#598

I've enjoyed a peaceful start to my morning.

A good cup of coffee.
God's Word.
Jim Brickman melodies filling the air.

A beautiful sunrise.
Nala's tinkling bell.
Frost sprinkled deck railings...

Waking in my man's arms. ♥
Praying God's presence over his day.
Kissing him a "see-you-later" kiss.
Waving him blessings as he departs to provide for our family.

Being nourished through Scripture.
Stepping outside in the brisk morning air to snap a few shots.
Peeking in on two sleeping girls... ♥
Praying for friends who are close to my heart.

#598~Journaling texts received that remind me how rich I am.
Reminding myself to confess things done that break God's heart.
Thanking God that He chooses to choose me.
Petitioning Him to meet our needs.

Viewing snapshots of a beautiful baby, cradled by nurturing parents.
Remembering those days too-soon-gone with MaKayla & Mal. ♥
Longing for another precious one to cradle.
One of our own...
With the name of Isaac. ♥

Thinking over things God is stirring within my heart.
Counting the gifts that have already impacted my January 14, 2013.
Cleaning up an undesirable mess.

Skimming finished family calendars.
Contemplating what I should be done differently when I create them next year.
Blessing God for the gift of family.
Thanking Him for parents who taught Troy, Marci & I right from wrong.

Realizing how precious life is.
Acknowledging how rich I am.
Declaring that it all comes from Christ alone.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.

Ephesians 1:3

 

 

That Journey...

The weather has definitely changed back to winter-like after having several days that felt more like spring. We are so thankful for those warmer days yet it makes us long for warmth, sunshine & singing birds that come & stay. :)

As I mentioned in the last post, the girls & I have been trying to get out daily & walk at least a mile. Kyle didn't have to work today (hooray) so after breakfast dishes were all cleaned up, we decided to brave the cold & wind to fit in our jaunt around the trail. It didn't feel too bad when we first got outside the door but the longer we walked & the further we went, the colder we got. Our legs were burning, our lungs were hurting & were more than ready to return to the warmth of home.

At about the midway point, I was tempted to complain about the frigid temperature and the cutting wind yet the Lord allowed my mind to drift back to April of 2008 when Kyle went in to undergo his complete colectomy. A time & season of life that I will never forget. An extremely sick husband. Uncertain situations. Long surgery. Away from our girls. Unfamiliar surroundings. I knew no one.

Kyle was in the hospital for eight long days & other than venturing to the McDonald's on the first floor of Mercy Hospital with my sister, Marci & her girls, I didn't leave the premise of his room. Endless days. Sleepless nights. I didn't eat anything besides nibbles of Pop Tarts because Kyle couldn't have anything by mouth until the day before he was dismissed & I wasn't eating unless he could. When it all came down to it, I just wanted unlimited fresh air (and the familiar face of my sister) but neither were possible under the circumstances.

I missed MaKayla & Mal & I was completely out of my comfort zone. Doctors. Nurses. Noises. Smells. Country girl in a big city. Kyle is a very private, to-himself-kind-of-guy & had requested limited visitors due to the sensitivity of the nature of his surgery. I was perfectly fine with that however he was highly medicated & didn't feel well so in essence my soul-mate was "absent" even though he was very present. In all honesty, it was a very lonely time for me. For once in my life I couldn't "fix" the situation to suit me or to make Kyle better. Yet in that time of aloneness, I found an intimacy & friendship with Jesus that I otherwise never would have known.

Sometimes God allows the most difficult moments in order to draw us closer to Himself.

I took charge of the majority of his care only calling the nurses when he needed something I couldn't do. They came in only when we called, at the beginning/end of their shifts or when it was time for his meds. They like patients like him... Ones who aren't demanding & have family who willingly stay day & night to serve & care for those they love rather than treating it like it's a vacation where they deserve to be catered to hand & foot (sadly, patients & caregivers alike).

As we rounded that last bend this morning with home in sight, the Lord reminded me to redirect my "want to" complaining (in regard to the cold) into words & whispers of worship & praise. He urged me to give thanks that I have healthy lungs to breathe. He compelled me to be grateful for the fresh air that surrounded me. He urged me to pray for those who are living that scene that we lived almost five years ago. Those who are sitting in hospitals with sick loved ones. Just wishing for a long, deep breath of fresh air.

