Shine

When 2013 began, I made a vow to SHINE. That was the word I chose to live for the year. I wanted make my life one that shined the light of Jesus.  I wanted to reflect Him in all that I did.  As I take this time to reflect back on the events of the past year, I hope that I did just that....

2013 was not an easy year for me.  As a family, we experienced our first deployment.  Although it was a difficult journey, I have to say, God prepared me for it many ways.  You can never be totally prepared for what a deployment will bring, but I was able to do certain things with confidence and efficiency by journeys God sent me through earlier.  I was able to manage my household as effectively as possible. I had my family on a schedule and even had time for quiet prayer time and Bible reading for me.  I dealt with sick children and even became very ill myself.  With the help of others, through actions and prayers, we all survived the deployment. 

After Jeff came home, we began to start a new journey together as a family. We became pregnant with our fourth child.  However, the pregnancy ended in a devastating miscarriage. It has been months, but I still hurt. It is difficult when people you work with and go to church with are expecting and having babies.  I think about the one I will never know, they one I will never hold.   But again, we are surviving this heartbreak.

Regardless of the event - deployment, miscarriage, a death in the family, or daily life - we have put our hope and faith in God.  Sure I messed up along with way. I lost my temper. I slacked on chores. Supposedly, I even stuck my tongue out at my husband (I think I was just licking my lips).  I got way behind on my Bible reading.  I didn't pray like I should have. Yes, I messed up.  But all in all, I need to ask myself if I shined the light of Jesus to those around me. Did I show love? Did I show kindness and patience? Did I give of myself?  Did someone see Jesus through me?  Those are the important things. 

The further I get into my walk with Christ, the more I see that I need Him.  I am not perfect, and I won't be until I meet him in heaven.  That doesn't give me an excuse to be a slave to my sin.  As we recently talked about in Sunday school, because of my walk with Him, I am able to see my sin for what it is. I no longer try to justify it. I know that I am weak...I will fail....I will hurt....but by His grace I will have victory.

I have realized this year that I have to be real.  When I hurt, others need to know. When I mess up, others need to know.  When people would comment, "I just don't know how you do it," I knew I had to give the glory to God.  I know I can't do anything without Him.  And that is how we can all shine the light of Christ. We have to be real. So many people look at Christians as hypocrites. Some of us are, but some of us aren't.  We have to let others know that we mess up like everyone else, but we truly seek to become more Christ-like. 

2013 is about to come to an end.  However, my desire to SHINE won't.  That is a journey I will live my whole life long.  That should be the journey for each of us who love Jesus.

I pray that as you have followed me on this blog or know me in person that you can say I did something that showed you the love of Jesus.  If I didn't, I have failed, and I apologize for that.  If I have, then I know that I am doing what God desires of me.  That was the entire goal of this blog to start with, to glorify Him. I hope to do that each day of my life.

I pray blessings to you and your family this New Year.  I hope that you can reflect back to what you experienced in 2013 and turn the page to live for Jesus in 2014. 

The Church

And there was great joy throughout the church that day as they read this encouraging message. Acts 15:31

There is this church, this building with many walls and many rooms.

There are the Sunday School rooms where relationships are built and strengthened, where God's Word is studied and life is connected to it and discussed.  There are the two nursery rooms where people volunteer to sacrifice a Sunday service to play with and love children, so their parents can listen to the preaching of the Word, sing songs of praise, and pray.  There are these rooms where children and adults gather to sing songs and hymns, praise to Jesus Christ our Lord.  There is the fellowship hall where meals are eaten, and people talk, laugh, visit, and catch up. There is the sanctuary where we listen to God's Word being preached, sing to Him songs of praise and worship, a place where we kneel to pray, where we laugh, cry, and say "Amen."

Then, there is this church.

There are people who spend time preparing lessons.  They study God's Word.  They pray. They visit those who are sick.  They visit those who have lost loved ones.  They prepare a meal. They make a phone call, send an email, or send a text message to let someone know, "Hey, you are on my mind today."

They become friends, actually they become more like a family.

They laugh together, cry together, come together.

They take in those that have nothing, those who are lost, dirty, and broken.

The love them. They pray for them.  

But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. Acts 12:5

They show them God.

