It's ok

I haven't blogged in a while. It was 6 months on Sunday that we've been living in the RV, all six of us. It's been difficult spending the winter with no running water, having to boil it to wash dishes. No indoor plumbing other than in the house which between the RV and house was frigid, cold air. Days passed with constant rain and we, the 4 children and I huddled in the RV with not much room to move. Getting dressed or making the bed was snug. Cooking was challenging because of the small oven. They say that parents shouldn't argue in front of the children, well, for us there was no place that we could let these stresses out, unless we wanted to go freeze in the house after 9pm; once the kids were sleeping. (kids always find you when you want to be alone lol) I spent my evenings in my 8x8 room in the RV while my husband worked on the house; missing countless fellowship opportunities and homeschool meetings. Homeschooling was a challenge due to the lack of space.
It has not only been hard for me, the whole family has been tried and push beyond our own strength. It's difficult to not be emotional even as I write this.
Our family has had it's times of trials and difficulties. I think this one is the most trying we've faced. At one point, just recently, I really thought I had reached my end. I needed out. We often hear people say, "I think I'm going to loose my mind", this saying is over used because I have felt what it would be like to loose my mind.
Saturday, after being rude and disrespectful to my mother, I went to the RV and cried like a baby... "I can't do this anymore God! Rescue me please!" He heard my cry. My heart was comforted even as I cried some more. Everything wasn't perfect. I wasn't taken out of my circumstance but I knew God was near me, holding me.
We are still in the RV for another 2 or 3 weeks. The siding is almost done, just one more face to finish. The insulation has been placed in 3/4 of the house. The next step is the drywall and plastering. Once that is done, the primer sprayed on all walls, we can move in. It will of been a 7 months wait.
I'm glad I didn't know what it would be like. I hope and pray that I will never have to experience something like this again. It was humbling to live in this trailer while people drove by and saw you coming out in your pj running to the house to use the washroom in the house. To be in a state of bare necessities. Things falling over when you grabbed a pencil out from under something...
I'm climbing the mountain again, with God by my side, holding me up. Soon it will be over and I'll do jumping jacks all around my bedroom, bake two things at a time, boil three things at a time, teach four kids at a time, have five people walking around at the same time, six people sitting together for a meal and the one thing I miss the most is having my computer on all day, playing instrumental hymns or playing the fundamental christian radio station via the Internet.
That day is coming and I'm getting ready for it.
Yesterday, I read in Proverbs 4 which said to look forward, not the left nor to the right.
I'm pressing on, claiming victory on my latest battle.
Keep climbing.

Watch the Lamb

For those of you who know me, you know that I interpret for the deaf at our church. I find it such a blessing to worship God with my body not only in life but also in song worship.
I found this video that is so well done, that I was truly blessed by. I know you will also enjoy it.

Where do I start?

Much has been going on so I think today will be a day of tid bits.

The Lord has been showing me many things in His word, and one of those things is through a verse, Proverbs 16:3 "Commit thy works unto the Lord and your thoughts shall be established".

Sometimes I'll read a scripture that I've read often but this particular time it REALLY speaks to me, this was another of those times. It's been my life scripture the past few days and it has brought me so much victory and peace, I'm sorry I wasn't pricked with it before.

Another thing God has shown me is that when I have a scribbler to jot down notes and thoughts as I read His word, I tend to be better able to meditate on His word. EX: When I'm reading in Proverbs for instance, a verse speaks to me in a personnal way, I jot it down in my scribbler with the date and reference. It helps me to better hear God's still small voice because I am taking extra time to write the passage and the thought that the Holy Spirit has ministered to me with.

Another is this short broadcast I heard today. I will be downloading it soon so you will hopefully also get something out of it. Specifically, what spoke to me, was that "the problem is not that we have strong willed children, it's that we have weak willed parents." Stay tuned... lol

Hope these little tid bits will be help and encouragement.

Keep seeking Him.

Time

Don't have much of it lately but that allows the days to pass faster and not notice or feel the environment as much. Another grace I've had lately is the weather is getting better which means we can get rid of the "chapeau"! We don't have running water in the RV yet but we don't have to run out to the house to use the washroom now. We clean our hands with Oxyclean wipes and needless to say, none of us have been sick. My hubby is getting a cold but he's not getting the benefits of the wipes... lol. I would not recommend it for everyone's use, I'm sure it's only by God's grace that our hands are not all cracked up.
This weekend we are putting up the siding so I'll have pictures of that soon.
I don't have much all to say since this is the second time I try to post this and my fingers are freezing up on me since the basement is really cold today.
I'm uploading a video for you to watch though. I love humor and learning. This fella gives us both.
Hope you enjoy!

Time...

