Storm Shelter

• This morning was exceptionally cool, as I didnt realize until I opened the front door to run to my car which is always parked in the elements. Halfway to the car it hit me that I didn't have my umbrella. I pulled my hoodie up over my head and realized i shouldve grabbed my daughter her raincoat. Damp and shivering, my son and I looked at each other and yelled in unison, "it's cold!"

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• As I drove my son to school I thought of how warm and dry we were in the house and how I can't wait to get back home to our warm and cozy home and enjoy the rain In our tiny warm house.

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• It made me contemplate other times I have felt that way. I realized I have that same feeling when I disconnect with the Holy spirit. Life is the storm. He is the my umbrella in the midst of the storm. The warmth and protection is the peace He consumes my heart with even when I'm stuck in the eye of the storm. If I didn't have Him, I would walk through it alone,, without the love and warmth He surrounds me with when it seems as though there is no reprieve from the bad weather.

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• My prayer for you this morning is that you have shelter from the storms of life. Let God be your Storm shelter today, and all the days of your life.

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• Genesis 9:12-13

• English Standard Version (ESV)

• 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

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Daddys Hands <3

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• The other day, I was watching my Dad help my son unpack his new guitar. I watched my son pick up the guitar and test it out. But then my eyes focused in on a pair of hands that had me in awe. It wasn't my sons hands, strumming the new guitar with ease...as I am always amazed by..but my eyes zoned into the other hands within my my sight. My dads.

• It got me thinking. What those hands meant to me. What they have been through-what they have endured. What he has built with them...what he has fixed..how he has done so much with those big, strong, caring hands.

• As my son has stated, "Pops can fix anything and everything he puts his mind to." I have to agree. He really does. I have always thought since I was a little girl, that my Dad could build or fix anything. He built our house when I was 5. That house is solid as a rock, built on a firm foundation. My dads motto: Do it right-or don't do it at all.
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• True for his whole life. Family, work, life. Do it right-or don't to it all. It may take more time-but if you build it right from the start-it won't fail you.

• When I see Dads hands, I also see how he has guided me as a father. Without using his hands. He's always been gentle. Without many words, but you would always understand exactly what he feels, how he stands on certain topics, and his unwavering devotion to his family. Many fathers have to use their hands to teach respect, in negative ways. My dad always guided us by showing us through his actions.
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• He practiced what he preached and we would follow. He did it with love.
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• Thank you Dad, for being the rock of our family. Thank you for being the gentle man you are when times called for it. For being strong to support our family, and for those hands that built so much more than our home. You built a legacy of love on a strong foundation that will never break.
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• Love,

• Your little girl

• p.s. Happy Birthday. And many more.... :)

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Happy Birthday, Husband <3

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    In honor of my brand spankin' new hubby o' mine's bday, I decided to do a post for him in honor of his special day. At first I thought this was impossible.
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  • Impossible, you ask? Why Impossible? You see, this man of mine decided to purchase me an ipad and keyboard so I would blog. ( I told you he was special, didn't I? :) We have no computer to speak of, and he thought it would be handy for me to have an ipad to blog whenever or wherever my little heart full of love for my new husband so desired..
  • IF you have an ipad-you already know how difficult it is to blog on an ipad! But I researched and researched and finally found a lovely litte app for my lovely little ipad so I CAN blog from this lovely little contraption I so affectionally named Iris.
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  • Why Iris, you ask? My Grandma loved to write. When she wasn't working at her full time job, she was farming, and when she wasn't farming-she was cooking, and when she wasn't cooking, she was cleaning-and when she wasn't cleaning, she was taking care of family, and when she wasn't taking care of family?
  
  
  
  
  
  • She was writing.
  
  
  
  
  
  • I use to love to go into her office and run my fingers along her writing desk. I loved to play with the typewriter and imagine I was her. Sitting at her desk, imagining I was a writer. Eloquent with my words, putting all of my thoughts to paper, and ultimately-to a book.
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  • Her name was Iris. Beautiful like the flower, short lived like it too. She died with a lot of life left in her, but lives on in so many. One being the gift of writing. I would like to think that my passion for writing was passed down from her.
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  • Back to the inspriation of my post today...my hubby. My brand new-month old husband. ( I love calling him my husband:) He loves my blog and has been encouraging me for ages to keep writing. 2 little words he is constantly saying. Repetitively. Write. More.
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  • So, Mr. Birthdayboyofmine. Here you go. Happy Birthday to you. But what you don't realize is the gift you give me EVERY day. The gift of you. The gift of us. Thank you for giving me the gift of forever. With you. I love you, JCH
  
  
  

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Ring around the Hosey :)

 

 

 

 

 

I did.

