Why blog???

Over the years, I've learned that the best form of therapy is to share life's experiences with others! I'm a craft ADDICT, my Cricut is my newest crafting toy, teaching is a passion and I love sharing my knowledge with others, Focused Ed, is a huge blessing and is the business my bestie and I started when we left the public school classroom in August of 2013, take more pictures than I can scrapbook, and most importantly....Bryan and I became parents to our sweet miracle baby, Cooper Kenneth, June 25th, 2014! Our journey for adoption was simply a God-story and we hope it gives you a glimpse into the power of prayer and real life miracles!!! As life after adoption has progressed I find myself steeped in our church, small groups, and living life for the Lord and having fun while doing it. I'm real, honest and am an open book, I believe there is power in sharing the good, the bad and the ugly, in celebrating victories and mourning loss and struggle.

I used to blog recipes, but...well, I have a 3 year old and much more important things to do than take time for new recipes, but the ones on my other blog are yummy - In all that is Good!

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

What's your legacy?

I LOVE Christmas, but my heart has been unsettled about the excess in our lives!  I struggle, as many of you do, wanting to have "everything," the best of the best, etc. but when our focus shifts from us, to the reason for the season, the birth of Christ, I begin to feel guilty of my "I wants," which sometimes I like to phrase as, " I need!" Bryan is always reminding me that is a "WANT" not a "NEED," psh, whatever...I need it because.... I am MAJORLY guilty of it, just like I'm guilty of wanting my way!  But here's what I REALLY need and want... I need to be an ambassador for Christ, I want others to see Him through me and my actions!

So, over the past few months my two sister in laws, a friend from teaching, and myself have been studying Priscilla Shirer's He Speaks to Me: Preparing to Hear from God and in my last post I quoted much of the book that goes along with the study.  Today I finished up our week 6 study...yep, did all 5 days this afternoon...not exactly how Priscilla *or God* would have liked me to do it, but none-the-less, I did it all today..note we were going to have our final Bible Study tonight, but it's tomorrow night...so now I'm a day ahead!  Woo hooo!  I've learned so much from this study, and I'm so glad we got to study it together! 

God is calling us to be ambassadors for Him...and a few reminders she gives are....My life means more than the temporary.  * I live at this point in history for a reason. * My existence is no mistake. * I'm here for a purpose, to fulfill my God-given role!    Hmmm...my God-given role.....wife, teacher, educator, friend, craft addict, mother, runner, sleeper, cook, baker...the list goes on and on.  He created us for something GREAT, he invites us to join HIM, but that requires....submission....YIKES!  God gives us assignments that aren't easy, they are given to us to make us stronger, they require more commitment out of us, and all in all HIS plans just might be more challenging and difficult than the ones we'd have for ourselves!  Yep, living proof of that one!  If I had, had my way with finding a husband...well, let's just say it probably wouldn't have lasted, and he definitely wouldn't have been my Bryan!  How he loves me through some of my "difficult" moments, I'm not quite sure, but he does!   I'm learning that he sometimes handles the challenges God gives us a little better than I do, even though I know he doesn't give us challenges to destroy us, in all actuality they are there to make us stronger.

Speaking of stronger....I've loved to run for years!  Almost 11 years ago, I was walking with my friend Liz, we decided to walk the loop at White Rock Lake, and some how I had told her that I wanted to run a marathon...that night we went to dinner at one of her friend's houses, and some how I learned about Team in Training....a week or so later, there I was, in full swing of training for my first full marathon...yep, 26.2 miles, what in the heck was I thinking???  Fast forward...I ran 3 full marathons and 4 half marathons from 2003-2009, then I met Bryan...teaching full time and a boyfriend/fiancee/husband was my priority!  But some how, through a little faith, my endurance returned, but not without a lot of dedication, not kicking my heels up and sitting around, but strapping on those tennis shoes and hitting the pavement.  Over the years my body bucked the system and prevented me from running, but my ability to have endurance returned.  And here I am, 4 days away from a half marathon, my first since April 2009, and my darn hip flexor is about to pop off my body....whew, it's painful, but what does that mean?  Will I be able to run on Sunday?  Will I be able to maintain my record time for a half?  Here's what I know...I can't let worry, negative feelings, or anything else prevent me from accomplishing this goal again.  What do I do for the next 4 days?  Ice, see my fabulous Chiropractor for e-stem treatments, roll on my rolly-tube thing that I can never remember it's "official" name, use a TON of Biofreeze, ice some more, and rest!  REST!  I hate REST!  I want to run!  I set monthly running goals, last month 76 miles, this month I was aiming for 80!  Okay, it's not what's important!  My focus is shifting...it's December, be thankful that I've been able to gain my endurance back, that was a gift from Him!  I have to keep my focus!  He's created me to do amazing things, what lessons can I take from this?  I can't play the "what if" game!  Oh goodness, I got side-tracked....so many things to share...I LOVE being able to complete a study, read something, listen to a sermon and take away so much!

As we live this life...enter the season of Christmas...celebrate Advent...celebrate in our homes, with our families, enjoy Christmas lights, snow days...where is your focus?  Is it on our real home?  Heaven!  When things have you down, they aren't going your way...remember, your way isn't the way...we are just passing through this life.  My cousin Jason Steger, wrote a song called "A Place I Call Home" and as he sang it at our Papa's funeral, it meant even more...we aren't at home, our home is when we leave this world...but then what legacy have we left?  Have we lived a life of delight?  Delight in what the Lord has given us, not what we look forward to having?  Do we obey his commands?  Do we obey other authority in our life?  What do we show others when we "buck" the system and don't follow the authority of those over us?  Does that just mean submitting to those we respect?  What if we don't agree with what our authority has called us to do?  What then?  Well, here's what I know...God's authority will only bring us to our next home, the way we respond to things will leave the legacy of our lives on this earth.  What does that look like for you?  What legacy are you leaving?  What hurts do you leave behind?  Do you live through your pain in a negative way or are you celebrating and rejoicing through your pain?  We have to be willing to follow HIS will and not interfere with HIS plan, but submit to HIS plan...whether we like it, whether it's easy, whether it's comfortable, period...we must submit to HIS will, HIS guidance!  This home is great, I love it, I love what I have here...do I long for things...yes, I want to be a mother, I want to feel loved, I want to know that I'm desired, I want to love, I want to be loved, I want to be a mother (just making sure you remember that *wink), but most of all, I want to leave a legacy...a legacy that represents Christ, a legacy that shows others that He is who gives me strength, that this home is just temporary, but darn it, I'm going to be the best me I can be through his strength...through the trials of becoming parents to the success of Sunday's half marathon, He will get me through!

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