Hope for Heaven

I have found so much Hope in this song

drooling and rug burn

I realized that I keep forgetting. I want to stop forgetting. I think I can do this and than I find myself facedown on the carpet saying "I can't do this...I can't do this...I can't do this". There's not even anything I am referring to..it's just everything! So what happened...I am realizing that I have 2 ways to do life. 1. in my strength, abilities and mindset 2. Through Jesus by living in love with Him and trusting Him. #1 brings frustration and drooling ramblings. #2 brings peace and joy and order to my chaos. I choose 2, but for some reason I keep forgetting and try #1 again....do I like drooling? why do i choose this option? Whatever reason, I am thankful that God keeps bringing me back on to Him, cuz I don't want any more rug burn. If you see me drooling or with a rug burn, can you remind me which one to pick. Tell me I forgot...God might use you to get through to me...in case I am not listening to Him. Thanks

Phillips, Craig & Dean - When God Ran - Live

Can you help me support Life

Life Walk

simply click on the link above and there is an easy way to support the Niles LifeWalk

I know you think I have forgotten you all my loyal followers ;D ....but this is something I want to share with anyone and everyone who might be out there still watching! (I know, I know, I am talking to myself here :)

This is a huge deal for me, so if there's anyone out there, just wanted to let you know!

China trip

Here are some pictures from our trip to China. Caroline and Lane Gordon went with us, and Caroline's blog has a synopsis of the trip see it below.
Indescribable trip-Tiring and hot-Beautiful and Breathtaking-Rewarding and Funny!

http://overitmull.blogspot.com/2009/10/there-and-back-again-china-2009.html

I can't smile without you

I found this for the boys. I heard this song a while ago and I enjoy 'singing' it to the boys. I really don't think they enjoy it. :)...Sometimes they tolerate it, but sometimes I can use it to make them leave the room :D

Jake is 10

Yesterday Jake turned 10!!!!

I've been tagged

Sarah
Tagged me


Here are the rules:

1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer.
2) Select the 4th picture in the folder.
3) Explain the picture.
4) Tag 4 people to do the same.
No cheating (cropping, editing, etc.) Have fun!!

I had to cheat because we cleaned out all our pic folders and we only have 3...so this is the 3rd folder 4th picture...Andrew took this of and icicle that had fallen off our roof and evidentally "almost killed him" ;)

I tag: Just who ever wants to participate ;)

Tim's project

This is what I have been wanting for a while now... I don't like this part, but am willing to be patient :)








Ceramic tiling coming soon...hopefully I can show you when it's done

Look what I found!!!

This and more importantly this are a couple of things I found that I am SOOOOOO (that extended "so", does not adequately describe my emotions :) excited about!

I found these while browsing at Barnes and Noble over the Holidays. I am recommitting to my pursuit of topics of Heaven, and as many more of CS Lewis' things as I can find. I was pumped about the CS Lewis book because I didn't realize there was a book arranged with his thoughts and meditations on Heaven, YIPEE!!!! I haven't read much of it, yet. I am totally savoring it and making it last!

The book titled "Desire" was a shocker to me, because I got it just being interested in the writing style and the way he was flushing out the topic. All of the sudden he started talking about Heaven and the Kingdom of God! So I am totally back into my Obsessions... at least these particular "obsessions" are healthy ones...I tend to gravitate toward not so healthy ones!

It happened over Christmas....

...I was just finishing up 'getting ready' ......this is what I call it, even though it just consists of applying makeup and styling my hair...I really wasn't getting ready for anything...sometimes my boys ask, "where are you going?"..." No where" I reply, "I am just 'getting ready'

....ANYWAY, as I was 'getting ready' I started thinking about older woman and who and why they are Beautiful.... I realized that as people get older, it's not that they are so Gorgeous, but it's about how they are, and who they are. I am seeing signs of aging in me and feeling that I am just NOT young anymore. I don't really care, but there is that weird desire to be young and/or beautiful.

I was struck by those verses that Paul uses about braiding your hair and wearing jewelry. ( I couldn't find them real quick) I think God's spirit was telling me. "It's not that I don't want you to be beautiful, it's just that there isn't time to worry about the outward beauty". I realized and wondered if it is more of an urging, not a command or legalistic rule.... I wonder if the heart of his intentions are that it is really hard to be beautiful on the inside. It takes lots of work by the Holy Spirit and me. I need to spend so much more time on the inside than on the outside.

Do I do this, NO! Do I want to and long to and see the need! YES! For me I want it to start here. I ask that God would allow me to have my spiritual ears open and listening for the Holy Spirit and that I would be sensitive to be seeking Jesus. I am VERY thankful for the prodding in this direction!

Blog World

I am not as addicted to the blog world, as I once was (facebook, is my new 'obsession'), but it is amazing to me how many useful (wait, did I actually type "useful"... I am NOT sure that is what I mean...maybe relational, entertaining, or silly with an occasional "useful") things I can find in the Blog-o-sphere. By following someone's blog, I can become addicted to many other people's blogs. I am interested in there interests and they direct me to someone else's blog with that same interest, than I am hooked. Thus my need to consistently de-clutter my blog list :)

Anyway, I am not sure I am going to take this advice, but since I have been knitting several scarfs...it may be a good idea...anyway, it's silly in a girly way. I was directed here by this blog.

