I love this time year. The leaves are starting to change colors. The orange, red and yellow leaves are pleasant to my eyes as the sound of my husband's voice is pleasant to my ear as we ride along in the car.
While driving the other day, my husband asked me if I wanted to visit the Roloff Farm. I got so excited! We had planned on visiting last year, but it's always raining here in the Northwest and we didn't have an opportunity to go. So, if the weather man on the local news is correct, the weather will cooperate with our visit here.
I finally finished my Fall apron. I was quite pleased with it :)
My pumpkin candle is always burning in my home during the Fall months.
Recently I've been reflecting on the encounter I had with Jesus many years ago. I find myself reading the story about the Samaritan Woman over and over again. Maybe it's because I can relate to her in some way. No, I haven't had five husbands and the man that I'm currently with is my legal husband. I'm referring to living a life of sin.
There was a time in my life when I would sugar coat my sinful past. I never lied about the things I did or didn't do. I just didn't reveal the whole truth. That in itself was sin. I may have been able to fool other people, but I couldn't fool the man who met me at my well. That man is Jesus.
There is one thing I wished I had more in common with the woman at the well. When she left the well, she left all the garbage there with the man that knew everything about her. A man who had become her Savior and redeemed her from a life of shame.
I remember vividly my day at the well. Oh, how my heart was filled with joy because I had received his forgiveness. But forgiving myself and those who hurt me.....I took some of the hurt away with me as I left the well. I heard the sweet voice of Jesus beckoning me to leave it there with Him.....Why didn't I?
I did finally. But it was after years of trial and failure of trying to take care of my own wounds. Only to replace the bandages with the same old dirty bandages from the previous wound. The multiple wounds kept getting reinfected. I would pour my peroxide remedy to get out the yucky stuff. Until I realized it was MY remedy.
Jesus had already given me a remedy to cleanse all my wounds. Just like he told the Samaritan that He would give her living water, that same water He was offering to me.
Maybe you're like me and the Samaritan Woman. You have a questionable past that's hindering you from being the wife and mother that you desire to be. I encourage you to go back the the well and leave everything there. After you do that, do what the Samaritan Woman did. Go tell everybody about a man who told you about your past and forgave you from the sin you committed and the sin that was committed against you. John 4:4-22
Can you hear me squealing over here? A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was going to be a grandmother for the first time. Just wanted my readers to have a glance at Baby Miller aka "My Grandbaby"
"For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am Fearfully
and wonderfully made.." ~Psalm 139:13-14
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward." ~Psalm 127:3
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations." ~Jeremiah 1:5
I cannot count the times I've sat at the table for lunch longing to share a tuna fish sandwich with someone. It wasn't because I was bored or home alone. Quite the opposite. My home is always bustling with noise and boredom doesn't exist due to the many sewing and quilting projects.
The longing I have is more than sharing a sandwich, but it's sharing life. As I look around at the different blogs, I see an influx of young women with a Titus 2 heart and a passion to learn how to be a Proverbs 31 woman. Recently, I've had the honor of connecting with them outside blogland. Some are still in there teens.
While reading the Titus 2 passage of Scripture, I often wonder where is the missing link. Are the younger women looking for us older women and we are no where to be found? Are the older women waiting for an opportunity to pour life's wisdom into younger women but they are so busy running to and fro thus not allowing time to glean? Maybe it's neither, but a fear of being transparent.
When we are transparent, we are made visible by a light shining through us. The result of transparency is exposure. When we are exposed, it simply means that others can see through us.
I know there are things in the lives of women that we just don't want to expose. For me, there were things that I kept hidden for years. I was fearful. Didn't want to be transparent because that meant that other people would know "my business" and those secret things would be exposed.
What I didn't realize, it's those very things I kept hidden were the very things that God used to set other women free.
For years I wouldn't talk about my child birthing experiences. I didn't want other women to know that I felt like a failure. I felt as though I failed as a woman because I didn't birth my children naturally. It wasn't until I had a private conversation with a young woman who confided that she felt as though her body betrayed her too. Exposing how I felt about my experience brought freedom to her. Now when I meet women who birthed by cesarean section, I jokingly ask them if they want to join the "C Club."
