Looking to Jesus

I wrote this essay last year and sent it to one of our pastors and it was published on our church blog.  God continues to remind me of who He is, so I thought I'd share.

Steve is still in school and we still don't have a definite end date.  He is still looking for a job in an industry that has been hit very hard by this economic downturn.  Just yesterday he received word about another job that won't be offered to him.  We are living "in limbo"...it is uncomfortable and sometimes unnerving.  Will we be moving?  How much should we do to get the house ready to possibly put on the market?  Maybe we won't have to move at all?  

We may not know what the future holds, but we do know who holds our future.

Looking to Jesus 

"...looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."     Hebrews 12: 12

I am so thankful for all the wonderful truths and promises our Lord has for us in His word.  Recently, He has been using this promise in Hebrews to calm my heart and set my focus on Him.

You see, my husband is a full-time graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania.  We moved here from Colorado in 2006 specifically for this school opportunity.  Steve is now in his 5th and final year of school.  I stay at home with our two daughters and home school them too.  I am also pregnant with another sweet babe due in May.  Graduate school has been harder than we ever imagined, yet God has also grown us more than we ever could have imagined.  We are amazed and thankful for His care and grace.

Steve has started the process of looking for a job, to begin when he is done with school.  Job hunting is, to say the least, a test in managing hope, expectations, and anxiety.  We eagerly anticipated fall recruitment, hopeful for a job for Steve.  There were less companies who came to Penn for fall recruitment last year, but the interviews Steve did have went well and he was even invited up to Boston for a second round of interviews with one company.  We experienced such a mixed bag of emotions to learn that Steve did not get that job...thankful for an answer, disappointed that it wasn't an offer, and thankful to not be moving (to Boston, at least).

As we processed the news, our Lord continued to remind me of who He is and where He is.  He visually used the image of Himself seated at the right hand of the throne of God to minister to me.  My Lord is not alarmed or surprised; He is seated.  He is not confused; He is seated.  He is not calling his head angels into council to discuss Steve's job search; He is seated.  He is not whispering up to God and questioning the search so far;  He is seated.  He is calm and tranquil, not in the least bit shaken or surprised; He is seated.  He has reminded me that He has a plan; He is seated.  He has reminded me of all He has done so far; all while He was, and is, seated.  

This image of Jesus has calmed my heart so much.  As He calls me to look to Him as the founder and perfecter of my faith, my focus shifts from our circumstances to our Lord.  All situations that seem unsure to us are known by Him.  All life events; past, present, and future are known by Him.  We can rest in this truth; our Lord is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Have a blessed day~

Rach

Bathroom Makeover

The bathroom redo is officially done!  

We are so blessed to have our home...but "blessed" is not often what came to my mind when we first purchased our current home.  Steve, the optimist, definitely saw more of it's potential than I did.  This is our 3rd house...we built our first two...yes, I was spoiled..very, very spoiled.  Thankfully, God has really worked in my heart concerning this house and how I look at a home...and this home has really grown on me.  I am so very thankful for the home He has provided and the things He has taught me.  This is a great home :)

...but a bigger upstairs bathroom would still be nice :) 

Anyhoo, our home was built in the 50's (I think the cool, HGTV term is "mid-century") and sometime in it's history, an addition was built on the back...the heavy use of dark wood paneling makes us suspect the addition was added in the 70's :)  (1973 to be exact, according to Steve...who remembers this tidbit of info from our mortgage documents.)  And with the addition, came a downstairs bathroom...which I soon learned is actually a pretty nice bonus for some of these older homes.

We painted the dark paneled rooms years ago...at least they are real wood and look pretty nice lightened up.  What a difference a coat (well, many coats actually) of paint makes!  

But the downstairs bathroom...what can I say...we affectionately called it Outhouse Chic.  The linoleum was this ugly river rock looking stuff...we named it Shiny Pebble.  It had dark paneling (the fake stuff) up to the chair rail, dark wood trim, a sink whose hot water handle came off every other time you used it, a doorknob that often came off in your hand (and sometimes made opening the door a bit tricky), and wallpaper that made me wonder why that pattern was ever even made.  As I peeled the paper off, Bella had a hard time telling the difference between where the wall was now bare with just the glue left behind and where the paper was still up...it was that bad.  And to complete the effect, we even had a wooden toilet seat!  The only thing missing was a moon cut into the bathroom door :)  It makes me laugh just to write about it! 


