January 31, 2012

Hungry

I know....weird title to a blog right? I'm not referring to hungry as in I want a slice of pizza. I'm talking about a different kind of hunger. A hunger for the Lord. This morning I was at my bible study at our new church. I sat there and was so painfully convicted. Convicted that I have made this WHOLE move about ME! I've been so focused about how I feel and what its like for me, how much I miss my family and friends and how lonely I am. Notice all the things pointing to me. Making it ALL ABOUT ME! Boy have I got it all wrong. I've missed it. I've missed Him. Am I hungry for him? In my loneliness am I craving Him? In my sadness am I seeking Him for comfort? Why oh why am I pushing back? I'm missing what he's doing. I'm missing all the friends he has put in my path. He's trying to show me his love and faithfulness and I'm missing it cause I'm so focused on me. I feel like today my eyes were opened a bit more. I want to sit with my arms open, not crossed. I want to take it all in. I want to continue to be changed ultimately to glorify Him. However long our time here is in Boston, whether it's 4 years or 14 years I don't want to get to the end and have missed it all. Missed it all by focusing on me and my selfish ways.
At bible study they played this song this morning and I have to share it. I has resonated with me all day. In fact I just purchased it on itunes! :) It's called "Hungry" By Kathryn Scott. If you have the chance listen to it. But for now I'll share the words with you.

Hungry I come to you 
For I know you satisfy 
I am empty but I know 
your love does not run dry 

So I wait for you 
So I wait for you 

Im falling on my knees 
Offering all of me 
Jesus your all this heart is living for 

Broken I run to you 
For your arms are open wide 
I am weary but I know 
Your love does not run dry 

So I wait for you 
So I wait for you 

January 26, 2012

Praying for our Husbands

I was off in blogger land and stumbled upon a blog where the blogger talked about this 31 days of praying for our husbands. I just loved it. She directed you to this link: here

But for those of you that don't have all the time in the world, I copy and pasted each day what you should pray for them. I just love this. I sometimes struggle with what to pray for Manny and think this is a great template for praying for him. It even gives you corresponding verses. LOVE What a power job we have as wives to love on our husbands and pray for them. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do. So who wants to join me in this challenge? I am starting today and hope you will too!


31 Days of Praying for Your Husband


“She does him good . . .” (Proverbs 31:12a)


Bless your husband by praying for him! The Apostle Paul instructed all Christians to pray for one another (Ephesians 6:18). This includes wives’ responsibility and privilege to pray for their husbands. Earnest prayer for your husband is good for him, for you and the spiritual health of your home (Proverbs 31:11-12).

Satan desires to destroy your husband, especially his character and his leadership in your relationship. Trust God through prayer as you daily surrender your husband and marriage to the Lord’s wise, loving care.

Day 1 Pray that your husband will grow spiritually and consider his accountability before the Lord. Pray that he will guard his heart by developing spiritual disciplines—Bible reading and study, prayer, meditation, scripture memorization, etc. (2 Peter 3:18; Prov. 4:23)

Day 2 Pray that your husband’s relationship with God and His Word will bear fruit in his life. Pray that he will be a man of wisdom and understanding, fearing the Lord. (Prov. 3:7, 9:10; Ps. 112:1)

Day 3 Pray that your husband will be humble and quick to agree with God about his sin. Pray that his heart will be tender toward the voice of the Lord. (Ps. 51:2-4; Micah 6:8)

Day 4 Pray that your husband will grow in leadership skills in your relationship—protecting and providing for you. Pray that he will lead you wisely and love you sacrificially, so that God will be glorified in your marriage. (Eph. 5:25-29; Col. 3:19)

Day 5 Pray that your husband will be faithful to his wedding vows. Pray that he will have a desire to cultivate your relationship as a sign of his loyalty and commitment to you, and as a picture of Christ’s love for the Church. (Prov. 20:6; Gen. 2:24)

Day 6 Pray that your husband will love righteousness and hate wickedness, especially the evils of the culture. Pray that he will recognize and avoid wickedness in his own life, and if necessary, take a clear, strong stand against evil. (Prov. 27:12; John 17:15; 1 Cor. 10:12-13)

Day 7 Pray that your husband will safeguard his heart against inappropriate relationships with the opposite sex. Pray that his heart will be pure and undivided in his commitment to you. (Prov. 6:23-24, 26; Rom. 13:14)

Day 8 Pray that your husband will work hard to provide for your family, to the best of his ability. Pray that the character qualities necessary for a successful career and ministry will be a growing part of his character—persistence, decisiveness, strength, an analytical mind, organizational skills, positive relationships with people, determination, etc. (Rom. 12:11; 1 Cor. 15:58)

Day 9 Pray that your husband handle finances wisely, will have discernment concerning budgeting and investments, and will be a good steward of his money in regard to giving to the Lord’s work. Pray that money will not become a source of discord in your family. (Prov. 23:4-5; Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:5)