We've been away for a week or so. Our Pastor and his wife were gone to the Teen Thunder in Nova Scotia and offered us to stay at their house. It allowed me to wash all the bed sheets, get caught up in the wash and gave us the chance to shower when we needed or wanted to. There dog was there so the kids really loved being there.
We then went to Nova Scotia for our eldest son's hockey tournament. He couldn't get over that he played on the same ice surface as Sydney Crosby, the NHL player. They made it to the semi finals but lost against Hillsborough. He felt cheated since the refs. were not calling things the other team was doing.
Today is our third day back in the RV. The weather is warming up, slowly, but it is warmer.
I had a situation this morning where I was able to be reminded of a lesson I had previously learnt but need to revisit it every once in a while.
I will try to be as discrete as possible. :/
My daughter had used the "washroom facility" in the RV for #2. She then had to bring it to be dumped in the house toilet. Needless to say, since she's 8 and didn't care for the chore, she made a mess on the seat.
When I later arrived "at the scene", and was annoyed that she had been careless. A few minutes into cleaning her mess. Our "heating guy" arrived. You see, the bathroom only has a clear plastic to keep the heat in there so the pipes won't freeze. If I wouldn't of had a mess to clean, I would of felt very uncomfortable, let's say.
The moment the man came in, I looked up and said to the Lord, "Thank you for knowing all things and allowing things to happen in order to protect us."
This was a lesson I was very glad to revisit. TIME is something God is very aware of and we have no slight understanding of it.
Today, as I go my way, I'm going to try my best to remember that God is in control and I can either enjoy the ride or buck it all the way and have to humble myself afterwards and admit my stupidity.
I think I'll enjoy the TIME.

How high...

Have you ever looked at the sky and wondered how high it is?

Since we moved to the country, I'm often taken back by the beauty of the stars pressing against the dark velvety sky.

Tonight was another of those nights. I just looked up and stared at a rippling cloud gliding on what seem to be a glass protecting this beauty of stars. It just rolled passed the place where I stood and I was in awe. Gazing at the enormity of the galaxy which we can never comprehend where it's end could be.

I'm looking forward to the summer when the ground is dry. I want to snuggle with my kids and husband on a blanket, on the warm ground so we can just stare at this wonder.

The longer you look into the sky, the further it seems the stars (and satelites) are.

I heard of a man who actually said that he visited the galaxy, (the sky) and never saw God... really!? I wish I could of talked to him. I'd have a few questions for him.

When you whizzed through your GRACE GIVEN path, what did you see?

When each of your children were born, what did you see?

When you struggled through life's complexity, what did you see?

When you wanted to give up, what did you see?

When you fell in love, what did you see?

When you were held in your mother's arms after you had a nightmare or hurt your knee, what did you see?

Don't tell me you slid through God's created atmosphere to then pass into a shower of stars, meteorites, planets and moons and yet you still couldn't see God.

A deaf friend of mine told me that hearing people hear with their ears but they hear with their eyes.

I would tell the "blind man" 1 Samuel 16:7 "for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart".

Tonight, look up... way up! If you live in the city, it's worth the trip to the country. Just park in a clearance so you can just kick back your seat and stare out the side window and be amazed at what God created and how beautifully He creates.

Time and Place

The other day, I was driving to town and the roads were covered with snow. Our tires are studded but still, I felt a little uneasy driving on that road. To make matters scarier, oncoming was the provincial plow. That enormous wall was coming for us quickly and there seemed to be nowhere I could go. I just wanted to put my hands in front of my eyes but I knew that wasn't a good idea... I quickly said, "Help Lord!" then just like that, where I was arriving, the wind had blown the snow over further so I was able to pull over and let the plow go by.

"Huh!!" I thought. I was reminded of how the scripture says, "who shall call upon the Lord, shall be saved".

My father in law, as he was quickly passing from this life to the next, was in a coma. My husband, the pastor, and myself tried so hard to help my father in law to understand that religion is not what is need to accept, but the fact that we are sinners and that we all need a Saviour, which is Jesus Christ, the one who died for our sins. Jesus doesn't accept us, until we accept ourselves as sinners, then accept the free gift of salvation that He has for us. My father in law, was not interested in this gift. Until the last minutes of his life. He opened his eyes and tears rolled down his cheek. He knew his time was here and fear was in his eyes. I once again helped him to understand that obviously I wasn't asking him to come to our church or join our religion. I was asking him to recognize himself as a sinner and that he needed Jesus Christ to save him from eternity in hell. I explained that he didn't have to say a prayer, Jesus was there waiting for him if he just turned to him and said in his heart, "Help!!". I continued to beg him to accept God's free gift of salvation, since the family was out of the room talking to the nurse. Then, his eyes changed. I was struck by the peace there seemed to be. I'm not sure to this day if he accepted the free gift, but one day I will know. If he did, it's because he called upon the Lord and said "Help! I'm a sinner and I need you to save me!"

I kept driving down this road in thoughts and thankfulness for God's grace on us. How undeserving we are of His care for us.

Hope your day is one full of thankfulness. I know mine will be.