See...

Wooden medicine cabinet, dark paneling, shiny pebble floor...classy!

The previous owner used a napkin as a valance.  See that bit of wallpaper...it almost matches the glue pattern left behind where I already peeled some of the paper off the wall.  Oh, and there's part of the doorknob~

Wooden toilet seat...bonus!

But now, my friends, it's a completely different room.  First, I hired this really HOT handyman! Ooh, la, la!

The HOT handyman...putting in new flooring...bye-bye Shiny Pebble!.  Notice the broken doorknob~

HOTTIE!

Bye-bye old broken doorknob~

Steve put in new flooring.  He used a product called Allure; nice looking, easy to install, waterproof (important for a bathroom), and very affordable (important for our budget).  He removed the dark paneling and replaced it with beadboard.  I removed all the old wallpaper and the glue and we painted the room a nice shade of blue (Behr, Cloudy Day, if you're interested) and painted the dark brown door and wood trim a nice shade of white (Behr, Moonlight White, again, if you're interested).  The pedestal sink got a new brushed nickel faucet and we're all so happy to have a fully functioning hot water faucet handle :)  I happily threw away the old (once again, wooden) medicine cabinet and replaced it with a beveled oval mirror.  I simply spray painted the brass sconces that were already there with this really cool hammered metal spray paint...they look great!   Steve installed a whole new toilet...no more wooden toilet seat.  I almost cried tears of joy when I saw the garbage man throw the old toilet seat into the garbage truck :)  We opted not to re-hang the bronze chicken towel hook (once again, not making this stuff up) and replaced it with a simple brushed nickel towel ring.  And we also opted to replace the wooden, double toilet paper roll/magazine holder with a simpler holder that matches the new towel ring.  I also made a new valance and added some fresh towels.  I displayed some of my sea glass by the window and some framed lighthouse greeting cards (I bought in the Outer Banks years ago) completed the transformation.    

Outhouse Chic has been replaced with Seaside Serenity~

Here it is!  Fresh towel, framed NC lighthouses, new mirror, fresh paint, new beadboard~

The new valance, made by yours truly.  More framed lighthouses~

Steve's new floor...much nicer than Shiny Pebble!  New toilet and no more wooden seat :)

Seaside details...shells and seaglass~

We love it!  Steve, you did an amazing job and I am so thankful for all your hard work...you're wonderful!  I think we make a pretty good team :)


Come visit...and try out our new bathroom~


God bless~
Rach

Valentine's Candy

The girls and I joined some friends yesterday for some Valentine candy making!  Here's a picture of the creations.  It was so fun and relatively easy.  I had no idea how easy it was...but I definitely see where it can get really complicated.  We were working with 10 to 5 year olds, so we kept it pretty simple.  

First, the girls learned how to use a double boiler to melt the chocolate...dark and milk.  Then they dipped caramels in the melted chocolate and let them cool on wax paper.  Then they drizzled them with contrasting chocolate.  Okay, the drizzling was pretty messy...but so fun!  They also dipped pretzels into the melted chocolate and added sprinkles too.  Yep, the sprinkles were everywhere :)  

The pretty ones in the papers were made using a candy mold...mostly by one of the moms.    My friend put some chocolate in the mold, cooled it, then added a squirt of this wonderful frosting filling, and then finished filling the mold.  Then she put them in the freezer to cool some more, popped them out of the molds, and another friend drizzled the white chocolate.  They are delicious...and so pretty!  

We will definitely be making candy again!  

Rachel~

Happy Valentine's Day!

I just had to share this sweet picture Sophia drew for me for Valentine's Day.  It's our family...Bella is saying Happy Valentine's Day Baby...Steve is reaching over and trying to "eat" one of Gracia Kathryn's cheeks...so sweet and simply beautiful~

 Happy Valentine's Day!


God bless~
Rach

Hilarious Homeschool Memory :)

As an official homeschooler in PA, I have to submit a portfolio of samples of Bella's school work at the end of the year.  As I was considering some science samples to add to her current portfolio, I remembered this one from her 2nd grade year...wonder what the superintendent would have thought of it?  (We didn't have to submit a portfolio for 2nd grade, but I would definitely have included this one!)