Day 10 Pray that your husband will cultivate strong integrity, and not compromise his convictions. Pray that his testimony will be genuine, that he will be honest in his business dealings, and will never do anything that he needs to hide from others. (Prov. 20:7; 1 Tim. 1:5, 3:7; Eph. 6:10-12)

Day 11 Pray that your husband will have a humble, teachable spirit and a servant’s heart before the Lord. Pray that he will listen to God and desire to do His will. (Prov. 15:33; Eph. 6:6)

Day 12 Pray that your husband will yield his sexual drive to the Lord and practice self control. Pray that your sexual intimacy together will be fresh, positive, and a reflection of selfless love. (Prov. 5:15, 18; 1 Cor. 7:3; Song of Solomon 7:10)

Day 13 Pray that your husband use practical skills to build your family and make wise decisions for your welfare. Pray that he will serve unselfishly. (Gal. 5:13; Phil. 2:3-4)

Day 14 Pray that your husband will speak words that build you and your family, and reflect a heart of love. Pray that he will not use filthy language. (Prov. 18:21; Eph. 4:29)

Day 15 Pray that your husband will choose his friends wisely. Pray that God will bring him men who will encourage his accountability before God, and will not lead him into sin. (Prov. 13:20; Prov. 27:17)

Day 16 Pray that your husband will choose healthy, God-honoring activities. Pray that he will not live in bondage to any questionable habits or hobbies, but that he will experience freedom in holiness as he yields to the Spirit’s control. (1 Cor. 6:12, 10:31; 2 Tim. 2:4)

Day 17 Pray that your husband will enjoy his manliness as he patterns his life after Christ and strong men in the faith. Pray for his physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual strength. (Eph. 3:16; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Cor. 10:11)

Day 18 Pray that your husband will have an eternal perspective—living in light of eternity. Pray that he will reject materialism and temporal values and put God first in his life. (Matt. 6:33; Deut. 6:5; Eph. 5:16; Ps. 90:12)

Day 19 Pray that your husband will be patient and a man of peace. Pray that he will not give in to anger, but will allow the Holy Spirit to control his responses. (Rom. 14:19; Ps. 34:14)

Day 20 Pray that your husband will yield his mind and thoughts to the Lord. Pray that he will not entertain immoral or impure thoughts, and that he will resist the temptation to indulge in pornography. (Prov. 27:12; 2 Cor. 10:5)

Day 21 Pray that your husband will learn how to relax in the Lord and, in his greatest times of stress, find joy and peace in his relationship with God. Pray that he will submit his schedule to the Lord. (Neh. 8:10; Prov. 17:22; Ps. 16:11)

Day 22 Pray that your husband will practice forgiveness in your relationship and with others. Pray that he will recognize any roots of bitterness, and yield any resentment and unforgiving attitudes to the Lord. (Eph. 4:32; Heb. 12:15)

Day 23 Pray that your husband will be a good father—disciplining his children wisely and loving them unconditionally. If he is not a father, pray that he will find a young man to mentor in the things of the Lord. (Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21; 2 Tim. 2:1-2)

Day 24 Pray that your husband will have a balanced life—that he will balance work and play. Pray that he will fear God, but also gain favor with people he knows at work and church. (Luke 2:52; Prov. 13:15)

Day 25 Pray that your husband will be courageous in his stand against evil and injustice, and that he will stand for the truth. Pray that he will protect you and your family from Satan’s attacks. (Ps. 31:24; Eph. 6:13; Ps. 27:14)

Day 26 Pray that your husband will discover and live his God-given purpose. Pray that he will offer all his dreams to the Lord, and pursue only those goals that will bring God glory and count for eternity. (Jer. 29:11; 1 Cor. 10:31)

Day 27 Pray that your husband will understand the importance of taking care of his body—the temple of the Holy Spirit—for the glory of God. Pray that he will practice self-control by making wise food choices, and get sufficient exercise to stay healthy. (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 6:19-20, 9:27)

Day 28 Pray that your husband will be a man of prayer. Pray that he will seek and pursue God in purposeful quiet times. (1 Thess. 5:17; Luke 22:46; James 5:16)

Day 29 Pray that your husband will surrender his time and talents to the Lord. Pray that his spiritual gifts will be manifest in his career, at church, and in your home. (Eph. 5:15-16; 1 Cor. 12:4, 7)

Day 30 Pray that your husband will serve God and others with pure motives. Pray that he will obey the Lord from his heart, and glorify Him in everything. (1 Cor. 10:13; John 7:17-18; Col. 3:23-24)

Day 31 Pray that your husband will recognize the lies of the Enemy in his life. Pray that his attitudes and actions will be guided by the truth as he brings his thoughts into captivity to the Word of God. (John 8:44; 2 Cor. 10:4-5)

January 22, 2012

Walking in a Winter Wonderland!

I think I spoke too soon. I had been telling everyone that we had not gotten any snow. But it looks like I spoke too soon. This week is snowed 3 different times. On Saturday after the 3rd snow we decided to take James outside. I wish that I had video taped him. It was hilarious. It took us more time to get him dressed than he even stayed outside. When we dropped him out there in the snow he didn't quite know what to do. The funniest part was seeing him try to walk in his snow boots. He finally got the hang of things but at that point he just wanted to go back inside. I'm thinking that next year he'll enjoy it a little more. It was really pretty though. Here are a few pics from our adventure.






