A Very Unproductive Day

Sometimes it's good to have a lazy day. Today was one of those days for me. It was rather enjoyable. I was blessed with a phone call from my sweet Daddy, a chat with Samantha, and another call from my sweet Mommy. In the middle of all the phone calls, I listened to some new songs, clicked around on eBay and did absolutely nothing. It felt great. 


There are very few days that I have time to just be lazy. Most days I am doing something to benefit myself or others. Although I sit here and see a bed that needs to be made and a pile of clothes that need to be put away, and some laundry that needs to be washed, I'm still rather certain that I am ok with having had a lazy day today. Ask me tomorrow when I am trying to finish up all the laundry though, and I may have second thoughts.


Things here in our happy little home are, well, happy. We watched 'The Blind Side' not once, but twice yesterday and enjoyed every minute of it. Such a great movie. I'm sure all of America has seen it already, but Sam and I are usually a little behind on things. Everyone is doing great and we're all ready for summer!

Patience

Not exactly my best feature. But it's something I'm working on. It's hard knowing that there is something you want. It's right there in front you, an arms length away. You could reach out and grab it, and no doubt hold on to it for eternity...if only there wasn't something keeping you from fully wrapping your hands around it.

I feel like God is testing my patience right now. Maybe not patience, exactly. More like my trust and faith in Him. There are so many things that I want to happen in my life right now. Right at this moment. Sometimes I try too hard to make them happen. It always backfires, it's never the right time, and it never works out.

So for now, I'm praying and practicing patience.

A Shaded Road

La Pinada, Guatemala, 2009

Sometimes I feel like I walk on an unpaved road. Not sure of the bumps and rocks that will get in my way. The above picture is how I sometimes vision what my life looks like right now...at least what it looks like to me.

Some very bright areas where it is easy to walk.

These are the areas where I know what is going to happen. Where I am going, who I will see, what I will be doing. My comfort zone. An easy place to be. A comfortable place to be. A place where my insecurities are all but a distant memory.

And then, there are the shaded paths. Paths that I don't want to walk alone.

A place where it is hard to see. Hard to trust. Hard to know what lies ahead. A path that I don't want to walk alone. Simply because I don't know what is in store.

When I get to the shaded areas in life, I remember

Jeremiah 29:11~ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and to not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I was walking a shaded area yesterday. All day thoughts of my trip to Guatemala consumed my mind. How am I going to raise the money? Am I going to be able to save enough to pay bills while I am gone? Can I really do this? were all questions that flooded my mind. I went into work with these thoughts.
One of my favorite couples came in to eat with me last night. They are angels that lit my path last night. After catching up like we normally do I began to tell them about my trip. They were so excited with me and when I went to grab their drinks they prayed for me and for the trip. When I was getting ready to drop off their check, the sweet woman who has been so quick to take care of me in times of need, folded up a check and placed it in my hand.
"It has been on my heart all night to give you this. It isn't much, but it's something."
Two simple sentences that touched me to tears. A couple that was sent on a day that I was worrying when I shouldn't have been. A couple sent to remind me that their is light on path always....the light of Jesus. Sent to remind me that I shouldn't ever doubt the hand of God.

I may walk a shaded road at times, but the light of Jesus is never far away.

Guatemala 2010

My sweet boy, Edgar~2009

I am slowly preparing for my next trip to Guatemala. I was so blessed to be able to go last year and I am so excited that God has made a way for me to go again this year. I am looking forward to seeing my sweet little boy, Edgar, and loving on the children and people of Guatemala. They entered my heart a year ago and they haven't left it since. You can go back and read about my experiences on the blog I started before I left the last time {here}. (There are several posts that I haven't posted there yet, mainly because some of the things I haven't been ready to share yet. In time, they will appear.)

