Thanking Him

I ran by this devotional from Jesus Today. It was exactly what I needed to hear today!

First attempt at Chalkboard art...lots of room for improvement :)

Friday Favorites

1. My husband is awesome! He has been a huge blessing to me this week. I've had a rough week to say the least. He has been supportive, encouraging, and doing everything!! So thankful to do life with him!

2. One Thousand Gifts - I just got to 100. What a great reminder to look at our day and focus on the gifts God gives us!

3. Me, Myself and Lies - The ladies and I have been doing this study. We just finished. What an eye-opener to hearing the things that I have been telling myself. It's amazing...

4. I Desire Jesus - In love with this song! 

5. Sun Tea - I've been making sun tea everyday! Here is my favorite :) 

6. Motto rides - After my run, Claudy asked if I wanted to go on a motto ride. Love those and him :) The motto died a little ways down the road, we had to push it home :) Good memories :) 

Have a great weekend!

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{Friday Favorites} - February 22

Wow! I can't believe it has been a month since I have posted in Friday Favorites. Craziness... I have to apologize. From the day we arrived after Christmas Break until February 17, we haven't had a day without extra people at our house!

We have had a great few weeks...

1. Parents & Aunt & Uncle Visit - We had a great time while they were with us. Lots of laughs, lots of great food, did I mention they brought a grill??? Planted a garden??  We are blessed!

2. Garden - My Dad and Uncle helped replant the garden...Here are pictures from this week. It is growing :)

3. For Valentines Day Claudy and I took a very needed day away! We had fresh juices, sat by the pool, dinner out and time together!

4. Dark Hair - You may have noticed from the picture above...my hair is darker...the hubby likes it :)


5. Girls Bible Study - A couple of months ago I took the girls pictures. I finally got a small photo printer here...It just prints 4x6's, but I printed them off and gave them to the girls! To say they were excited is an understatement...Here are some pics from the day!!

Have a great Friday!!!

Be Silent

I have one of the those personalities.... The type - A... organized, planned, gets a lot done, etc...and most days, I love it.

Right now, I'm in a war with my personality. My desire is to make a plan for what happens in August when we move back to the states. I want to have everything in line, so I won't skip a beat...I want to live in that perfect bubble. Yet, I can't really plan. I'm here...in Haiti. I need to be here...I haven't been called home yet.

It's a war.

God has been teaching me throughout the last years, that I can make a plan...but more importantly I need to listen to His call. I need to live in this moment. I need to be His hands and feet right NOW!

My mom and dad with my aunt and uncle are here visiting. I was talking about my struggle. Everyone asks...what will you do when you come home? The real answer is...I have no clue, yet in my heart I want to tell them this masterful plan, only I have no plan. The real answer, Claudy and I haven't heard specific answer for what is next for us.

My Aunt encouraged me...she read to me Exodus 14: 13-14

And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

That's the real answer. BE SILENT. 

God has always been faithful to me. He has always provided, He has ALWAYS shown up. I need to BE SILENT and wait for him! He is fighting for ME!

{Friday Favorites} - January 18

1. Claudy and I were able to travel to the U.S. for Christmas. We had a great time visiting my family. We helped my parents move, went to Green Bay and spoke at Forest Lake District Youth Conference, and relaxed. We are so thankful for our family who spent extra time with us!! 

2. Had a great week with Constance Free Church. We worked with many of our partnering organizations.

They wanted to participate in knitting class also!

3. Frensky - Some of you know this little boy if you visited OLTCH in the early days of RG being in Haiti. He was a very sick little boy (he is 3). I saw him this week at MyLIFEspeaks!! He is getting bigger and stronger!!! and is as cute as ever!!

4. I love my HUSBAND!! - Our water pressure has been even worse than usual. So Claudy jumped in the tanks to clean them out!!

5. Crocheting...I haven't crocheted in a while, but our group of knitters this week stirred an interest in me. I made 3 Kindle covers (I don't have 3 kindles - let me know if you want me to make you one). If you want to make your own here is the pattern...

Chain an even number of chains - a little smaller than the width of your kindle, nook, iPad, phone, etc...

Row 1 - sc in 2nd ch from hook to the end. Ch 1. Instead of turning sc in same ch, but the other loop and work your way back to the front. This creates the base of your cover. 

Row 2. trc in first sc from row 1. then sc (this creates the bubble). *Trc, Sc * until the end of your loop. 

Row 3. Sc in every stitch all the way around

Row 4. * sc in first stitch, then trc * Repeat all the way around

Row 5:  Sc in every stitch all the way around

Repeat until your cover is as tall as your device. 

To make flap... continue pattern, but instead of crocheting all the way around turn and make a new row. 

Have a great day!!

A Day That Changed My Life

Three years ago today...

It started out as any other day. I got up and ran, did my devotions, worked, took a little break to start packing for my trip the next day to Haiti, went back to work, and then I read a small little line on Google...."Earthquake in Haiti."

I actually didn't believe it at first. I called my parents, they hadn't heard anything. I turned on the news and from that moment on, my life was changed. You could see the devastation, the hurt...fear came over me. Were my friends alive? I so badly wanted to be there, wanted to help my friends, to help those in need. I cried out to God for my loved ones.

For a week, I did nothing but watch the news, help get supplies, and help plan peoples trips to Haiti.

A week later, my dad and I were on a plane to Haiti, with no return plans. I can still remember the sounds at the airport...the smell...the view...M' pa janm bliye, I will never forget. I won't forget the many ways God provided, the lessons I learned, the things I saw, the people I loved.

Prior to the earthquake, God had already stirred in my heart a desire to move full-time to Haiti. I kept telling him no. Our week and a half in Haiti in January 2010, changed my life. I said "YES" to God.

Three years later...Today.. I have being reading in my twitter feed and Facebook feed, many articles about the devastation that hit three years ago, the lack of aid that actually made it here, the unstable government, very little progress, etc... Some are true, some make valid points, but today I want to think about the good, the progress that has been made. It sometimes is hard to see, but if you look at the little things and focus on the way God is working, you can see them. There has been progress. Thousands of lives were saved, for eternity (people committing their lives to Christ), there are more schools, more medical centers, more people working together, some home and businesses rebuilt. Progress.

Please continue to pray for this nation. There is progress, but there are still needs. Please don't forget!