The Aisle Where Autumn and Christmas Meet

Oh friends.

This has been a weird year. I though this spring was stressful—then we said goodbye to grandpa and the summer hit—and then this summer of chaos and insanity hit—and then we kicked off the fall with a total topsy-turvy in our ministry and now…now we’re at that surreal moment where autumn leaves and Christmas stockings smile at each other across the aisle at Hobby Lobby.

My garden has not even been winterized yet, y’all! It has been that busy—and I’m trying to make sure that I haven’t forgotten anything critical for Thanksgiving!!! (Yes, I have a Turkey!)

I have several things weighing heavy on my heart that I want to share with you; but somehow when I sit down to type it out, I get distracted by my to-do list and never make it over here. 

Ah well, if it’s meant to be written, I will get it out at some point. 

I was speaking with a wise friend today, and I told her I was just incredibly overwhelmed and tired and stressed. She asked what, specifically, was stressing me out, and after listening compassionately for a while, she hit the nail on the head when she said, “It sounds to me like you are trying to take responsibility for things that are God’s responsibility. You’re trying to be God, and that’s really never going to work out as well as if you just let God be God.”

I mean, ooof!

She’s right, of course.

Our ministry belongs to God, and He will bring the people he wants into it.

My children belong to God; He will see to it that they are equipped for His calling in their lives  

My life is in God’s hands, no health issue takes Him by surprise or is outside the plan He has for me.

God is working on our friends and family. He will convict, grow, strengthen, and guide them according to His loving plan in their lives.

Sure, I need to be faithful to do the good works He has set before me—to steward His gifts well, to lead my little sphere with wisdom, and to pursue personal holiness in my actions and interactions—but the way all those things play out is not my problem. This is where the rubber of my faith hits the road—I say I believe in God, His Providence, His omnipotence, His goodness, His love for me… but do I really?

Yes; now stop trying to do His job.

So yeah, God is growing and stretching me, and I want to share some of the epiphanies as well as the fun stuff He’s been doing, so I’ll share it here, coming soon!!!

Upcoming items include…

- The party posts from our Davy Crockett party, a fun end-of-summer flamingo party, and Danger’s Epic Lord of the Rings party! 

- Tips for weathering those burned out seasons of mother hood.

- Combining family fun with school.

- How can you run a ministry, homeschool your kids, keep your house presentable, and stay sane?!

- Seeing God’s Grace in difficult seasons.  

 - My new dining table!

- Stress, motherhood, and homeschooling.

- Building up your marriage and family in times of trial. 

-Blessing others even when you are burned out.  

So yes, stay tuned!