They leave this impression on others, making people seek that which makes them so special. 

Recently, I have seen this church, these people, come together.  Several years ago, their hearts were touched by sisters who came to visit our church.  These precious girls bore themselves a permanent spot in hearts throughout the church.  These same hearts recently ached and cried for these girls. These hearts came together to help these sisters. 

Mommies, daddies, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, friends.....one heart, the heart of Jesus.

These people have the heart of Jesus, and they are the church. 

These people sacrifice themselves out of love,the love of Jesus.  I have seen them do it for these girls, for others, for me. They ask for nothing in return.  They don't brag about what they do.  They honestly, truly, love. 

When I am with the church, I am moved. I see that there is good in people. There is hope.

The church is more than just a building, it is group of believers, brothers and sisters in Christ. These people share the goal of showing the love of Jesus to others.  

The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers. Acts 9:31

An unexpected detour

It's been two months since I've been here. I won't apologize for being gone.

My life today isn't what I was expecting it to be.

My journey these last two months has been difficult, heart wrenching.

If you know me, you know I love being a mom.  Yes, I am one of those crazy women who loves being pregnant.  In late July, I had that unbelievable moment (or moments since I took about 8 home EPTs) of finding out that I was expecting my fourth child. As if the deployment didn't make it official,  Jeff and I joked that we were now officially a military family because I was pregnant quickly after Jeff came home from Afghanistan.

I was excited.

I was nervous.

More nervous than my first pregnancy.

With each pregnancy and childbirth, there was something different, something a little scarier than the last.

My first son was two weeks late (according to me, not the doctor). He was a big boy, and it was a long, hard labor.

My second son was born and sent to NICU due to fluid in his lungs. He continues to have respiratory issues to this day.

My third son was born the day after my biophysical profile and ultrasound indicated I had been losing amniotic fluid.

So, yes. I was nervous. What would the scary moment be this fourth time around?

That moment came 8 months early.

After confirming my pregnancy with the doctor, we began to spread the news of our fourth child.  I felt the need to keep it on the down low, but I was just too excited.

After going to the restroom at work one day, I just knew something was wrong based on what I saw.  I immediately called the doctor's office and was ordered to come in.  After two weeks of blood work and ultrasounds, we got the news.  Our baby had stopped growing.

That news cut me deep.

We had to decide on whether or not to proceed with a D&C or wait for a natural miscarriage.  We decided to wait. 

I laugh now, but I remember sitting at home by myself one day and telling God, "Ok, God.  Today is a good day to get this over with."  I think He laughed at me.

After two weeks of nothing, we scheduled the surgery.

The next day.....

The worst day of my life.

The whole timing and location of the beginning of the natural miscarriage in my eyes was not ideal. What is ideal in my eyes?

God knows best.

That's what I keep telling myself.

There are days I am ok with not being pregnant.  There are days I see babies and want to cry.  There are days I feel guilty for having a peace about the whole miscarriage.  There are days I have no peace at all about it.

I do realize that is part of the grieving process.  And in reality, that is what I am doing.  Grieving the loss of a future I won't have, a baby I will never hold, a child I will never know.

But I have faith in God.

That is what has gotten me through this entire ordeal.

God gave me those weeks of tests to prepare my heart for the news I was to get.  He knew what I needed to go through be able to deal with the natural miscarriage.

Going through a valley teaches you a lot. It teaches you about people's true colors. It teaches you about your own strength.  It teaches you about whether or not you truly believe in God the way you say you do.

So, why do I write these words?

For you my friend.

For those that are hurting whether due to miscarriage or any other crisis.  God loves you. He has a plan for you. He is in control.  When you can't go on, He will give you the strength you need to keep moving.  Just trust Him. Seek Him. Read His word.  Truly, wholeheartedly, believe in Him.

For those of you that know someone who is hurting....love them. Hug them. Pray for them.  You don't have to say anything except "I love you" or "I am praying for you." For me, those were the words that meant the most.  Be careful of your words.  If you don't know what to say, those are the best things you could say.  And NEVER make woman feel like it was her fault that she miscarried.  She will doubt herself and doesn't need your help. 

