Push the Re-Set button!!!

Our Lord has provided!! He always does, but it is only sometimes that we get to see him move in such bold and obvious ways.

He did it!! He brought in the full amount we needed to get our mortgage current with a bit to spare. We needed just shy of $10,000 by the end of this month and God has done it!!! We are on our way right now to go to MoneyGram and send it off.

This will give us a re-set so to speak, bringing our balance current as if we had never missed a payment and we are now entering the month of April with a fresh start. WE are like normal people again who have a 15 day grace period to get our next regular payment in.

Now for the job that I am just as confident the Lord is preparing for my wonderful husband. (keep praying :-)

We are still in the process of modification but have eliminated the threat of foreclosure for the near future. phew!

Thank you all for your prayers and generous support! We are so humbled and blessed to have such amazing and gracious friends. God is so good ALL the time!

I will update again later. I am off to get current!!!

Bottom Line: He needs a job.

Thank you all for your overwhelming prayer and support. Our loving, amazing God who rules the universe is looking after us! I am still so exited to see what his plans will reveal this month. I want to direct your prayers specifically though.

My husband needs either one well paying job, or a couple consistent part time jobs in order to make our mortgage payments and pay the bills. I want to share his blog with you here. Poserdad.com He posted an update today that shares his heart and his take on this journey.

He recently got a part time "on-call" job working as a School Bus Attendant for the Lompoc Unified School district. He is next on the list for Bus Driver behind-the-wheel Training but based on schedule so far, that could take a very long time. This Attendant job is a start in the right direction though. I am sure he will be sending more resumes this week.

Please pray as he sends them and follows up with others that are out there already that God would open the doors he wants us to go thru, and close tightly those that will take us down a wrong path.

Thank you again for all your prayers and support. I will continue to update you as we move forward.

Giving him a Road Map

Friday night we had a special event. It was a combination birthday party for my 2 oldest boys.
On Monday I will have a 16 year old Man living in my house! I have called him a man for several years now; since he was about 12.
His father and I have always expected him to grow into a man and so we have tried to train him from the beginning to understand what that expectation looks like. First our goal has been to bring him to early maturity and encourage a deep personal relationship with Christ. It is an interesting and rocky journey on the path to adulthood. The world tempts and tantalizes our youth into believing that ALL is for them that they are the center. How can Christ compete with that?

Thanks be to God that it is HE that does the Calling, the wooing and the convicting of sin. Only God, through the Holy Spirit can do what I so often fail to do in my flesh.

These are His children; given for such a short time to train, love and give right back to Him.

We have a great responsibility as parents to build strong relationships with our children.

As moms it is not easy to raise a boy into a man. I am grateful to be sharing that responsibility with my husband. I understand however, that there are many sisters in Christ out there that don't have that balance. I believe God heaps a special grace on those of you in that situation; and I know of so many wonderful men that have been raised by mothers who have either found themselves single thru messy situations or thru losing a wonderful husband. The common thread in these situations has been an unwavering faith and trust in these boys' Heavenly Father.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Psalm 32:8 

My boys learning from a friend how to patch a big hole

  For a brief month I tasted what it would be like to have to raise my children without the daily input of my husband. I learned a lot about my sons thru that experience. I learned that they thrive on praise and affirmation. That they rise to the call of being needed as men. That when they are loved and respected and encouraged to step out and try new projects they grow thru the challenge and rise to the challenge.

Come, O children, listen to me;
     I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 
Psalm 34:11 

This age is full of so much passion and explosive energy. Pointed in the right direction it can be such an asset, but unbridled, this energy can create so much chaos and disharmony in a home.

We were headed down that misguided path traveling at lightning speed for several months. I had given up in so many ways. I abdicated and deferred the training of this man to my husband; putting high expectations on him to "fix this boy!". "You're a man, right? You must know how to do this and what he needs!?!"

Wrongly, I had thrown my hands up in frustration and shut my mouth (that part not such a bad idea actually) and walked away. I would pray, but it was in exasperation. I love how that is were the Lord can meet us anyway, in our weakness and when we are at our end, it is just the beginning for him. While my Trucker was on the road I was sharing with my mom the problems I was having with my own attitude about this......what do I call it? relationship change? training issue? parenting? She is so much wiser than me and has successfully raised 2 godly men.  I was seeking her advice about what to do.

 The Lord used that conversation to help me come up with what I call:

"The Road Map for Success" 

It was just a peice of paper that I wrote on where I was able to articulate more clearly the expectations I have for my son and show him how to live up to them. I also was able to establish what the consequences would be if he failed to obey or maintain a proper attitude thru this process.

He responded so well, it really clicked. There were several things he wasn't happy about but he respects my authority (thank the Lord for that) and was willing to accept these new rules and guidelines. It finally began to make sense. It was a learning curve for both of us. I am so glad I wrote it down! I needed the reminder of all that I had said.


What a blessing these last 3 months have been. Our communication has settled back into the (mostly sweet & enjoyable) close openness we have shared since he was little and I am seeing him apply himself to getting his grades up. He is taking my advice in a few areas and his relationships with his sisters is improving. He is also showing much more diligence in his chores. He has a checklist everyday. It is becoming easier to manage. New habits are never easy.

I think I am going to like 16. 

He got his permit 2 days ago! This was our first milestone on his "Road to Success". I am so excited for him! He knew what was going to be required of him to be able to be have the privilege of getting that permit and he worked hard to achieve it. He is maturing and we are united.
He knows I love him and I am his biggest cheer leader. I want him to drive. I want him to succeed. I am on his team and I know he knows it. I am glad that even though we may not always sing happy songs to one another and he may not want to be reminded of the consequences of not getting his school work done on time or finishing his chores faithfully; he knows what to expect and I don't have to have a battle.

Now that my Trucker is home I am happy to say that things are still moving along smoothly. I shared with my husband all we came up with while he was gone and he has supported it 100%. As a matter of fact he is benefiting from the structure and clear accountability that has been established and our relationship is better for it too. Win/Win! God is so good, ALL the time!

Birth Story #10

Happy Birthday Lorna!

  

 

I can't believe one year ago today.....we were parked just off the 101N freeway, on the 5 cities drive exit, at 12:55am in Pismo Beach, California, delivering you in the back seat of our 15 passenger van. What a great experience! Home Birth, Water Birth, C-sec, and V-BAC Car/Van Birth, I wonder what is next? Tree Birth?!? I don't know, but I would do it again and again.

 I love my little blessings, and I love the whole process of Miraculous Motherhood. Only God can give such good gifts.

     

It was one of the most peaceful and joyful events of my life. I am so thankful to God for

He must!

I know He has a plan...... He must.
I am His......... right?
He made me.......... right?
He still cares and is still my safety, my armor!
When the bills go unpaid and
there is the threat of loosing our home........... I will be content.
I will be joyful!
I am Joyful! Thank you Lord!