?
I have never met a woman, who was in her last weeks of pregnancy, who didn't want for it to end. We all want to have our bodies back and get to meet the baby that has taken up residence in our uterus for 9 months. I believe it's God's way of getting you ready to move on to the next stage - what I like to call the "newborn fog." This isn't my first rodeo and I know what's coming - sleepless nights, crying spells, figuring out the feeding thing - and so I say, "Bring it on." I am ready to get on with it, get this show on the road, so that we can find our new normal as a family of six. I am ready to meet this little girl, the one who will forever change our lives, just like her three siblings before her.

38 weeks

miscellany monday {april matters}

2012-04-16T09:43:00.001-05:00

1. Idleness, gossips and busybodies

Nancy Ann Wilson, wrote an article that really challenged me titled, "Daughters and Boredom."

"And we need to see the value of keeping our little girls busy too. Boredom and idleness lead to grumpiness and annoyance, and make fertile ground for fault-finding and tattling. Little girls who indulge in the sins of tattling and tale-bearing can grow up to become gossips and busybodies." Read the rest here.

First it challenged me as a woman to not be idle and to not be a busybody. My natural tendency is to be lazy, so this was a great reminder of what we are called to do - namely, being faithful with our time. I am also thankful to be reading it while my daughters are still young, so that I can set a good example for them and encourage them to be hard workers. But even if your daughters are grown up, or you don't have any, Wilson also encourages grandmothers in this as well.

2. Motherhood in the little things

My friends and I have been talking a lot about this article that Rachel Jankovic (Nancy Ann Wilson's daughter) recently posted. She hits it on the nail again when it comes to being a mother in the little things. I encourage you to read it!

"Organization and dishwasher running are not the only things that are little about motherhood. Your days are full of little questions, little answers, little puzzles, little problems, little concerns. Little disobedience. Big disobedience over little things. This can be very discouraging to any mother. What have I ever done that was important? What, in the course of my regular day, matters? Is this hot new system for containing playmobil really as big of an accomplishment as I think it is? What happened to me that I think this is important?"

Read the entire article here.

3. Speaking of not being idle

I am totally nesting. And I love it. I bought a bunch of fabric and have caught the sewing bug. I made these for a friend who is having a baby boy soon. My only regret was that she was the guinea pig and they came out okay, but definitely could have been done better. I didn't take a picture of them, but I did take a picture of the ones I started my baby girl. Below is the source and then next is part of what I have done so far.

via pinterest

4. Cutting for Stone

I am currently reading Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese and am nearly finished. I have enjoyed it for the most part. It has been a little slow, but it's held my attention, which is saying a lot in this phase of my life. And I don't know if it's because my life is going to radically change in July, but I have been wanting to read more than I have in a long time. So I am really excited to pick up a copy of The House at Riverton that my sister-in-law, Laura, recommended. Another friend recommended, The Kitchen House, but I haven't been able to locate a copy of that one yet. If you have one, could I borrow it? Also, if you've read Cutting for Stone, I would love to hear your thoughts!

5. Traditional Easter pics

Happy Monday, y'all!

miscellany monday

2012-03-19T08:25:00.000-06:00

1. This was our first Spring Break as a public school family and it was pretty difficult waking up this morning. With the time change, all of my kids have been sleeping in till about 8am. Well, the kids stayed with Mimi and Popo on Saturday night and they went to church with them on Sunday morning. She snapped this awesome picture of my trio.

2. A good friend of mine is 27 weeks pregnant and is on full bed rest, so our church has been bringing them meals. And this weekend, I volunteered to bring a dessert (because it was her husband's birthday) and another friend brought dinner. I am not exactly sure why I do this, but whenever I volunteer to make something for someone else, I almost always pick a new recipe. And this time was no different. I was given a bunch of lemons from a friend and I am always trying to find a use for them. So I scoured the Internet and found this recipe for Sour Cream Lemon Cake. According to Sarah, it was good, but part of me was annoyed at myself for bringing them a cake that had never been taste-tested. I mean, who does that?!

source

3. We are getting ready for baby girl and have been making some changes in the house to make room. After a long ~~heated~~ debate, Patrick and I decided to move my craft room into the master bedroom. And although I was a bit skeptical, it has turned out to be fantastic. Since it's in my bedroom, I have more of a vested interest in keeping it clean and organized. And since there is no "out of sight, out of mind," I am actually getting some projects done. And I am very happy with how it turned out!

