One woman's junk is my new treasure!

~ Before~

I have welcomed this year's yard sale season with open arms!! Spray paint has truly become my best friend; there is something so satisfying about spraying that beautiful color on something that was once hidious!
This last Saturday a few of us die-hard shoppers left at 6:30am to hit up the Old Navy $1 flip flop sale, then it was on to the yard sales. I found two extremely ugly lamps, but for .50 I couldn't pass them up. I knew my trusty friend, spray paint, would help me transform these eye sores.
With just a little TLC, fabric, glue gun and of course my faithful spray paint; we now have two beautiful lamps for our Master bedroom.

I can't wait to see what treasures I will find next...let's go spray paint!!!

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, can I really??

Here it is at least 2 months since I blogged last. What is the point of a blog? To write the goings on in my life, well then I should have plenty to blog about because my life never slows down.

Between being a mother of 3, a wife, a pastor's wife, PTO member, Bible study leader, worship leader...shall I go on? I find myself living a full steam ahead life. I am the kind of girl who gets her sights set on something and is so stubborn that I will do whatever it takes to make it happen. Lately things have begun to pile up, things that are out of my control. For a person like me I CAN'T HANDLE IT! I put a smile on my face, fix my hair and get to work. Working in my girls' classrooms, attending all PTO events, Doctor appts, dentist appts, church functions, ladies events...and the list goes on. But somewhere between the lines, somehow as I was attending to everything and everyone a few things went neglected.

So here I am, sitting at home with sick kids. As I watch them build a "waterfall" out of their "blankies" and pillows I am forced to take a deep breath and just sit. Ah.....what a nice feeling to just breathe and sit. The fog is beginning to lift, slow down Rachel and remember to breathe. So ladies and gentlemen I really do; "think I can, think I can, think I can, know I can!"

Let the Praises Ring!

Sometimes as a mom I go through the day forgetting to take time and enjoy the moment. As my two beautiful little girls sit at the kitchen bar eating Cocoa Pebbles and giggle as they tell secrets and say silly things, I say "Hurry and finish your breakfast girls, we'll be late for school!" Being so concerned with their behavior in church that I nearly miss the sweet sound of my 6 year old singing "Your Name" in worship. Being frustrated as we wait for our wonderful green Geo Tracker to start and seeing no results. Finally I see my husband lay hands on the car and witness a miracle as the Tracker starts up without a hesitation. I drive away with my 3 precious children that God has gifted to me and has given the responsibility to raise them in the way of the Lord and to "talk about it as I rise, walk, sit, lay down..." go about my day. It finally dawns on me to use this silly car thing as an opportunity to talk to my girls about miracles. As I drive I begin asking the girls about what miracles Jesus did in the Bible, they begin listing them. So naively I begin explaining that what we just saw with the Tracker starting was because of Jesus, it was a miracle, Jesus still does miracles today and we are supposed to remember them and tell everyone about them. Feeling oh so proud of myself for using the moment to share Jesus with my children, not even realizing what kind of effect it would have on my 6yr old. I look in the rear view mirror and listen to my little girl so innocently ask me, "will we be a Bible story one day mom?" Wow! It hit me like a ton of bricks; what have I been doing? Wasting my time, taking for granted the most simplest of things brought to my attention by my little girl.

Our stories may not ever make it into the Bible, but they should be remembered. Growing up I heard so many stories from my mother, some funny, some serious, but mostly giving glory to God for his hand. Whether it was hearing about how my grandmother laid hands on their dryer and asked God to heal it and make it work, hearing about not having any money for food and opening the door to see bags of groceries sitting on the porch or listening to Bible stories being lovingly read by my Grandma and mom and now me reading them to my children. We must not forget these things. We will be remembered, and how we are remembered is up to us. The little moments in life that I rush through and take for granted will not always be there. I will not always be able to hear my children's tiny voices giggle, ask questions and worship Jesus. But for now I will slow down, use every opportunity to sing praise to my savior, remembering to give glory to God in every situation. As I hold my little boy and whisper in his ear how much Jesus loves him and how special he is, encouraging my 6yr old to keep singing to Jesus with her beautiful voice, cuddling on the couch with my 4yr old and telling her wonderful Bible stories. God help me to "Let the Praises Ring!"