Staff Sgt. Please

Tuesday was a big day in the Thompson household. After months of Tanner studying day in and day out. He finally tested for Staff Sgt. An as nervous as he was I think I was in even more of a panic. I new that he had put in so much time and energy into preparing for this test. All I could do was to keep reminding myself that he is an incredibly smart guy and every tests he takes he always does really well on. But for some reason this time I was feeling different. It was different because I knew how much he wanted it, needed it even. I knew that as small as this test seems to everyone else it has the power to change everything for us. It determines the first steps in Tanners military career? Determines his career field? An ultimately It determines wheather we stay here at Warren or go? All these possibilies are what made me anxious. An the worst part is this anxiety will last till August until we find out if he will be adding a forth stripe to his uniform?

He looks like a Sgt. right?

Psalm 20:4

May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.

Tea Parties

From a very early age I always loved throwing tea parties. I would gather up all my dolls and stuffed animals around my little table and serve them crumpets and tea as if we were royalty. Once I past the stage of make believe. I started collecting tea sets. An I had a beautiful collection of mini sets. Some had flowers or designs, some had animals, and some even had cartoons. But none compared to my grandmas antique tea pot. I loved that tea pot. I was so fascinated by the beauty, detail, and the pristine care it was in after so many years. This is the reason I wasn't allowed to touch it. So instead, I would just admire it from afar on the shelf it sat on.
Fast forward to today when I received a package in the mail from my mom. I was so excited. I love getting care packages from her. Normally there filled with some of my favorite things you can only get in Michigan. Like Bob Evans famous BBQ sauce, giant white tootsie rolls, some of my favorite tea or things that I can't afford like hair product and gadgets from hair shows that she goes to. But this package was extra special. I proceeded to open up this giant box filled with little white packing peanuts when to my surprise I found a second box. I tore through this one that was filled with even more little white packing peanuts. When I dug deeper I found a bamboo box. An inside was a glass flowering tea set. This was enough to excite me. I couldn't wait to open it and watch the tea diffuse from the the flower.

 When I looked back in the box I saw a big ball of bubble wrap. An hidden inside was my grandmas antique tea pot!! I couldn't hold in my excitement! Tears ran down my face. Through the years my tea sets have shattered, been sold or disappeared but let me just say this one will be cherished. Just like it has for many many years. I am so excited to display this tea pot for everyone to see. An I look forward to one day being able to pass it down to my future daughter.

Superwomen

This morning I woke up with this amazing energy. A feeling like I could concur the world or maybe just my 2200sq foot home. Either way I felt like super women. These moments don't come as often I'd like. Most days I struggle with my day to day Routine. An end up fighting myself through it. Not this morning. There was a little extra pep in my step. This could have been contributed to a full pot of coffee I drank before 8 am. Just a thought. None the less life just felt exciting an for the first time in a while I didn't feel like anonymity was running my life.

So I started my morning off with what I would like to admit is my daily routine of a morning working out. Sadly this has became more of a passing thought than anything else. Let me just say after 30 minutes of cardio I wish the thought would have passed before I started. But sticking to my superwoman mentality I didn't stop there. I decided today was going to be a day of change. An with that meant it was time for me to rearrange the furniture again! So I started in my office which was in dire need of some serious TLC. An by tender loving care I mean from top to bottom. I cleaned out the closet that held useless junk mail, old cords that I'm not sure even have a use anymore, several old cell phones, and piles of junk. After completing that superwoman size task I decided that it was time to bake a cake. One hour later and the timer went off and I pulled out a homemade funfetti cake. An started dinner in the crock pot. While waiting for the 4 hours it would take my honey BBQ pork to cook I went to the basement and went through all the leftover tubs of books and miscellaneous. An started another quite large project of tearing the basement apart. Unfortunately I didn't quite get to the putting it back together part before Tanner came home. That will be an adventure for another day when superwoman comes back to visit. Hopefully sooner then later.

Next Chapter

After stepping down from my job at the end of January. I've had a lot of time to reflect and grow. Don't get me wrong I really miss the day to day life of being a working women. But I can't even begin to tell you the transformation I feel God doing in me! Being obedient and stepping down from my job of 2 years was hard but I never knew the reward that would come from such a simple(and by simple i mean scary and nerve racking) act of obedience. It's given me a greater understanding of what it means to rely on God as my provider. An has given me a deeper desire and longing for him. 

 As of right now Iv'e decided to spend a season relaxing. Those of you who know me know that I don't relax we'll. Even with nothing to do I still feel like I have to do everything. It's been good though to "try" to slow myself down. Its given me a chance to unpack the boxes in the basement from our move 9 months ago into our beautiful new home. It's given me the opportunity to organize the whole house from top to bottom more then once and spring clean on a weekly bases. I don't think I have OCD I just have a lot of time on my hands. But in all reality Its given me plenty of time to spend in my quite time and catching up on reading, trying new recipes, baking, and creating new things that I find on Pinterest. focusing on my physical healing, and Preparing for my college courses. I love that this is a season of rest that God has given me before I jump in to the crazy hectic life of going back to college full time as a nursing student. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

You Are Good Enough!

Recently I have been spending a lot of time praying, fasting, and meditating on Gods word looking for clarity and wisdom. Iv'e known since I was young the call that God has put on my heart but have often struggled with am I good enough? am I ready? An in the exact moment of feeling sorry for myself and saying poor me. God reminded me this. My hope is this will inspire someone like it has inspired me.

Do you seriously think God can't use you?

Noah was a Drunk
Abraham was to Old
Jacob was a Liar
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson was a womanizer
Rahab was prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were to young
David had an affair and was a murder
Elijah was suicidal
Isiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter Denied Christ
Martha worried about everything
Zaccheus was to small
Paul was to religious
Timothy had an ulcer
Lazarus was dead

Fond Memories Never Forgotten

As a child I always lived on the water. From our first home on Lake Missaukkee to the house my parents live in now on the Clam River and my absolute favorite, the place that is the most dear to my heart, our families Cottage on Gun Lake. I feel like I was born in the water and always loved being apart of all the laughter and love that was associated with being at the lake. I have vivid memories growing up and spending my weekends with the whole family. Wanting to be cool enough to hang out with all of my older cousins, tagging along with them where ever they went. I'm sure they loved having me around. I just can't believe that those memories are all we are going to have left of the lake now that the cottage is sold. I don't think we realize just how much we took the lake for granted waking up on Saturday mornings to my grandma playing the piano basking in the sun on the Pon toon, tubing, water skiing, jet skiing, picnics in the backyard, walks and bike yards through the cul de sac. I can't imagine how its feels for our parents watching all of us kids grow up at the lake. Its feels like were losing a piece of the family, a piece of tradition. It breaks my heart now that all of us kids are grown and have families we wont be able to share the same memories of the cottage with them.

The cottage

Sunday Picnics with the Meyering Family

Lesson Learned

Is it just me or are Some of the biggest life lessons the hardest to hear when we are being faced with something that seems so much Bigger. Perhaps its just me but i know a lot of the time I spend so much of my time worrying about the situation that it sometimes it feels like all the time that I have spent praying about it is in vain. An I know thats not true. I know that in Gods word it clearly says "ask and you will receive." I just sometimes wonder that when we are going through a difficult situation do we spend so much time trying to do what Jesus would do that we don't take the time to really listen to what he is calling us to do. Just a thought.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7