Had I not been privileged to walk that journey with the man who holds my heart, I would fail to know the essence of being grateful for the simpleness of blessings. I'm so much richer for where I've been but I'm so thankful for where I'm at...

#588~Crisp, brisk, definitely-feels-like-winter-kind-of-day walk as a family... Brrrrr... It's cold out there but so thankful to the Lord for fresh air & healthy lungs to breathe! Many in this word aren't so fortunate. Counting our blessings this day... ♥

Humbling Yet Empowering...

It's a rainy kind of gloomy kind of cloudy kind of day. Typical of spring rather than winter. MaKayla, Mal & I have been getting out & walking over a mile each day & all but one of us are quite disappointed that our walk probably isn't going to happen this afternoon due to the weather elements outside however Mal & I are just now getting over the upper respiratory crud we fought for over two weeks so we aren't taking any chances. Yesterday it was sunny with no wind & over 50 degrees... AMAZING for January! Tomorrow it is to be beautiful again but watch out Saturday... Back down below 30... Eeek!?!

MaKayla was super happy to find an envelope in the mail from Bri today. The card enclosed was way cool with such neat words & a nice long note! An unexpected surprise always makes the day a whole lot brighter! :)

It's been a good week so far but a busy one at that. I'm really trying to prioritize & refocus at the start of this new year so that I can be more effective for Christ, for my family & for those God has allowed me to minister to, teach & lead. It's become the norm for me to have so many things milling through my mind all at once that I can't engage in the very activity that I am doing at that specific time. Holidays seem to set me in this downward spiral pace.
I don't hear what is being said to me.
I put off the things that need done.
I jump from one task to another.
I dread getting out of bed because of what is waiting to be accomplished.
I only half listen to people who are wanting to share their hearts with me (namely my family).
I get behind on responsibilities. 
Life just seems BIG... 
After an uncountable amount of days of doing this, the black cloud looming over my head keeps getting bigger & darker & I can't seem to enjoy much of anything.

I've arrived in that place lately & although I'm not proud of it nor is it a desirable destination to be, I'm thankful that God allows me to get to the end of myself & He once again extends His immeasurable grace unto me.
He allows me to get to that point where my need for Him is so evident that I can't deny it.
He allows me to see how lacking & unfruitful I am without His strength & power fueling all I do.
He allows me to realize that apart from Him, I am nothing, I can do nothing & I accomplish nothing of eternal value.

It's one of those humbling yet empowering places.

That even in my weakness & nothingness I can do anything because He is everything.

So in the early morning hours of today, I sat with Bible, journal & pen; seeking, writing, refocusing.
Pleading with Him for forgiveness.
~For being self-focused...
~For following my own agenda...
~For leaning on my own strength...
~For relying on my own will rather than His...
Asking God to redeem me through the grace of Christ.
To receive me back unto Himself.

I'm thankful there are no hoops to jump through...
No mountains to climb...
No "works" to accomplish...
No approval to gain...
Just a humbled & repentant heart...
That's all that God desires of me...
That's everything I've laid before Him...

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich,

yet for your sakes he became poor,
so that you through his poverty might become rich.

2 Corinthians 13:14

 

 

December Held...

Yep, we're still among the living in the O'Riley home. December was such a myriad of activity that obviously no blogging was accomplished... You have no idea how many times I had to fight off the compulsion to sit at the computer & just write... Or how many times I started a post & then was pulled away before it could get finished... Putting it lightly, the month was full & as I penned in my journal this evening, "I am so very ready for a moment when there is nothing tugging at my heart & mind that I should be doing..."

December held:
*A fun party celebrating another year of life with Tuck... ♥
*A short get-away with the man of my dreams... ♥
*Christmas shopping...
*Christmas wrapping...
*Christmas letters/pictures...
*A weekend in Des Moines with my side of the family...
*Mal's first solo in our church Christmas play... ♥
*A super fun get-together with our Monday evening study group...
*Baking 40 dozen cookies for Kyle's employees...
*Cutting, sewing, clipping, soaking, washing, drying gifts...
*A girls day out with Mom, Marci & D... ♥
*Celebrating with Kyle's family...
*Celebrating with mine...
*A close friend bringing a new life into this world... ♥
*Supper with Clint & Bri... ♥
*Delivering Christmas gifts...
*Lots of family time... ♥

I'm ready to get back to blogging...
To sharing my heart...
But first, I felt like I wanted/needed to get December tied-up in a nutshell...
So...here's a few pictures to bring things up to date...



