Wild Air :: Peaceful Heart

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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It's amazing how the organic, wild, untouched natural beauty soothes my soul. Being here in Australia has reminded me of that truth all over again. As I look out on the crashing waves of sea blues and greens; as my eyes catch a glimpse of huge humpbacked whales; as the soft clean sand sticks to my feet; as the huge white clouds offset the blue sky and water; my heart is refreshed. It's like God comes down and whispers in my soul that He is big. He is in control. He is not confused. He is watching me, loving me, holding me.

One would think that being in such an amazing place as Australia would make you forget all your worries and troubles. Funny thing is, that although I am experiencing things that people spend their lives dreaming about, God continues to allow brokenness to be a real part of my life. I suppose those who read this blog are getting tired of hearing me talk about it. But since that is where God has me now, I cannot ignore it.

Sometimes the brokenness hurts so bad, I huddle in a corner and sob my heart out. Sometimes the brokenness makes my heart angry. Sometimes the brokenness makes me cringe and wonder if it will ever be over. But most times the brokenness makes me turn my face to Jesus and cling to Him in utter desperation. Brokenness causes me to see my daily need of His grace, love and forgiveness. Brokenness makes the Word come alive in ways it can't when everything is right in the world. Brokenness reminds me daily of my utter depravity without God. Brokenness shows me I am nothing without Him. Brokenness makes me love Him more.

Although I hate this feeling of brokenness, I love the feeling of knowing God is right there. I have had so many moments of knowing if God is not there to hold me, I will surely go insane. It's also amazing because I can feel the prayers of the people God has put in my life. That is a humbling, yet incredible feeling. To know without a shadow of a doubt that at this moment, someone is interceding for me. Thank you Jesus.

Why do I share all of this?? Like any of you really care anyway, right?! ;) I just want my blog to be a place where I can know God and make Him known. I want Him to be lifted up and exalted. I would not be here without Him. I also hope that somehow my journey can be a blessing to someone. Some of the best advice I have received from my friends, is this. Read the Word. Press into God through prayer. Don't stop. Keep reading and seeking. {I love you girls... you know who you are!!} Many times I am afraid to encourage people who are going through suffering with 'all the right answers'. But I have been so encouraged by the girls who constantly remind me of this. And deep down inside, we all know it's true. Jesus is just waiting for us to run to Him. To declare our need of desperate dependence on Him. That is when He will answer. When He will come through for us. He is waiting...

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in an ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. - Mother Teresa

There's a wideness in God's mercy like the wideness of the sea. - Frederick William Faber

If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. - Psalm 139: 9-10

There's always a hole in my heart and the empty place by my side in all my travels... I miss my Captain Awesome!!

Beautiful Craziness

I was telling Captain Awesome on Friday that; be it right or wrong, I live for the weekend. Since coming home from Cali, my weekly schedule has gotten progressively crazier and craziest. Saturday and Sunday are my haven-days. Time to spend with my family, sleep in, run errands or just do beautiful-nothingness.

Growing up in a diligent, home schooling, large family, doing nothing is often discouraged. Granted there is always a bazillion things to keep every person busy. Always someone to talk to. Hang out. Etc, etc, etc.

But especially since my time in China last year, I have grown to value and see the need for down time. It is so healthy and good. Time for God. For thinking. For physical rest. Hmmmm.... {I'm getting all excited and it's only Monday} :)

God has been very good to give me a couple weekends like this. Two weekends ago I took the little

girls to Washington. Probably the funnest thing we did was stopping by the grocery store where a massive slide had been set up. Something about celebrating the warm weather and kids getting out. {Curiously enough, it was badly overcast and chilly.}

The little girls taught every kid watching how to really enjoy a blow-up slide with somersaults, high jumps and just plain awesomeness. I stood at the bottom of the slide, cursing the fact that I couldn't get away with looking like a middle-schooler. {Being 23 is so overrated!} I did get a little sticker tattoo on my hand... which did nothing to console my heart. I really wanted to flip and slide. {sigh}

THIS week was beyond hectic. Bring Me Hope's annual, Night Walk fundraiser is Friday and I was working through the ominous task of following up with people in preparation for the event. In all honesty, I had one day I thought my brain would seriously explode. Too much information. Too many people. Too much to do. Even though I knew I would have to put in some weekend hours, I was determined to take some time with my sisters.

After waking up at a halfway, slept-in-hour; Tiff and I packed up the little girls and took off for Iowa City. We did some rushed shopping, which was, surprisingly, very successful. The huge find of the day was the muchly coveted sun-dresses at Old Navy. In Tiff's words, 'They are cute, but not $35 cute!' With a clearance sticker reading $16 and an even bigger sign reading "Half off already clearanced items", we were quite besides ourselves with happiness.

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Looking feminine and beautiful is one of my life-projects. Not just for the sake of being beautiful, but for the fact that beauty and eye-pleasing things are part of God's design. Look around at nature. Tall, snow-capped mountains; delicate, white clover; cotton-candy clouds; red strawberries buried in minty, green leaves; fuzzy, scrunched kitten faces. He has created a universe of beauty so we may take it in and in turn, declare what an awesome God He is. How much more should we, His prized creation made in His image, strive each day to present ourselves in an honoring, beautiful way to the world?!

This doesn't happen just in the way we dress, though visual presentation is important. But also in a deeper beauty.

-Am I preparing my heart to spill out unconditional love?

