I love this time of the year. I love the days where the sun is shining, but there is a coolness to the air. I love all the traditions that begin in the fall. I love spending time with friends and family, and getting to sit by the fireplace. I love fall.
Jason and I are helping out with the middle school youth group again this year. We had a superhero night last week....it you "Super-Starbucks" and his sidekick, "Half-Cafe." Creative huh?
Coffee Power!
Jason and his guys had a "Pumpkin Smash" last night. They had pumpkin pinatas, and played video games. Sounds like a good guys night to me. This last week, I got to take my middle school girls to Bauman Farms. Kinsey also made the trip with us, which made it even more fun.
Nial and Kinz :)
What was that?!
Zip-Line!
sisters.
This is the reality....love her. :)
We went through the dark maze, slide down a slide, jumped on a giant "pillow" (see video) and ate caramel apples and apple-cider doughnuts. I know we all had fun because the girls were falling asleep in the car on the way home. :)
Jason and I got to take care of our sweet little niece, Cayden, for a few hours this last week as well. It has been so much fun getting to watch her grow up and to see her little personality come out. Uncle Jason had a lot of fun making her laugh. I think she has diffidently stolen part of both of our hearts.
The past year I have been doing a lot of reflecting on the blessings
that I have come into my life,
and the lives of the people around me.
It has almost been a year since I was called for an interview at Claggett Creek for a job that was originally suppose to last only a month; now almost a year later, although a new position, a job. One of my closest friends was blessed almost a year ago to find out the little baby she and her husband so wanted, for so long, was growing inside of her. I watched Jason's passion for special education grow, and watched the Lord open the doors for him to go to school at Portland State while at the same time get to actually teach special ed. even before he has his endorsement.
When I think of the blessings that have come into my life and the lives of so many that I love, I can't help thinking about the many trials that lead to those blessings. It is always amazing to be at that point where you can look back and see what God brought you though, so that you would be where you are today. At church on Sunday, in both the mid-high youth group, where Jason and I help out, and "big church," it was about the trials that come into our lives, and how those very trials shape us into the people that God wants us to be.
I love the idea that the trials I am going through aren't random, but rather help build my endurance. I love that the Lord knows what is coming, and that He will be faithful to have his plans come to a perfect end. Sometimes I may not agree with that end, but His will and His love is so perfect. I also realize that many of the trials were endure in this life, we won't understand and won't be separated from until we are in heaven.
I am thankful that I have Him to lean on in the midst
of the struggles of life, but also the victories.
I have; we have so much to be thankful for when we look at the big picture. I have listened to "Blessings" by Laura Story so many times since it came out a few months ago. The lyrics really speak exactly what my heart feels, "What if trials of this life are your mercies in disguise?"
"Blessings" by Laura Story
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
Chorus: 'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
CHORUS
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home
'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
Well....Jason and I have officially placed an offer on a home here in Salem. We are excited, and I think a little shocked that it all happened so smoothly so far. We hope that it continues in that same manner, since the home we put an offer on is a 'short sale.'
Dictionary Definition: A short sale is a sale of real estate in which the proceeds from selling the property will fall short of the balance of debts secured by liens against the property and the property owner cannot afford to repay the liens' full amounts, whereby the lien holders agree to release their lien on the real estate and accept less than the amount owed on the debt.
vs.
Bernard Definition: A short sale is a sale that allows us to afford a home that we otherwise would not have been able to purchase. But, due to the fact that other people can also place 'bids' on the home, don't get to attached to the dream of owning that home until, and only until the bank has approved your offer, and the papers are signed.
So, needless to say we LOVE the house that we have found, and I have pictured our future family making so many great memories at that place...but another part of me is afraid to get to attached, which is probably smart considering.
Hopefully, our 'short sale,' will actually live up to what its' name is...SHORT. We would love to just know, but we also know that we are going to have to wait, so waiting is what we will do. Maybe we will have some exciting news, and then I can post pictures of the house....would love to call it "Our Home."