Happy Monday! What did you do this weekend?

friday favorites {random}

2012-03-16T07:50:00.001-06:00

1. The Hunger Games meets So You Think You Can Dance

Saige wanted to have a dance contest, with Meadow being the judge. Well Reed, of course, wanted to play too. He decided his role would be the executioner, with Meadow telling him if Saige passed or not. According to Reed, Saige never passed and was unfortunately shot many times.

2. Of course, getting to see Baby Girl was a favorite this week

3.Great article over at The Rabbit Room about Steven Curtis Chapman

"I’ve been in Nashville for 15 years now, and, well, you tend to hear less-than-flattering stories about folks from time to time (I’m sure there are a few about me floating around out there), but I have yet to hear one of those about Steven. What that might lead a rascal like me to conclude is that either a) Steven is so squeaky-clean he must be hard to like or b) he’s a complete wreck and he’s hiding it. I didn’t realize until this tour was underway that there’s a third option. Here it is: Steven is a wreck, he’s not hiding it, and because of the mighty presence of Jesus in his life, grace abounds to those around him." Read more here.

4. Brothers and Sisters

In light of the news this week, I thought this article by Doug Wilson was so timely.

"Boys should be taught that they are to protect their sisters "from the dragon," and the very first thing this means is that they must refrain from turning into the dragon themselves. When the protector turns into the very thing that protection is needed from, the result for the girl involved is nightmarish." Read more here.

Drum Roll please . . .

2012-03-13T20:18:00.003-06:00

The verdict is in

And it's another GIRL!

A Big sister three times over and she is absolutely tickled pink!

A son that will grow to be, Lord willing, a sweet, caring and sensitive young man with the help of all THREE sisters.

And a girl who gets the joy of being a big sister again, but this time to a baby girl.

And Mom and Dad are overjoyed! Praise God for another healthy baby!

The Big Reveal

2012-03-13T13:56:00.003-06:00

The girls are helping me get ready for the big reveal today (we find out at 4pm)...

So, what's your guess?

Boy or Girl??!!

friday favorites {linky love}

2012-03-09T09:14:00.000-06:00

1. Mommy guilt, anyone?

My hand is raised and I found this to be VERY encouraging.

"Most mothers labor under the weight of guilt—of frustrated ideals, imperfect performance, and deficient production. The laundry remains undone; story books unread, and tempers flare. . . ." Read more here.

2. A funny take on that mommy guilt

3. Bless the LORD, O my soul

"In a culture haunted by fragmentation, hi-tech distractedness, and the loneliness of individualism, where hearts---even Christian hearts---feel like empty theaters of longing, God's life-giving power is needed more than ever. Along with food and clothing, divine blessing is a necessary commodity.

The blessing of redemptive grace, proceeding from the finished work of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, is new every morning, fortifying our souls with the requisite faith to stand and declare to angels and men, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!" Read more here.

4. Teach children the Bible is NOT about them.

This is a wonderful article and reminder of how we should teach the Bible to not just children, but to anyone (including ourselves).
"As a child, even though I was a Christian, I grew up thinking the Bible was filled with rules you had to keep (or God wouldn't love you) and with heroes setting examples you had to follow (or God wouldn't love you)." Read more from Sally Lloyd-Jones here.

Happy Friday, y'all!

Sin is Never the Only Option

2012-03-06T08:01:00.001-06:00

Ever since I wrote this post, I have been chewing on the meaning of this verse from 1 Corinthians:

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

I think this is the verse that people take and misuse the phrase: "God will never give you more than you can handle." But as I stated in the previous post, this verse says nothing about circumstances, it clearly states that you will not be tempted beyond what you can handle. So what does that look like in real life. What are the sort of temptations Paul is talking about? In context, he is reminding the Corinthians of how the Israelites had been an idolatrous, grumbling nation and a lot of the letter was written to rebuke the Corinthians for their selfishness and unwillingness to put others first. He is encouraging them to remember that in their temptation, God, who is faithful, will provide the strength to escape it. Sin will never be the only option for those who are in Christ. When I used to read this verse, I would read temptation and think "big sins," like stealing or lying. But it wasn't until recently, the Lord showed me that it's also talking about our temptation to subtler sins, such as, selfishness, pride and envy. The Corinthians were tempted to only think of themselves and I can surely relate to that.
I can easily fall into the day to day grumbling and complaining. "My life is so hard," "I never get any sleep," "I just want to have an adult conversation," "Can I just pee by myself for once in 5 years?!" But I am rebuked and encouraged again and again by this verse. The temptation to get frustrated with my kids for not obeying, for talking back, for just being kids and asking 1,000 questions a day is not beyond what I can endure with the help of the Holy Spirit. The temptation to cling to "my rights" and to what "I deserve," passes when I stop and ask Jesus for help. And I remember Jesus' words, that those who lose their life for His sake will find it (Mat. 10:39). So this has been my prayer as of late:

