Friends

This week has brought me to reflect on friendships. It' s amazing how many people come and go over the course of our lives, some of which we remain in touch with, while others seem to drift away leaving us wondering where they are and what they are now doing.

This past weekend my husband was reunited with a buddy from his days in the military. No, not an army buddy, but a guy who he attended church with soon after he committed his life to Christ. These two, along with another dear friend have many stories to tell of their escapades in Indianapolis, IN in the mid-1980's. They thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to reminisce over all the crazy stunts and fun they had hanging out with the church youth group. It was great to see these guys just relaxing and having fun, sharing what God has been doing in each life over the past 20+ years.

I believe that God does bring some people into our lives for a season, while others linger in our lives for a lifetime. It is my goal to truly be thankful for those people that God puts into my life each day, as they are there as a gift of love, companionship and blessing. I also want to rekindle some relationships that I have allowed to falter by the sheer busyness of life over the past few years. Friendships are a blessing of the Lord, and I don't want to miss out on the blessings God has for me.

Great but busy weekend...

It's wonderful to come off of a busy but great weekend, and actually get some rest on a Monday, lol. Our church had a "Fireproof" Movie Night on Friday. We didn't actually get to see it since we were helping with the kids. Saturday I spent cleaning up the popcorn, thankful that so many people were blessed by the movie. On Sunday, we enjoyed a great kid's church service, challenging the kids to ask God what they should do for missions. We also had a meal out with friends after church at our new favorite restaurant, the Ballpark Restaurant in Street, MD.

This week I will be finishing up the final touches on our new church nurseries and preschool. It's time to choose floor coverings and order new equipment. I am very anxious to see the finished product...I know God will honor our effort and I can't wait to see our ministry grow.

I am looking forward to attending a Children's Ministry Conference in Red Lion, PA this coming Saturday. I will be taking 5 people from my CM team, and anticipate a great time of team building and learning. I can't wait to learn some new ideas, and also check out the digs at the host church.

Flexibility is good...

God calls us to be flexible, right? I feel like my flexibility is truly being tested this week. We have finally begun renovations to our church nurseries and lobby, which is a GREAT thing, but it has caused quite a domino effect in every area of our kids ministry. I have classrooms to switch over, lots of materials to go through, not to mention having the renovated areas ready for service this evening. I can't wait to see the finished rooms, however, I know we still have lots of work to do before we get there...

Thankfully our home life has been relatively quiet this week. We enjoyed Super Bowl Sunday at home, relaxing and enjoying munchies, and sadly watching Pittsburgh win. The kids have been somewhat cooperative with their schoolwork, but we are still behind in algebra and science. We will probably have to do a few Saturday science lab days in the next month or so to gain some ground. I certainly don't want to have to do science over the summer again.

Yet another fresh start...

I really want to give this blogging thing a better try...as my blog's name indicates, I lead a busy life! It's tough sometimes to journal and share my life events, but I hope to encourage others through my life's journey.

This day finds me "under the weather" as I am fighting a sinus infection. At times I think God just decides He wants me to "chill", so I am taking this day of bed rest in stride and am reflecting on what God has been doing in my life. I am so grateful to serve God and to know that He has a plan for me. I couldn't imagine trying to go through this life without Him, especially with all the darkness that has clouded our American dream lives as of late. It truly is good to know we can put our trust in Him.

Today has still been pretty productive since I have kept my laptop in bed with me. My boys have enjoyed a day of minimal school, since I haven't been up to the "fight" over doing algebra or science. Next week will be a fun one as we do our best to "catch up" on the subjects we have neglected this week.

This was a sad week for us as we said "good-bye" to some dear friends who are moving to NY. We knew it was coming for a while, but it was hard nonetheless. We are so thankful to have gotten to know the Shupp's, as they are an amazing family and have truly touched our lives. My youngest is already asking if we can take our vacation in upstate NY this summer so we can visit them. Shupp family, if you are reading this, be sure to keep those cots handy...we might need them.

Juli

It's been quite a while...

...but I finally listed another ebay item, lol. This birthday paper bag album is so very cute. A perfect gift for a little girl or young lady. Lots of sparkles and flowers adorn this one.

My goal is to list at least three items a month, as I am busy homeschooling my two boys. Please let me know if you have any special requests...I am always open to suggestions for future projects :)

More Christmas Fun!

I just listed these cute Christmas canisters tonight.

Only 21 Days and counting...

Sometimes I wonder where the time goes...it seems like just yesterday that the leaves were starting to change, and here we are only 21 days until Christmas. The good news is that I have actually started Christmas shopping, and am quite proud to already have gifts for a number of family members. I don't like to wait until the last minute, but I generally just don't know what to get most of those on my Christmas list. I always like to find that "unique" gift that truly will be a delight for the recipient, so it's always a challenge.

Now that our summer clothes are finally packed away and I can get back into my scrapping studio, I have been able to get back into my creative zone. Here is a new layout that I completed a couple of weeks ago, and is now listed on eBay.