BUSYness

It's been a while since I've blogged; we've been a little busy!  Once Jeremiah returned home from Japan, we hit the ground running ... again!

The weekend after he returned, he had middle school Pastor's Camp. 

Jeremiah and I flew to California for a Celebrate Recovery/The Landing Conference at Saddleback Church August 10 - 12 ... it was amazing!!

I stopped watching my niece Carra.  That was definitely bittersweet.  I love that little girl and miss her like crazy, but am thankful I have the opportunity to be with my babies!!

Jeremiah and I celebrated 7 years of marriage on August 14. <3

I hit a parked car, yes, a parked car, in the Target parking lot and Madelynn started ballet/tap on the same day, which she loves and adores :) on August 16.

Madelynn turned 4 years old on August 18 and got her a new sassy hair do :)  I can't believe my baby girl is 4!  That, too, is bittersweet!

Nehemiah starts MMO next week.  And I start homeschooling Madelynn next week.  Praying the Lord will show me, during this prayer/trial period, exactly what He wants for my children's education.

'Tis the life of a youth pastor's wife.

This Friday I leave for the beach with some girlfriends ... no kids, no husbands ... for a time of rest, relaxation, retail therapy, and rejuvenation.  I am so thankful for this priviledge!

Bottom line:  I love my life, I love my babies, I love my husband.  I. AM. BLESSED.

Jesus Calling ... Japan

Three thirty came very early Friday morning!  After only a couple hours of sleep and all night packing, I dropped Jeremiah off at GSP Airport.  His destination:  Sendai, Japan.  His mission:  Minister to the Japanese after such a devastating natural disaster back in March.  Sendai was the epicenter of the quake and tsunami on March 11, 2011.  A 7.0 aftershock also hit Sendai on July 9.

Sendai, Japan Before & After

Needless to say, I wasn't thrilled of the idea.  Radiation was a concern of mine, as was just merely going to such a devastated area ... not mention the flight is LONG & EXHAUSTING! (I know from experience back in 2000).  Plus, 10 days is a long time without my man!! =)  There was also a hint of jealousy because I wanted to go.  I would like to think I'm really Japanese, ha ha ... I LOVE JAPAN!!  I fell in love when I went in 2000.  However, Jeremiah felt called to go.  I know there is no safer place than being in God's Will.

Confession time:  I WORRY. 

Satan is powerful.  But my God is stronger than anything Satan can throw at me. 

I have a new devotional book called, "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young.  It is wonderful.  It is written as if Jesus is talking to you.  Yesterday, I was pretty upset & sad when I got home from the airport.  I sat in our burgundy recliner, pulled out my book and this was what was written for July 15:

"DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW!  This is not a suggestion, but a command.  I divided time into days and nights, so that you would have manageable portions of life to handle.  My grace is sufficient for you, but its sufficiency is only for one day at a time.  When you worry about the future, you heap day upon day of troubles onto your flimsy frame.  You stagger under this heavy load, which I never intended you to carry.

Throw off this oppresive burden with one quick thrust of trust.  Anxious thoughts meander about and crisscross in your brain, but trusting Me brings you directly into my Presence.  As you thus affirm your faith, shackles of worry fall off instantly.  Enjoy My Presence continually by trusting Me at all times."

God truly meets us at our very need.  Thank you Father God!

P.S.  I can't WAIT to see his pictures ... he better remember to take some! =)

"Streams in the Desert"

This is a devotional that has run in Jeremiah's family for a long time.  I was introduced to it in college by my friend/sister-in-law ... and am so thankful for it's encouragement.  June 8's devotional seems fitting for such a time as this:

⁴ "because whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith." (1 John 5:4) HCSB

If a person allows it, he can find something at every turn of the road that will rob him of his victory and his peace of mind.  Satan is far from retiring from his work of attempting to deceive and destroy God's children.  At each milestone in your life, it is wise to check the temperture of your experience in order to be keenly aware of the surrounding conditions.

If you will do this and firmly exhibit your faith at the precise moment, you can sometimes actually snatch victory from the very jaws of defeat.

Faith can change any situation, no matter how dark or difficult.  Lifting your heart to God in a moment of genuine faith in Him can quickly alter your circumstances.

God is still on His throne, and He can turn defeat into victory in a split second, if we will only trust Him.

When you have faith ... you can stop the Enemy wherever you encounter him.

I'll be there for you ...

If you know me well, really well, you know that my friends are very important to me.  Now, with saying that, if you've ever had a baby, you know how crazy (good and bad) they change you!  After having Madelynn, I suffered from severe PPD (and my feet got bigger ... what's up with that??).  When she was 4 months old we got pregnant with Nehemiah.  After Nehemiah was born not only was I still suffering from PPD, but you throw in anxiety, man, that's just a recipe for disaster!! 

I dealt with my issues by avoiding everyone but family; not like me at all.  I am very much a people person; I love life and being spontaneous, even being nicknamed "Good Time Charlie" (given to me by my Paw Paw).  It's amazing what hormones can do to you!

However, there is a group of women from my church who never gave up on me, no matter how many times I turned them down, avoided them, or just pretty much ignored them ... one even lovingly calling me out! =)  Ladies,  you know who you are and I want to first say I am sorry and secondly, thank you!  You all may never know this side of Heaven how much I appreciate all you've done for me and the impact you've had!!  Thank you, my friends!!

I am slowly coming back to myself ... the real me.  It's a process, a journey.  But I am thankful for where it has brought me! 

(And yes, I still love that show ...)  

Best friend and Babies!

In 1997 I met one of my best friends in the world, Hana W. Koujak!  I now call her family because 10 years ago she met and married (thanks to me) my cousin, Todd.  She now carries the name, Hana K. Lynch =)  We've done and been through a lot but the most memorable has to be our adventures together ... Boston, Myrtle Beach during Biker Week (my oh my!!)  There are very few friends who you can go 6 years without seeing and then in a weekend (Memorial Day weekend '11) renew it all!  It was as if we had never been apart.  I love you, Hana and am so thankful for you ...

Hana & Todd, Hayden, Ella, & Halle

Hana is also an unbelievably talented photographer, http://www.hanalynchphotography.com/.  I am blessed she was able and willing to photograph my babies that weekend.  Here are several from our "photo shoot".  Thank you Hana!  I love you!

Count Your Blessings

Matthew 6:25 & 26 says,  ²⁵ "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

God has little ways of showing me that He is going to take care of us.  Whether it's walking into a restaurant and having your waitress tell us our check has been taken care of, which happened last night ... before we even ordered!  Or something as large as someone paying our van off (true story!).  No matter how unfaithful I am to Him or how undeserving I am, He is always faithful.  I will never understand why He blesses me so.  To the individulas who have blessed us over the years, "I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you." Phil. 1:3 

All to Save a Buck

What is the big deal about couponing?  That was a retorical question =)  Obviously I know it is to save money ... well, for some anyway.  I am wanting to learn the ins and outs of this fad.  Hoping I can find a great website, blog, etc. to help me out.  Wish me luck!