Calm amidst the chaos

Through the scope of the camera lens, looking back at moments captured, it was brought to my attention that too often in the running here and there of our nonstop days, I'm not stopping long enough to see the blessing in them all. It's more about the headache I feel up front. I've had plenty of those thanks to the constant allergy drip....and sugared-up soccer boys. ;) Not really on that second part--I'm having a good time coaching those crazy 6 & 7 year old boys! It's not the exhaustion from having to cart the boys from one place to the next and back again, but it's taking that lens and zooming in to see the accomplished laughter when a goal is blocked thanks to that hour long practice earlier in the week. It's that same lens seeing and hearing the thrill of excitement in the voice of my boys when reciting God's Word, and then those same gents as they say at the conclusion of Awana, "I got four sections signed tonight!"

my days are filled with fun with this mini-man!

a little Sunday night football :)

heading to put laundry away and I find this lovely little note from my CJ! :)

nice stop Austin!

Goalkeeper--intense!

Kicking off...

It's about not knowing the details of women's lives but rather being so encouraged by their desire to go deeper in their faith as we worship together and come alongside one another on this crazy journey. It's the calming peace, that intimacy we all seek in Him despite the chaos that is ensued in many hearts...an inward clamor that will not stop. And it's learning how to sit still long enough in Jesus' presence to calm down that chaos!!


:)

such joy when one of your children pull out their Bible to read on their own...

It's putting up with and truly caring about 6 and 7 year old boys kicking around a soccer ball, doing their best to score as many goals as possible...all the while trying to just stay up on their feet! (seriously, I think I might try and keep track one of these games as to how many times one of our players falls to the ground!) And not only getting to coach my son, but my nephew as well. Chaos at it's climax. But looking through that lens, a calming joy brought about as each little feat is accomplished and high-five given.

Daniel was pretty excited after scoring!! :)

Here goes CJ!



Goal!!!!!

Go Blue Lightning!! :)

CJ and coach ;)

Even in the most mundane of days there can be chaos, but who wouldn't calm down long enough to enjoy a game or two with this mini-man?!

my little farmer!

fresh garden tomatoes!! Yum!! :)

That's one way to practice our letters....

too tired to sleep ON his bed....hey, whatever works! :)

So whatever chaos might be swirling around, remember that Jesus once stood up and calmed the storm at it's fiercest peak. HE is the calm amidst the chaos, no matter how different it may look for each one of us, and how different that chaos will look from day to day. He is and always will remain our calming constant.
                       "Be still and know that I am God...." Psalm 46:10

Moving

I bet that particular title grabbed your attention. :) Every summer, without fail, whether it's by those in MN or those in NV or those in-between, we are inevitably asked the question of: "would you ever move back to Minnesota?" The honest answer? Of course!! As long as it was God doing the moving. That's how we moved westward. That's how we would move anywhere. That's part of what being a faith-family is all about. It's uncomfortable at times. Very uncomfortable. It's not exactly what people might expect. Quite the opposite usually. But there are people who like to use it as an 'excuse' rather than a true act of faith...that concept of "stepping out in faith". It can be a wordy cop-out for doing something that they want to do in the first place and are just attempting to look good by tagging God to the punch line. 

Labor Day Parade

Parade fun with friends!

Winnemucca Labor Day fair time! :)

the boys making a twine rope

I'm sure it's safe to say we've all done it or been tempted to do it. Little or big decisions. But this whole idea of moving? I'll be blunt in my saying that would be one big step. Again. Too big for us to try and manipulate. Our story of moving to Winnemucca was black and white. We prayed that from the very beginning--it was something too big for it to contain any shade of grey. I'll share the story sometime if you like. There were many details that happened in such a way that there was no way we could have orchestrated them. 


Mason warming up before his first soccer game



it was all thumbs up for our soccer boy!

kicking off....to which he scored a minute later...

..and got hugs from his brother!

Seems this "where we live" has been a train of thought with some dear sisters in Christ as one friend of mine posted recently about their ministry-living in the Bahamas, so very far away from family and life-long friends. Hard. Very hard many days. But there's nowhere they'd rather be! A variety of conversations with others have been sparked on this very topic. To move or not to move. God moving them from place to place, and sometimes right back to where they started. But it was all part of God's perfectly designed plan for them. That's my prayer for our family whether we live on Mica Court or some other road/lane/avenue in this world until God calls us Home. Do I like living in Winnemucca?? Not particularly during this time of year. It's called allergies. Itchy eyes. Stuffy nose. Sore throat at times. Puffy and red eyes if I dare itch them. All the makings of a cold...but it's not a cold. So no, not my favorite place to live at the moment. But ask me that question about living in MN mid-February when winter has overstayed it's welcome for months already with no end in sight. Frigid. Bitter temps. Claustrophobic from being indoors so much. A common thread that was woven into these various conversations the past few weeks: No matter where we live there will always be someone to miss, something to miss...the grass always greener on the other side. Until Heaven. Ahhhh...Heaven. :)

Carson's turn for his own room!! :)

first round of soccer games...CJ didn't get to play (doctor's orders) but he's ready to go for this week!



Bring on the soccer Saturdays!!

 

Austin played goalkeeper twice and had some great saves!

Mason taking the ball down field...

...and he scores! (the first of quite a few goals!)

All that to say, sure...we'd move again. With God leading the way. For now though, we'll concentrate on Him leading us through today. :) And through the continuing of our busy days all put together leading us here and there. God is always on the move with this family of five...I just pray we stay attune to what He requires of us next no matter where we call home here on earth.