an answer to my "whys"

i'm learning a lot these days about struggles, pain, joy, exchange, God's love & more

let me start first with the confusion i have in finding a church to plant, worship, grow, serve, etc. in.  i LOVE LOVE LOVE Hope however we just haven't found our niche.  i've taken the boys to a few other churches that i really like, we have friends at each one, and they each have choices for myself & the boys.
then i come back to hope.  i think that is truly where we need to dig our feet . . . doing it is hard.

timely that i returned to hope last week for the series "empty"

 . . . . . . . . . .

i've found my self asking "why" a lot over the past 2 years.  why would God allow my man to leave our marriage.  why am i without my best friend, Godly husband, ministry partner, etc.

i've loved the points the Lord has brought to my attention through the sermons these past 2 weeks.

* God's present in our sufferings. Job
* it's up to me to how to respond to these sufferings 1 Peter 1:7
* knowing the fellowship of His sufferings Phil 3:10
* every place of suffering is a place of exchange ~ if we are close to him isaiah 53:5
* my pain could make me a better friend to Jesus!  NEVER have i thought of it like this. (LOVE THIS ONE!)
* beauty has nothing to do with what i look like but who I am
* He who has not suffered, what does he know?


and the biggie that struck me ~

"The losses I've experienced 

may be the most powerful tools 

Jesus uses to make me beautiful"

i no longer need an answer to all my "whys".  instead i pray that i choose to rest in the ways God can use the mess & bless it.  i like that answer way better than blaming Satan.

five friday favs

whole house smells april fresh

and it's all thanks to a birthday gift

that ben & i just couldn't get enough sniffs of

* * * * * 

amazon.com

* * * * * 

target clearance

sweet sarah gave me an adorable little yellow note pad

i was tickled when i found a stash of them on the end cap 

perfect for "sunshine care packages"

* * * * * 

i thought the soft wallet was my favorite

then i received the timeless wallet

* * * * * 

i have curtains in my bedroom!!

and a few holes needing patching!

five friday funks . . . and favs!

funks first

only 3

yesterday i got to sub in the 5th grade

during a tornado warning

all good until the students in the class i was in had to

cover their heads with a text book

on the floor

in the BOYS BATHROOM

* * * * * 

forgetting about the pile of 4 day old

wet snow clothes

* * * * * 

the smell of the trees blooming in the front yard

it stinks

* * * * * 

favs

being introduced to estate sales

i love thrifting & junking

but i'd never been estate sale hoppin

i found some treasures too

a $2 cake dome like my granny's

* * * * * 

starting the school week with 

a snow day

off from school that really wasn't a true snow day

but a fun laid back day at home

* * * * * 

then ending it with amazing outside fun

the boys' backpacks didn't even make it inside until dark

kickball, capture the flag, hide & seek, basketball

i even got to join in the kickball game

kids from all over the neighborhood were over to play

* * * * * 

having the windows open

pollen hasn't invade . . . yet

* * * * * 

the smell of clean laundry

five friday favs

commercial makes me SMILE big

* * * * * 

looking forward to some fun dessert

thanks to these valentine coupons

* * * * * 

i LOVE my birthday

i can't even count how many times it was celebrated this year

even.more.fun!

* * * * * 

my new warm cozy soft blanket

i even passed on my former favorite 

warm cozy soft blanket to j

* * * * * 

i've said it before as a fav 

BUT

the lovely gals

wonderful friends

amazing team of ladies i work with

and families who are represented by each child at our pre k

are a big FAVORITE this week

we love our job teaching littles,

enjoy a celebration & have a lot of fun together,

love the children & their familes

& this week we discovered another strength

we can come together in crisis

it's been solid to pray for her family with our nrpre-k family

with each update, each request, each glimmer of hope

we've cried, worshiped, prayed, squealed with joy