A Work of heART

We are in a season of hard work....and loving it.

I would have to say that this is not an easy season - but it is a good season.

Our pastor preached a thought provoking sermon on the doctrine of vocation last week and it was so refreshing to be reminded of the need to live Colossians 3:23 in every area of life.

Whatever you do work heartily as to the Lord and not to men.

laundry

dishes

plumbing with friends

pouring concrete

raising walls

butchering

cooking

...as unto the Lord

Ann Voskamp wrote a post about 8 years ago titled One Piece Life.  The message of the devotion was about how all of life is sacred.  There is no separation from the mundane everyday tasks and that which would be considered holy.  We are thankful for the persective it has given our family but we need daily to be reminded of that fact.  As the weather turns cold, hours feel longer and the barn building project lags a little....

we ask that you would pray that we finish strong and 

that all our work would be as unto the Lord.

As Brother Lawrence writes, “Our sanctification does not depend as much on changing our activities as it does on doing them for God rather than for ourselves.”

An Addition Guarded by God ~ Samarah Jo turns 10

Samarah Jo.....just your name alone brings contented peace. 

 You see, you were given to our family after Jeff.  After Jeff and his twin who we can't wait to meet in heaven someday.  Fighting the fear of loosing a little one again was real and challenging as we prayed for an addition to our family.  The Lord gave us your sweet name before he even gave us you.  Samarah Jo "an addition guarded by God"  

Amazing, that He would have our fears so nestled in the palm of His hand that he would grace us with your name to rest with.  

And so we found out in January of 2003 that you would join your big sis and big brother in October.  Opening day of deer season to be exact!  The week before you were born your daddy and I were planning a hunting trip and if you hadn't made an appearance by the opener, this momma was going hunting.  You arrived in a hurry (thanks to a half a bottle of castor oil - if a little bit's good a whole lot's better right) and we welcomed you in the wee hours of the morning of October 10th, 2003.

From the beginning, you have been our firecracker, our dancing gypsy, our winner in every burping contest, our classiest dresser and our definer of the original in so many ways.

~our peanut who loves to snuggle~

~our mud lover~

~our crazy cat lady~

~our adventurous musician~

~ and our lover of all things dancing~

Samarah Jo - we love that you love others with your baked gifts~

~ and that you are always game for an adventures wherever it may be~

Our prayer for you is that this next decade of life, you would seek Christ first in all that you do, that you would use the gifts that God has blessed you with to glorify Him and bless others and that you would lean on Him and count the ways he has blessed you every day.

Happy Birthday

Love Mom and Dad