If I have learned anything through this it is God loves me and will take care of me.  My friend Lesley bought me a plaque while Jeff was deployed. It says If God brings you to it, God will get you through it.I believe that with my whole heart.

A Suitable Helper

Monday, I was featured at Wives of Faith.  You can check out my article on submission in my marriage by clicking HERE.

And The Winner Is....

Congratulations to Sara P. She is the winner of Sara Horn's new book My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife.  Here is Sara's comment that helped her win.

I am new to the "Submissive wife" thing. Anthony and I have been married for almost 10 years and are just now starting to figure it out. For us, it is a mutual respect for God and each other. I want to be the wife that deserves respect, love and trust and he wants to be the husband that deserves the same. To do this, you must put God first. Everything else falls into place for us. I have also just come to understand that Anthony, my husband, will be held accountable to God for my actions as well as our children's reactions. This astonished me. I never looked at it like that before. As soon as I learned of these verses in the Bible, it made me look at my choices differently. I don't want to do anything to cause him to stumble. I want to aid him in being our family leader. That is submission to me. It's still a very large work in progress for us though, lol.

One of the things that I appreciate the most is Sara's statement that she doesn't want to do anything to cause her husband to stumble.  I think that is something that all wives should consider. Are we helping our husbands or causing them to stumble.

Sara P., congrats on your book. I can't wait to hear what you think of it after reading it. I am glad you are excited about it.  Sara Horn, thanks so much for allowing women the opportunity to get their hands on your book with the giveaways.

If you didn't win, you can follow Sara Horn on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sarahornwrites. She will be having more giveaways throughout the month.

Happy Release Day!

Today is the official release day for Sara' Horn's new book My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife.

I am really excited for Sara and appreciate her allowing me to be a part of her My Wife Life Team to promote the book.  I was able to read and review the book. You can read my review HERE.

Some people hear the word SUBMISSION and start freaking out.  But really, I think married couples need to look deeper in to this submission thing.  It isn't about man being the controlling lord over his wife.  It is about relationship, a relationship that is in God's plan for marriage.  And isn't that what we all stood in front of our friends and family and vowed? That our marriage would reflect God's plan?

Just the other day, I was cleaning out my dresser, and I came across our wedding vows.

We gathered in the sight of God.

We promised to face the future together, accepting whatever may lie ahead.

We believed that God helped us find each other.

Scripture was quoted: Genesis 2: 18, 21-24

The Lord said it was not good for man to be alone.

He made a helper comparable to him.

A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.

They shall become one flesh.

We both promised before God and witnesses to 

love, honor, and cherish each other

forsake others

perform all the duties owed to the other

until parted by death.

To have and to hold

from this day forward

for better or for worse

for richer or for poorer

in sickness and in health

to love and to cherish

until parted in death

according to the law of God

The bands of gold we exchanged are reminders of

purity

honesty

and 

truthfulness 

that characterize the love we pledged to each other

The candles we lit symbolized that we were

united as one

We were challenged by out pastor to be a shining light

in our families

our church

our community

our world

When I read over those words, regardless of what I feel about the word submission, I know that if I truly believe the words that we recited that special day 14 years ago, then I will be the wife I am supposed to be. If my husband believes those words, he will be the husband he is supposed to be.

It isn't about control.  It isn't about trying to "one up" the other other.  It is about living out our vows and the promises we made in front of God.  Maybe that is what submission is.  We submit to God to be who He wants us to be.

What is your take on submission in marriage?  Negative? Positive?  Would you like to read Sara's book to find out about her experience?

I am actually giving away a copy of Sara's book.  Just visit the giveaway a couple of posts down or click HERE.

Wait! What? It's August already?

Yes, my friend, August is here. She brought with her some fog this morning, while July left me with two big kids that didn't want to sleep last night.  They haven't yet figured out that their mama must go back to work because the boxes piled in Room 206 will not unpack themselves.  It is sad when a toddler is easier to get to sleep than the big boys.

Colin is NOT excited about today.....6th grade orientation.  Yes, my baby is a middle schooler now. I figure that is why he couldn't sleep.

Carson is excited about the Star Wars Death Star (?) being available on Club Penguin today.  I figure that is why he couldn't sleep.

