A Blessing in Disguise

I just heard on the radio that they are having a contest right now about sharing a blessing in disguise.  As soon as I heard that I thought of my kids.  My youngest actually.  The way that we finally got him has definitely been a blessing in disguise.

My husband and I had our first two children right when we wanted them.  Then we were ready for our third.  Just as before I got pregnant right away.  We were so excited and I couldn’t wait to have a little baby in our home again.  Then things began to happen that hadn’t happened before with the other two pregnancies.  I went to the doctor and they said that I was still pregnant and to just lay low for the weekend and come back in a few days.

Then a storm came through our city.  As I drove back to the doctor’s office I knew I couldn’t be pregnant anymore.  This was just not normal for me.  Because of the storm I had to drive alone past downed trees all the way.  That didn’t help the sadness.  But then a song played on my car radio that God used to speak to me.  He reminded me that He was there.  God is definitely close to the brokenhearted.

Over time we kept trying to get pregnant and God spoke to my heart that the longer it took, the longer I could be a mom.  I loved being a mom.  We did finally have our third child and now I am realizing what God meant by that – that I could be a mom longer.

Now my husband and I are about to send off our two oldest children.  Our oldest daughter left for college a few years ago and she is getting married this summer.  Our next child, our son, is graduating from high school soon and will leave for college at the end of the summer.  (Someone pass the tissues, please!)  As our children have grown, my relationship with them has changed and it is so nice to become more of a friend and not so much a mom anymore.  They are wonderful young adults now and definitely ready to go.

But I still get to be a mom.  Our youngest is in middle school.  Can you imagine if he were in high school right now?  Those years go by so quickly.  God knows our future.  He knew that it would be good for me to wait for that child and He gave him to us at just the right time.  God’s time is always the best.

So that is my blessing in disguise right now.  A very difficult time, but I grew so close to God through it and I still get to be a mom for a few more years.  Thanks, God!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose,” (Romans 8:28 NIV).

btw, check out the picture of the little boy at the end of this attached video handing his mom a dandelion.  Now I need those tissues again! 🙂

A Flower in the Sand

I love teaching my Good News Club.  Everything about it is so much fun.  Except for sending off our fifth graders.  Our club has kindergarten through fifth grade because the sixth graders go to another school for middle school.  The good thing is that I have a child in that middle school so I still get to see those kids sometimes!

We always send off our fifth graders at our final club for the year and this week as I prayed for these kids God showed me a picture for one of them specifically.  It’s so neat!  I won’t tell you who the child is or the specific application for her, but I will share this picture because there is something neat for all of us from this.

I saw a flower.  It had a tall green stem and lots of petals, like a pinkish red rose.  And it stood up nice and straight.  Then I noticed that it was standing in sand.  Lots of sand.  And it was light outside.  And God showed me that we are to remember who we are and stand tall just like that flower.  We are created by a God who loves us and knows us.  We are beautiful to Him and He is making us even more beautiful.

When I think of that sand I remember when my children were younger and we went to the park a lot.  We had several plastic forms to make sand castles in the sand at the park.  It was so much fun!  We built castles and made towns and roads between castles.  We even poured some of our water around the castles to make moats.  And we made sand bridges.  Then we would leave for the day.  Some days when we came back to the park our castles were still there, but some days when we came back our castles were gone.  Sometimes completely destroyed by rain pounding them down and sometimes squashed by little shoes.

So we need to remember who we are – people loved by the God who made us and knows us – no matter what happens around us.  We must always remember to look to God.  To talk to God.  To trust God.  And as we do that we will stand tall like that beautiful flower standing in the sand.

Then I saw more petals on the flower grow and open.  It was beautiful.  And you are beautiful as you look to God today.

Another neat thing about this is that our final lesson for this school year is about the Holy Spirit.  What a neat way to encourage these kids to listen to the Holy Spirit and to let these kids know how much God loves them.  Yep, you gotta love Good News Club.  And our awesome God!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

It has come to my attention that this is National Poetry Month so in honor of that and the fact that I have learned that many of you, like myself, like chocolate chip cookies, I have written a poem for you, my readers.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Chocolate chip cookies are oh so sweet.

They are my favorite kind of cookies to eat.

I know about monster and sugar and all of the rest,

But I have to say that chocolate chip cookies are the best.

I watch warm chocolate chips melting into the dough

And when they come out of the oven I love them so.

Chocolate chip cookies are the best, but it’s okay if you don’t agree

Cuz if you don’t like them there will be more for me!

-Lori 🙂

Happy Easter!

Beautiful Blogger Award!

Thank you to Sandy at http://lbtk.wordpress.com/ for giving me the “Beautiful Blogger Award!”  Everyone go check out Sandy’s blog.  She is definitely a “beautiful blogger” and I am honored to receive this award from her!

