Life now that I'm married

      I've been asked by many of my friends, "what's life like now that you're married? Have you adjusted well from being away from your family and friends? What do your days look like?"
     Quite honestly, my life is fantastic! Marriage is a beautiful thing, and I'm learning how to love my husband more and more every day. I'm still a sinner, and I'm still an imperfect person. I loved the quote I saw the other day that said, "Relationships- it's more than just the dates, holding hands and kissing. It's about accepting each other's weirdness and flaws. It's about being yourself and finding happiness together. It's about seeing an imperfect person perfectly."  I can't tell you how many nights that my husband and I have cried... together; laughed... together; fought side by side...together, and how many nights we wonder how the other person see's us with such beauty.
     Life now that I'm married? I still do the things that I did when I wasn't married... only... for my husband instead. I cook meals, make sure the house is clean, read, bake, have fun playing the piano and making songs up, catching up with friends through calls/texts/social media. I make sure to have dinner ready and the table set when my husband gets home, I do laundry, try to figure out how else I can decorate our home, do Bible Study's, keep myself busy, babysit, I do grocery shopping, head to the library. I enjoy walks, and being outside. I make sure to make time to talk with my family through FaceTime. :) My life is... busy! ;) It doesn't slow down just because you're married... after all, I'm not just a daughter and sister... I'm now a wife to an awesome and amazing husband! ;)
     Adjusting to married life? It's been really great actually! It's been a smooth transition. It helped when my mom and I came out here back in October, and than I came out here another 2 times before Josh and I got married. It helped to get to know the Church family down here. They've welcomed me in with warm, welcoming arms, and I love them! I miss my family, but because we FaceTime every week, and talk on the phone more than once a week, it helps. :)  Serving others in the Church has been such a blessing to me, and I've been keeping busy with babysitting, and now teaching piano lessons! ... Taught my first lesson here in Ohio last week... it was refreshing to start teaching again. :)
     When Josh and I were going through pre-marital counseling, our pastor encouraged us to stay involved in the church. To serve others, and to make sure that we put others before ourselves. To keep Christ in the center of our Marriage, and to make sure that we set aside time for each other in the business of our lives.
    I'm reminded every day of Gods many blessings. It hasn't been all sunshine days. There have been rough days as well, when Josh and I have had to walk through some things, but in the end, we've grown even more closer in our marriage. The tears come at times, and Josh has been the best husband that I could've ever asked for, and I'm truly blessed!
    So, married life? ... it's fantastic! Being married to your best friend, and being able to see them every day, is a blast! I'm very grateful!
     "Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established... A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." ~Proverbs 16:3, 9~

Stop And Smell The Rose's

     Sometimes, in life, we get so busy and preoccupied with things, that we forget to slow down and enjoy the little things in life.
     That being said, me planning a wedding, has made me realize, that I don't enjoy the littlest of things sometimes... for instance, my little brother asked me the other day, "Caitlin, can you play a game with me, or read me a book?" I told him no at first, and then he started to get teary-eyed, and said, "No one ever plays anything with me!" While, I knew that what he said wasn't true, at the same time, I couldn't help but ask myself, "How many times have you spent with Elijah, just you and him recently?" It's true, life had been so busy that I somehow, missed playing games and reading to my siblings.
     Many have heard the saying "Stop and Smell the Rose's"... slowing down, and taking a moment to enjoy life's many blessings is something that I don't do as often as I should.
     "Here it what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.."
 ~ Ecclesiastes 5:18~
     I remember taking my siblings for a walk last year during the summer . It had been a day that I just wanted to be back home, and get stuff done at home. I was hurrying, when I realized my siblings weren't following me closely behind anymore. They had stopped to look at a bug on the sidewalk. You can imagine my reaction wasn't pleasant as I had the wrong attitude. When I told them to hurry up, you can imagine the look on their face was of pure disappointment. It was then that I realized that I, myself, needed to slow down. I needed to appreciate the little bug running across the path, and the look my siblings had of pure joy. I needed to appreciate the warm, sunny day, and the blue sky above me. Appreciate the little things, stop and smell the rose's... after all, the rose's aren't there forever, enjoy them while they're in bloom. :)

ARE WE TOO BUSY?

Another beautiful sunrise is shining,
And casts sparkles among the trees,
The sun rises higher each moment,
Have we taken time, upon our knees?