"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead..." Ephesians 1:18-20

In Christ, I am not tempted beyond what I can bear. Praise Jesus.

a giveaway of sorts

2012-02-29T08:26:00.000-06:00

All right, y'all, I have some exciting news. Remember this giveaway? Well, my friend, Courtney from Noonday Collection, thought she would spread the love again to my readers. But I have to say, this one is even cooler. And I'm a little jealous of the winners already. So here's the rundown.
Courtney is offering one of these necklaces (pictured below, a $72 value) to the FIRST THREE people that offer to host a trunk show in the month of March. So, obviously, the catch is that you would need to be in the Houston area, and if you don't live in Houston, then I am sorrier for you than you'll ever know. But if you do live in the area, then you have an AMAZING chance to win this GORGEOUS necklace.

inca steps (in 3 colors to choose from)

Seriously, isn't it a beautiful statement piece? My sister-in-law owns one and she said that every time she wears it someone asks her about it. And isn't that a great opportunity to share about the vision of Noonday with complete strangers?! So, if you want to commit to host a trunk show in the month of MARCH, then you need to contact me immediately via email. cheryl dot wimberly at me dot com. Oh and ONE MORE thing, not only do you win the $72 necklace, but if your show does $500 or more, you receive the 10% hostess reward to go towards Noonday purchases OR an adoption.
So, what are you waiting for? Pick some dates that work for you and email me right now!

Little Cyclones

2012-02-21T08:20:00.000-06:00

Almost every night, when I shut the door to Reed's room (after shutting the girls' door with Saige still talking), I walk into the living room and sigh as loud as I possibly can and flop down on the couch. And it is one of the best feelings after a very long day. All I want to do at that point is absolutely nothing. I get to sit there and not feel guilty about it. For me this is somewhat of a Sabbath rest. I have a difficult time resting without feeling like I need to be doing something else (the laundry, the dishes, etc). But every night, I completely enjoy my guilt-free rest. I sit with Patrick and we talk about the day and then usually watch one of the shows we've DVR'd or if I am by myself, I catch up on Downton Abbey.
Recently, I have been reminded graciously, by people that have children out of the house, that our kids are so busy and that they can hardly remember what that was like to have little ones. And in those moments, I feet justified by my weariness and am also humbled by the very fact that it goes by so fast. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded that the constant chaos and busyness that children bring is not going to be my forever normal. And more importantly, I don't need to feel guilty for being so exhausted and spent at the end of the day. Check out this quote from C.S. Lewis in a letter he once wrote:

"My brother and I have just had the experience of an American lady to stay with us accompanied by her two sons, aged 9 1/2 and 8. Whew! Lovely creatures — couldn’t meet nicer children — but the pace! I realize I have never respected young married people enough and never dreamed of the Sabbath calm which descends on the house when the little cyclones have gone to bed and all the grown-ups fling themselves into chairs and the silence of exhaustion." Read others ones here.

At the same time, it's nice to be reminded that these days will come to an end, and I need to remember to cherish them now. These pictures remind me of just how much I need to relish these moments. Because I can remember them like it was yesterday...

One Tough Mudder

2012-02-16T12:52:00.003-06:00

This is a really late post, but I had trouble getting the video to work. And trust me, it's worth watching.

A few months ago, Patrick looked into trying a different type of race. So he thought that running through mud, throwing himself in ice water and getting electrocuted would be perfect.

I married one crazy dude.

He and 4 other friends signed up for the Tough Mudder race last month. And it was so much fun to watch! They did some crazy things, many of which were too far away to see (it was a 12 mi course), but it was fun to watch the challenges we could get to.

Enjoy the pictures!

Liz, Kevin, Patrick, Matt and Jeremy

Patrick and Jeremy before the race. Jeremy looks likes he's thinking, "What did you get me into, brother?"

The best family shot we could get. The kids were so excited to watch their Daddy.

Cousin Kevin

Crazy Cousin Kevin looking fierce

Patrick coming out of the water

The team running to the final 4 challenges. The best was yet to come... electrocution.

Waiting to crawl through an ice bath under electrical wires. They're nuts.

Liz was amazing. This is her getting up the half-pipe. Seriously, she was so amazing!

My stud of a husband at the top of the half-pipe.

The kids with their war paint.

This is a video of Patrick going back to get his shoe that got stuck in the mud (thus getting muddier than everyone else). Mind you, he is running back into the wires that shocked him already once before. He thought at the time it would be a good idea since they were an expensive pair of shoes. I think his brain was fried already. You decide. ENJOY!

