Obamacare...

here's a good article opposing obamacare...the health care reform bill sounds great in theory until it's put into place and things we stand for are thrown straight into the trash.

Abortion, Euthanasia, Eugenics, and Ethics Problems with Health Care Reform

God has a sense of humor

First things first, I got myself out of the house for a great walk/run this morning.  It was during this great endorphin high that I realized how irony and humor come in to play when it comes to the Lord.

During this season of not knowing whether my body will ever be able to bring forth life, the Lord has been good to me, even causing a chuckle here or there.  I've been focusing on the goodness of the Lord and how being with him is better than life, any life.  So on my walk, I was checking my google reader and guess what, yet another person was pregnant.  Whether it's people I know personally or in the blogosphere, this is the time for bringing forth life.

During this season, I have a few choices...I can be embittered by this, acknowledge it and forge ahead, or I can embrace it and be joyful for those who are expecting.  I'm in between the latter two, because if I'm honest being embittered just does not fit my personality.  There are things better than children...like chocolate for instance, or so I'm fighting to believe!

So back to google reader...after reading the post, I laughed out loud.  Good thing there wasn't anyone around, it was quite a chuckle I had with the Lord.  He's pretty funny!  Why was I laughing and thinking he has a sense of humor.  Because I believe that sometimes the Lord puts trials in our lives to produce in us godliness, endurance, and faith in his will, not ours.

  "we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces charachter, and characherter produces hope..." Romans 5:3-4

I had a little conversation with the Lord at that point here's a quick synopsis:

me:  Lord, you're pretty funny...seriously, another person, you have got to be kidding...(insert laughter)

lord:  kidding, i am not. 

me: i know, Lord.  you are better than life, better than a baby, better than anything.  it will be okay, even if you never bless us with children, because you are better than anything this life can offer.

lord:  know this..."In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world" John 16:33

me:  thanks for the overflowing of life...i can laugh now at the irony, because i'm growing in my understanding of who you are and why you put trials in our way...thank you for testing my faith.

Indianapolis in Pics

On the Train in our hotel

With Alex's Parents

Alex and Mark being silly

MN winners

MN winners and NARI members

Pete and Jane

Alex and I

Enough

The all-sufficient one...El Shaddai...The Lord is enough

For Abraham in Genesis, the Lord was enough.  He was the "pourer forth," the one who pours himself out for his creation (noted from Lord I want to know You, Kay Arthur).  His Grace is sufficient, He is enough.  This is what the Lord has been teaching my heart these past few days.  No matter what comes our way, no matter the day and hour, He is all sufficient...enough.

When I am honest with myself, like I was yesterday, I know I am not acknowledging the Lord as enough.  There are things I want, things I don't understand, things that hurt.

As a child, I always wanted to be the mommy to my dolls, stuffed animals, to anything.  I'm a nanny.  I was a early childhood major in grad school.  It's obvious I love children.  Right now, the one thing I was ready for, wanting, thought might come a little easier, is not.  About a month ago, I was referred to an Infertility Specialist.  Disheartening, yes.  Encouraging, maybe.  A test of faith, absolutely.

Maybe we'll get pregnant, maybe not.  But at the end of the day, I hear my Savior asking, "Am I enough?"  Yes Lord, whether you open my womb or not You are ENOUGH!

As I stumble down this new road, new path for our lives, I'm grasping hold of the verse that always comforts my heart:

"You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off";

fear not for I am with you,

be not dismayed, for I am your God,

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  ( Isaiah 41:9b-10)

God's righteous right hand refers to Jesus...I want to be upheld by Jesus, the perfecter of my faith.  God hasn't promised to open my womb, to bless us with children, to make life easy, but he has promised that He will be with us every step of the way...rejoicing with us and suffering with us and at the end of the day, that is more than ENOUGH!

Three years in...

On September 2nd Alex and I celebrated our third year of marriage.  I can't believe how quickly it has gone by and how so in love I am:)  I couldn't be more blessed to have this amazing man by my side!

People always ask us if we do anything for our anniversary and well, the answer is no.  We have in the past gone out to eat, but early on in our engagement we committed to NO gift-giving.  Sounds harsh, but really we want our marriage, birthdays, etc. to be built on moments spent together, not on material things that fade away.  Maybe it was the wallet I gave Alex on our first Christmas while dating that changed things for us...a beautiful brown Coach wallet, that was met with..."a wallet is kind of a personal thing" you see I had bought the wrong style, who knew!  (btw he still carries it:))

Our tradition of not giving gifts has actually benefitted us because we save money...and with that money we can afford to travel or experience small things together, something we love to do...like the time Alex planned out my birthday to all the places I love to go, skiing for his birthday, or dinner in Scotland celebrating our 3 years of marriage.  These experiences have no value, they're priceless.

As we start year 4, I'm praying that we would grow into our roles and live out our vows!

I, Andrea (Alex) take you to be my husband (wife).

I promise before God and these witnesses to love and respect you always (love and cherish).  I have seen your love for God and I am confident that you will be a loving spiritual leader (loving wife).  As God has called me, I will be the helper (spiritual leader) in our marriage.  I promise to keep Christ first in my life, and will rely on Him to teach and guide me, so that I may fully become the wife (husband) you deserve as we serve God together.

I promise to be faithful to you and never leave you.  I promise to respect and submit to your leadership (seek to know and understand you and be sensitive to your needs).  I desire what is best for us and I will trust your judgement inleading me as God leads you (lead you lovingly as God leads me).  I promise to provide you with an abundance of encouragement and to communicate openly and honestly with you.  I will listen when you speak and keep what I hear.  I will trust you and honor you (love you and honor you), I will follow you (I will value you).  I will be your helper (leader) and your most trusted friend.

I will always be there for you and I promise to make our home a place of rest and refuge for you (demonstrate my love for you in ways you understand).  I love you.

Honey, I still love you, even more than ever.

Fun and Cute Decor on the cheap:)

I was never one of those girls that loved decorating, placing things in the right spot, finding the perfect item to complete the look...that was until we staged our home for sale and completed the famed flip.  Then again I was never a neat freak either, that is until we did those things previously mentioned.

Now I am a self-proclaimed neat freak, tiding every corner of the house and a decorator at large.  I love almost every show on HGTV, love perusing blogs on decor and all things decorative, and have loved getting my hands on spray paint and look forward to many new creations in our future because of it.  I think it's a fun hobby...a way of making our house our home...and it is a great way to make our home our haven, a place to relax and retreat.

I take pride in being a "homemaker" as God has called me to be a woman who "looks well to the ways of her house" (proverbs 31:27).  As Martha Peace says "A Godly wife is organized and works hard to operate her home with the least possible chaos.  She also creates an optimistic, joyful atmosphere for her family." (The Excellent Wife, pg. 71)  Obviously our treasure should not be spotless homes straight out of House Beautiful, but a place that gives off the aroma of Christ, but I have to think there's some room for some flair!

So here's my attempt at fun and cute atumnal decor on the cheap to add some FLAIR:)

These are just mini pumpkins that I bought at Target for $4.99 for I think 6-8 mini pumpkins.  Spray with off white spray paint for cute and fun, simple and inexpensive pumpkins for perfect fall decor.  Why white?  Well it matches the soothing creams, tans and blues of our home of course:)

Total investment: $10  and an afternoon of fun:)

The big award!

I think I mentioned Alex won a design award for our OLD house on Prior Lake.  Today we received the electronic version of the magazine article!


Check it out!