Posted in Family Life

I have only a few minutes to step in from our bloggy break and share the latest.  Forgive me for the bullet list.  It seems the most efficient way to update for us now, with everything going on. 

• Pure One ~ is still loving being in JBQ (Junior Bible Quiz) competitions, and attends weekly practices. She just had her first semi-professional audition and is now a cast member for an amazing and inspirational musical that will be in performance the first three weeks of March.  She is overjoyed and excited about the opportunity, along with embracing the responsibility.  She is also "pluggin" away at daily piano practice and weekly lessons, and now venturing into composing her own songs.  January thru May is our "fierce focus" on homeschooling, so she is also doing well in her studies - faithful to complete her work on schedule. Add to that 3-4 times a week family workout routines at the health club, along with her participation in the children's Worship team.  WOW, it is a full schedule, but also very life-giving and  peaceful. 
  
• Hubby ~ recently had some job opportunities come up, and we are believing for God's perfect will regarding his work.  It has been a long road with the lay-off last year, and then starting his own business, with little-to-no money. This has definately been a "dig-down-deep" and persevere year for him, and for all of us, in the midst of very hard circumstances.  We've had quite a bit of those "check the couches for change" moments which have been so humbling, yet we have seen God's mighty hand of provision and even abundant blessing through it all.  Please keep Hubby in your prayers as he goes through the final interviews with 4 wonderful companies.  We need a miracle in our finances, and are believing the right job will come to fruition in God's perfect timing.  He has never ever forsaken us. Hubby is also loving working out 3-4 times a week, and watching muscles magically reappear on his arms and chest that were hidden through the years.  I'm really proud of him in every way, and so glad he is persevering through all the trials that have come our way, with God getting the glory! :-)
  
• Kelly ~ I've been "pluggin" away and enjoying teaching Pure One full time.  My favorite is our morning Bible studies from the Narrow Way, by Pearables, which seem to help us keep our focus in the midst of crazy schedules. Now I know why God had us in a place of rest last season, to get us ready for this very busy one :-).  Starting off our day in God's word is priceless!   I am still in Choir at church, with weekly practices and then ministry on Sundays, along with writing for the church newsletter.  In addition I am still freelance writing for a home-education magazine (writing curriculum reviews), and working on a book. I am absolutely LOVING our  family workouts, at the gym.  It seems that all those years of working out when I was in HS and College haven't gone to waste and my muscles are just thanking me for getting back in the "groove" again.  Ya gotta love that endorphine rush in the middle of the workout that lasts for hours (good sigh). Then . . . and you are not gonna believe this! LOL . . .  my girlfriend and I brought our daughter's to an audition last week . . . and we decided at the last minute to audition for the adult cast, and wound up BOTH getting two of the female lead parts!!!   Both of us are extremely humbled yet overjoyed at being able to be in the production together.  Just knowing that so many will be coming to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through this production is enough to keep us humble and focused on Him through it all.  That is truly what it is all about!  We will be having rehearsals 3-4 times a week (depending on scenes).  So the month of February and all of March (till  Easter) is filled to the rim.  We have eight performances in March (4 each weekend). WOW - pinch me!

Some closing thoughts:  to think that last year at this time I was laid up with a broken leg/ankle and couldn't walk until April.  With extra rehabilitation going until September. I had just lost two dear friends in a homeschooling co-op conundrum in March, shunned by our small house-church family because of the co-op condundrum (heavy heartbreaking sigh here) However . . .Since God is the restorer of all things . . . all things that were taken away have been/are being restored in amazing ways. The two friendships are gone, sad to say (you really find out who your true friends are when hard times hit), but others have been made new and restored.  My best friend of over 12 years and I lost contact 4 years ago due to a simple misunderstanding, and now we are completely restored and enjoying one another again in a new and fresh way, which is healthy, strong, and solid.  We have been given an amazing church family that supports, truly loves, encourages and always challenges us in our walk, along with some of the best friends I have ever had coming into my life for the first time.  Forgiveness has been such a major part in the restoration process.  And as we learned to forgive, we also learned that blessings follow!!   As we approach Easter & Passover we remember that Christ came to redeem the world from sin, and we can humbly say how blessed we are to have experienced His grace and redemption power, as we watch the devastating effects of 2007 turn into abundant fruit-bearing in 2008. We can only look forward to the rest of our year with great anticipation and JOY! By His Grace!!

We hope your families are doing well and enjoying the snuggly winter weather (or Palm trees for our Florida friends). God's grace is always amazing and we pray that you are experiencing the JOY of walking in his grace today.  Love and Blessings From Minnesota,

<>< Kelly