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

five friday favs

never ever heard of this stuff

have you?

a little pre k friend gave to me for valentines day

ben & i have enjoyed using it

on our hands & feet

* * * * * 

if you haven't had gelati celesti 

RED VELVET ice cream

you really need to drop by there

for those of you that know me well,

it is EVEN better than my long time favorite

PUMPKIN

well gelati celeste pumpkin now is in close 2nd 

to the delish, smooth, & creamy RED VELVET

* * * * * 

lunch time salads are much easier

with Gladware Salad & dressing pop in containers

so glad jennifer showed me them

* * * * *

love this song

* * * * *

the new ring tones
my little b put on my phone
to celebrate my big ole b-day

Fantastic February Fun . . .

. . . with friends

the boys both have good girl friends

so we thought it would be fun to invite them both over at the same time

after the initial invitation

more & more were invited the day of

baking with all these kiddos

was fun chaos!

i can't wait for us to do it again

HEADBANDS

1 of our favorite games

if you don't have it

get it!

that's right ben,

make yourself comfortable

. . . with family

i've NEVER been a real fan of valentines day

but that doesn't mean i shouldn't make it special for my boys

so we had some of their favorites,

baked spaghetti * chocolate covered strawberries * sparkling grape juice

and a new yummy dessert

we HIGHLY recommend it

surely we'll have more fun to finish out the month