• Yes.  I did.  I said I do.  Just call me Mrs. Veryhappytobemarriedtomybestfriend.
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• In this new chapter in my life, I want to get back into blogging. 
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• The beginning.
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• Gina

Powered by the Son

  

• The other day, as I was traveling along the same old road I have driven so many times, I was thinking about life in general. Do you do that as you drive? Do you use that time to think? I do. I was thinking about how my life has changed so much in the past 5 years. What all I have been through-good and bad. The blessing's God has given me. The strength He has given me when I have faced struggles. Thinking about the challenges I have yet to face, and wondering where this road will lead.
• As I looked over at a beautiful church I always admire-I noticed something I have never realized before. In front of said church, was a long row of power lines. It was early morning, and the sun was shining bright on this church, and it struck me.

• All of the sunshine soaked power lines in front of said church were in the shape of beautiful crosses.
   

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• I cant imagine living my life without the power of the Holy Spirit.

  

•  The Power in the cross. The thought of it overwhelms me. God's power plant has no power outages. It runs 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. It has the ability to power the whole world. It's not solar powered-but it is powered by the Son.
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•  Powered by the "Son" that died on the cross for you.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

- 1 Corinthians 1:18

Birthday Beauty!

• Look. At. Her.  Isn't she adorable? Check out the rolls! I love the fat baby roll legs!  Squishy pinchin' soft sweet baby!  So Cute.
•  She must have been a beautiful baby..because baby look at her now! NOW she is all grown up and is celebrating her 65th Birthday, TODAY!  You would never guess her age when you look at her.  She looks at least 15 years younger than she is. She has never been under the knife..she just comes by it naturally.  Well, that and the  pink Dove bar soap and the ol'standby, Oil of Delay. 
•  Everyone wants to know her secret for looking so young.  I will let you in on her secret beauty regimen.  She taught me that beauty is radiated from the inside.  It can not be bottled, or improved by surgical enhancements, or bought from a clothing rack, but by true love and kindness. 
• Mom, you have taught me to love truly, unconditionally, walk proudly, live without limitations, and most of all, what a true mother means.  Thank you for showing me the true meaning of beauty.  You have the most beautiful heart I have ever seen.

Happy Birthday, beauty!

Leap of Faith...

• Skydiving:  The sport of jumping out of an airplane at a moderate altitude and executing various body maneuvers before  pulling the rip cord of a parachute. 
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•   Trust: Firm reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.
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• Skydiving is a leap of faith.  So is trust.  You are jumping out of the airplane, relying on your parachute will function properly, and that you will make safely to the ground. 
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• It's hard to trust.  Hard to trust that parachute will function like it should.  It's hard to put yourself out there and give your all.  Jumping out into the blue and praying you will make it safely to the ground and not get hurt.  Scariest feeling ever.
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• I compare trust to skydiving because they both scare me so much.  I have tried to trust in many who have failed me when I took that leap. Some I trusted not only once, but time and time again, even knowing I was in for a hard fall every time.   It hurt so much, it made me afraid to try again.  Afraid to trust, similar to a scared skydiver afraid to jump out of the plane.
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• God is my parachute.  Everyday, I take chances...leaps of faith. He won't fail me.  He has me in that plane, he prepares my heart and mind everyday for all good and bad that enters my life..and if I trust in Him, as He tells me to- He will keep His promises.    If I would really look hard, I would see X marks the spot..but not on the ground, but in the cross.  The cross He died on so I  can jump- take these chances, make mistakes, learn these lessons in life, and trust.  TRUST that all will be ok.  Because He is my parachute.  I can trust in Him that everything will be alright and enjoy all that life has to offer- while seeing all the beautiful views all the way...
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Psalm 56:11 When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.