Me, I just wanted to sleep. I seem to never get enough of it.

Speaking of why I haven't slept a lot lately....here is one reason....

Colin had a sleepover for his 11th birthday.  2 friends + birthday boy + 2 little brothers = one sleep deprived mama.  But it is all worth it. All the boys were really good and enjoyed themselves. I think we all finally got in bed a little after 3AM.

Colin isn't really big on eating cake, but he definitely knows what kind he wants.  This year he wanted a hockey puck cake.

We served this at our family gathering for his birthday after church on Sunday.  For his sleepover, however, he had a giant cookie from The Cookie Store.

We had to eat it for lunch the next day because we filled up on hot dogs and S'mores before we could get to it!

So, now that it is August, it is back to school time.  There will be school supply shopping, classroom organizing, and open house attending.  There will also be soccer coaching and soccer playing. And a Yellow Ribbon event to attend.

What does August have in store for you?

Q&A with Sara Horn and a Giveaway!

As most of you know, I was selected to be a part of author Sara Horn's My Wife Life Team to help promote her new book My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife. I have read this book and it is awesome. Actually, I've read them all and they are all amazing!

Recently, I was able to ask Sara a few questions about her experiment in biblical submission in marriage.

Q1. What would a submissive wife look like during a deployment?

Sara: My husband Cliff has been a Seabee in the Navy Reserves for 17 years now, and he is currently on his third deployment in the last six years. We have about eight months to go before he returns. We walked through this year-long experiment looking at biblical submission that I write about in the book, right after he returned from his second deployment, so I am learning what biblical submission looks like in a deployment first hand right now.

 For me, I think the biggest difference is attitude. I know it is easy sometimes to approach deployment as a military spouse with this determined, hunkered down, "it's all on me" kind of perspective, but I'm not sure that's always the best or most healthiest way to handle things. It's easier for resentment to grow and it's easier to feel less respect for your husband when you do that. You convince yourself you don't need him, because you think that will get you through the next several months apart, but in the end, that attitude can really hurt you and your marriage in the long run. Because deployments don't last, and eventually they do come home, and how you handle their absence during deployment is just as important if not more so than how you handle it when they return. 

Even during deployment, I still think of us as two, and even though he's far away right now, he's still part of our family, and he still leads our family. Now, can I go to him every day with decisions? No. But I'm not going to make decisions that I know he specifically wouldn't like or wouldn't feel comfortable with. I'm going to keep him in mind when I'm disciplining our son, and when I talk to him, I'm going to be sure to keep him in the loop on important things with the family. Trust and respect and communication are really vital.

Q2. What were some notable changes you saw in your son as a result of the submissive wife experiment?

Sara: I'm not sure if I saw any specific changes in Caleb as we were going through this. For one thing, we were in a house full of people for about half of the time and I'm not sure he would have noticed much to begin with. From his perspective (and I had to ask him just now), he has always seen his parents in a close, loving marriage. He's seen us kissing and holding hands, and he's seen us arguing and in heated discussions about things. But he's always seen those arguments resolved with apologies and hugs. He knows how much I love and respect his dad, because I tell him often, and he sees the respect and love his dad shows me. Just in the last few months before he left, I did notice Cliff very intentionally leading our son. He'd make sure he was doing his chores, and that Caleb was listening when I asked him to do something, and he was very deliberate in letting Caleb know the importance of helping me with things around the house. He would correct him when he wasn't doing what he was supposed to. I definitely saw changes in Cliff during our experience, really taking initiative to lead our family, and so in that way, I would say Caleb has been impacted. He's got a dad who is teaching him how to lead in a godly way as a man.

Q3. Has your submission experiment rubbed off on any friends or those who thought you were crazy?

Sara: That's a good question! I'm not sure, because if there is one thing I'm a firm believer in, making a decision to pursue biblical submission, or make changes in your marriage, can really only happen when you're ready for a change or for a heart change. It's gotta start with your own heart and your own awareness of a need to change some things, so I've been very careful, even in my small group at church, not to pressure or do anything that  would make someone feel guilty or something for not being at a point where they want to do this. There is one person in my life who seems to have softened in the last year towards her marriage and her family, though I have no idea if it has anything to do with what Cliff and I walked through and learned. I hope that as friends get hold of the book, that just like other readers I've heard from, I hope my friends will also be encouraged. 

