Finding Calm in Chaos

     As I write, the house is quiet. Both my boys are in bed, and my husband is getting back into the routine of getting some side-work done. The dishes are done, my living/dinging room is somewhat clean, and I feel like I can finally take a deep breath.
     It's been a long couple of weeks/months. James has the whooping cough, so it's been a long road of Vitamin C, staying away from people so as not to spread it, and throwing up from coughing so hard. In the midst of the whooping cough, he's got a couple other health things going on with him that we're trying to figure out. Being a mama to two cute little boys can be hard at time, and I wonder how other moms do it with more kids than what I have. However, with how difficult and stressful life can be with my two boys, they are an absolute joy to my husband and I!
     My husband and I have learned a lot about marriage, parenting, and how stressful life can get. It's hard to take a deep breath and find calm when life is so chaotic. There have been several times this last week when I'm taking my husband to work so that I can have the car for the day, and we've prayed on the way to his work. We've prayed when we've got one baby screaming because he hates the car-seat, and another baby who's making his own happy noises in the back of the car. It's funny; the sounds of the baby's are in the background, but somehow my husband and I are able to focus on praying. It's hard for me to personally remember to pray to God when life is so chaotic, that I can't even remember what I bought to make for dinner that week, or when my oldest son woke up from his nap.
     Finding calm in Chaos... it's hard, isn't it?! There have been several nights recently that I'm just in tears at the end of the night because I feel like I'm at the end of my rope, and there's nothing left of me to grab onto anything. It's in these moments that I need to hold tight onto Christ. After all, his power is made perfect in our weakness. (2nd Corinthians 12:9)
     Another thing to remember when you're in the middle of chaos, is to stop and smell the roses every once and a while. Find joy in the little things. God knew what we needed when He blessed us with little Ezra!... he smiles all the time! He literally only cries if he's tired or in the carseat. His smiles remind me to find joy in the little things, to take a deep breath, and find calm in Christ during chaotic times.
Have a blessed week! 

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! : )

Change-My story

I would like to tell you my story that changed my life, but please don’t mind the sentence structure…I know it’s bad! I just wrote what I was thinking without correcting it. (that would take too much time)

This week is marks the 3^rd Anniversary that my life completely changed.
Let me back up a few years. I think I was about 15, and it was December 31^st. My dad was off that day, and our family was just kicking back before heading to our church that night for a game/party night. My parents looked at each other and said, “Should we tell them?” I knew that it had to have been really good news, or really bad news. The news hit me…hard! My parents told me that our friends the “Bryant’s”, and “Tjaden’s” whom were elders at the church with my dad, were moving to Missouri. They felt God leading them to start a church there, they had asked if we wanted to come, but my parents decided that God wanted us here in Colorado. I cried, and cried, and cried some more all that day. My friends, whom had been through everything with me, were leaving. So, Kaylee Bryant, Emily and Allison Tjaden left that summer. I hated my life, and who I was. I wasn’t mad at anyone, but I was upset that they left. We had been through everything together, and had the same vision and everything. Why? Why did it have to be them that left? I didn’t get it. After they left, my life forever changed from what I thought was the worst. But God had other plans for me.
On one warm spring day, my dad took us older three kids to the store, while in the car, he told us a few things, and one of them was that my dad and mom were thinking about leaving our church. I held the tears in until we got into the store, and I excused myself to go to the restroom. I cried in the bathroom stall for 10 minutes before I came out. My life was again falling apart. I asked why to my parents; basically, my parents had a different vision than what a few of my friends had, and they thought it was best to leave, for now. So, once again on April 26^th, my family tried a church called,”The Reformation Church O.P.C”. My parents knew a lot of people there, and so decided to try it. That first day was…another one of the worst days of my life. I hated it…it wasn’t because of the people; it was just because my life wasn’t going the way I had planned. The week after that, we went to the church again, and as usual I hated it. The next day (May 4^th 2009) my little brother, “Elijah James” came into our lives. At 9 ½ months, he was gigantic…but cute as ever. He had Blonde hair, blue eyes, and chubby cheeks. (Even now) For those that don’t know, we adopted him officially on October 8^th 2010!!! The love of our life! ...Any ways, back to my life. So, the next week we went to our old church for the last time and said our goodbyes…it was a good goodbye. A few days after that we went to Missouri to visit the Bryant’s and Tjaden’s.

After we got back from our trip, we started attending Reformation Church regularly. One year in particular though, something amazing happened! One of our many friends, the Gibas family asked me if I wanted to help with serving/making food for the Volunteers at our annual “CHEC Conference”. (Christian Home Educators of Colorado) With excitement, I accepted! That week, I absolutely loved it! After that week, I got to know my friends more, and I went home and cried out on our porch. I thanked God for giving me this life. At the time when I was going through a terrible life, I didn’t see God’s plans. What Satan meant for evil, God meant for Good.

So, that is my story. No, I haven’t finished the race set before me, but I know that God is there for me through it all. You see, during the toughest part of my life, when I needed God most, I declined it. I thought I could do it my way…and look what happened. I surrendered my life to him, after we started going to the church. So I’m asking you, if you haven’t already, please surrender to him. God doesn’t want half of your heart; he wants every single part of it. I learned that the hard way. Don’t make the same mistake I did. If you would have told me years ago, what I was about to go through, no I would not have believed you. God turned my heart, and he softened it. I am grateful to God for forgiving my hardness of heart, and I am thankful that I now have 4 times the amount of friends as I used to. (Breanna, Kendra…this includes you too!)
Thanks for reading!
~ Caitlin