Sharing life. Sharing a transparent life. A life unashamed for all to see because the light that's shining through me is the light of Jesus Christ.
Call me a girl who's living in a fairy tale and I'll tell you that this is reality. Reality is that I have this unquenchable desire for my husband and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I must start off by saying, we are not perfect. Far from it. But there's a love so deep. This love continues to be fueled by the passion we have for God.
I know my fore-mothers are disappointed in my choice of living a "subservient" lifestyle, as they call it. I call it freedom. Freedom to walk in my calling and live my life as a fascinating woman. Not only am I a fascinating woman, as my husband calls me, but I'm fascinated. Fascinated by a man who strong enough to be a man. Yet gentle enough to understand me, a woman. A man who's confident enough in who he is as man by encouraging me to be a woman.
As a woman, God places such a high value on me. God said it wasn't good for my husband to be alone. He values me, a woman, so much that He created me to be a helpmeet to my husband. Now if being a helper makes a woman subservient in the eyes of some, so be it. Although, I must confess.....I love being a helpmeet to my husband.
I love waking up in the morning thinking of ways I can help my husband's day go better.
Since I'm confessing stuff, I must confess that I pick up my husbands dirty clothes off the floor. I know he's a big boy, but I love to take a whiff of his shirts after a hard days work. He smells so manly.
I must confess that I plan my meals around the foods he likes. There's no better sound in the world to me than my man grunting while eating a delicious meal I've prepared.
I must confess that my body doesn't belong to me and I've freely given it to him. With a smile on my face too. Oh how I love reaping the benefits. Freely give. Freely you shall receive.
How my heart aches for women who have good husbands, but chose to believe the lies by our fore-mothers. Our fore-mothers told us to follow no man. There are numerous Godly men who are just waiting for there wives to trust them. I encourage my sisters to follow them as they pursue God.
This was originally written on January 3, 2008. The message behind it is still the same. Create memories that will last a lifetime.
Today Sarah and I were home alone for a few hours. It's rare moments to get that one on one with the kids. Normally our one on one consist of having one of them jumping in the car with us as we go to the corner store.
Sarah wanted to do something fun. All I could think of was the load of towels just out of the dryer that needed to be folded and put away. The load in the washer that just completed the spin cycle. The load that was on the floor that I had to walk over just to get to my bathroom sink.
As I looked into her eyes and saw the excitement on her face, I knew it was an opportunity to create a memory.
Sarah has always wanted to put make-up on me. I asked her if she wanted to play "make-up." She said yes.
There was a problem, at least in my opinion.
"What about the laundry?" I asked myself.
I had the choice to either do laundry and be proud of my daily accomplishments or create a memory that will forever be sketched in the memory of Sarah's mind. I chose to use this time to create the memory. The laundry will be there tomorrow. After all, it was there yesterday. Twenty years from now Sarah will not remember stepping on the clothes that were on the floor. She will remember mom taking the time to play "make-up" with her.
So in your day to day living, remember to create lasting memories with your family.
They started courting in December 2009 with the permission of my husband.
Ryan flew up here in February to surprise Ruthie with an engagement ring. The whole family was in on it! You can read about the proposal under the "Courtship" label.
Ruth at the church preparing for her wedding day.
The big day is finally here! They pray and ask God to be the center of their marriage.
Friends and family celebrated with them.
Now say CONGRATULATIONS to Papa and Mema! I know it's hard to believe that we are going to be grandparents. I know you're saying to yourself, "Sandra doesn't look a day older than 21 and that handsome husband of hers is 25 & holding!"
Don and I are overjoyed that we are going to be grandparents for the first time.
A few weeks back, Ryan and Ruthie got confirmation that they are expecting a baby. Some say it was way too soon, but we say God is the giver of life. We applaud this young couple for going against the grain of society and see this baby as a blessing rather than a burden.
Now if you can remember to pray for Don and I as we learn boundaries. We've always said that we would never be those grandparents who spoil grandchildren. I sure wish we can take those words back. We have a plan already laid out for this grandbaby. Don and I looked at each other the other day and I said, "We're gonna be in trouble huh?!"