Q4. How do you handle those moments when you were being "the submissive wife" and allowing your husband to lead when you didn't agree with him? (Those I told you so moments)

Sara: We had one of those just the other day when I was talking to my husband on the phone. :) I've started calling those moments Edit moments. Meaning you have to be willing to edit yourself and just because you feel like saying something doesn't mean you should. In our case, my husband was struggling with something that ultimately, he had made the decision on and it was a decision that at the time I had questioned him about but had respected and supported what he'd decided. At that moment on the phone, he was really struggling with some things he hadn't expected as part of that decision. It was tempting for me to say "I told you so, if you'd only listened to me" but as I was listening to him, I knew that wouldn't have helped him at all. So I listened. I encouraged where I could. I let him know I believed everything was going to be ok and that I believed in him. And I still trust that the decision my husband made, God is still going to honor and there will be blessings despite the challenges. 

I do want to make a point here, that biblical submission is NOT the equivalent of us as wives putting duck tape on our mouths and we aren't allowed to ever express an opinion or speak up when a decision is to be made. God did not make us to be doormats. NOT AT ALL. As wives, we should offer our opinions to our husbands, we should speak up when we're concerned the wrong decision is being made. But there's a way to do it that doesn't make our husbands feel small and there's a way to do it that helps our husbands consider our additional counsel, so to speak, as opposed to us saying "THIS is how it should be done." A loving tone and a graceful giving spirit goes a long way.

How would you like to have a copy of Sara's new book?  

Well, she would love for you to have a copy, so 

Sara is giving a copy to one of my lucky readers.  

You can have multiple entries by:

1. Leave a comment here describing what submission in marriage looks like to you.  

2. Visit Sara's store at sarahorn.com, come back here, and leave a comment telling us what your favorite item is.

3. Share this post via Facebook and leave a comment that you did.

4. Share this post via email and leave a comment that you did.

5. Leave a comment telling us who shared this post with you via Facebook or email.

I will randomly select a winner on Saturday, August 3. 

Good luck!

You can find Sara on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sarahornwrites

and

follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sarahorn.

Book Review: My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife

Submissive is probably not a word that most women would want to have describe them; after all, we come from the generation of Girls Can Do Anything Boys Can Do Only Better.  We've been told to dream big, become independent, and successful. Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with having goals and dreams, but maybe we need to take a long look at what being submissive really means when it comes to marriage.

That's exactly what author Sara Horn did.

After her Proverbs 31 experiment, Sara felt that God was leading her on another journey, what it means to be a submissive wife. Many people, including her husband, questioned why she would want to do this new experiment.  For Sara, it was finding out what God's will was for her as a wife and mom.  Her journey is documented in her book My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife.

Sara writes honestly about her journey through the submission experiment.  She discusses her highs and lows as she struggles to change her thinking, behavior, and attitude. I was able to relate to many of the things that Sara wrote about: the feeling/need to do it all, micromanaging a marriage whether you mean to or not, wanting more out of life/following your dreams, but not wanting that to interfere with your family responsibilities, and letting go so your husband can lead.  

Like most women, Sara didn't feel the call to be a domestic goddess, although the experiment did help her look at the responsibilities of marriage and family a bit differently.  Sometimes we can become resentful in having to cook and clean, in having to take care of children, and fulfilling other duties when it seems no one notices or helps. But in trying to live according to biblical submission, a new perspective is formed.

By the end of the book, I no longer viewed submission as a bad thing. Sara's story showed me that biblical submission can strengthen a marriage, yet, that submission and the process is different for each marriage. 

I loved reading this book. I laughed. I cried. I felt convicted. Most of all, I feel motivated to work on being more submissive in my own marriage. I highly recommend this book to any woman who has a desire to become the wife that God has planned for her.

I received a free copy of this book from Sara Horn and Harvest House Publishers as part of The My Wife Team. I was asked to read and post an honest review of this book. 

Book Review: Upside-Down Prayers for Parents

Parents want their children to live godly lives. They want their children to be happy and to make a difference in the world.   They can't do it alone.  As parents, we need to pray for our children. 