 

John Deere all the way...

 

The preciousness of two... ♥

 

 

I had lots of good help constructing Tuck's cake... 

 

 

A great way to end a special day... Up-Up-and-Away...

 

So thankful for the love they share...♥

 

Ellie & Ivy... A special bond between special girls...

 

Cousin Payton...

 

Grandpa Billy reading the Christmas account...

 

MaKayla, Bri & Clint...

 

Ally & Mal...

Little hands that love to help... ♥

 

The majority of these men meet on Monday evenings...

 

 

 

 

 

So love these girls...

(This picture makes me incandescently happy...♥)

(Notice the men don't squeeze in quite as tight even when instructed to...)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gramma Sharon & Tucker Man... ♥ 

 

 

♥Cousins~Sisters~Friends♥

 

 

 

 

Yep, it is as it seems...

(Inwardly chuckling...)

 

 

♥ Oakley Lillie Green ~ 12-19-2012 ♥

 

 

 

  

 

 

Two of the many purses we constructed...

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve Traditions... ♥ 

 

 

 

 

New jammies...New movies...New puzzles... 

  

 

And the stockings were filled & hung (with great care)...

 

 

The man who forever will hold my heart... ♥

 

 

All in all, we had a wonderful December!

So much to do...

So much going on...

Yet surrounded by people we cherish & love... ♥

 

God has been so gracious to our family & we are thankful for His indescribable gifts unto us!

Most especially Jesus & the grace that He offers!

 

Happy 2013...

Can't wait to share my heart with thoughts for the new year!

 

Love to each of you who patiently check on us & read our updates! ♥

 



Abundantly Blessed...

It's a beautiful morning here in the country.
MaKayla just left to help Mom decorate Grandma's home for Christmas.
Mal is busily working away on school.
Chicken is baking in the oven making the house smell delicious.
Sheets are waiting to go to the clothesline.
Laundry is beckoning me to be folded.
My Bible study is calling my name (can't wait to dig in).
A grocery list awaits a trip to the store.
Two small gifts are ready to be adorned with paper in honor of Tuck's 2nd birthday.
Yet I sit here with Mal at the kitchen table...
Thinking...
Pondering...
Praying...
Realizing once again how abundantly blessed I am & how grateful my heart is for God's provision, God's protection, God's intervention & God's presence.

After a crazy, busy week thus far, Kyle came home from work yesterday afternoon & all slowed down. He & Mal did chores & put Christmas bows on the small deck in front of our home. MaKayla worked on sewing projects. I put finishing touches on some gifts she had finished. The girls went outside for a bit while Kyle helped me fix supper. (I love working in the kitchen with my man...♥) We ate supper downstairs while we watched the first part of, 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Kyle trimmed the basement tree (we chose a real one this year & he requested it be decorated in a woodland theme). We started our Jesse Tree Advent & since I couldn't bear to finish, 'It's a Wonderful Life' after Henry accidentally gave Mr. Porter money that wasn't his, I came upstairs & studied while Kyle & the girls watched the remainder of the movie. :) It felt so good to s-l-o-w  d-o-w-n & enjoy life an evening as a family.

This morning as I milled around the house, I glanced out the south picture window & could see the horizon being showered with light. My heart was overwhelmed in worship to God for the promise of a new day. The older Kyle & I get & the older our girls get & the more I grow in Christ, the more aware I am of blessings that in the past I have regretfully taken for granted. And not only am I aware, I desire to return that blessing to God. To acknowledge that it is He who has given it to me. Some people long, pray & hope for another day of life... Whether it be because of a terminal illness or an abusive situation or because they are held captive as a slave... They just long to live... To breathe... To enjoy a few more hours... A few more minutes... They long to be released & freed from that which holds them captive... Realities such as that compel me to pray & remind me of the indescribable riches that are mine... That I overlook on a daily basis... Realities such as those compel me to recognize those trivial areas of my life that I grumble about, dread & allow to steal my joy... Areas that are minuscule in comparison to things other people are facing, dealing with & struggling through... Just fighting to survive... For the only things that I am held captive by are those things that I choose...

