WOW is me!!!

Yesterday was exactly a year ago when Aaron began his new career with LifeWay - So much has changed in the past year...things that I thought would happen haven't and vice versa...

A year ago, I thought I'd be pregnant and about to leave work and become a "stay at home mom" which has been my dream job since I was 13! I thought when I took my job in August 2008 - that I'd be leaving it in about a year, but I'm not...If we're blessed to be able to adopt in the future, we need God to provide LOTS of money! :)

I didn't dream a year ago that we would be declared infertile - I was so happy that Aaron finally had a CAREER and not just a "job" that would allow us to grow our family and for me to stay at home full-time.

Some days are very, very sad for us (especially me being the girl who has a God-given desire to carry and birth a child) but I have resolved (by God's grace of course) to not have a "woe is me" attitude! I am resolved to have a "WOW is me" attitude! Why? Because I am blessed beyond more than I could ever deserve or imagine - God spared my life from an eternal hell through his Son's atoning work on the Cross, he gave me a WONDERFUL and GODLY husband, a roof over our heads, food on our table, and oh yes...our sweet miniature dachshund! :)

In the midst of infertility (which is more painful than one would imagine until you've heard that word from a doctor - it about knocks the wind out of you!), by God's grace alone, I'm going to live life to His glory knowing that His story for our family is far better than we could imagine!

So for today, I will try to model biblical femininity - whether or not I am a "stay at home mom." I will wash our laundry, iron our clothes for work tomorrow, love and help my husband, and smother Toby with LOTS of kisses! :)

**The picture below was taken at small group last week - Our church has been discussing Biblical manhood and womanhood and so our small group leaders had all the married couples take these silly but fun pictures last week. I had to scan it so the quality isn't too great but it's still cute. :)

Broken Vases and Sanctification

As you can see from the picture above, there are two vases on our entertainment center. Prior to Saturday, there were 3 vases grouped nicely together (grouping objects in "threes" is a decorating technique - Thanks for that tip, Mom!). However, my sweet husband who is working long hours trying to get his new store ready to open next week, took his last day off for awhile (other than Sundays) to help me dust our apartment (he is so amazing - did I mention that?!) and yep...he broke one of the vases.

Prior to my conversion to Christ 10+ years ago, I would've been very angry at that. Even after my conversion, I would have still been angry. But, this time was different...my reaction was led by the Spirit and I wanted to react differently - I wanted to react in a God-fearing manner. I do not credit this change of heart to anything in myself (and I was still disappointed that the vase was broken) but I see it as God's kindness to me in choosing to remind me that He is sanctifying me and making me more like His Son and less like my sinful self.

The Christian life is filled with fighting off and/or giving into sin. When we give into the sin, we are often discouraged. Thus, it's kind of God to occasionally throw something in life to remind me "...that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6b HCSB) Thank you for breaking our vase, Aaron - It pointed out evidences of God's grace in my life that I might otherwise would have missed!