Oh yeah! You’re here! Come on in, its still chilly out there this morning! Coffee is on and I’ve got pink hot chocolate for us too today, how fun is that? I cannot tell you how much I enjoy the fellowship of getting together with you girls each week! The ideas and things you share with us, and of course Rachel Anne’s Small Things….are truly so encouraging each week!
This week began with snow in Alabama and a fantastic Sunday morning. The week was so much calmer this week than after traveling last week to the children’s father’s wedding. It has been such an exciting time in our family life these past few months. God has been whispering after six and a half years of “be still, listen, prepare, not now and not yet” to everything we prayed for His blessing regarding or wanted to do as couple with a passion for helping family’s create a joyful place called home ….to a new whisper “It is time.” It figures it has at a period in my life that I had just decided that life was about the way I could handle it for a while 🙂 …..nicely lined out and acceptably listed on my “to do” list…ha! About the time I think I may be getting a grip on how my world will go…God laughs and sends the next version of the wave of what HE wants me to be focusing on….which of course is always obedience to Him….eventually. 🙂 I have this terribly hard time giving up my idea of a controlled life!
Les and I have been sharing with other stepfamilies and couples in difficulties for many years. We work on the phone with those distant and in person with individuals and groups locally. The things we share and the lessons we’ve learned on our own stepfamily journey have come as we experienced our own ups and down and learned the hard lessons along the way. Now it seems my educational backgound as an educator, my role as a stepmom and mom, and my love for sharing has brought us both to a new ministry that is more formalized in its offerings. We’re in the baby stages of it all right now but God has indeed primed the pump by connecting us to people who are simply on “go” to help us in our desire to strengthen the step and blended families who are looking for support.
Meanwhile on the home front, we have just had the best week! The children are well, our oldest stepdaughter’s wedding is coming up, our college boy gives us good news about his Video Production work and the projects he’s working on. We’ve been growing through the friction rubs of new levels of independence for our older teens and young adults and readjusting the boundaries as a family. Dixie Mae is getting big enough she, Tator, and Bingley can play outside most of the day….the puppy in the kitchen days are about over….and Mr. Bingley and Tator just about have Dixie Mae convinced that Black and White Dogs rule…but Dixie Mae hasn’t let them know she’s bigger than them….yet!
On the personal front, I am simply overwhelmed with how God is moving on our behalf. (everything except the laundry!) He has opened so many doors, helped keep other doors closed for our protection, and just loved on me personally in a way that has not only been breathtaking, but so very very humbling to me. It is hard to fathom that we are living the life we are experiencing after my life had so many years of difficult times (most of them self induced) I am still on the wild end of figuring out how to stay in the boundaries of what Les and I have set for our home life, my work life, and our time together as a family….but by setting goals in those areas, we’ve had the ability to truly work as a team and help everyone in our family see the big pictures sometimes as well as the important pieces of why we do what we do! (ask me why a minimum of laundry not done has made my world go wild….I can show you!)
I simply want to have you all come visit for a day…load up in a bus and come play for a day, shopping, sharing, and having a delicious time together and share our stories…and I will pray that since we can’t be together today in person, that the delicious time happen in your space today!
Now, find a comfy chair, relax, enjoy your cup, and catch me up!
hugs hugs hugs!
Wow! It sounds like you all have a lot going on for you. I'm glad God is doing a great work in your lives. Doesn't He always have the best timing in everything, and what He wants to do with us?…sometimes even when we're unaware. I hope everything goes well. Take care.
Great post! Pink Cocoa, wow! Now that's not something you see every day!
I'm so glad that God works for the good of those who love Him. Sometimes waiting is the hardest part but then when His plans come together it is so incredible to watch them play out!
Have a wonderful weekend!
-Melissa
I'm tired! You have such a busy, wonderful life.Enjoy some pink cocoa today.I always enjoy your company girl posts.
I became a stepmom after the kids were already grown, so I missed a lot of the trials and tribulations of the growing-up years. Still, it can be difficult at any stage. I pray that God continues to use you and your husband to reach step families. There is such a great need!
I also have teens and one that I'm homeschooling….makes for some long days…so nice to hear that everythings going well/…well, except for laundry….but that's goes with death and taxes, doesn't it?
Uggghhh, I know what you mean about laundry. I started out the week so good! I just KNEW I had the company girl most points won this month.
How blessed are we to have a God who continues to give good things inspite of ourselves? You're right it is amazingly overwhelming.
God bless you for always pointing us to the goodness of His love. Thank you for having us over!
Hi Shanna,
I am in SC. We got about 4 inches of snow, but it didn't last long enough!!! It will be 75 today…crazy.
I need to read your blog more often if you are offering help for blended families. Ours needs it! My stepdaughter and I struggle a lot!