In accepting this award, I get to nominate 7 other beautiful bloggers!  So here they are (in no particular order):

Victoria at Twirling Girl:  http://twirlygirl.wordpress.com/

Dee at Cheap & Fabulous Mom on a nickel:  http://cheapandfabulousmom.wordpress.com/

Nissi at Nissi Knows!:  http://nissiknows.wordpress.com/

April at Thoughts from the Porch:  http://aprilhawk.wordpress.com/

NanaDoll at momtoldmetowriteabook:  http://momtoldmetowriteabook.wordpress.com/

Anna at Anna’s One Life:  http://annasonelife.wordpress.com/

Tricia at Tricia’s Journal Jots Blog:  http://triciajots4jesus.wordpress.com/

Thank you, Sandy!  -Lori 🙂

Versatile Blogger Award!

Thank you to Anna at Anna’s One Life at http://annasonelife.wordpress.com/  for giving me the “Versatile Blogger Award!”  Anna has a wonderful blog and I am honored to receive this award from her.  Everyone go check out Anna’s blog!

In accepting this award, I have some rules to follow:

1.  Nominate 15 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging (or whose blogs you enjoy most).

2.  Let them know that you nominated them.

3.  Share 7 random facts about yourself.

4.  Thank the blogger who nominated you.

5.  Add the Versatile Blogger Award to your blog post.

So here are 7 random facts about me:

1.  I like to read books about children’s ministry, marriage, parenting and Bible study.

2.  I like nail polish that dries in 30 seconds.  (Best invention ever!)

3.  I like to play Bananagrams inside and go for walks outside.

4.  I like microwave popcorn and movies at home with my family.

5.  BarlowGirl is my favorite band.

6.  Chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven are the best!

7.  I love teaching kids and being a wife and mom!

Now I get to spread the joy!  Here are my nominations (in no particular order):

Rebecca at Passion Tea for Breakfast:  http://passionteaforbreakfast.wordpress.com/

Trisha at At least we made it this far…:  http://trishadm.wordpress.com/

Cathy at Did Jesus Have a Facebook Page:  http://craigmotor.wordpress.com/

Sandy at lbtk:  http://lbtk.wordpress.com/

Linda at Natural True Beauty:  http://sewawesomeness.wordpress.com/

Cristal at Refusing to Tiptoe:  http://refusingtotiptoe.wordpress.com/

Jenny at FULLOFHISGRACE:  http://fullofhisgrace.wordpress.com/

Olive at My World:  http://b4twilight.wordpress.com/

Leena at justmeleena:  http://justmeleena.wordpress.com/

Bird at Everyone Has A Story:  http://birdmartin.wordpress.com/

Bryan at Chief of the least:  http://chiefofleast.wordpress.com/

The author of Daily Mom Prayers at http://dailymomprayers.wordpress.com/

Mich at Inspired and Blessed:  http://inspiredandblessed.wordpress.com/

J at Hearing God Today:  http://hearinggodtoday.wordpress.com/

Becca at beccadistal:  http://beccadistal.wordpress.com/

Thank you, Anna!  -Lori 🙂

The Latest Buddy Bee Book Buzz

Buddy Bee is definitely buzzing around my town!

The Parables Christian Bookstore in my city ordered “Papa’s Plan for Buddy Bee” from their distributor to be sold in their store.  Thank you Parables!

I recently was invited to read my book to the first graders at a Christian school here in town.  It was so much fun!  I read the story and then we all brainstormed together ways that we can share the love of God with others right where we are today, like at basketball, dance class, at home and in our neighborhoods.  The kids had great ideas!  I was so glad to have enough time to sing a fun song with them, which they wanted to sing again before I left, and also to memorize a Bible verse from the story (with a game, of course!).  When I shared the gospel, several children responded.  The school now wants me to come back and do a chapel time!  Thank you to Lifegate Christian School for inviting me.  You have wonderful first graders!

“Papa’s Plan for Buddy Bee” is available as an e-book!  Now it is available at the Westbow Press Bookstore online, but soon it will be available from other vendors as well.

The Lifegate Church Bookstore is carrying my book and it is a “Pastor’s Pick” right now!  Thank you Lifegate Church!

This book is a story about a young bee that looks at his smart, athletic brother and popular sister and also at his crooked stinger and doesn’t think that he could ever do anything important.  Then he learns that his papa has a plan for him!  You have to see the illustrations.  Hannah Segura illustrated the book and she is amazing!  It’s a great book for kids of all ages.  Your kids will love it!

You can purchase your copy here on my blog or online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Westbow Press.

Buddy Bee is buzzing!