Hearts in Service Blog

I woke up at 3:45 a.m. to the sound of the wind and couldn't get back to sleep so I finally got up. It sounds like a freight train rumbling as it gusts to over 60 miles per hour. We have a blizzard warning here and it really has to do more with the wind than the snow. It's barely snowing and we only have a gotten a couple of inches. But it's blowing hard which makes white out conditions and we were without power and internet for a couple of hours this morning. We also lost part of the edging on our roof as there was a particularly strong gust. Our neighbor's pine tree fell over too. Crazy wind! But I'm thankful for many things today and thought I'd list them here now before we lose power again. This week I'm thankful for blessings #3,596 - 3605. 3596. A husband who puts so much time, thought and prayer into his sermons. 3597. A fun time at a baby shower this weekend. It was nice to just sit and enjoy and not have to do anythin...

I wanted to come back to the topic of my post the other day on being thankful that I stayed home with my children. The main reason I want to revisit it is that I always want this blog to encourage others and I don't want anyone to feel if they made a different choice it was a lesser one.  I struggled so many times which is why I flip-flopped with going back to work at times. But for our family and our children it turned out being a good choice. When I was working I found that I poured myself into that so much that my family suffered. I do have a tendency to plunge into things so deeply that there is no balance. I have a child on the autism spectrum who needed me. I have another child with generalized anxiety disorder. My third child has life-threatening food allergies that required so much prep work. So for us, it made sense. I can also tell you that if my husband wasn't a pastor in churches that provided us with either a parsonage or housing allowance, it w...

Throughout the years various people have called into question our decision for me to be home with the kids. Living on one income can be difficult and often the advice I was given was, "Why don't you get a job?"  And while I toyed with that from time to time and there were periods when I did work, I still had a desire to give my children the security of knowing I was there for them. We have three children who have unique needs and I wanted to be available for whatever it was they needed. I also know my tendency to become a workaholic and I didn't want that to happen. It was a choice we made and a choice that does bring about consequences. One of the consequences was that we didn't have money for many things that our friends did. Another consequence was having to deal with comments from others at times.  A third consequence is one that I'm just realizing. The blessing of having children who have fond memories of their childhood! It wasn...

Isaiah 53 ~ Who has believed what we have heard? And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to? 2  He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him. 3  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. 4  Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. 5  But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. 6  We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for   the iniquity of us all. 7  He was oppressed and afflicted, yet ...

Twice a month I go to a local nursing home to lead a worship service there. A few others from our church have been coming too and it's nice to see them reach out to the residents. It can be a pretty depressing place, and it's been wonderful to bring a bit of light and Good News there! I'm teaching through the Gospel of Matthew and thought I'd share the third part of this series. I do some review at the beginning so you can catch a bit of what I shared in previous sessions. I am so enjoying studying this gospel as I teach it. It's amazing how each time I glean something new from it. The contrast between these two kings is pretty amazing. Matthew Series, Part 3 - A Tale of Two Kings

I had a surreal experience last night. A friend and I went to visit another friend who is in the hospital. Usually hospital visits can be a bit chaotic or stressful because there is so much going on. There can be other visitors or family members. Nurses are in and out of the room constantly. If there is a roommate, you are crunched up on one side of the room and then you have them and their visitors listening in. It just not conducive to an undistracted time of visitation. Last night there was no one else around and the nurses stayed away the entire time we were there. It was such a pleasant time of chatting about life, hard things, family, and church. Then we had a time of prayer together and it was sweet. As I reflected on the visit last night, I truly sensed God's presence while we were there. And those God-moments are what keep me moving forward. Those times of standing on holy ground keep me in awe of how the Lord moves in the lives of His people. They are moments tha...

Ephesians 4:10-13~ "I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.    I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength." "If I get this new job, then I will be happy."   " When my husband starts trying harder, our marriage will be good."   " If we move to a bigger home, then things will be great."   " If we only have a ladies Bible study, men’s breakfast, youth group, etc., then church will be wonderful." We find all kinds of ways to be discontent, don’t we?   We gripe and complain our way through most of our day...