Do we hurry through, with God, in Prayer....
So we can rush about, this day?
Do we take time....for others, to care?
Or, are we "too busy"....to even Pray?

The way of Life goes so much better,
If we spend time with our Father,
Remember Jesus...and ask for Guidance,
And always Praying, daily, for one another.

How quickly the day comes to an end,
And the sun sinks...in the Western sky,
God Loves us...and walks with us,
And He will be with us...when we die.

Leona I. Miller

A Willing Worker

"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands."  Proverbs 31:13

A virtuous woman is a woman who works willing with her hands.  

• She seeks how she can find things that will help her complete her task.  
• She would rather not wait for things to fall into her lap.  
• She is an "A" worker.  
• This woman is not lazy.
• She does not need everything done for her.
• This virtuous woman does not look for a life of leisure or entertainment.
• This willing worker is content to be busy serving her family in her home and helping fill needs beyond this if time allows.
• She never needs encouragement to stick with her work.

Women of Steel...
Women of early history HAD to work hard because times were difficult.  You see this in primitive cultures around the world today, who lead a life that is unchanged from hundreds of years ago.  I have heard stories of native women working willingly with their hands in the heat of the day and give birth in a bush and return to their work minutes later.  As the baby cuddles close within her sling wrapped around her shoulders, she is able to care for her new baby and continue on with her duties.

I can not even imagine how that would be.  Nor do I recommend it, but this letter to King Lemuel was written in a time such as this.  It is interesting to see the vast differences in the amount of work we do today verses the load of work that women of long ago and in primitive cultures still produce.  I think these women have built up a threshold of pain and endurance that can not be matched.  I see Amish women that work unceasingly.  They will take a break after having their babies, though, which I think is really great for them.  They hire a maid for 2 weeks that will take over all her duties on the farm and in the home-everything-so she can recuperate.  It seems to be the only vacation she gets all year.  I would take it, too!

Women Working Bees...
I have done working bees with a group of Amish women.  You blink and a chicken is ready to go into the freezer.  These women, without a thought, will walk over to grab a live chicken and the next thing you know, it is in a pretty package. What I have noticed, in our culture, is that women sometimes shy away from "dirty jobs" and strenuous tasks.  To get a group of ladies together to slaughter 100 chickens all before lunch is served, is out of the question.  Unless they were raised on a farm and know how its done.  It is not a nice job, it stinks, it is disgusting work.  I can assure you, it is not the life for everyone.  

I had to train myself to work alongside the Amish.  I remember times that I thought I would faint and die from standing there all day working until sweat drenched my entire dress.  I mean, they WORK.  And you do not just stand around waiting for them to tell you what to do, you just get in there and figure out what you can do to help.  It made a worker out of me.  I was a pampered city girl with all my pampered ways.  I had to lay that aside when I was seeking to learn how to do various homesteading type jobs.  Seeking out the teachers, the dirty work, and finding joy in the fellowship was something I will always carry with me throughout life.  

I am not saying these things to hail the homestead life nor am I trying to say the Amish are the only ones that work hard.  We all work hard in our own way with the time we have been given.  Whether you are a city girl or a country girl, it makes no difference as long as you have the right heart in your willingness to work with your hands and serve your family as unto the Lord.

Working Willingly...
Attending working bees regularly trained me to work willingly with my hands.  I seek to find more things to learn and accomplish.  If I have an opportunity to learn from a quilter I will come ready to thread my needle.  An older woman spoke to me this morning.  I tasted her pretzels and I asked her if I could find out how she made them.  I do not like to visit just to sit and talk.  I want to always be diligent because my time here is short and my days are numbered.  I want to do something that is meaningful and worth something.  Investing into purpose and into things of eternal value.  I want to work and learn.  She told me it would be such a joy to spend an afternoon teaching me.  I do not like to sit around and chat on the phone or watch Facebook feeds when there are things to be done.  I know there is laundry to fold, meals to prepare, more I can improve on, more to learn, children to care for, and people to pray for.  There is no end to the possibilities of things I could do or seek out.

You never know what your life could be if you never try-if you never seek things out and work willingly to its end.  Sometimes when you try, you make mistakes.  I see every mistake as an essential part of life.  It is those mistakes that teach us the most. 