Pinterest Find

I am so obsessed with Pinterest. Truth be told a year ago I had no clue what it was until my amazingly hip and cool cousin, Katie told me all about it. Since, I have been addicted to it. What's not to love, it's like one giant magazine of all the things that I love. If you have not started Pinterest shoot me an email and I'll send you the invite. You don't know what you are missing.

Anyways, while browsing on Pinterest I found a really cute idea for Manny for our anniversary. Let's be honest...it really is more for me, but I thought he would like it. Check it out:

It's such a fun addition to our home. Plus the date (being our wedding date) is a constant reminder of that special day to both of us! I love it so much more in person than I thought I would. It's burlap....and lets be honest....who doesn't love burlap!?! A girl on Etsy is who makes them. Manny actually liked it too. A good gift for your sweetie!

January 19, 2012

4 years

Today marks 4 years of marriage for Manny and I! It's crazy to look back and see how much stuff has happened in just 4 years of marriage. To name a few and in no particular order...we:
- bought a dog
- have lived in 3 homes (1 built and 1 rented and 1 already existing)
- bought a car
- moved to Boston
- had a baby
There were obviously many more things in between there. But we have lived each year to the fullest. I can say in all honesty that I love Manny more now than I did the day we got married. You think back to your wedding day and how in love you were and really how foolish you were. Although there are "fairytale days" they aren't every day. Marriage is hard work. There are days you don't know if you can get through and then there are days that you don't want to end because they were that good. It's worth it though. To know at the end of the day that I am unconditionally loved. To know that he has seen me at my worst...and I'm talking WORST people, but yet he still loves me. He walks through life with me....the peaks and the valleys. For that I'm thankful. I pray that one day our children look at us and think....That's love, I want that. God give us such a gift in marriage. We have a choice though....to treat it as that amazing gift he gave us or to take it for granted. For this next year in our marriage I want to remember the gift that it is. To come together and love as He guides us to love one another.


Manny, I'm thankful for you. Thankful that God made you my one and only. Thankful that you love me even when I don't deserve it. Love you!

January 13, 2012

Weird Place

Lately I have just felt like I'm in a weird place. Ever since my family left at the beginning of the month, I have just felt weird. I'm stuck in the middle of this being my new home and a part of me wanting to be in my old home. I'm doing all the right things....getting out and meeting people, finding a church, getting involved in the church, playdates and so on, but still struggling. I know that I need to be patient and that in all reality we have only been here a month and a half. I also know that its during these times that I need to cling to the Lord like I never have before. Living in Charlotte I was comfortable. I didn't "need" Him like I do here. I am thankful for that. I'm thankful that my dependency on Christ looks different than it ever has before. It's hard though, uncomfortable at that. Although I'm anxious to get out of this hard spot I feel like I am in, I also want to learn and be aware of what God is doing in the midst of it all.
I am reading this great book called Moving On After Moving In,  and it's been so encouraging. It makes me feel a bit more normal for feeling the way that I do. I recommend anyone who is either going through the move themselves or knows someone going through a move to grab this book for you or them. It helps make sense of your emotions and feelings that come along with a move. It's filled with verses of encouragement. One that I love and rings very true is:
    "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together"  Colossians 1:17
So the journey continues. I'm staying in it whether I want to or not. :) On a side note, Buggy is doing great. He seems the best adjusted out of all of us. Ha! He's definitely finding his voice though. We have now started tantrums and he really likes the word "no". Lovely! He keeps me busy that's for sure. Here are a few pics of him lately. This kid loves a laundry basket.
 Music Instruments and a Laundry Basket




 It's the little things that make him happy

 Had to share some photos of the most beautiful sunset right outside our window the other night. A sweet reminder of God's presence. 



 

January 4, 2012

Happy New Year

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years. We sure did. We spent our Christmas this year in New England. It was the first Christmas that I have spent away from my family. It was super hard, but it was a lot of fun creating our own little traditions as well as getting to spend some time with Manny's family. 
A few days after Christmas my family arrived here for a visit! (minus a few :( ) I cannot even begin to tell you how much I treasured that time with them. We relaxed, talked, played games, watched movies, ate all day, laughed and just enjoyed our time together. Not to mention James was in hog heaven with Miss Stella Rae here. 
But now we are back in the grind. Missing family, friends and Charlotte like crazy, but trying to find contentment here where God has us. I truly believe that 2012 will be a great year and I'm looking forward to it. 
 Christmas Eve with Daddy

 Christmas Eve with his cousins in their Christmas Jammies

 Looks like people were good this year in our house! 

 Love our new mug for Santa! 

 Can you tell he's excited?

 James riding on the back of the car while Stella is driving! Ha!

 Mimi just relaxing

 Pop tickling the kiddos! 

Wow, we sure did have a wild New Years Eve! Ha!