Seaside

Dear Family,

                I am so blessed by you, your love, prayers, and warmth towards me.  The biggest blessing of all is knowing that God is in control.  He uses good and bad to accomplish His purpose.  My God is bigger than any of my problems and he promises that after life is over, those who love Him back will spend eternity with Him! 

                Can you tell I was just at a pastor’s conference?  We had sweet fellowship, amazing singing and powerful messages at the NABNW Seaside annual meeting.  Those we met, prayed with and worshiped alongside were such a blessing.  God is so good!

                At home, Seth mowed the lawn and Adriel went to school and work.  The house did not burn down.  The cat is still alive.  Food is still abundant in the fridge!  I see no evidence of parties.

                During the week Bobby made several wonderful soup dishes.  I had a cold this week and Bobby was kind enough to pray me back to mostly healed.  Seth heard the prayers and was alarmed.  Now that Seth has education he knows that “Help Cristy who has the plague,” could mean something more.  Sometimes we exaggerate.

                Bobby thanked me for helping with the youth group and I always appreciate his love. 

                This week I enjoyed a nice long chat with Adriel.  She is growing up well and I love hearing how she is doing.  Adriel and Chris also joined me on raid night Wednesday for Pokémon.  I learned that turnabout is fair play.  She is my historian and began telling stories about me.  Oh dear!  Now I understand why she may not want me to hang out with her friends or Chris.  I know way too much and am willing to share all.  I just realized she will outlive me!  Must maintain amazing mother-daughter relationship! 

May you find joy in your journey.  May your peace come from above.  May those around you lift you up and may you happily reciprocate!  Much love,

Cristy

Fall is beautiful.

Dear Family,

                When Bobby cooks we are all blessed.  Bobby extended the invitation and had Adriel’s boyfriend over.  It was nice to sit down as a family and talk about broken bones.  Funny thing, Bobby, Adriel and I have never broken a bone.

                Bobby thanks me for cleaning up.  I am glad to be of service.  It’s a great deal.  I never have to wonder what I’ll be cooking. 

                Seth mentioned that “The purpose of Math is so we will like school less.”  I thought that was funny and told a friend.  How wonderful to hear this encouraged her.  She had a hard time with math and is glad others find it frustrating.

                Seth is always good for a hug and I love it when he prays with me.  The other night he prayed, “And please help me get my homework done.”  His immediate postscript after saying “Amen,” was, “It’s not due tomorrow.”  I’m guessing Seth didn’t want me to help that request along.

                I enjoyed having some youth over for a movie night on Saturday.  They are adorable and wiggly.  I remember my dad mentioning how cute the youth group teens are and I felt frustrated that he saw us that way.  Now I understand.  They have so much potential, energy, and fun.  Yes, teens are cute.

During the Movie night on Saturday, I loved hearing Seth’s quick wit.  In the movie, the main character was walking a labyrinth for a while.  She finally decided to run for a bit and Seth said, “They finally found the run sequence.  Hit “w” to run.  She is still in the tutorial.”  I love how Seth thinks and everyone did get a good chuckle.

                Seth went to the Boys Bible study.  I love that.  He also is cooking for himself.  He cooked eggs one night and pizza the other.  Good job Seth!

                I enjoyed walking with Bobby and friends on Saturday.  Salem is a wonderful beautiful town.  I was so enamored with the leaves I had to take a picture for us all.

                Sunday also had fun walking and talking times.  Adriel was home for a bit and it’s always good to see her.

                May you feel joy when a family member comes home.  May you encounter beauty in our seasons and may you delight in all God has for you.  Much Love, Cristy

Happy Birthday to me :-)

Dear Family,

            In past years I have cried on my Birthday because life was hard.  I would evaluate my situation and find it bad.  Since then I have approached my Birthday with a little fear.  I do not always have control over what emotions will wash over me.

When I turned 40 I was happy to be alive and well.  I am glad to say ever since then I have had fabulous Birthdays and this weekend was another one of them.  Yay!  Bobby and I went out together Friday night, my parents came down and we went out with the whole family (and Adriel’s boyfriend).  I enjoyed a fabulous walk with Bobby and friends.  I felt pampered and enjoyed the weekend immensely.  It helps that school takes a day or two off EVERY YEAR for my Birthday.  It is so sweet of them to do that.

Tuesday at youth group I enjoyed the Middle school kids saying, “come to my school!” to Bobby.  They all want Bobby to visit their school! I loved hearing that.

Homegroup was enjoyable and I love singing!

Seth mowed the lawn!  Yay!!  Seth also did Easy worship for the second service.  I so enjoy seeing him up there.  They asked him to do the first service as well but he was just waking up.  I volunteered and had fun doing something new.  Later when I told Seth I did the first service he sighed and said, “Well If I knew they had nobody, I would have done it.”  Notice what he called me!

Thank you all for your good wishes, cards and even some amazing gifts!  From the bottom of my heart J Thank you!

I have been pruning a lot and it makes me think of life.  I chopped every branch off my volunteer apple tree.  It is a stick again and that is how I want it.  Also, I’m going to prune my big apple down to 6 feet.  The tree may hurt, cry and not know why.  But it grew the wrong way and I can’t let it stay.  Sometimes we reach, stretch and grow.  We are pruned and wonder what went wrong.  God is shaping us.  That is all.  It may hurt and it may leave a large scar but God is in control and we can grow again – just the way He wants us to. 

May you enjoy the weather God is providing (wherever you are).  May you know that pruning is OK.  And may you grow towards God in all things.  Hugs, Cristy

The little things.

Dear Family,

         
“The small things of life were often so much bigger than the great things . . . the trivial pleasure like cooking, one's home, little poems especially sad ones, solitary walks, funny things seen and overheard.”
― Barbara Pym

I noticed this week is about the little things.  The repetitive, I’m so glad my family is alive, things.  The smiles we give, the hugs we receive.  A meal cooked here, a thank you there, this is what makes my life worth living.  This is what gives joy.

          Seth is driving himself to school and back.  He is so grown up.  I know, it’s wonderful that his legs work – he could walk – but it’s the rainy season.  I am glad he has the resources to drive.  Seth also apologized out of the blue.  He wanted to make sure I knew I am a good mom and that he was only grumpy.  The ability to apologize without prompting is extraordinary.  Yay Seth!

          Seth is also always good for a hug and usually ready to pray when I am going to bed.  He always prays that he won’t have nightmares.  Sometimes we ask if he does have nightmares and he said, “Not normally, but I am a bit paranoid about them.”  Seth has been praying the same thing since he was three years old.

          Adriel was sweet on the phone and said she missed me so much she was willing to go out for lunch once a week again.  Yay!!  I enjoyed visiting Arby’s with her and chatting about life.  Adriel is a wonderful daughter and she is becoming a fabulous friend.  Adriel is also good for a hug whenever I see her.

          Bobby made a wonderful dinner, continues to make the bed and thanked me for coming to the youth group.  What a great husband I have.  I enjoy walking with him, talking with him and being with him.  I am glad to still be married to Bobby.

          “You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.”
― Andy Warhol

            May all good things give you great joy; a spider web dripping with dew, your child smiling at you, a show that makes you laugh, or a nice warm bath.  May you find peace in your heart and love in your arms.  Much Love, Cristy