-Is my face showing forth a beauty deeper than the pink lip gloss and black mascara?

-Are my hands reaching out with a loving touch?

-Is my mouth speaking words that build up?

"By this will all men know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another ~ John 13:35

"I have been anointed with fresh oil ~Psalms 92:10

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in Heaven ~ Matthew 5:16

"As believers, our greatest impact is through joy and enthusiasm.

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Yesterday was probably one of the most incredible mother's days I can remember. It started out with Dad's famous, Sunday morning breakfast of eggs, biscuits, and cinnamon rolls. Then we caravanned off to church. {taking 3 vehicles to church for one family of 9 is ridiculous} After the service, us big kids decided to take Mom out for lunch. At her request, we bombed Old Chicago Pizza... poor poor people. Using Grace's camera, we started snapping pictures while we were waiting for our deep-dish, Chicago-style pizza to arrive. It quickly turned from normal, family poses to these crazy things...

THEN Mom had one of her hair-brain ideas to make napkin art. Ok. Seriously. Dude. My mom is {A W E S O M E} If you wonder where we get our crazy ideas... you need wonder no more!

Our table turned into a big craft room and pretty soon we all were posing for these shots...

I seriously love my family. Not one of us is perfect. Not one of us loves perfectly every day. Never once is our house perfectly clean {sorry Mom}. Never once is there perfect peace and quiet {except maybe when all 9 of us are sleeping}. But the glue that holds us together is God's perfect love. Even then, we struggle at times to be channels of that Love. But everyday is always new and fresh, without any mistakes as Anne Shirley says.

I'm thankful for the love and forgiveness of Dad, Mom, Tiff, Chris, Timmy, Grace, Beth, Aubrey and most of all God.

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After a dance party with the little girls before they went to bed; one last mother's day treat with Mom; a Skype date with my Handsome Captain Awesome; and a late episode of a Chuck with Tiffy, Chrisy and Timmy; I went to bed.

It was a perfect Mother's Day.

{and I'm not even a mom}

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PS. On the subject of mother's day, how could I forget to brag on my Amazing Man?! He planned a whole brunch for his mom yesterday. {with help from the sis-in-love} Pancakes, fruit, juice, breakfast casserole.

What an incredible man. I told him I wish I was his mom. Then after realizing the implications of that, I changed my mind.

Being the girlfriend is WAY BETTER!!!

House Cleaning

A couple weeks ago while Grace and I were doing our Saturday house cleaning, we had the hair brain idea to switch a ton of stuff around in the house and see how long it took Mom to notice.

We did things like:

:: turning photos upside down::

:: changing the 'let it snow' sign to 'let it rain' ::

:: turning all the nativity people backwards ::

:: tilting the wall decorations crooked and the willow tree figurines backwards ::

WHO SAYS CLEANING CAN'T BE FUN?!

:: baking in our igloo ::

We had a big ice storm this morning so I decided to be house-wifely and make a lot of baked stuffs.

We pulled out all kinds of ingredients and several hours later had four loaves of {french bread}, two loaves of {cinnamon} bread and a big {apple cake}.

Anyone want to come over for some yummies??

3 Camels, 2 Soldiers, 1 Leopard

Our church has a Live Animal Christmas Play every year.  They always have a big cow, horse, donkey, chickens, sheep, and all other furry four legged creatures inside the church!  This year, God lined up all the pieces for us to get three camels, a leopard cub and Dexter - the monkey in 'Night at the Museum' to be in our play.  

Yes, the monkey from that movie!  This animal trainer dude's furry friends are famous!  They've been in all kinds of movies, documentaries, etc.  

Friday night, Washington held their annual lighted, Christmas parade.  We all dressed up in our costumes and walked in the frigid night air.  My little toes in the sandals where half gone from frostbite by the time we made it back to the church.  

It was a good parade.  It will be an rockin' good play.

Seeing my brother dressed in a skirt... priceless.

At the Neighbors....

This morning I spent some time up at the neighbors watching their kids while Veronica ran some errands... Here's the little cuties!

I see a future for Elliot in spaghetti-eating-contests!

Lanora

The Bib-Kids

Emma 

Elliot and Russell

-- It's the good life -- 

Back In Time.

Sunday night we got back home after our weekend at Old Thresher's... I treasured this year's time there more than ever before.  I love the people there... the atmosphere... being with my family... the food from over the fire... the Sioux City Sarsparillas... the huge pickles... the rock candy... the music around the dying fire at night on the porch of Kossuth... the rocking trolley rides... the times with my 'famurs' friends, The Wissmanns... sleeping in a tent with your feet suspended above your head due to the incline the tent is resting on... the crisp morning air you breath when your head's peeking out from a sleeping bag... funnel cakes... wearing my long dresses and two thick petticoats... need I say more?!

My memories from all the reunions are tucked in a special place in my mind.  Life changes so quickly and tho' I look forward to new chapters, there is a part of me that wants things to always stay the same... so thanks to my amazing family for making these memories with me.  I love you so much -- forever and for always!

Alyssa, Tiff and Mickaela rockin' the 1850's get-up!

The School House Roof --  and what happened around it:

Lots of tetter-tottering, Annie-Annie-Over, and other games

I have my list of things I have always wanted to do... on the list is teaching in a one room school house... I got the closest I ever had this last week as a teacher's helper in the one room school. 

Here are the red-heads of the Old Thresher's family!!