Vacation and assurance

So much has happened in the past two weeks that I don't think there is any possible way to remember much of what happened. But I do know this...it was nice!

I went down to Oklahoma for the past two weeks to stay with my older sister as she was getting close to having her first baby. I can't really say why I went down there. A huge part of it was because I wanted to help her get ready, and be there for her in case the little one came. I so wanted to see my new little niece! Another little part though was that I was tired. Tired of just doing the same thing over and over week after week. Don't get me wrong, I feel very content with my life right now, but I had made a huge life-changing decision prior to that which was extremely hard for me. I felt that it was the Lords will and had such a wonderful peace about it, but it still hurt and I felt that I had to give up something that I never realized I wanted until it came up. It was one of those decisions that I decided to leave up to the Lord and trust His promise for the future. However, I still just wanted to get away from it all.

I had a nice but busy time with my sister. It seems like everyday we had something going on...I didn't really have time to sit and pine away and cry like I wanted to. With all that though I got to know some people a lot better and enjoyed getting to go to Kim's church.

The last weekend I was there her church started their annual December campmeetings. The man who spoke that morning gave us a warning...a warning against letting a 'trojan horse' into your life. There are so many things that we can let into our lives that may not seem wrong or a big deal. In fact, it may seem good! But in reality it could end up destroying you.

The message to me was really good, because that's what I feared when I made this huge decision earlier, that with it would come certain other things that even though they might not be wrong, they certainly wouldn't do any good...it was a huge blessing to me because I really felt like I did the right thing. Even though I won't reap some of the good benefits, I also won't have to reap from the bad that could have come out of it.

So now, even though I physically tired today after going to be really late last night and getting up early to go to work this morning, I feel so RESTED! I feel like my little vacation brought me what I wanted, even though it wasn't in the way I was expecting it to. I feel like I can live again directly for God, looking to Him, without demanding to know what His plans are for me. I can and will live one day at a time under His direction and quit wondering if maybe I made the wrong decision :)

Learn from the border collie :D

Ahh! What beautiful dogs :-)

What I really admire in a border collie though, is not their looks but their loyalty. Even though I know that I would probably never want to own one myself because of their high energy (aka destructive) personality, I still highly admire these dogs!

Years ago we went to some type of tractor auction. An old cowboy had a really dirty straggly border collie. Of course, I love dogs and as soon as the guy went inside I watched this dog--he laid down, eyes on the door, ears up, and watched and waited the whole time until his master returned! I imagine it was probably an hour or so. I tried talking to him but other than glancing my way when I snapped my fingers in front of his face he never took his eyes off of that door!

 Last Saturday on my break from work I went to IGA and watched a man pull up and go into the store. His dog (Border collie) Watched and waited with nothing else on his mind except for his master. It got me to thinking about my last BSF lesson. We were talking about steadfastness, and what it meant.

If only people would look to their master like the border collie does! The 'master' teaches us obedience through Him, and consequences of not obeying. But He also gives us guidance and love and grace which is the only reason we are alive to this day. Do we look at Him in every aspect of life? Is our main goal in life to focus, love, and serve Him?

Do we wait for His return and allow nothing to draw our attention from it?

 

Not only does the border collie serve his master, but he helps him with bringing in the 'sheep' and guiding them to what the master has in mind for them! 

We have the perfect 'master' who loves us so much He died for us. Shouldn't we take a lesson from these loyal dogs, and be willing to remain faithful and loyal looking to none other than Him even though Satan tries to distract us?

Gingerbread houses :)

Growing up I never really did much as far as creativity goes. I would see beautiful cakes and gingerbread houses and think that 'someday' I would learn to do that! Well, that 'day' never came! Over the years some of the little ones would get a gingerbread house kit from walmart or somewhere and follow the directions to the T and come out with a gingerbread house. That was fun...but knowing exactly how it was going to end up looking took some of the fun out of it.

Then last Sunday my sister-in-law brought a bunch of candy, graham crackers, and white almond bark over and we all got to try our hand at making a quick and easy gingerbread house! I do have to say that its a LOT easier to imagine a beautiful house than it is to make one!

Here are a few pictures of some of our first houses :)

 You can sure tell that Alyssa has the most experience :-)

 JaLynns :)

The back of hers had a cute ladder made from pretzels and a little loft. I wish I had a picture of the back!

 Moms--she added people :)

 Mine :/

 Kaylenas

 Karissas--we both started doing 'logs' but when I seen Karissa was doing it I changed mine to a church-house :)

 Davids--aka Joes :)

 Getting ready

David was so excited about the candy!!

(Who wouldn't be?!?!)