In her book, Upside-Down Prayers for Parents, Lisa T. Bergren offers 31 devotions that parents can use to lift up their children to God.

Each day is consistent in its format with the previous day.  It begins with an "I pray...." statement and related scripture.   The next part of each day is a short personal story that relates to the topic and then a specific prayer.  The daily devotions end with a section called Making it Personal where parents can gain or reflect on their personal experience and then a Making it Relevant section which helps children relate to an experience as well.  There are questions for both older children and younger children.

I like the fact that the devotions are short and consistent.  I also like that there is both a place where the parent and children can become active in the devotion and reflect.  The blank writing space is also convenient.  I think this would be an excellent devotion for parents who have a desire to pray for their children and help them to strengthen their children's relationship with God and to help the parent be more intentional on praying for their children.

I received a free copy of this book from WaterBrook Press for the purpose of an honest review as part of their blogger book review program. 

Submission

Yes, you read that correctly.

Submission.

I've just read Sara Horn's new book My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife. 

I really liked it and will be posting a review of it soon. 

But for now, I'd like to know your thoughts on submission in marriage.  Does it scare you? Do you think it is wrong? Is it politically incorrect?  Is it necessary? Should it be standard? What do you think?

Book Review: My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife

Like many women who read about The Virtuous Wife from Proverbs 31:10-31, Sara Horn felt intimidated and didn't like her. At the same time, though, she felt that there could be something there. Something that she needed to experiment with.  So, that set wife, mom, author Sara Horn on an experiment, a journey to study the Proverbs 31 wife and try to become more like her. She wrote about this experiment in her book My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife.

Throughout the journey, Sara saw success and failures.  She is a driven woman who has a strong desire to minister and work.  She has a husband who likes to help out.  During this experiment, the family was in a difficult season, unemployment for her husband and her quest to become domesticated. 

Sara found out that the most important part of the process would be her relationship with God.  If she feared him and strengthened her relationship with God, then her other relationships would fall into place.  She would be the woman God had planned for her.

I really enjoyed this book. Sara writes with honesty and humor.  It is easy to relate with her experience. 

I received a free copy of this book from Sara Horn and Harvest House Publishers as part of the My Wife Life Team.  I was not required to write a review.

Schools for Military Kids

I would like a little feedback from my military mom readers.  My husband and I are considering going active duty instead of staying in the reserves.  We want the best educational opportunity for our children.  From mom to mom, I'd like to know:

1. Do you home school or do your children attend school?

2. If your children attend school, is it a public school, private school, or a school on base?

3.  What are your educational regrets with your children? What would you change?

If we do decide to go active duty, I will have to continue to work.  There's a little word called bills!  So, I would have to find me a job, hopefully a teaching job since that's what I do. 

Here and There

And everywhere.

That's what I feel like. Like I've been around the world.  Where have I been?  I've been here.  At home. Unless you count our trip to Huntsville for Space Camp.  Other than that, we've been hanging out, being bums, enjoying our time together.

Jeff was invited to preach at a neighboring church. Their pastor had surgery, and they needed someone to fill in for him.  It was a great experience for us. The people there are very welcoming and loving. The first Sunday we visited was potluck.  Southern Baptist. Food. Potluck.  Yum!

Now, this week he will be filling in for our pastor who is on vacation.  Bible study tonight. Worship service Sunday morning and evening.  If you are around these parts, stop by!  Sunday night, he will speak about his ministry in Afghanistan. 

We are still praying over active duty.  We think we know what God wants.  We aren't sure if we are comfortable with it.  So, praying. Lots of praying.  I'll support Jeff's decision.  I don't want him to look back and regret not going for it.  It is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and neither of us are getting any younger!  I think its funny that as we pray for God to reveal his will for us that we read scripture, read a book passage, hear a song, or have a conversation that points us in the right direction and then fear sets in.  But I know he did not instill in us a heart of fear. That he has plans to help us, not hurt us. But still, discerning the will of God is difficult.  We want to do the right thing.