I am currently praying that God will provide for this trip. The cost is around $1,000 and so far I have about $300. I'm completely walking by faith here. I know that God will provide, everything will be taken care of, and His name will be honored through it all. If you feel led to give toward furthering His kingdom and would like to help out with this trip, please email me Emilyroach2@gmail.com

Your gifts will be used to witness to the people of Guatemala, to pave a way for them, and for them to hear and know the love of Jesus.

My trip dates are May 28-June 6, 2010. Please start praying now for the people, for our team, and for God's glory to be shown.

Spring Day at the Zoo

Me, Abigail, and Caleb

Today we loaded up kids and headed to the zoo. Sasha with her 3 and Sarah with her 2. We had such a good time and the kids were all so good! We saw all the animals and played in the play area and rode a carousel. I have been so blessed to have such great friends in my life and love the time I get to spend with them.

Foster and Caleb

My Daddy

This is a picture of me and my sweet Daddy before he left for Iraq. We were blessed enough to be able to spend a few days with him at Camp Shelby before they headed out. While Camp Shelby is not our favorite place to be, it feels like home when you're there with your daddy. I miss him so much. I haven't talked to him in almost a week. I'm so thankful for the daddy that I have and the sacrifices that he makes daily for our country. He is such a great leader and takes such good care of his men. His job is important to him and he does it with pride...all to provide for our family and for our country. Please pray for our soldier's safety and that they come home soon!

Really Slacking

Wow. I have done horrible at keeping up with my blog this year. I have been so busy it is most certainly the last thing on my to do list each day.

The last few nights I have been going back through and reading all my previous entries. I have been through so much and come out on top on so many things. I like being able to look back and see what all I've done and what all I have accomplished...and also see the things that I still need to work on.

I am almost finished with school. My last day is March 19. It has been a long time coming and I'm so excited to be finished.

Daddy is in Iraq now and I miss him a lot. I have been able to talk to him a few times on Skype and I'm really glad. I can't wait until he is back though.

I have so many new pictures to post and updates to give. Hopefully I can get back to a regular blogging schedule!

I have no excuse....

...for taking an almost 3 month hiatus from blogging. I have literally been non-stop that my schedule has just not had any time, or if I have had a few moments to spare, blogging has not been at the top of my list.

The last few months have gone by in a blur. I am nearing the end of cosmetology school and I'm super excited about that. I still have no idea where I'm going to work. I'm trying to follow God on that. I have some ideas about some things, but I'm trying to just simply follow Him in them.

Thanksgiving was great, Christmas was great, New Years..eh, not so great ( I had a stomach virus that was pretty violent). But so far, the new year has been amazing. God is really working!

My dad leaves in just a few weeks for Iraq. Please pray for him. Last week he lost a close friend of his and was unable to leave from Camp Shelby to go to the funeral . Life of an army man. I hate that he wasn't able to come in. He has a lot on him while he takes the last few days preparing his guys to go over seas. I'm thankful my mom and sister and I will get the chance to fly down and spend the last few days with him before he leaves.

I'm working on uploading some new pictures now, so more in detail posts to follow!

"It's the little things"

A few nights ago the girls and I decided to bake a cake for dessert. We had a little fun with food coloring and make a pink cake with blue and purple frosting. The girls had so much fun helping and frosting the cake. They are getting so big and independent. They are a blast to be around and I'm always trying to think of new and fun things to do with them. While we were digging through the pantry trying to find the food coloring, Makenna found some sprinkles. I sat her up on the counter and we each took a second to eat a handful of sprinkles. After she finished her mouthful, she smiled and said, "It's the little things that are so much fun!" She is too precious!

And she is right. It really is the little things in life that are so much fun. It's extra bath time so your Barbie's can swim longer. It's handfuls of sprinkles and dessert before supper. It's big blankets and movies on the couch. It's popcorn for supper. It's the little things that make memories. And I'm so happy I can make the little things fun for these sweet girls!

My Best Friends Wedding...Chapter 3: The Bach Party

Rheanne's wedding is getting closer. A few weekends ago I headed to Nashville and we had her bachelorette party. It was fun hanging out with the old group of girls that I grew up with.