My Sovereign God

Since the election I have had numerous discussions about our new president elect and why he will be the end to society as we know it. I have had an entire month to think about this election (while I was working on the house) and I want to share a few of my thoughts for anyone interested in reading them. First of all, I am thankful that God has shown me in His word that He is sovereign over all things. All of my life is filtered through this understanding and I must say that my heart can be at peace because of this. I have heard several talks about Obama's stance on abortion and I will say that it completely breaks my heart to think about what might happen to the laws regarding abortion. But as I thought about this, I felt the Lord whisper to me that legislation will not change the hearts of women (or men) - He will. God has given me the responsibility on this earth to be His hands and feet - to touch the lives of those who are hurting and to be a light into the darkness for His glory. He longs to change the hearts of people and when I make the choices to not engage the people in my life - God is not missing out I am. He can use a rock (or donkey) to proclaim His glories but He can also use me. So yes, the election may bring big changes to our nation but God can bring bigger changes in the midst of what seems like a terrible thing to many. I have been challenged to play my part as a citizen of heaven and to make myself available for God to use to change the hearts of the people around me. Throughout this election I have constantly been reminded and comforted by 1 Chronicles 29:11-12. The Living Bible translation says it great: "Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as being in control of everything. Riches and honor come from you alone, and you are the Ruler of all mankind; your hand controls power and might and it is at your discretion that men are made great and given strength."

Home is where my heart really is!!!

We are finally in our new home. We still have a lot of work to do but it is now livable and i love it. There are so many things I love about this place and this upcoming time in our lives. I love that my daddy lived in this house when he was Jake and Brady's age. I love that my pawpaw built this house with his own hands and that he painstakingly tore down an old schoolhouse to have the wood to build it. THIS IS TRULY A CRAFTSMAN HOUSE AT IT'S BEST!!!! I love that this house holds lots of fond memories of my childhood - many I had forgotten until coming back here. I love watching my boys play in the same fields that I did as a child. I love, love , love that when I walk out my door into my yard that I can almost see my pawpaw sitting under the shade trees drinking a glass of sweet tea and eating a mayo biscuit. (gross I know). I love that we do not have a tv and that life is slow (well kinda but it really will be when we finish the house). I love that God is really stirring in both mine and John's heart and we are longing for him in a way we haven't in some time. I love to watch the most beautiful sunset in my back yard EVERY night. I love that our house is only 1100 square feet and that it is perfect for our family of 4. I am so amazed at what the Lord has done in my heart. I am home and so is my heart. He really has brought me here completely. I know that there will be hard days but that happens everywhere. I am really looking forward to the next 18 months and what God has in store for our family. I want to post pics of the house soon. I really love it!!!! I am back and really have much to write about. More to come soon!!!! It really feels good to be home!!!

Best Said!!!

I am alive and very tired. I want to write more soon but today I wanted to encourage you with perspective on the Election from John Piper. Take 4 minutes and listen.

From the Mouth of Babes....

Today, John and I drove by the church we were married in and I told Jake that was the church mom and dad got married in. He said what is married? So I started to tell him. I got stopped to explain preacher means...by the way, I hate it when I can't find other words that explain a word...like a preacher preaches :). Anyway, back to the point.... After explaining what a preacher is, I had to explain what vows are and then I preceded to tell him that we promised to love each other, to take care of each other and to be faithful to each other. He said wo, wait a minute does faithful mean that you get what you have and you don't want anything else. I said well it kinda does my little wise one.

It's Totally worth it!!!

Ok so I would love for you to take 5 minutes and read this link. This is amazing insight to our life on earth and it greatly encouraged me today. This woman, Laura, is in her 30's and has inoperaperable tumors on her lungs - she has already fought breast cancer and went into remission and know it has spread. She has 3 children 6 and under and unless God intervenes her life expectancy with this type of cancer is max 2 years!!!!!! She is an AMAZING woman of God and He is being glorified in all of this. She had an AH HA moment this morning and I think it is worth the time to read about it!!!!! I hope you were as encouraged as I was - especially if you know someone young battling for their life.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lblack

Facebook Fun

A couple of my facebook friends sent me a request to take a quiz to determine which woman of the Bible that I am most like. I had a few minutes to play on the computer (rare these days) so I took the quiz. It said that I was most like Sarah and here was the description it gave me:

Dedicated to your spouse, you would do anything for him. You also are a woman of faith, who takes God at His word. You have much wisdom, and are a role model to many other women, both young and old. Your life is filled with adventure, oft times and is unpredictable as you live a kind of "nomadic" existence as the Spirit leads.

I got quite a kick out of the last line - considering the life we have lived over the last 4 years!!!! Nomadic to say the least!!!!!

Renevating House and Heart

Today has been a hard day for me filled with many tears. Any of you know that sometimes loving your family is the hardest thing you can do. Today has been one of those days. My extended family has had much drama today. Some of it has made my heart hurt terribly. At one point today I had to just sit down and cry and my daddy came to check on me. He reminded me in the best way he knows how all people are different and that in order to live here I have to remember that and to thicken my skin. He was trying to comfort me (surprisingly) but it really made me sadder because sin is so harsh and a thick skin will not make it go away. Later during the day I was taking a break from working on the house and I begin weeping as I was reminded of a recent email from a friend of mine.
In her email she told me to see this experience as one of worship and that as I work diligently on renovating this house to see that this is what my Father is doing in my heart and life. He is about renovating my heart, making all things new. And as I thought about the fact that the more we do on this house the more there is to do, I realized that this is true of my life and my heart. And what made me weep was that I realized that this time here is going to be about God doing some serious renovations in my heart. He is peeling back another layer of the onion that is my life. My heart has hurt so much this afternoon as I have thought about this and all my sin that I see right now.
I so desire for God to make me more like His son but sometimes I just long to be in heaven and knowing that He has finished the work he began in me.