On the Flipside-The Life of Leisure...
After many centuries and also the Dark Ages, there came a new concept to women.  Mainly for the women of wealth or power.  It was the concept of leisure.  Leisure is the use of FREE time to do things of enjoyment.   They had servants to do any hard labor, and they could afford the leisure of sitting in the parlor to read a good book, or play the piano, or paint a picture.  It was a disgrace to see a woman of high rank dirty the hem of her dress doing a job outdoors.  Some women in history actually hated the life of leisure because there was no balance at all.  If she had a certain social status, she was not allowed the luxury of cooking or cleaning or even rearing her own children.  They had nurse maids, servants, and nannies for this.  I would have hated it.

We now live in a society that has a bit more balance.  People do work but they also have time to relax.  We are not bush people that hunt for all our food.  We have luxuries and conveniences to aid in our work that streamlines things to where we have time to hop on the computers or devices to relax.  We can sit in the recliner and watch movies.  We can go out to eat for dinner if we don't have "time" to make a meal. Times have changed.  I do see a trend of young people playing video games and entertaining themselves for hours at a time.  Hours that may have been better spent rather in something productive.  It pains me to see the newer generations of girls without work.  Young ladies that stare at the phones smiling because they see what their friend posted.  It is a vortex, distracting and taking into its pull all their precious minutes/hours they have to make a difference in the world.   Instead, if they could learn from our example to SEEK out things to do.

Today, many women are feeling overworked and unappreciated.  The thankless job of the wife and mother is really daunting.  There is so much to be done, work that never seems to end- but it takes doing.   The children are observing us and what we do with our time.  It is easier to let them go off into the silent mode of a virtual escape, but it will not teach them how to be a diligent worker in the long run.  What is our overall attitude about the work?  Are we huffing and puffing and nagging and ragging?  Or are we willingly working with our hands in a joyful way? 

I consider working with my hands the will of God for my life-Being a Keeper of the Home.  I feel the best when I am doing a job, knowing it is a good thing.  Yes, we do have leisure as well.  There has to be a balance.  You have to enjoy working and playing together.  It is not bad to have times of rest in between our work, or days of respite.  God gives us all good things to enjoy.  Somehow God saw fit to give us a picture of a virtuous woman in Proverbs.  Proverbs is a book of good wisdom which contrasts foolishness and idleness with the upright ways of the diligent.  The icing on the cake, the final admonition, is to praise this woman who can do it all.

We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  We need not beat ourselves down from all the years we may have failed.  I have failed much, but also I have learned much.  Finding a balance-not being a workaholic nor a lazy person.  Working and playing in the time we are given.  Enjoying the journey whether we are working willingly or whether we are taking time to smell the roses with our little ones.  The beautiful thing about God is that his mercies are new each morning.  We can get up each morning and choose whom we will serve.  Is it ourselves?  Is it our flesh?  Or will we rise up and seek out the things that need doing.  Let us find joy and contentment in what the Lord has for us today.  Lord, give us a measure of grace to face our mountains and climb them one step at a time, yet take the time to enjoy the view.  "Let us not grow weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."  ~Galatians 6:9

Leading our busy lives

We got back on Friday night from our annual trip to Texas for Thanksgiving. Our family was able to take a     moment and... rest... some what. 

We were within an hour of our house, and BOOM, our tire blew! :( Thankfully we had a spare in the trunk, but we made it safely home.

As I was unpacking last night, and this morning, I took a moment and prayed. I thanked God that we had a wonderful trip, and that we made it home safely. I thanked God that we noticed some good changes with some of our family members, and friends. And I thanked God that we are so blessed! 

On Saturday, we had gotten our Christmas Tree, had our traditional chili, fudge, Christmas lights hanging, and Christmas movie watching. Our friends came over for a couple hours, and it was so fun! 

But again, on Sunday, our rest didn't stop! ;) We had gone to church, had our church potluck, and then took my dad to the airport so that he can be refreshed in the morning for his class in Chicago.

You know, I don't think we will get to rest, until after Christmas. ;)

As I was contemplating this week what I was going to get accomplished, I had to stop and think. I had so many things to get done on my "list". So much to do before "this event" or "that event".

I was wondering, "Did Jesus have a list?" I list of, "heal this person at this time, at this place". No, Jesus knew what was going to happen, he didn't need a list. Sometimes, things happen that aren't on our "list". A child might get sick, you might get in a car wreck, a friend might need you, a loved one might be struggling... etc... all of these made me realize just how important it is to lay our burdens down at the foot of the cross.

