The Intentional Life

 I felt very loved on Mother's Day.  My little kiddos were pumped about it 3 days in advance.  They could hardly wait to give me the cards they had made (and secretly hid in the bottom of the laundry basket?).  I also felt loved and appreciated by the 5 teenagers we have with us right now.  And feeling appreciated by teenagers does not happen very often. But I was showered with gifts, words of appreciation, and love. I am disappointed in myself when I treat the children in my life like they are an inconvenience.  Someone who is in the way of what I want to selfishly accomplish. Ugh.  I cringe with what I just wrote, but it is the sad, pathetic truth so I will leave it there. But I also know another truth.  One that outweighs the lie that my kids are a nuisance to my already crazy day. The truth that all of these children were placed in my life for a reason.  My three little kiddos were born to me because that is exactly where God wanted them to belong. These teenage

 In the month of April we celebrated our risen Savior, enjoyed several birthday cakes, took walks in the Gateway woods, trekked to Illinois to visit family, learned to pee in the potty (that one was Maddie), read a book that made us think about how much we are willing to sacrifice for the gospel (Radical, highly recommend it!), enjoyed walks in the rain, time in the sunshine, cried through some hard times, and praised God as he saw us through to the other side.

  2 Corinthians 2:15-16 New International Version (NIV) 15  For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16  To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life   A week or so ago, I had one of those moments that just grabs you by the shoulders, stops you in your tracks, and makes you think. I kinda, sorta, like that when it happens.  Sometimes... I was doing me some sewing, trying something new with a pattern I found in a library book.  A few months back I was the lucky recipient of some of my grandparents old pillowcases and sheets that no one else wanted.  I saw some potential in those old things and wanted to make them into something new. So, I decided to take one of the old pillowcases, and turn it into this cute little hand bag.  I loved the old flower pattern and the fact that it was something that came from my grandparents h