Joy

I am a very optimistic person (sometimes to a fault)! Yes, someone you probably want to punch on occasion :) You would be surprised by the amount of people who think of it as a rude way to feel and actually tell me, "I don't want to hear that it will be okay." So in those times, I just sit and pray. It is hard for me to put it aside. Don't get me wrong, I am sad and weep for them and their family, but I fully trust that God knows exactly what needs to be done. Moments of sorrow and pain make my heart ache. It is hard regardless of our faith and joy in the Lord!

How do we get this joy? When we have faith in God! I find happiness in my family, spending time alone with my husband, laughing with my children, being goofy with friends. I find happiness in cheesecake and the smell of a farmhouse basement. God gave us these things for our enjoyment, yes, but true joy is absent when we don't have a relationship with him. "The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing." ~Proverbs 10:28

Our faith in Him is our salvation with Him! "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,  for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." `~1Peter 1:8-9

I find great joy in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When a "bad" thing is happening, I can see good! I know that our "bad" things are not intended to bring us harm or hurt us in any way, but to teach us something. Our trials teach others around us about God's glory and point them to Him. God sees the good in our trials and so should we. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." ~James 1:2-3

No one can take away our joy! It is from God and Him alone! I see so many amazing people going through cancer, adopting children, caring for the elderly, sick parents and friends, have a slew of children, whom all have joy! This is not something they can do alone. This joy is from God! It is indescribably beautiful to witness! I am not saying we should not be sad or grieve. Jesus wept and so should we. In our moments of sorrow cling to Jesus and He WILL give us rest! (Matthew 11:28)

My prayer for you is that you see this goodness from God! You see the JOY in the difficult times, in the moments when a friend hurts you, when your children are screaming, when a friend is struggling. When we see with this perspective, we will see His good, we will see God's hand at work, we will forgive, and we will shine His joy for all to see.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." ~Hebrews 12:2

How I Intentionally Pray For My Husband

Prayer is one of the single most important things in a marriage. When you pray for your spouse, you are inviting God to join your marriage. If you don't pray for your spouse, I urge you to start NOW! This is vital! If you are not praying for your husband's heart, character, relationships, who is? The relief is knowing that it is not our job to change our spouse (only God can do that), but we are called to pray for him on a daily basis.

I spend time every single day praying for my children, their spouses, and their present and future. I pray for their husbands and wives as they are living their lives as we speak and God is preparing them for my children. I love journalling my prayers, sermons, studies, etc. I want to be a prayer warrior for my family and all of you! I love seeing how God works through our prayers by changing others hearts and myself.

One thing that God laid on my heart this past year was to pray for my husband with intentionality and purpose. God laid a different form of prayer on my heart this year. You see, Dan gets up to go to work at 5:15 and I like to sleep a bit longer, so our mornings haven't been spent praying for each other's day. We would pray in the evening, but there is just something about starting your day off with your spouse's heart open before God and praying for you!












We started a prayer journal! Everyday we write a prayer for each other. Dan starts off every morning, then I read his prayer for me and I write one for him. This journal is just between him and me, nothing else makes its way into it. Of course, his work, being the light to his coworkers, etc enter because that is how his day is spent. For me, the kids, homeschooling, etc makes its way in because this is what my day consists of. There are no notes from sermons, friends, or Bible Studies - simply a journal between husband and wife.

The cool thing to see this past year is how our prayers have began to visibly change. We went from thanking God for each other (which we still do write, because we are) to thanking God for calling each other to Him so we can spend eternity together.

Not only is this something we will always have that shows our CONTINUAL thanksgiving and love for each other, but a HUGE testimony to our children. These prayers aren't made up or assumed, they are tangibly there, written in our handwriting, to the one person that God has gifted us to love more than anyone else on this earth.

I urge you to consider starting a prayer journal for you and your spouse. If your spouse is an unbeliever, then journal all the more. Satan will make you feel like you should give up, but fight harder. If you are not married, then start one anyways. God already sees you with that person and what a gift to give them on your wedding day. My husband and I have always had a strong marriage. We really are best friends and I know, without a doubt, he would claim this victory in Christ as well. Invite God into your marriage!

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” ~Ephesian 5:31

Hard Hats, Elevators & Rooftops...

Today was memorable! I'm not sure who enjoyed it more...me or the kids :)

My husband is a Lineman and was able to pull a few strings to get us a field trip. We got to go see how Electricity is actually made! From the coal coming off the train to the steam to the ash! It was neat to see it all in action.



We were able to invite a few friends along with us and their children. One of the moms said to me, "This will be remembered far longer than the same thing read in a text book." I'm so blessed to be able to give these memories to my children! Not to mention the generosity we received from the Plant Manager and Service Manager! They, literally, took us everywhere they could. We seen offices, stair cases, elevators, an antique 1925 Boiler and vintage house meters.