Last night, I was doing some shopping, and I had stopped at Starbucks because I had a free coffee to use for that day only. I thought to myself, "I'll just run in, come back out and go to Target to see if they have the shoes I've been wanting for years." I got into the Suburban, and BAM... the car wouldn't start. So, I called my brother, and one thing led to another, we had to call a tow truck. I started to get so upset, but then after a while I realized, "God's plans, are NOT my own plans." Maybe God prevented me from going because I could have been in a car wreck that night and died. Or maybe, God wanted to teach me patience and contentment! ;) Whatever the case may be, we need to STOP what we're doing, and thank God that we're still here, and that he's not finished with us... even in our busy lives. ;) So, make time for HIM!

Focusing on God

Sorry for not posting in a while ya'll! Life for me has been... busy! :)

Actually, that's kind of what I wanted to post about... have you ever had that moment in life when you finally...get to breath?! Life has been going super fast for me right now. I'm teaching Piano all day on Monday's, Wednesday's, and Thursday's right now. Tuesday's and Friday's are really the days that I can kind of lay back... not really, but hey! :) I cook all the dinner's in our house, which means that I have to prioritize my time wisely.
I usually only open my computer at night after my younger siblings have gone to bed. By then, I just want to relax, sit in bed with a good book, and sleep! My mom and I have been talking about how God didn't create us to go from one thing to the next. He created us to have rest... which is also why the Sabbath day is super important! A day to really focus on God. Put all things aside, and pray, think on the Lord, and worship Him in all His greatness! Now, that's not to say that we shouldn't focus on God the other days of the week, which brings me to my next point...
If we are so busy and pre-occupied the whole week... when do we make time for God?
For me, it used to be when my little brother would take a nap. Now that he doesn't take naps anymore, his rest times are... loud! What can I say... he's a boy! ;)
But, I try to focus on God during this time. Many times, I find myself not even doing my Bible Study because life throws me in loops. I'm sure you moms and sisters know what I'm talking about!...this baby needs a diaper change, this child needs to be fed, this child has to go to this place at this time, you have to meet your friend here and there... etc... the list goes on. So, when does it stop? When do we take a moment, and breath? When was the last time that you took an hour and completely focused on God, without all the distractions of life? I think I told many of you a couple months ago, that I told my mom that I'm going to leave for the day, take my Bible Study and Prayer Journal with me, and go to a quiet place by the lake to rest, think, ponder, and pray.
So, if you don't have a car, have someone you know (daughter/sister/husband/mother/father) take care of the kids for a little, while you go and focus on God; for my mom, focusing on God is easy when she goes for a walk. Now, I'm not saying that you can't focus on God in the midst of your own home, but when your life gets to be so busy that you can't even breath... it's time to prioritize your life.
So, how can we stop and breath? Easy!... learning to say "NO!" Now, that's easier said than done...right?! I'm still learning it, but if there's one thing my mom taught me, it's to say no to things. Yes, that means you might miss out on this party or that party, but, is it really worth the time you don't get to spend with God because your busy with other things? How important is your time with God? If it's not as important as it should be, then maybe you need to let some things go. Believe me, it's not easy!
 But in the end, it's so worth it!!! 

Normal life?... not yet!

Hi All!
Just wanted to let you know that I didn't disappear! ;)
I've been super busy these past few weeks.
I asked my mom a couple months ago if I could put together my brother's graduation, which means to find a building with a low price! ;) Get the slideshow and pictures together, order the cake, make phone calls, make invitations, send invitations, get the music together with my friend to play at his graduation, and figure out all the in between stuff. On top of that, I have to finish my Answers in Genesis online class, and have a couple more assignments to complete. Any way, my brother's graduation is this next week, so I've been super busy trying to get all the last minute stuff in order. My grandparents will be coming this week, and so my parents went on a weekend get-away for their anniversary before they come. While my parents were gone, I took my younger two siblings down to a place called, "Focus on the Family". Some of you may listen to Adventures in Odyssey. Well they have a play-place just focused on that! You can do treasure hunts, watch Veggie-Tales, go on there slides, put on a puppet show, and all kinds of other stuff.

