Journey With Jen

At this moment in my life, I have two teenage boys.  Both will be going to junior high next month.  Both are about to drive me crazy.  I try to remember a sweeter day.  When they were younger...pulling each other's hair...fighting over hot wheels...watching Bob the Builder together.  Those days when they would be mad at each other for a moment and laying beside each other watching Robin Hood the next.  I loved my summers with them.  Doing arts and crafts.  Cooking in the kitchen.  Even doing classwork during the summer.  Aren't they cute?  I couldn't find one of when they were really small on the computer, but they were even cuter.  :)  Then, they had to grow up.  Seriously.  Those that willing get up in the morning and go to a school that has teenagers ~ must be clinical.   I remember the junior high age as being kind of rough for a girl.  Now I know what the mother's go through.  I ...

"What I like about Jesus' message is that we don't need to study Him anymore to know Him.  That's what the religious people at the time were promoting.  Collecting information about someone is not the same as knowing a person.  Stalkers are ordinary people who study from afar the people they're too afraid to really know.  Jesus said that unless you know Him like a child you'll never really know Him at all.  Kids don't care about facts, and they certainly don't study each other.  They're just with each other; they do stuff together.  That's what Jesus had in mind."  Love Does by Bob Goff Something to think about, isn't it?  There are a lot of people out there today that know the Bible.  They can recite God's word better than I ever will.  They can pray elaborate prayers with beautiful words.   But, memorizing words is not the same as knowing God.  Going to church on Sunday doesn't mean that you have a strong ...

"...when we meet people who have been fed the fake stuff about who God is and what He's about, its not surprising that they have a little indigestion  So we can either spend our time talking about wrappers or we can show them what God is really made of.  We can show them that God is full of love and the source of hope and every creative idea.  People don't want to be told that their experiences were wrong or that their wrapper or someone else's wrapper is made of the wrong stuff.  Instead, we get to be the ones to show them real love from a real God."    Love Does by Bob Goff (pg 98) We all know people who have turned away from God and church.  They see the evangelist on t.v. promising wealth or cancer cures for money.  They see priests involved in sex scandals.  They see idiots out there picketing funerals.  They see you and me going out to eat after church, then being rude to the waitress.  They see us not taking time...

It is amazing how God has a plan and once He sets things in motion....once He says that it is time and not you...things fall into place.  We have been so excited about the house!  Finishing up paperwork.  We did another walk through/inspection.  We were looking for cracks, mold, something!  Yes, I know, some people might say we should have hired someone professional.  But, my thought ~  God has worked it out for us.  Kent and I both feel this is the home God had picked for us.  We walked in and it felt like home.  Our offer got accepted even though there were two put in. Papers went through easier than I imagined.  Oh, our place we are renting ~ contract doesn't expire until November.  Kent was a bit worried about making rent payments and mortgage payments.  I broke down and told her we have an offer accepted on a house.  She said congratulations and told us to put a sign out for her.  Not threats or mention...

It has been difficult the past few months.  We've looked at lots and lots of houses just trying to find a place to call 'home.'  We have seen some new houses with small square footage.  And older ones that needed knocked down and started over! And everything inbetween!  We have put offers in at at least 3 houses over the past 6 months.  We have even switched realtors after the first two months.  We have gotten our hopes up....and let down.  Mainly, we have waited.  And waited. Waiting for the one God has planned for us.  And ~ good news!  We finally have signatures on an offer!!  When we walked in, it felt like home.  Yes, when you look around, it did remind me on the 70's Show.  But, beyond the cosmetic, it's home!  This house is filled with love and warm memories. There are 4 bedrooms so each of my kids can have their own room.  We honestly didn't expect that.  Just shows that God provides beyond what we...

I know, I know....It's already July.  Always one step behind it seems like!  It's been so hot this month.  Yes, I do realize it's summer.  My husband reminds me of that.  But, when it says 100 degrees for weeks at a time ...honestly, I don't feel like doing much of anything.  Just being honest! ;D But, we did get to help out this month.  First of  all, the FFA  (Future Farmer's of America) had a fishing tournament in June.  We helped out and grilled hot dogs that day.  okay...okay... I was under a shade tree for a lot of it!  Kent was out there grilling hot dogs.  Kids and I helped with the serving and clean up.  It was soo hot! Just recently, we volunteered a couple nights at the rodeo.  We were selling 'day' sheets with the riders information on it.  Our profits were going towards the youth fund at church.  The kids loved it!  They have never been to the rodeo.  After our ...