In the midst of my grateful heart this morning, one of my Monday evening Bible study pals, corresponded with me sharing how intimately/joyfully God is working in her marriage. How God is bringing freedom. Deliverance. Liberation from things that have been such a heavy weight for so long. I love testimonies of God's goodness...God's healing...God's powerful wisdom imparted to our hearts. This study is changing hearts one beat at a time & I am so humbled to be a participant. For just last night as Kyle & I lay in bed, I shared with him how God is working...training...changing...transforming... I see Him doing things in my heart & in my life that I never realized possible. I see Him teaching me things I have been so ignorant to. Things of ignorance that have bound me, imprisoned me & kept me from being who He longs for me to be. Things that as I learn from Him are bringing wholeness & deliverance. He is rescuing me...

Today my heart is overwhelmed with thankfulness & gratitude to the Saviour of the world who is also a deliverer... My deliverer...

I am humbled to be called His child...

Praying you realize the magnitude of His blessings upon you this day...

 

Drawn To Worship...

At last a morning to sit & reflect. It has been an absolutely crazy week & I am thankful for a few moments to slow down, bask in the quietness & stand in awe of God's goodness. Instrumental Christmas music is playing on the kitchen CD player, lights of Christmas trees twinkle in the lingering darkness of night, waiting to turn to morning & I have a new candle burning. One I picked out with my sister. Candles are a simple pleasure for me. Kind of like these owl cups that adorn our bathroom that MaKayla picked out at the grocery store. Sometimes simple pleasures can transform a day...

Today is the first day this week of nothingness. No where to go. No major deadlines to meet. No pressing tasks to accomplish. Just a day to be home. With our girls. Doing the things that bring me joy & satisfaction. Laundry. School. Communing with MaKayla & Mal. Washing dishes. Just being here.

Tuesday, Mom, Marci, D & I spent a long but amazing day together shopping. I left home at 6:45 a.m. & stepped back in the door at 12:45 the next morning! We do it every November/December & it's a day on the calendar that I look forward to throughout the entire year. Laughter, tears, sharing, shopping, food. Being together. It. Was. Wonderful. And since D has a strong affection towards Starbucks, we frequented that joint twice. Once in the morning. Once in the afternoon. First round a medium was ordered. Second round, a GRANDE. Many special moments with three women I love more than life itself. ♥

Last night in the women's study at church, the Lord led me to share how worship is a basic form of prayer. Worship being a spontaneous result from the conscious awareness of God. Realizing His greatness, His nearness & His love for me. Responding to Him with deep affection. Recognizing who He is, what He has done & all He has created. Being mindful. Acknowledging His power. Communicating to Him my adoration & gratitude that He. Is. God. This morning as I was reflecting on last night's lesson/discussion, and as I started working on the blogpost, I glanced out the west window to see if the moon was brightly shining as it has been the past few mornings. Sure enough, there it was. So...I moved the computer from one place to another so that I could see it's presence as dark turned to dawn. Creation draws me to the Lord. I feel His closeness there more than any other place. It started in Chariton, Iowa at youth camp when I was younger. At one point in every day of the week I was there, a 10-15 minute time was set aside to be "alone" with God. The church camp was held on a "campus" which was a large spacious acreage surrounded by grassy areas & lots of trees. All the kids would assemble in a group, the dinner bell would ring, devotions were handed out & everyone was instructed to disperse on the campgrounds finding a place to be alone with God. Those moments have impacted me for the rest of my life & have given me a love for the beauty & serenity of God's creation. I do stand in awe of Him. And as someone shared in our discussion, I am so thankful for the grace & deliverance that He so generously lavishes upon my life.

Today as I begin my day, I am drawn to worship. I am drawn to acknowledge the presence & the goodness of God. I am drawn to respond to His work in my life with a simple yet sincere, "Thank You..." I am drawn to recognize who He is in my life & how lost I would be without Him. I am drawn to an attitude of gratefulness for the ability to love & to be loved. I am drawn to Him...

It's a beautiful morning. The moon is fading away & light has dawned. Cows graze the field & a few remaining leaves shiver on the trees.

Thank You, God for the promise of a new day...

 

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good...

Psalm 107:1