Tuesday, January 19, 2016


In Memory of Nicole Wilkins

I don't know about you, but I like looking at old pictures. They remind me of great times I've had, and sometimes, not so great of times. Pictures of my sister, who passed away this last September, remind me of both... good and bad. They illicit feelings of joy and of sadness. Remembering her is important. 

Remembering the good times in our lives is so important. When hard times come along, looking back is sometimes the only thing that will keep us going.

Believe it or not, remembering the bad things is important too. They are what made us strong, and remembering these will remind us of the Strength we tapped into to endure. They remind us of how God brought us through and still brings us through today.

Sometimes, we can get stuck in the past, but remember that looking around in the here and now is also important. The past is not all there is. You must live in the here and now. Looking back often times spawns regret, wishing we'd done something differently or that we'd not done certain somethings at all. Without "now", life can be meaningless. Look at all you have around you. We are so blessed. Even in the hardest times, you can find God's blessings. Many people don't have the things we are blessed with today. Even a clean glass of water is a blessing some do not possess. I know times can be hard, but there's always something to thank God for. "Count your many blessings"
August 2015
Lastly, remember the future. We have so much to look forward too! Showing our husband and children how much we love them, going for that drive to the lake, church services, visits with family, or simply resting in your favorite chair with a good book. There is so much to do! So many joys coming! There is also heartache in the future, but that will soon pass, and joy will take its place. There's "a time to weep, and a time to laugh."

The most important thing of the past to remember is the death of Jesus on the cross. He died for us so we can go to Heaven! The most important thing to remember about the present is that we have a job to do, a commission to go tell others about the precious salvation story! We also need to remember that our future holds Heaven, a glorious place of great beauty that holds, most importantly, our blessed Christ!

The future also holds great torment for some, for those who reject Christ. He came to earth through a virgin's womb, lived a sinless life, and chose to take our sin upon Himself so we would have a way to Heaven--the only way to Heaven. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth into righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." All you have to do is believe on Him and accept Him as your Savior, and you can have a beautiful future too!10

Saturday, January 16, 2016

Cherish the Moment!!

It's been one of THOSE days... The baby was up screaming from about 2am-7ish except for small naps in between. My oldest didn't WANT to do her schoolwork and fought tooth and nail through tears and whining almost to the finish. My 4 year old whined and pouted through much of the day. I got started on lunch late and tried to rush it along while trying to console my "sick" toddler, who was fussy and VERY clingy. I felt like joining them all and having an epic melt-down myself... I'm very thankful for my friend, Kim Fawthrop, who came over to help and graciously allowed me to lay down for a nap (Hey! Being 34 weeks pregnant is hard work ;-)!!). After devotions and our bedtime story, the girls wanted to do a few last minute chores (to earn a piece of candy), and my 4 year old accidentally dropped a full cereal container, effectively emptying the contents on the dining room floor... After all were finally tucked in bed, my 1 ½ year old started throwing a fit and did it so very forcefully that she gagged herself and made herself vomit all over herself and her bed (I gave her a bath just before bed), the floor, and the bathtub. Now she's laying beside me, almost asleep, with her feet coated in Vapor Rub and Vaseline and covered in socks. I somehow missed a spot when cleaning her up (I'm unsure as to how) because she smells like baby spit up... So much for my plans to work on my courses tonight... But, you know what? I wouldn't trade today, or any other day, that I get to spend with my kids for ANYTHING. They'll be grown and gone all to soon, then I'll be wishing for cuddles and slobbery kisses. I'll actually miss the dirty diapers and accidental messes. I'll long to clean up after them, because that would mean they were still home... with me. I'll ache for the times they were close by, even if it meant frayed nerves and a bald spot where I'd pulled out my hair. All too soon, they'll be gone!! Cherish the time you have with the children, regardless of the bumps along the way. Even a "bad" day is better than no day at all... I choose to cherish the moment! Much too soon, they'll be grown. I want to be able to look back and honestly say that I didn't waste one precious moment of time with my babies. God has given me a precious gift, time with my babies, and I plan to pack it so full of precious memories that it seems no more could possibly fit, and then I plan to pack in some more! I choose to cherish my children and our time together... How about you? <3 data-blogger-escaped-center="">
Time goes by so quickly. It seems like yesterday that the love of my life and I became husband and wife, and now we have four children. FOUR! Yep, we're one of *those* families. The oldest will be ten in just two short months, and the youngest is a rambunctious two year old. Yesterday has become today much too quickly.

From looking on the cherub face of our first baby too the most frustrating days I have ever survived, I wouldn't change a thing! Everything—every heartache, every tear, and every smile—was perfect. Looking back on those days, seeing how quickly they have passed makes me realize how short life really is. The Bible says our life is like a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away. It really is. It's here and gone.

One day, we'll look back and wonder what we've really done with our life. Have we been a good influence? Have we done enough? How will we be remembered? 

What have we done with our yesterdays? They have become our todays. What are we doing with our todays? They will shape our tomorrows! We cannot change our past, but we *can* change our future. What will you do today?