Someone greater than Jonah is here

In light of studying Jonah the past two weeks I think I can relate to him so very much. 

Today I was scrolling through some news media. I started to weep by the blood, the senseless killing, the downright wickedness of our culture. I think I can understand Jonah's desire to have nothing to do with Nineveh, and then expecting to see the destruction. 

I think if such repentance were to happen in our society, as it did in Nineveh, I might at first be excited but then begin to wonder if it was real and become rather skeptical and maybe annoyed, like Jonah. 
I remember hearing of people flooding the doors of churches after 911. Where are they now? Was it real?

Praise be to Yahweh that Someone greater than Jonah is here!
He is alive. 
Living in the hearts of His people. 
Jesus calls us to believe Him. How can I believe Him if I don't repent of my sinfulness and desire to follow Him the rest of my days?

Now for me to go out and proclaim it to this culture, no matter how feeble it may be. 
How can I think that He can't use me, insecure and unsure what to say?
Jonah's message was one sentence and God changed the hearts of over 120,000 people. 

Simple Joys

These children bring such joy to me.

The sun is out, the temperature is so much warmer then the -22F of this past weekend. It's a good day to be alive.

This girl is so full of life and joy. Scamp seems to rather enjoy these rides with her.

Or maybe he's just trying to stay out of the snow. 

I have been trying to implement fun family traditions to our Christmas celebration.
This year, we built our first gingerbread house.
It was delicious!

When I'm asked if they can help with the dishes, it's one of the most wonderful things to hear. Whenever possible, I try to allow them the opportunity. Whatever the task may be might not always be done perfectly, but I have found that teaching them now is more important than perfection.

And the days continue on...

Yesterday's post revealed some very raw emotions I feel as I grieve my Grandma's death. She had a way of making everyone in her family feel special and deeply loved by her. This has hit us all hard.

Today was a new day. While the emotions are still there, they weren't quite as heavy.

I went for a three mile run this morning. The wind was a little bitter but nothing I couldn't endure. I was snowed on for about half a mile and then the clouds moved on and the glorious winter colors in the sky peaked through. 
It was breathtaking! 
Being out in the morning does my soul good on so many levels. It helps me wake up, the fresh air rejuvenates me and the exercise leaves my body feeling alive. 

We ultrasounded the rest of our cows this morning. The ones that aren't preganant will go to the sale barn on Tuesday. 
My niece did the ultrasounding. She has her own ultrasound equipment and is pretty busy this time of year going around to several ranches. The sun was shining and the wind wasn't horrible. My sister-in-law was there to help. I always appreciate her steady hand and hard work ethic. Her, and my brother-in-law, have raised six wonderful girls and lost two precious boys. She only lives four miles from me. I am so thankful for her.  

Last night we set up the Christmas tree in the living room. The kids were so excited to decorate it once we had our work done with the cows today. Sometimes I feel a drudgery when it comes to setting up for Christmas. It turned out to be one of the best tree decorating days ever!

Usually I set up my nativity on top of the entertainment cabinet or my hutch. I asked the kids where they wanted it to go and Jacob suggested under the Christmas tree, like Great-Gram used to. His tender heart makes me love him all the more. 
We took our time setting up, stopping for lunch and then finishing a few little things. It really didn't take very long. We listened to the Michael W. Smith Holiday station on Pandora and later I lite a pine scented candle. I had some extra strands of lights and hung them up in the kids rooms on the windows. That was a big hit. 

This may seem boring just to rattle on about my day but to me, it was a wonderful day. 
The sight of the sky on my run, the feel of the sun on my face working cows, the laughter of my family, watching my kids play with their cousins. White twinkling lights, ornaments gifted by grandparents, traditions passed down. Smells, sounds, sights that remind me of the celebration of this time of year. 

The kids are eager for this year's birthday cake for Jesus. 
I am eager to celebrate Him, too. 
He came in such a lowly and strange way to save; to live, to die, to rise. 

All this to set me free.  

She loved me as me.

It's been two months since the most dear women I have ever know has gone. 

Right now the pain is so deep and the tears so thick I feel as though I can't breath. 
I miss her so much more than I can express with words. The deep sorrow that wells up from the very depths of my soul is a feeling I have never felt before. 

I know she is with Jesus for He called her and she believed Him. 
That doesn't help with the pain of losing her right now. 

I used to call her quite often. 
There has been many times the past two months when I just stared at her name in my contacts list. And cried. 

I want so badly to be able to call that number, the number she's had my entire life. I long to hear her voice, her laugh, her say, "Hi, Snooks!" (The nickname she had for just about everybody close to her, unless you were really special like my aunt, brothers, sisters. Actually, come to think of it I think later on I was the only one she called that.) 

She loved me as me. 
I didn't have to be anything special, or do what she wanted me to do. 
She just loved me as I was. 

I know she didn't always agree with me but I never felt rejected by her for it.

She used to call me, just to say hi and see how I was doing. No agenda, no list of things to ask me, no complaints, just to say hi. 
She was the only one who ever did that. 
And now she's gone. 

I lived with her for four years. That's when we really got close. We even had our own little gang sign for Indian Creek. Don't ask me to show it to you, because I will only do it with her. Only.

This pain is so sharp I feel as though I may bleed. 
The tears won't stop. 
Jesus, hold me closer tonight.  

Psalm 131 {Finding Strength}

Psalm 131 (NASB)
Childlike Trust in the Lord.
A Song of Ascents, of David.

1 O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
2 Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against his mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
3 O Israel, hope in the LORD
From this time forth and forever.    

This has been one of my favorite Psalms lately.

It is so hard for me to trust the Lord-to just sit quietly and trust Him. To rest in His lap, so to speak, like a weaned child who is just content to sit with his mother.
The past few years God has shown me that He's more than capable of being trusted. History has proved that He looks out for and cares for His children-me personally as well as countless others. Though the circumstances, from my perspective, aren't always what I would prefer, I have found that His ways are good. Sometimes very difficult, but through them He is always good. I am learning to put my hope in the Lord.

Childlike? Yes.

Naive? Not at all. For I trust in the Creator of the universe, the sovereign God who does not sleep or slumber, who shows compassion to the suffering and give strength to the weary. He has done this for me. Daily I am learning that He can be trusted. My faith is in Him. Nothing else.

A Glimpse of Our 2015

Every time I think about updating this blog, something comes up and then I forget until the next time I think of it....weeks later. 

Yesterday my daughter and I sat down and worked on putting this video together of the past year. Some of the pictures will be repeats from the blog and some will be new.


Here's to the New Year! 

Enjoy~
Cristen

Some Highlights from the Summer

As the evenings begin to cool down and August slips by I can't help but wonder where this summer has gone. Here are a few highlights from the past few months. 
 
My second oldest brother spent a few days with us on his cross country trip from IL to the West Coast. As he took off down our road I was wishing I could go exploring with him.

I ran my first full marathon. 
The best part was finishing with this little man.

I finished an hour later than I'd hoped but there's always the next race!

J went on his first canoe trip. 
 

T-ball has become an enjoyment for the month of June. 

We spent some time in the northern Chicago suburbs with my family and to attend the wedding of one of my oldest friends.
 
My sweet little S viewing Lake Michigan for the first time. 

Marty was able to play a softball game with the church league my dad and brother are a part of.

He says he has bad form in these pictures but I still think he looks studly. 
 

This expression on my dad's face is so very familiar. 
Sigh. 
I miss him.
 

Playing around with Uncle S.
 

Back at home we love seeing the flax fields bloom.

 
 The kids and I biked along the Missouri River today.

It has been a beautiful summer full of activity and time spent together as a family.