Friday, November 11, 2016

dinovember and bible journaling.

two things that have given my mind a break from the world this november. 

on tuesday, before eliza went to bed she wanted to know who was elected president. i told her i would tell her in the morning. then i remembered we had some presidential flashcards and instead she woke up to this...

after sharing on fb, and the kids waking up and discovering what the dinosaurs did, i added "this became a great teaching moment and if i was more articulate i could explain better. went to bed reading posts like "what do i tell my child now?" and reminiscing of that election 8 years ago. pregnant with our first baby and thinking "do we really want to bring kids into this world?" but then as they took turns holding up cards and testing my u.s. history, i thought "this isn't the first time parents went to bed wondering what to say to their kids, and it certainly won't be the last last." but i am my kids mama, not anyone else. i can teach them, show them, love them. the world is not ending because of this. life will continue as it did 8 years ago, and all the years before. so what do i tell my kids? "we have a new president. history was made. the world may be scary at times, but we have the comfort of knowing this world is not our home. He has a far better plan than any of us can imagine."

and He does! and i will teach them, show them, and love them.

which brings me to bible journaling. as the election drew closer, i found myself in His word more. just praying, focusing, thinking of our country and it's future. i journaled a few different pages. one specifically for the election. i messed it up so many times, but joked that it gave me more time to pray.

focused on the verse...

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 12:12

and then the last few days happened. and i went back to my bible. flipped open to this page again, and realized it was perfectly placed next to another page i had done. this one back in april.

focused on the verse...

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6

and right smack between the two is "do not pass judgement on one another" in chapter 14. you should read it. good stuff!

all i have to say is "wow God." thank you for always leading me to your Word. my prayer is that others would be brought to it too.

and because it's veteran's day...go thank one, our dinosaurs did. ;)



Thursday, July 28, 2016

"two of us..."

"you and me sunday driving..."

on the last leg of our drive last sunday, the beatles' "two of us" came on. i had to smile thinking of our wedding and how many of their songs we had played at the reception. now, here we were, another new chapter, another song.

"we're on our way home. we're going home."

the end of july has always been kind of a big deal for us. it's when we met, 16 years ago. it's when he proposed, 9 years ago. it was the fun week before we got married, 8 years ago. when we moved home from korea, 5 years ago. and now this...another new adventure.

"you and i have memories, longer than the road that stretches out ahead."

 
 


Monday, June 6, 2016

two of my favorite camping moments...


our friend josh was cooking bacon over the fire for everyone. he had a plate on the ground, and a few of us grabbed a piece to eat while he cooked the rest. abner climbs down from his camping chair, struts over, grabs a piece, and promptly walks back to his seat. we were all cracking up. mostly because he did it all without saying anything, looking at anyone to see if it was ok, no hesitation. he is awesome.

the second happened when we came across this bus on one of the trails. we continued on, but then looped back. as we walked on the other side of the bus hattie exclaims "another bus!" we laughed, and tried to tell her it was the same one. grannie stopped by for a visit and hattie told her about it, then laughed and said "mama said it was the same bus...(crazy laughing) BUT IT WASN'T!"

love making these camping memories!

Thursday, May 12, 2016

why i color (and paint!) in my bible.

i started this endeavor thinking about seeing handwritten notes of my grandma's and journals from my nanny (great grandma) i envisioned my daughters (or son!) future granddaughters (or sons!) finding this bible and growing closer to Him. i wanted to leave notes for them. passages to reference, memories about certain verses. "we used this at your sister's funeral" "this was read at our wedding." "remember this, even in the hard times..." "this is my favorite!" i wanted something to pass on. 

journaling is so intimate, but i feel the push to at least share the illustrations. if one person is inspired, then it's worth it. i poured over images for almost 6 months. then sat with an empty bible for another few months until i got the courage to make that first mark. i stayed in the margins for awhile, but once i ventured out, there was no turning back. i still want to make sure i can read all the scriptures. it's not my only bible, but i'm not sure james could handle if i did anymore. ;)

if i had one piece of advice it would be to just dive in. open up your bible, grab a marker or paintbrush and just drop it anywhere. get that first mark over with! i am such a perfectionist, and this has been so freeing. one thing that i can just let go, shrug my shoulders, and know that it doesn't matter the outcome of the illustration. what matters is what i gain from it. from the process. from the studying. from the One that gives me art. He gave me this, and His word, and this is how i choose to spend my time with Him. definitely learning more and asking james more questions, and finding myself craving bible studies. 

i've been so inspired by others, thought i would pass it on, and maybe spark something. here are some of my favorites i have done. a few are copycats from ones i found on instagram, pinterest, or the journaling bible community. 

i love the feeling of stumbling upon something at just the right moment. i love when eliza asks if she can draw something. i love hattie asking if i'm reading my bible. i love looking up and seeing abner peeking at me over the table while he colors. just being an example to them. i want them to always know where to turn. 




need to add nebraska!
one of my favorites.

product of girls' weekend.


my second entry.

my first double page complete. (done at separate times)


eliza's first. it was so scary to let her go, but i am so happy i did!
this one will always be special.





documenting a crazy 7 days in april. so many emotions.


my first entry. those flowers were on the bulletin at delia's funeral, and that was a verse that resonated with us.


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

there have been so many times...

that i wanted to share about one of my new passions, bible journaling, but i just haven't.

it's not for everyone, but it's definitely for me.

i am deeper in the Word than i think i ever have been (even when i committed to reading the bible in a year)

i am constantly amazed at the way God leads me to a certain passage.

i get so excited when it all just falls into place.

today marks 5 years since that ultrasound. of course jj heller's "your hands" has been on my mind. it was on repeat those first few days.

i googled a bit about it, just to see where she got the inspiration to write it, what verses she was inspired by, and came across an interview where she quoted proverbs 3:5-6.

i open up my bible to read it again, and see if i have illustrated it yet, only to find that it is the passage i had bookmarked to work on next.

and i just look up, smile and say..."i get it."

thanks God!

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

there was a time...

that i really wanted 2 kids under 2.

it's how far my brothers and i were spaced.

everyone i knew had it.

i thought it would be great.

then God had other plans.

eliza and delia technically made 2 under 2, but we would never see their relationship bloom.

after hattie arrived, i came to love and appreciate the space between the two. it was better than i could have imagined.

i wondered why more people didn't go that route.

eliza was old enough to help and appreciate hattie.

hattie looked up to eliza and they loved on each other.

all was well.


then abner happened.


and i freaked.

2 under 2? this will be crazy. people do this? really funny God!

but you know what?

it's also better than i could have imagined.

i call them my mwf buddies.

eliza is in school those days, and i love when it's just the three of us.

hattie gets to be the big sister.

abner soaks up being the little brother, but tries so hard to follow.

they are both awkward. stumbling. needing to be on my lap at the same time. still, at 19 months and 3.

they fight over me.

they fight over toys.

they make each other laugh.

they are a cart full at the store, or the two cuties holding hands.

 if i time it right they nap at the same time.

they were two babies in a diaper change line up.

they can share diapers if hattie runs out of bedtime pull ups.

story time could be combined.



they are so close.

i love watching their relationship grow.

it's amazing...and exhausting. i'm so thankful God had other plans for us!

side note - it is so funny to take them out, looks wise they are on opposite ends of the spectrum. it feels a little weird. i assume people judge they have different dads, or they aren't both mine! eliza is the one that connects the two. we miss her while she's at school, but life is definitely easier when you take one kid out of the mix. ;)

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