Patrick and cousin Kevin (are you so proud, MaMa?)

They did it! I'll let you decide which ones said they would do it again. :)

heavy on my heart

2012-02-03T15:07:00.000-06:00

The Super Bowl is, of course, this coming weekend. I love football and I love to watch the big game. But when I hear about it or think about it now, I can't help but think of all of the Human Trafficking that takes place in the Super Bowl host city. The 2010 Super Bowl reportedly saw an estimated 10,000 sex workers brought in to Miami. And in Dallas last year, there were 133 prostitution arrests. When I watch the news and see all of the people that have descended upon Indianapolis, I get nauseous. And all I know to do, is to stop to pray for all of the innocent women (and boys) that have been brought there because of sinful and depraved men. But I was also so encouraged by this news. Indiana lawmakers passed tougher human-trafficking laws just in time for the Super Bowl.

“What they did is amazing,” said Linda Smith, the president and founder of Shared Hope International. “I met with the governor less than two months ago. He met with the legislature that same week. They fast-tracked a piece of legislation to warn the traffickers – this is not a good place to do business.” Read more.

Please join me in thanking the Lord for the laws that were put in place in time. And join me in asking the Lord to protect those that have been brought there for ill-gotten gains.

More info about Human Trafficking and how you can get involved in ending this modern day slavery.

Not for Sale
International Justice Mission
Abolition International
I Stop Traffic (good statistics & information on practical ways to help)

i've missed you

2012-01-24T08:30:00.000-06:00

Well, hello there. Yes, I am still alive. But.just.barely. This first trimester took me by surprise. Like knock-the-wind-out-of-me surprised. I honestly believe God grants mothers amnesia when it comes to pregnancy, giving birth, and the first three months with a newborn. Because if not, I doubt many would willingly choose to keep going through it. Oh, and just to set the record straight, this fourth was planned - he/she was not a surprise. Which for this first trimester, I have found myself asking, "what was I thinking?" Because folks, it's all coming back to me now. And although, I know it's worth it because I have 3 precious little ones to prove it, it has still been hard. These have all made their debut these past 13 weeks:

ridiculous exhaustion that just makes me angry,
a complete lack of motivation, almost to the point to tears
hormonal moodiness that's just plain ugly,
and I'm-going-to-eat-your-arm-off-if-I-don't-get-something-to-eat-right-now hunger (my personal favorite)

Those are the familiar things from the previous 3 pregnancies. But for this fourth one we have added a new one: I-want-to-just-put-my-head-in-a-toilet-because-that-would-feel-better-than-CONSTANT-nausea-without-any-relief. I was never this sick with my previous pregnancies and I am such a baby when I'm sick. I find it very difficult to maintain a good attitude. And as a mother, my attitude dictates the entire mood of the house, which unfortunately has been pretty pathetic lately. My husband has given me a lot of grace, and I could probably allow myself some more. But with that said, I have had absolutely NO motivation and blogging got put on the bottom of the list of things I wanted to do. But today I realized I need this outlet. It's not about blogging for stats or for comments. I was reminded that I need this for my sanity. I need to process my thoughts so I can get them out of my head. I also enjoy the platform to share my heart through various articles that I come across. So here's to me diving back in. I hope you've missed me. Because I've missed you.

Quatro at 9 weeks

Let the Craziness Continue

2011-12-20T13:58:00.000-06:00

Oh blog, how I have neglected thee. I am without motivation or inspiration but there is a reason and I do believe you'll agree it's a pretty decent one.

Never say never. Never agree to be done with kids just so you can get a dog. Don't put God in a box and assume you know His plan for your life. And never say that you don't get morning sickness. Those are just a few lessons I have learned recently. I have been humbled and blessed all within in a matter of months. Because we found out that we are expecting Baby #4 in July.

Saige started spilling the beans right when we found out so I have been having to tell people a bit sooner than I had anticipated. She's a little chatty cathy and told my parents before I even had a chance to! :) But it's wonderful news and we couldn't more thrilled.

So welcome to Crazyville. Stay awhile. Because apparently we are. And here's to letting the craziness continue . . .

It's a BOY!

2011-12-14T08:56:00.003-06:00

This post is for you, MaMa Sharp! Did you guess right? It's a boy!

My mother-in-law asked if I could post a picture of her new grandson, born to my sister-in-law, Jenn. She wanted his great-grandmother (MaMa) to see him. So this is short and sweet, and better pictures will be coming.

Joshua Paul Canady has arrived!

8:11 am

6 lbs 4 oz
19" long