As for me, I feel like I want to do more.  Currently, I am working on a Bible Study Curriculum for Wives of Faith.  I am finally (hopefully) getting on a schedule to focus on it more.  I am helping Wives of Faith founder/author/all around great gal Sara Horn promote her new book, My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife.  I am reading My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife too.  But still, I am feeling like there is more I need to be doing.  I was approached at the end of the school year about starting a prayer group at school.  That has me thinking about some possibilities.  Active Duty has me thinking too. 

I can picture myself in several situations, but I don't know what I am supposed to do.  Sometimes I just wish God would speak audibly and tell me what I'm supposed to do.  That would make things so much easier. 

One thing I am working on is being a better mom.  Adolescence and puberty are rampant at my house.  Being a mom of three boys can be a grueling calling. Seriously, the first words to me one morning were, "Butt stinks." Yeah, I love you too, kid! I have an (almost) 11 year old who thinks he is grown and knows everything. I have a 3 year old who thinks he is unstoppable and just as big as his brothers. I have a 7 year old that is learning some bad attitude from his mom and older brother.  Something has to give before I am totally gray before I'm 36.  So, I got the Love Dare for Parents.  I also have another book that I was supposed to do a book review on and haven't gotten around to it, Upside-Down Prayers for Parents, that I will be reading. Who knows. Maybe I will write a book about my journey to be a better mom! 

As you can see, I am here and there.  Things going on everywhere.  But as disorderly as life is right now, I have managed to potty train a toddler. That's progress. Right?

My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife

I am so excited to be part of Sara Horn's My Wife Life Team that is promoting her new book My So-Called Life as a Submissive Wife.

Sara has written some amazing books.  I have read God Strong and Tour of Duty (twice).  I hate to admit that I haven't read My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife, but I am looking forward to reading it soon.

Toward the end of July/first of August, I will be posting a review of Sara's new book.  There will be lots of fun things surrounding the book as well.  If you are excited about this new book, you can go ahead a pre-order an autographed copy at Sara's store.

Did I Shine?

When 2013 began, I made a commitment to SHINE. With the year half over and a deployment under my belt, I have to ask myself, "Did I shine?"

I hope that during the deployment I was the wife my husband needed me to be and the the mother my children needed me to be.

I hope that as I crossed paths with others, that they saw Jesus in me.

I know there were times I was lost, tired, and frustrated.  I know there were times I lost my temper or got caught up in gossip or negative conversation. But over all, did I shine? I tried to be an encouragement to others. I tried to show them that my strength and joy came from Jesus. 

Up until I got fifth's disease, I remained faithful in my daily bible study.  That time knocked me on my butt. I had no energy.  I felt terrible for weeks.  I got majorly behind, but I am still studying.  I also began a journey on becoming more healthy after my bout with a stomach virus in November and December.  I exercised and ate much better up until fifth's disease came along.  I've gained a few pounds back, but I am dedicated to get rid of them again.

I know that people watched me. People asked me, "How do you do it?"  I didn't. God did.  I prayed daily for His blessings, for His strength, for His guidance.  Looking back, I hope I was a blessing to Him.

Some Family Time

If you have a Soldier who will be returning home from deployment and would like a banner to display like ours, I have to recommend Build A Sign.  Check out their website.  Our banner was FREE. I only had to pay for the grommets and shipping. I upgraded the shipping to make sure I had the banner the first of May, and it arrived much sooner than expected.  We were very pleased with our final product.

Since Jeff has returned from Afghanistan, we have been having a lot of family time.  He was able to catch Colin's last few ball games.  We were also able to attend a Hot Rods game for their Military Appreciation Night.

It was so great to attend church again as a family.

Jeff and I had a much needed weekend getaway to The Smoky Mountains.

We had a week long family vacation to Panama City Beach too.  We celebrated Jeff's birthday and played LOTS of Goofy Golf.

The big boys are preparing for a camp out, and Colin will be attending Space Camp again this summer.  Me?  I am enjoying having my better half home.  I am working with two amazing teams.  I am writing a Bible study curriculum with a group of super women for Wives of Faith.  I will also be working with Sara Horn and more amazing women to promote Sara's new book....

We are also still praying about going active duty.  Still not sure where God wants us right now.  No rush, but don't want any regrets either.

Hope your summer is in full swing and going well.