With us three moms and our 9 kids, we just followed in amazement. Like these little tidbits:

Did you know...The left over water and steam is pumped into a pond where the ash is settled, then the water is filtered and put back into the Mississippi. The water goes back in better than they found it.

Did you know...The ash that settles on the bottom of that pond is gathered and shipped down to a concrete business to use as fill for roads, sidewalks, etc.

Did you know...This plant uses low sulfur coal that's shipped in from Wyoming. Illinois coal has a 2% Sulfur level and Wyoming coal has 0.3% Sulfur level.

Did you know...Mid American Generating Plant has the best and longest record for safety.

Did you know...This generating plant was the largest West of the Mississippi until the mid 70's.



My children were able to see the coal being ground up into a powder form. They were able to see it being dumped in the lines that took it to the boiler. They seen the boilers, seen the fire inside that was a raging 2,500 degrees. They seen the steam stacks, the master control room and lots of buttons and gadgets. This is a day that I know will never be forgotten. The great part is...it's only the beginning... It's the beginning of the year, the beginning of their life ahead. So many more exploring adventures that are ahead of us. Oh...AND THE BEST PART OF THE FIELD TRIP: HARD HATS, ELEVATORS AND ROOFTOPS!!!!!
Speaking of that rooftop, we got to go up on it!


What a gorgeous view!! We were overlooking the Mississippi River! It was beautiful! We were standing right next to the smoke stack that you could see miles and miles away!



Up on the rooftop we also gotto see a train unloading the coal. There was a tractor out there on that huge mound of coal. He was levelling it out as the train slowly pushed along. The coal then goes into this huge elevator and makes it's way through the process. It was quite neat to see all the coal that goes into giving us our lights! What a neat process!


What adventures have you been on lately? Any adventures in your own yard?

2 days, 20 hours, 54 minutes and 13 seconds

I haven't written in awhile and I could think of a list of excuses why, but I think, instead, I'll just pick up where I left off. I will be writing about the life of a Lineman's wife.

Our daily lives are like any other 9-5 job...except my husbands starts much earlier; at 5:00am to be exact. We wake up at 5:00am together to do our daily reading. My husband gets ready for work as I have newly added a walk to start my day. He leaves at 6:15 to be at work before 7:00. His day starts and SO DOES MINE and my sons, my other sons and my daughters!!!

We have breakfast, usually a playdate or playing at home, an appointment, etc. Then lunch, nap for my daughter. My husband then comes home at 6:00pm, currently, as he is working 6 ten hour days. We have dinner together...ALWAYS TOGETHER, then play and bed for the kids as my hubby and I spend some quality time together.

That is how our weeks TYPICALLY go!

BUT...

On-call

weeks

ARE

SO

DIFFERENT...

The kids and I still have the same schedule and routine, but Dan does not!

He works...

And works...

And works...

And works...

In the past 4.5 days he has worked TWO 25-hour days!!!!! Yes, I didn't think that was possible either, but to my amazement, it is!

So, needless to say in the past 4.5 days, I have been on my own, COMPLETELY!

I know it seems like a simple task, but this also happened to be the week of

1. Two physicals,
2. Two eye exams,
3. Due to the physical, a lump was found on one son's knee who has to get a sonogram tomorrow,
4. Due to the eye exams I have two kids who now need glasses,
5. A dog who needs to go to the vet for a rabies shot,
6. A family reunion,
7. A youth group skit at TWO services last Sunday, which led us to church from 7:30-12:30,
8. Our first youth group girls study and
9. Our last home group meeting!

So, as I was talking to a friend today about not wanting to go to the grocery store, I think I can give myself a little credit on knowing that it is okay to simply be exhausted! I am there! I am exhausted and I CANNOT wait for Dan's on-call week to be completed in 2 days, 20 hours, 57 minutes and 18 sec...15 sec...12 sec...

You get the point!

So, I hope to encourage any other momma who may be feeling the same way. I know how you feel! I know what it's like to be scared to fall asleep because you're scared of what the next day brings, lol. I feel your pain, I feel the grays popping up, but I ultimately feel blessed. <--(Bet you didn't expect that one, huh?!) I do feel blessed.

I am blessed that my husband has a job that he adores every day, (even with lack of sleep and a grouchy wife every 12 weeks as he enters this crazy week) kids who are amazing with the transitition and a Lord who gives grace. That's the most important isn't it?

Grace!!!

My God gives me grace, my husband gives me grace, my kids do and so do my friends! That is a blessing and now is a time that I need it the most. So, thank you for that grace this past week! It's been noticed!!!

Now as I part from my blog on rambling, (Can you tell I haven't had an adult living with me the past few days?!) I hope you all have a fabulous end to your week. Mine will end in 2 days, 20 hours, 54 minutes and 13 seconds...