~Mozzarella Sticks Recipe~

~ S’more Bars Recipe ~

~ Spinach Smoothie Recipe ~

I hear what God is saying in James- “these trials will make you, (or them) strong. These trials accomplish things unseen, for the greater good.” I hear that, yet it’s hard for me to make sense. This is something that I have been struggling with off and on for awhile now, trying to understand why we are to consider our trials joyful, when it goes against nature, and it goes against any feeling we may have. The funny thing is, God showed me in a sense what He means, the other day in the doctors office.

My son had been sick with strep for an entire week, missed school, missed trick or treating on Halloween, he was in bed feeling awful, the antibiotics he was currently on were not working. I took him back to the doctor, both of us ready for some help to get him well. The Dr. said he needed to get a shot, and that is when his freak out began. This boy is very afraid of shots, and has been his entire life. His little brothers can get shots no problem, but he has had to be pried from underneath a chair, he’s kicked and hit nurses before, and he screams and cries. The office knows this, and they usually send in three to four nurses when it’s time to give the shot. This time, just one very strong and straight forward nurse came in. We had to pick my 65 pound flailing son up and put him on the table, despite his protests, hold him down, promising him this was for his good, while he screamed and cried, “why? I don’t want to get a shot!!!” After it was over, it took him a good 20 minutes to calm down, he was mad at me, and continued crying. Finally, I talked to him.

“Why are you so mad?”- me
“because you made me get a shot.”- Blue
“I made you get a shot, because I trust your Doctor, and she knows that this medicine will make you well. You’ve been sick and miserable for a week, even though the shot hurts for a little bit, it helps you get better, so you won’t be sick anymore.” – me
“Medicine shouldn’t hurt.”- Blue
“It hurts a little, but helps a lot.”- me
He accepted this, but kept pouting… I kept thinking.

Wow, this is exactly what God has been trying to show me over and over through James. It’s the perspective He’s trying to give me. These things, these trials, hurt for awhile, but they are accomplishing something good, unseen, and we are to trust that. So much so, that we take Joy in the trial. Trusting that God knows what He’s doing, trusting that even though something hurts, is uncomfortable or even scary, it will accomplish something bigger and better in God’s hands.

How many times have I somewhat acted like Blue? Freaking out about something that is so unfair, it seems, why should I have to go through this, why should those good people suffer? How many times have I asked why? How many times have I said, “your plan shouldn’t hurt?”

All the while, God is working. He is working it for good. He is strengthening, maturing, driving out negative attributes, causing something bad to work to something good…. things we may never understand. All of the bible is full of stories of people who have to wait forever to recieve God’s promises, or have to go through hardships to be strengthened. None of God’s people in the bible had a perfect life that went perfectly. So, why are trials so shocking to me? Why do I expect things to go well, and fair, and right? I need that perspective shift. I need to see that things are going to happen to me, to my family, to people in my life, and I will ache, and hurt and cry and be uncomfortable, but I need to see and trust that God is working it out…. for good. Even if it doesn’t make sense to me, even if I think God’s plan shouldn’t hurt, at all. That is trust, that is faith. Saying, “this hurts, and I hate this circumstance, but I trust You God, You are going to turn this around, You are working this out for good.”

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish it’s work so that you may be mautre and complete not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” – Genesis 50:20

“And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him” Romans 8:28

~This is one of my favorite songs right now. I love this record, and this song on it, is just so good. (love the album art too!)

from Love & War & The Sea In Between by Josh Garrels

“Farther Along”

Farther along we’ll know all about it
Farther along we’ll understand why
Cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine
We’ll understand this, all by and by

Tempted and tried, I wondered why
The good man died, the bad man thrives
And Jesus cries because he loves em’ both
We’re all cast-aways in need of ropes
Hangin’ on by the last threads of our hope
In a house of mirrors full of smoke
Confusing illusions I’ve seen

Where did I go wrong, I sang along
To every chorus of the song
That the devil wrote like a piper at the gates
Leading mice and men down to their fates
But some will courageously escape
The seductive voice with a heart of faith
While walkin’ that line back home

So much more to life than we’ve been told
It’s full of beauty that will unfold
And shine like you struck gold my wayward son
That deadweight burden weighs a ton
Go down into the river and let it run
And wash away all the things you’ve done
Forgiveness alright

Chorus

Still I get hard pressed on every side
Between the rock and a compromise
Like the truth and pack of lies fightin’ for my soul
And I’ve got no place left go
Cause I got changed by what I’ve been shown
More glory than the world has known
Keeps me ramblin’ on

Skipping like a calf loosed from its stall
I’m free to love once and for all
And even when I fall I’ll get back up
For the joy that overflows my cup
Heaven filled me with more than enough
Broke down my levee and my bluff
Let the flood wash me

And one day when the sky rolls back on us
Some rejoice and the others fuss
Cause every knee must bow and tongue confess
That the son of god is forever blessed
His is the kingdom, we’re the guests
So put your voice up to the test
Sing Lord, come soon

Chorus

So many changes this year… Our baby is off to school today with the older two. I turned 30 this summer…. We shop at Costco now to keep up with growing boys…. I feel grown up.

Part of me is sad, mourning that the baby years are officially over. Part of me is sad about all the grey hairs weaving into my hair…. But, most of me, is just so grateful. I feel as though instead of time fleeting by, I can look back at a time that has been so full, and look to a future with hope and expectation.

This is Brody. I took over Kristin’s blog so that we could all wish her a very happy 30th Birthday today. We couldn’t ask for a better wife or mom and today we can’t wait to celebrate her.

Happy Birthday Kristin… We love you… Hurrah Hurrah Hurrah.

These faces are my favorite faces. These are my boys, and why I love being a mama.

~Austin Kleon

Here’s Blue as Cat in the Hat when he was in kindergarten 2 years ago!

Here’s Aiden this year as Cat in the Hat!