WHAT'S UP

You know that line in the song..."hurt so good"...you know that line. The last few days have "hurt so good" They have been busy and nonstop, but oh so good! I won't overload you on the details, at least not today. Not on a Monday, not this Monday! But know this...details, will come. Unless I forget.

 

Here's what I will tell you, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving and packed my parents house with as much family those walls could handle...the craziness however leaked outside the walls...

Steve and I went on a date (with each other)!

I turned 31. I turned 31 this weekend and it was lovely. I have never before had a birthday where I have felt so content. So happy with the amazingness (is that a word? I'm too tired to look it up) and love that God continues to pour on little ol' undeserving me...after 31 years, he still does it!

  

So let's see, I turned 31...

we celebrated by having a crazy party...

We kicked off our Christmas season and hunted for a Christmas Tree...

We showed that farm who was boss and came out with the 'perfect' tree!

We went for fall strolls to coffee... 

and enjoyed huge festivals in the park...

 

 

We went to bed way too late, and enjoyed each others company. We missed naps and earned sleeping in. It was great!

 

Today's Reflection:

"You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing."

-Psalm 145:16 (NIV)

 

I love this, the implication that God merely need to open his hands and "BAM" my desires are satisfied.

 

I am beginning to understand just how deeply God knows me. How he moves past the junk inside me, the false desires of stuff and status. He sees right through that and gets to the true desires of my heart. He opens his hand and there it is, joy, love, peace. The other junk is pushed out because I just want more and more of what God is giving. I am satisfied.

 

Thank you Lord, for opening your hand.

HAPPY CAMPER

Well, we had a party over the weekend for my little birthday boy! I'm not sure what I was thinking when I decided to throw him a party, we've been so busy this month without a single free weekend and several out of town trips, but I love him and I'm a little crazy. As we all know, we do crazy things for those we love. But we pulled it off, in two days and one very late night before the party, we were able to print, cut, glue, dye, paint, nail and create "Camp Henry" As  you'll see by my little happy campers, it was worth it! Some quick details for those curious...I'm cheap and so is my husband, so we made just about all the decorations and utilized our own camping gear for the party. My parents were gracious enough to open up their beautiful backyard as the setting of our "campground" and hands down, the best smore combination is Mr.Goodbar + Marshmallow + original graham cracker...at least in my humble opinion it is!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

   

 

  

  

 

 

 

and there you have it..."Camp Henry"

Today's Reflection:
We tried to make use of what we had for the party, talents, location, supplies and materials... Sometimes you can have everything you need just sitting in your garage. In a world where you can see the best party money can buy on a pinterest board, it's easy to get jaded and distracted with what others are doing, that you underestimate what you can do. There are some pretty incredible things that you and I can do, if we just looked in our garage...of course, you know I'm no longer talking about a party...I'm talking about the incredible things we can do, the good works we can achieve if we just looked at all the talents and skills and circumstances God's placed before us. There is a scripture that we have written on our Prayer board right now...I hope it can bring you a little encouragement as it has me...

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. "
-Philippians 4:8

Meditate on these things. You might even find some of them in that "garage" of yours!

MY LITTLE BROTHER

Dear Mijo,

I want you to know that I am so proud to be your sister. Sometimes it's hard for me to watch you become a man, because in my heart you are still my little baby brother. I still worry about you, probably more than you know and probably more than I should but that's because I love you. I know I'm not very tough, but I want to protect you from anything that might try to hurt you, I'm your big sister, that's what we do! When we were younger we fought a lot, you were such a little brat in cowboy boots and a tail calling me "fat" because you knew my chubby little legs could never catch you! As we have become adults, you are someone I love more than words could describe.

I want you to know that today on your birthday, it is not just "a day like any other". Today, 28 years ago, Mom had her first son.  I can only imagine how much love we all felt when she brought you home. I know you don't have kids yet, so maybe you can't imagine, but that love is instant and deeper than any ocean and forever! I know because I have a son too!

I want you to know, you were made to do wonderful things! I believe you can and will become the man God intended you to be and one day this will spill over and shape you into the wonderful father and husband I know you will be. Don't let anyone ever put you down or limit you, and know that anytime anyone ever tries to hurt you or underestimate you, your big sister is here to beat them up or at least tell you they are nothing but liars!

I love you Mijo! Happy Birthday!

love,

Rena

 

Today's Reflection:
Lord, thank you for my little brother.  Please protect him from things and people that may try to keep him away from your plans for him. Bless him in everything he does. Keep him safe and help him to build a strong foundation with you as he begins to grow a family of his own.

MY FAVORITE SISTER

Dear Bridgette,

You are probably one of the best things that has ever happened to me.  I know we joke that if we were not sisters we probably would not be friends, but I think I would still probably facebook stalk you.  We both march to the beat of our own drum and have our own way of doing things, but somehow God has brought us together. He must have known that there would be days that I would need you and days you would need me. I'm now 30 and a mom, I probably outweigh you by at least 50 pounds, I've got easily an inch of height over you but still when I am with you I feel like a little girl hanging with her much cooler older sister.  I believe in you, you inspire me, you are one of the most talented people I know.  You are a free bird and I am a hedgehog or something just amazed by how you take flight.  I feel like God spoiled me by giving me a sister to go through life with, like he said "and on top of that I'm going to give you a best friend." I love you, Happy Birthday! God made you beautiful, he made you just the way you should be and he has big plans for you!

love,

You little sister 

Today's Reflection:

Lord, Thank you for my sister, please keep her safe.  Protect her from the people and things of this world that may try to lead her astray.  Help her to remember that you are her creator and your works are wonerful!  Bless her and everything she does as she becomes everything you have created her to be!

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

-Psalm 139: 13-16