Long Time No Blog

I know it has been a long time sense I blogged. I have good reasons, but there is always reasons for everything. So instead of giving you my sing song about way I have not blogged I will just let you know what we have been up to (and then I am sure you will get the idea).

The kids have been doing lots of this (now that we have a yard to do it in:).

I have been getting ready for this (we start next week).

We finished unpacking the last of these.

I always have this to do!

I have also been doing lots of this (yes, because I do not have enough to do I am going back to school, it is only though, so just picture this desk with a computer on it and that would be a more accurate picture).

Jo Lee

Lee Family Update

What are we up to?

Will, at that moment. Matt is at work. I am drinking coffee and typing a blog post. Anna is avoiding putting away the dishes. Benen is being a great big brother and playing with Somer. Somer is crawling all over the place and getting into everything.

I am chugging away at school, and am doing pretty good. I turn 30 this week, and I am actually excited to be 30, no reason other than I am excited to see what maturing and life God has in store for the next 30 years.

Matt - is busy with work, men's ministry, and worship ministry.

Anna is enjoying the summer vacation, but not so much the fact that she still has to do chores.

Benen is loving being 4, but is struggling with being the middle child (he is not the baby but also not big enough to do things with Anna sometimes).

Somer is growing quickly. She is crawling and pulling herself up on everything in sight, it will not be long until she walks. She also turns 1 this week - crazy.

Jo Lee

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for....

... beautiful weather so we can play outside.

... this handsome boy.

... this beautiful girl. 

... my sleeping beauty.

... homeschooling.

... an awesome Husband and Father.

... life - God breathed life.

Jo Lee

Wordless Wednesday - Balance Beam by Francis Chan

Catching Up

The window repair guy is here fixing our living room window and taking up my favorite nap spot so I am catching up on some blogging... should be catching up on house work but I have my priorities. A few weeks ago it snowed enough the kids could actually play in it. Here are some picture of the fun.

Anna made snow angels first thing.

Benen all dressed for the snow.

The cutest kids in their snow gear.

Building a Home?

I do not usually post twice in one day; but I think this justifies it. I have been hinting here and one face book about he possibility of us getting a new house. God always seems to start us down a path and then turn us on a blind corner. A couple months ago we looked in to buying a trainer on the mesa - did not work out for financing reasons. Then a few weeks ago we looked at renting a house on the mesa, and a few days after we turned in our application for that house my dad called to tell us about Colorado Housing Inc. They help build and finance houses in the area - they are kind of like Habitat but a little different. You build a house and help the other people that are building build there houses, it is a special loan and the payments are assessed. We were originally thinking that we start to build this house in the Spring of 2010, but we got a phone call this week and in looks like we are going to start this fall. The amount of our pre approval is more than enough to build and we are excited. It would be in Bayfield; but that is okay. Trust me I will post more as we start building and picking out colors and flooring and all that.

Converstions

"The Bible says that if you talk to somebody with your mouth, and your heart does not love them, that you are like a person standing there smashing two cymbals together. You are only annoying everybody around you. I think that is very beautiful and true... I pray that God will help me feel His love for them. I ask God to make it so both conversations, the one form the mouth and the one form the heart, are true."

- Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller

Faith Lived Out vs. What If

I recently read a book about a POW in a Japanese camp during WWII. Her faith was amazing to me. While being interrogated and bitten she talks about at one pointing thinking of all the what if's... What if this and what if that. It really hit me because I do that ever day. There always seems to be a point in the day when I say what about this and what if this happens and then a spend a long time to trying to figure things out.. especially things that have not happened or that I really have not control over. The thing that is challenging me right now is that she finally reach a point here she stopped what if-ing and just let faith be lived out in her. She let God be God and listen to Him and let Him figure it all out; and HE DID (in even a great blessing and way then she had asked for). 

God I want to stop and just let you be in control. I resign as manager of the universe and I let you be in control. I want to just let faith be lived out in me. Thank you for having things figured out; and for doing even more then we could hope or imagine.

God's Miracle Week

Okay 2 times in one day but I could not go to bed without telling everyone about God's miracle week. So to start...

Monday: Matt gets laid off-God allows me and him to see the spiritual growth He has done in Matt; he does not freak out or get depressed and Matt actual prays and follows God lead.

Tuesday: Matt applies for jobs, takes care of unemployment. God shows me that I have a choice to be Mary or Martha-I choose Mary and struggle with letting go of "my control"-but I do let go; and find peace in the storm. Get Matt's last paycheck (that was over nighted) and it goes way farther then expected-paid all of our bills for this month and we also get some extra cash to fix the car heater that broke.

Wednesday-Matt gets a phone call from PCS (Professional Computer Solutions) that he was not even sure was looking for people he just turned in a resume-continue to see the spiritual growth.

Thursday-Matt goes into PCS (Professional Computer Solutions) and has an interview that goes really well. Turns out that they actual had a job open that they were not sure how they were going to fill-but God did.  Gets offered a job and starts tomorrow. He will be doing tech support on a restaurant touch screen system-something he is really excited to do. I can tell he is excited because he got his lunch stuff ready before he went to bed. 

Friday-Matt starts:) Praise God (he is going to Grand Junction to help put in a touch screen system-with the owner of PCS and his new supervisor).

Choose-Mary or Martha

So the last few days have been interesting. I do not want to repeat what my hubby just posted but you can read it for yourself if you want ( www.mattleeman.blogspot.com ). The point that you all need to know for the rest of my blog is that Monday morning Matt was laid off. The funny thing is that God is doing amazing things in both of us throw this. The last few days I have had moments of just wanting to break down and cry; but other then that I have pretty much found peace.