The reason I'm telling you all this, is because, I spent a whole day with my siblings, and spent so much time with them! It's amazing how close you can get in your relationship when there's only a couple of you, and you're doing what you love!
Having a good relationship with your sibling(s) is very rare in today's culture. I feel so blessed to have a family! I've grown closer to my siblings in the past couple years then ever before. Having those special, quality time with my siblings, make's it all the more special. Yes, sometimes my siblings ask me something so simple like, "Caitlin, can you correct my essay for this week?" While it does interrupt my schedule, I need to remember to spend quality time with them, and to make the best with what I have. I don't get those moments back. There was a time this week when I had to finish my assignment before the end of the day, and one of my siblings asked me to play a game with them. Instead of saying, "Sure! I'd be glad to play!", I told them, "I've got to much to do. Maybe later." After I said that, I realized that my assignment can wait; my siblings are more important!
So, my point is, even in the busy time, go enjoy your family/siblings while you can! Make time out of your day to be with them!
I'll be back to write hopefully this next week! ;) Blessing!

Finally Back!

Hello all!
Wow! I have had quite a week!

I have been babysitting a family in our church who just had their 9th child, so I went over and spent the night there from Tuesday-Friday.

I got to learn so much about how they run the house, do school, chores...etc... (don't worry...I got lots of rest time too ; ) )

On top of that it's our church potluck tomorrow after church...so that's a batch of brownies, and meatballs. And then after church, I have to come home and make 70+ Banana Bread/Muffins for a conference that our pastor's putting on at his house, and then on Monday morning bright and early I go to help with the meals for the conference...after that, because it's labor Day...our church is having a big get together, so...you guessed it!...more desert to make ; )

These are the days that I actually like! I don't mind being so busy and occupied that you can't think of anything else to do...if that makes sense.

After this week, do I get to take a rest...probably not! Life keeps happening! You know the saying, "I've got things to do, places to go, and people to see"? Well, that's how I am right now...at least that's what I feel like.

So...earlier this evening, I sat in my bed and I prayed to God. I thanked him for the busyness of my day, but I also prayed that God will help me to put him first above everything else in this world...yes, even in the chaotic times!!!
...Have you ever felt this way? Felt like your whole life was so busy that you didn't even have time to pray for 5 minutes, or do your Bible Study that day? I have!!! Especially recently; I want to do other things, and then it puts the "things" in front of God! So, maybe in the chaotic times...pray to God, ask him to give you the time. Let him know how you feel...he listens and cares!

In our family, all of us notice that if we don't do family worship consistently...all of us are more grumpy, irritable, and stressed! So, when you feel this way, I would suggest that you pray...wherever you are, and whomever your with. Pray to God in this world of Chaos...He's listening and is right there with you! : )

Lord, you have my heart!

I was thinking about hearts this last week...our heart. Where do you find your heart? What is it seeking after? What is it longing for? I know it's different from day to day, but what do you find it goes after....what do you go after? Maybe it's money, love, peace, joy, or so many other things. Sometimes when life gets so busy, we don't take the time to sit down, and read the Bible. I know I do that. So when we say, "Lord, you have my heart"...do we really mean it? Are we in control, or is God? When we say, "Take my life", and "I surrender", what do we mean by that? I would encourage you, to look at your heart, and examine where it is, better yet, ask God, where your heart is...

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
~Psalm 139: 23-24~

When Life Get's Busy

When Life Get's Busy...I seldom remember things.
I have so much on my mind, that my life just get's the better of me.
It brings me to the question...when life get's busy, do you still have time for God?
I don't mean just a quick prayer, but I mean do you really have time for God? Do you put him above your other priorities? Sadly, I don't all the time...

There have been times in my days, where I want to go do the next thing, and the next, and then eventually, my life starts to fall apart, because I haven't taken the time to be with God.
Now granted, not all of us have hours in a day to give to God...but that's not what God wants, even if it's just 5 minutes to read the bible, and 5 minutes to think, ponder, and pray...God loves it! Now think...that's only 10 minutes put aside per day to God...can't we do that? Some days, yes we can do more than just 10 minutes. However, God does NOT want a heart that says, "do I HAVE to?" Instead, he wants a heart that yearns for His words, and that says, "Yes! I am going to set aside an hour to day, so that I can be with you God."...see the difference.

So, my question to you is...is God your priority in life? When life get's busy, just slow down, and remember that God is a jealous God. He wants your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
The question is...when life get's busy, do you have time for God?

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
~Hebrews 4:16