Bella did this little science illustration and summary a year ago when we were studying Biology.  I've shared it before because it is that funny!  Enjoy :)  

Here's what she wrote:

Here's what she drew:

Poor frog!  This girl is funny...and creative!

Laugh at something today...and God bless~
Rachel

Things that go Bump...

...but no worries, all is well.

I found a lump under my arm back in early December.  At the time, I had a chest cold, so I didn't worry and just kept an eye on it.  The cold went away, but the lump did not.  I went in on Friday, January 21st to have my doctor look at it since it wasn't going away.  She wasn't overly worried, but she did ask me some questions that started making me a bit nervous.  She was concerned enough to send me for an ultrasound of the lump.  I made an appointment for the following Monday...and began to think that it was going to be a long weekend.

Steve patiently listened to my concerns when he got home that night.  He also prayed for me and sweetly and gently reminded me to look to Jesus.  I am so very thankful for a husband who turns my eyes to the Lord.  Normal concern is one thing...dwelling in scary and unnecessary places is another.  In all honesty, I also kept myself busy with projects around the house and listened to lots of worship music. 


But sometimes my thoughts did go to dark, what-if places.  Why is that?  Why do I think like this?  Is it human nature?  I don't have good answers, but I do have a Savior who whispered to me all weekend.  He didn't get frustrated with me for some of my thoughts and wonderings...instead He reminded me to take my thoughts captive and turn them to Him.  He reminded me of scripture and His promises.  He reminded me that He is with me in any circumstance and situation and that He is already aware of it all.  He kept me calm while I waited through the weekend for my appointment; He did not allow me to dwell in darkness.

"Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you..."   Psalm 55: 22



"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say Rejoice...The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."                        Philippians 4: 4-9


The ultrasound appointment went well.  Strangely, the tech, could feel the lump, but it did not show up on ultrasound.  This was reassuring, but I still had to wait for the official results from the radiologist and my doctor.  (Interestingly, this was the same tech who had done our baby ultrasound a couple of weeks ago.  She wanted to know how the cake-cutting went and what we thought of the news.  It was fun to share and talk with her again.)

The final word from my doctor is that it is not a soft tissue problem...good news.  It does not appear to be an infection or a cyst of any type.  She thinks it's probably simply because I'm pregnant...gotta love the things that pregnancy hormones can do to the body :)  I am supposed to watch it and let her know if I notice any changes, but for now, there are no worries.  

I am obviously thankful that it is not anything too concerning.  I am also very thankful for how the Lord ministered to me while I waited for the official results.  I am thankful for the modern medicine that is available, but I am most thankful for this truth; my Lord is with me through any and every circumstance...the good, the bad, and everything in between.


God bless~
Rachel

Kingdom Perspective

In the fall, we participated in an online study of India that was sponsored by Sonlight Curriculum and Mission India.  The girls watched a series of videos that focused on India and the work that Mission India is doing.  Bella even had a Passport to India...she had questions to answer each week, passport stickers to add when a part of the trip was completed, and we were all encouraged in how to pray for India and its people.  The videos were age appropriate, but they didn't hold back either.  We visited slums and met children who are living in deplorable conditions.  We visited villages and and saw how families are surviving.  We visited temples and saw how God is putting His gospel into action.


The kids who participated were also encouraged to collect spare change to give to Mission India.  Sonlight was offering a funds matching challenge and the girls learned that every $1 dollar raised would be used to send a child to a community children's bible club.  The girls had a special collection box and raided their piggy banks.  But this was not enough for Bella...she really wanted to fully sponsor 100 children.  She asked me if we could have a bake sale at Compass, our homeschool co-op.  

So, in November Bella (and Sophia) held a bake sale.  We made cupcakes, cookies, and brownies and they were a hit :)  Bella made a banner and we had fun watching the goodies disappear.  When all was totaled, she had raised over $44 for Mission India.  We added money to make it to $50 and Sonlight matched that amount...grand total, $100!  She reached her goal...100 sponsored children will now get to attend a local kid's bible club :)  

I confess that I am so proud of her...God gave her a desire to do more and she listened.  He inspired her with a plan and she put it into action.  And God blessed her efforts. 


Thank you, Lord, for the Kingdom perspective you are growing in my children.  

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations..."       Matthew 28: 19


God bless~
Rachel