Helpful advice from a "Friend"

This is from one of the blogs I follow. It has been so helpful to me in the past couple days and I cannot get it out of my head. So I want to share it with you! The basic idea of the blog is to do the worst thing on my 'to do' list first. While that seems like a simple idea, I NEVER do that, I always start by checking my email or something fun like that... all the while (and I mean all day) dreading that worst thing. How simple and smart to just get that thing done first! Especially, because I end up dreading it so much, I often never get it done!

Just for fun

This is purely for fun! And isn't that appropriate as many of us are getting back into our schedules and jobs--a little levity in life in the middle of routine.

It is good to get back into the routine of schooling and exercise, etc. It's just that for some reason vacation seems to fun and so FAST! I have grown to thrive more and more in a routine, I just rebel against it during vacation and time off. I guess I need both. A break and a routine. Laughter and seriousness. Fun and Work. I wonder if Heaven is a mix of both as well??

Happy Holidays and traditions

This Christmas season when I was getting out the decorations, I found my Christmas Journal. Several years ago, I started a Christmas journal. I am not even sure where I got it... a gift I think. Anyway, I put it away every year with my decorations. This year, as I got it out, I thought..."I want to sit down amidst all these decorations and read this to the boys."... So we all sat down and they let me read it to them. I know this won't last and probably not even till next year. So I thoroughly enjoyed reading and sharing my personal Christmas thoughts with the boys! Actually, I would love to make it a new tradition.

So there we sat, sitting there in a little circle and I started reading. They sat there so quietly, only a question or 2. Most of my journal is trip prep, family interactions, the times we started new traditions, and what we received as gifts... I also have been known to a tiny bit Scrooge-like. So there are bits of what I feel like God has done in my heart over the Christmas season(s)... They endured all of that and seemed somewhat pleased with it.

I noticed that I ended up skipping several years in my journal. I guess I got busy (or Scrooge or Grinch-like) and just didn't do it. But I really want to keep it up...for myself and the boys, O and Tim if he wants ;)

Here's a list of a couple of our favorite newish traditions--we don't have that many, and not all that original as I truly used to 'just get by' at Christmastime. I love the true meaning of Christmas, just not all the trappings.
...I would LOVE have you comment on what yours traditions are, since I could use the ideas

-We fill stockings every year
-We get out the Christmas plates and table decor
(this is big for us, cuz we basically use paper plates)
-We read out of the Christmas journal (new one :)
-Tim usually buys me slippers
-We put up a nativity scene
(in years past this was instead of a tree, one day we hope to add the tree back in)
-the boys always help me decorate
-we have shrimp and snacks on the night before Christmas with Tim's parents
-God usually teaches me something new about the Season and it's Reason :)

Travis is 12!!

Last night we celebrated Travis' birthday. We have a couple of traditions for Bday's...I always make them a birthday banner and we make cards for each other. As a tradition, we let them choose which restaurant they want to eat at and than we come home and open presents. Travis would have picked Ponderosa for their mac and cheese, but I made him mac and cheese for lunch, so he settled for KFC ...much to my relief! :)--another story, another day :)

My favorite part of the day was singing Happy Birthday to him. He gets the BEST little look on his face... He loves it and is embarrassed at the same time! He always gets that cute little look and I love it! We really enjoyed our day (except for the normal fighting) and it was fun to celebrate! They are getting SO big! Travis has passed me in height already!

Andrew at 13

We took Andrew to Bass Pro Shops in Portage Indiana for his 13th Birthday on Saturday! It was really fun... We ate lunch, and shopped for Hunting gear and shot at the shooting range. He spent a good amount of his Birthday money on hunting things. The other 2 boys want to got there for their birthdays ;)

Pre-Airsoft war

We had a weekend airsoft war with Michael and Katie. No pictures of the actual war, but we had to have a pre-war fuel up.

We played a game of capture the flag and a killer free for all! SO FUN! It was a beautiful and perfect day for this. A little chilly for sitting at the table, but perfect for running in the woods! :)

What my boy's did

We went to get
our boys after of week of them being gone... a friend sent me these pics of one of their nights while they were gone. They had a bonfire and roasted hotdogs and marshmallows. I almost wish I would have been there ;) --almost.

I highly recommend a getaway (or stay-at home) without kids if you can manage it. I am always sooooo appreciative of Tim's parents, my parents and sisters taking the boys on random occasions. I think it helps my marriage in HUGE ways!

*In these pics are my dad and mom, my sisters and Ryan and Jimmy*

Brrrr!

Tim and I went to Lake Michigan yesterday. The water is cold, but the air was WARM...Tim bet me I wouldn't walk into the water, here's my proof ;) It made my feet numb. But it was warm outside, so I warmed up quickly.

It was a very peaceful time as my parents have the boys. We greatly enjoyed the water, the sun, the conversation and the weather! I highly recommend it!