Last night at Girls Small Group I was sharing this high and low (low obviously, but high because of seeing how my husband has grown-read his blog for more) and then Megan want to pray for us and me (never refuse prayer is what I say). The awesome thing is that as she was praying for me she talking about seeing me sit at God's feet and be His princess and have peace. As she was talking God said that in all of this I will daily have the choice to be Mary or Martha-I can either get up and do something (which is my usual reaction) and try to make things "better" or I can just rest at Jesus' feet and dwell in His peace.

Papa I choose your rest and peace-I am not in control never have been and I do not want to try to do something and make it all better when you have the best plan already taking action. You are amazing and I praise you for just being my Papa.

Daughter for Sell or Rent

Okay I really love me daughter but seriously if I have to spank or punish her for disrespecting me and everyone else anymore she just might go to the highest bidder. The last few days have been full of her taking toys form other kids; not giving them back or apologizing and then telling (or really yelling at) me what she wants to do. Really a person can only take so much of this.

God please give me the wisdom to teach my daughter to respect people and the patients to deal with her learning curve.

Serving..it is what Jesus did.

So I have been learning about the true heart of God as a servant. It seems like every book I have ready (I am currently reading 3) and every one I hear talk it all points to this. Maybe God is trying to teach me something:). I think that the biggest thing that is sticking out to my right now it that serving openly was Jesus' biggest "ministry" (if you can say he had a ministry; I think He just spent every day in relationship with God and man and did what he could to serve them). Not only did Jesus serve the disciples and the people following him; but he told the disciples to go ahead of him into the city and to find a person of honor (some one of standing and leadership in the city); and then they would offer their serves to them-what kind of doors did they have open to them in doing that?

God-help me to have a servant heart. I long to serve the people around me; where they need it with no agenda.

Roller Coaster for Three Days

So Wednesday throw Friday was like riding a roller coaster for three days. God did a lot in our lives and He left us seeking His face (which I believe is our ultimate purpose; to seek God's face). He always comes through (and He also works all things together for His good and for the good of those who love Him). He for sure got the message across that He is in control and that we are were He wants us to be.

Connecting

Living everyday for today, living in the God moments, staying on the path to see the views, and just being. Really is that all God wants form me; He really just wants me to live each day connected to Him. It is so simple but we make it so complex. God help me live today connecting with you every moment.

"Stay on the Path. Take No Short Cuts. It Causes Erosion.

... And You Miss the View!"

The Shack

I am reading this book (the Shack) and it is just amazing to me the things that are sticking out. The author is very creative and man did God gift him. The book is really about relationships; and mostly our relationship with God. It is changing my perspective on a lot of things and I am having to reseal with some other things.

I do not want to give to much away; but I would really recommend this book. The Shack by William P Young

Grieving a friendship lost

So I have been realizing lately that I am losing a friend. It is kind of a weird situation. I have been throw a lot with this person; but the one thing that I have come to realize is that the relationship is a co-dependent one. I am this persons friend when they need me or when I pursue them. There is not much effort on there part to be my friend nor are they the first person to answer the call when I need them.

The odd thing is that while I am sad for them and I am grieving the loss of this friendship I also know that it is in God's hands and I have a peace about the situation. It is really like the separation is God's plan. I know that may sound funny; but I have come to realize that there are people God puts in our life for a season and only for a season and then there are other people that no matter what the situation or what life circumstances there are will be a part of it. 

Relationships are so weird; I am glade God has them figured out.

Bored

My mom used to tell me all the time that being bored was a sin; and it used to just make me mad (mostly because she was right). 

I have been thinking a lot about that the last few months; and I am realizing not only was she right but was she really right and on so many levels. If we are allowing ourselves to be bored we are not occupying our minds, we are not focusing on God, we are just being ideal, and the crazier thing is that honestly we are choosing to do all of these things. We are choosing to set and be bored and to have a bad attitude; when we could be choosing to do so many other things that focus on the the lord. 

So the next time you think you are bored; ask yourself if you choosing to be in a place of boredom.

Lets talk!

Lets talk! So easy to say but we have attached so much emotion, frustration, and anger to those two little words. I am coming to realize how hard it really easy for people to honestly just talk about their problems, frustrations, and etc. Really if we could all just get over ourselves and set done and talk throw our problems that would go a long way. I can not stop but think how different relationships would be if we could set aside our self preservation and approach each other in love; and work throw our issues. Really do we have to just keep bottling all of our stuff up and then letting it come out side ways. It is just hard; and in the long run we would all be better off to treat each other with respect and deal with our issues even then they involve people in our lives.

My Mountain Climbing

 I feel like a am at the beginning of an up hill battle and I have been there for a few months. I know in praying and arguing with God that this is just were he has me right know; but I most be honest I am not really enjoying it right know. The funny thing is that it is not really an up hill battle in one particular thing it is really every thing. I know that I have said here I am Lord; and am not turning back from what you have called me to do-and right now He is telling me to climb that mountain of life one rocky horrible step at a time and to keep striving for the goal. I am just at a place that I am going to take the steps that he is telling me to take; but I do not like the way that some of them look or how is wants me to stand on them. 

Lord please change my heart so that I can look at each step in front of me with your passion and enthusiasm. Allow me to see the mountain you have me climbing throw your eyes as your beautiful creation.

Anniversary

Matt and I just celebrated our 5 year anniversary (July 19) and it is crazy to me to think that 5 years is longer then the average couple makes it. I will not say that it has been easy or that every thing has gone the way that we have planned. It is actually quite the opposite; but it is easy when we remember our commitment made to God and then to each other, and when we remember that He is the one that brought us together.