A few lessons I've learned.

After three months of living in Northern Minnesota, I have learned a thing or two. 

*It takes less time to get a United States Passport than it does to get a Minnesota Driver's License (and less paper work too!)

*It is not casserole, it's hotdish.

*Hockey...kind of a big deal here! (yep, there's a few NHL and Olympians that began here!)

*You don't say "that's funny"...you say "oh for funny."

*When you live near Polaris, it is not uncommon to see a snowmobile go down your street...even when there is no snow!

*Border Patrol does not appreciate a good sense of humor. And when entering the US they will take your picture as you pull up, so try to look your best. :)

*The people here truly are Minnesota Nice!!

After a few months of the empty nest, I have also learned a thing or two.

*A gallon of milk and a loaf of bread last a really long time!

*Cooking for two is an art form I have not yet mastered, especially goulash! Lots of leftovers at our house!

*Brian and I can be more spontaneous. (if we plan it!)

*My husband has really good shoulders when I need a good cry!

*It is true you can feel joy and sadness at the same time. (Joy because our kids are following the Lord, sadness because my heart is still a homeschooling mom.)

*God is amazing and He grows us most in the valley!

*Our kids still needs us. Love when they ask for advice or prayer!

So all the boxes are unpacked, we feel settled and yet unsettled at the same time. There is still so much to learn, so many adventures to take, so many new people to share life with. We have good days and we have bad days. We feel so blessed that God has given us this opportunity, we know He's growing us into better people. We are learning patience, but we know that one day we will wake up and realize just how at home we are here...things won't all be new for us. We won't be newbies anymore, the roots will begin to grow and Northern Minnesota will truly be home. How fun will it be to not have to stop and think about the answer to the question; "So, where are you from?"

** Oh and something else I've learned, you really can decorate with Pinterest...here's a few examples in my home!

Five Minute Friday...Just do it!

Oh friends it has been too long since I have blogged. I missed you and writing. Hopefully today's Five Minute Friday will be just the jump start I need to regularly begin writing again. I have been studying James a lot lately, so you will see his influence in my post today.

The rules are easy:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..


Today's word is LOOK....

  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror  and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:23-25

I'm not a huge fan of mirrors and I have to admit some days I wish I could forget what I look like after looking in one. However, when I look in a mirror, I look long enough to see what needs fixing and then I do my best to fix it. If my hair is bit wild, I try to tame it. If there are any blemishes on my face I do my best to cover them up. I try to present myself the best I can to those I run across.

When I look in my Bible, do I do so with the same gaze I use when getting ready in the morning. Do I see what God wants me to do? Are there any blemishes in my life that need fixing? To read the word and walk away without making any changes is not good. James says if we do what we read, we will be blessed. I don't know about you, but I could use all the blessings I can get! 

So today, don't just read the Bible, look intently into it....remember what you've read...apply it to your life...and to quote Nike...JUST DO IT!!!!

To this question, I said yes...

I am one of those rare people who has no problem saying no. I know that if I get over-committed it is not good for me. However, I do say yes to things that are really important.

One such time I said yes was 25 years ago today. It was to be a fun weekend...it was homecoming at our college and my boyfriend was driving in from Colorado for the weekend. He got in earlier than expected which totally made my day. Long distance relationships are tough, so I savored every moment we got to spend together. By the end of the day, he was no longer my boyfriend...he was my fiance! 25 years ago I said yes to Brian! Other than my decision to say yes to Jesus, this is my favorite yes ever!

Five Minute Friday...Grasping on tight...

Today is Five Minute Friday. Here are a brief review of the rules we all follow:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

Today's word is GRASP.

go:

We had a child who was something of an escape artist. The minute her hands were free from ours she would take off; didn't matter where we were, didn't matter if there were strangers around. This child had a need to run, and run she did on several occasions. We had to grasp her little hand in ours, sometimes I wonder if maybe we squeezed too hard; she was good at slipping out of even the tightest grasp.

We held her tight, not because we didn't like her energy or desire to run. We held her tight because we knew the danger if she ran at the wrong time. We knew something she couldn't yet grasp. We weren't holding her back to anger her; we were holding her back because we loved her.

I believe God is like that with us sometimes. There are times we want to run ahead, but God's hand grasps ours firmly to keep us from running ahead too soon. God can see the road ahead, He knows best for us. So in those times when we sense that God is holding us back from our goal, we need to realize he may be protecting us. We need to trust Him and not struggle against his grip. When the time comes he will release our hands and let us run!

Fingerprints on my heart...

Just when you think you've got this empty nest thing figured out...you unpack your scrapbooking stuff and find this item. So moms, enjoy those fingerprints, they really will gone 

so quickly!!