Whatever Your Doing

So life has been kind of crazy lately. Actually if I am totally honest it has been overwhelming. I've kind of been in a blogging slump because let's face it there is some stuff you just don't publish on your blog. And while I desire to be real some lessons you have to share about once you've been through them and you have some God perspective. That is where our life is at right now. And surprisingly I'm trying to be okay with that. 

Jeremy and I feel like God is cementing us together through the challenges. One of the things we have really tried to work at but never been super consistent with is praying together. Now maybe that shocks you. (sorry, to disappoint) Or maybe you are totally with me on this one. Its not that we don't pray. We do. We just haven't ever consistently been able to do it together. But, lately our new motto is, "Prayer is our strategy." (Okay, we kind of stole it from Pioneer Bible Translators) And it isn't a last resort type of strategy- it is the only plan we've got. 

Jeremy and I were taking a walk and discussing the challenges we have been facing in our life. And I told him that I think maybe the outcome is worth the cost. If what we've been through the last 3 months is what it took to transform us into a praying couple. Then I think it is worth it.  There is a quote in Remember the Titans, "Sometimes life is hard for no reason at all." I'm not sure why that stuck in my head, but it did. But, the Bible speaks truth in this area.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.       James 1:2-4

The hard things we experience in this life aren't for nothing. They produce perseverance and grow us in our faith. So my prayer is that I won't miss the lessons God is teaching right now. Jeremy and I both LOVE Sanctus Real's new song, "Whatever Your Doing." It is like putting our life to music. So while I don't feel like sharing all the specifics of our struggles the words of this song are an insider look at the cry of my heart.

Whatever Your Doing

Fun at the Park

This week Jeremy is gone at camp. This means two things. 1. I have a whole new appreciation for the balance Jeremy brings to our family. (the girls are really challenging me in the area of patience) 2. We have been looking for fun things to do. One of those is visiting my family. Last night we took the girls to the local park. They had lots of fun. The park is one my grandpa used to take me to when I was little. It is located right across from his farm. My cousin and I thought he owned the park when we were little. Now Grace refers to it as Papa's park.  We also took the girls' favorite buddy, Roxy, Uncle Cody's dog. Grace recently asked if Roxy could come and spend the night at our house. She LOVES that dog. And has recently started carting around a stuffed dog she has. She tells me she needs to take it out to go potty & play "stick." 

Wildlife Prairie Park

 




Above Grace is pumping water outside the frontier home. Below is the friendly tree, Grace & Carter are shaking its hand. We watched Jeremy do both these on the tape.





On Friday we had a fun day with friends. Nana & I took the girls to Wildlife Prairie Park near Peoria, IL. It was a great day with perfect weather (no rain!!). On Thursday night Nana showed the girls a VHS of Jeremy at the park when he was eight. They got to see a preview of some of the fun things they would see the next day. They kept saying, "Who is that boy?"

The park has animals that are indigenous to Illinois. The kids were too little for us to see everything, but they loved everything we did. I think it will be fun to take them back when they are older.  While there we saw farm animals, an old house & school, a bobcat, a fox, a coyote, a black bear, snakes, and more. We also took a ride on the park's train. We ended our visit with a picnic lunch. It was such fun to introduce them to something Jeremy enjoyed when he was little! And I enjoyed seeing a place I had only heard about from Jeremy's childhood stories.