You are Loved

We think that we have to take what is broken and make it perfect again. God thinks in an entirely different way. He took what was perfect (His Son) and through His brokenness brought us healing. Because of this, our brokenness can bring healing to others too, and in the process, it can also heal us. You are loved just as you are, brokenness and all. -Isaihah 53:5

This is another facebook status I borrowed from a friend. I love this! I used to really struggle with wanting to skip the growth process and be healed and struggle-free "right now." My aunt shared a story that helped me a lot about a cracked water pot that wished it were perfect like the pot its owner carried in his other hand while gathering water. She shared that the cracked pot dripped while being carried and as a result watered the flowers growing along the path. I eventually realized that the experience of the trip itself is more valuable than just arriving at your destination. Relax and enjoy the ride!

Trust In The Lord

You can ask the Lord because He will not give you a wrong answer.
You can wait upon the Lord because His timing is always perfect.
You can trust in the Lord because He makes no mistakes.
You can hope in the Lord because He holds your future.
You can rest in the Lord because He is in control of your life.
You can lean upon the Lord because He is completely faithful.

I recently borrowed that from a friends facebook status. The photo is of a tree across the street from our home.

We are still working on our frozen water situation. The pump has been repaired, new (and working) heat tape has been attached, and the pipes are still thawing. My brother and sister in law offered to let us stay in their big house until we have running water again. My brother, his father, and Bash have been working on my pipes and pump. Yayee for awesome family!!! Thank you, God, for providing the funds and help to get this job done. We are very blessed!

Snow!

View of my back yard from my livingroom window. Beautiful!

Frozen Pipes

Saturday night the temperature outdoors got down to five degrees before I went to bed. The thought ran through my mind that I should leave the water running (just a trickle) during the night to avoid the freezing of our pipes. I did not listen and did not leave the water running and as a result have frozen pipes and no running water in our home. We have plenty of snow and a woodburning stove with a flat top so we can create plenty of melted snow/water to flush the toilet. We also have bottled water to drink. Cleaning will have to wait until the pipes thaw. Hopefully it will not be long, but if it is there are always paper plates, plastic silverware, laundromats, and awesome friends who will allow us to shower at their homes until our pipes are freeflowing again. Thanks ya'all!

Happy 2010!

The boyz and I headed wayyy up north to celebrate the new year with good friends. It was great!
We had a lot of super yummy homemade pizza. The boyz went bank surfing three times! (Bank surfing is a bunch of kids on a handful of sleds being whipped from snow bank to snow bank behind an ATV. Fun!)
We always enjoy our visits up north with them and wish we could do it more often.
I forgot to take pictures. The only picture I have is of the counter heaped with many pizza slices. Yum!