Something happened the other day that after-wards  I applied a spiritual application to it.
  My mother-in-law phoned yesterday and since Paul wasn't home, she gave a message for me to give him.  After she was all through with what it was she had said to me she added, "So that's it, that is what I want him to do, so please tell him  that." And with that, she was ready to hang up.  And that's when I started to panic because the whole time she had been giving me the message I had been wonderfully multitasking and was busy doing some writing on my laptop.  Now here she wanted me to tell him exactly what she had said, and but I didn't have a clue what it was. Even though I had heard every word, I in actuality barely hardly caught any of it.
 So I tried hard to recall what she had told me, and had to quickly ask some questions so I could get the message straight to give to Paul. I certainly didn't want her to know I had been distracted, and that I hadn't really been listening to her.  Well it worked,  I got the key details  I needed, delivered the message later, and she never knew!!
 

   We read that we are not to be conformed to the things of this world, but be transformed. ( Romans 12:2) God told us to be strong and courageous.( Joshua 1:6-7 ) And He said. "If you love me, keep my commandments." (John 15:14)  But are we really listing?

​ Are we taking our eyes off Jesus? Remember what happened when Peter was walking on water and took his eyes off Jesus. He began to sink. That is exactly what happens to us too when we take our eyes off Jesus. We may not be walking on water, but we are walking on the road called life. And it will be a very difficult walk without our eyes firmly focused on Jesus. We will certainly sink! 
  Are we listening to the lies of Satan instead of God's truth? We are supposed to not only be hearers of God's Word but doers of His Word. ( James 1: 22-24 )
 We are to read His Word, hear it with open hears and an open heart, and then go out and live it! Day in, and day out!
 ~ Let's not be distracted. May we truly hear His Word today!

 Over looking the City of Billings. We just had to stop for some photos!!

 On the last night on the road we stopped in the town of Clayton, New Mexico. And we stayed in a little motel called Clayton! Pretty neat!

  We left the white & cold snow for this warm & green Texas weather. It was cool here though when we arrived for the first few days. But has warmed right up now, in fact the children complain that it is too hot. Oh no! And the first day of summer is still ways off!  And we are suppose to be here till August. Hoping the summer goes really, really, really fast!

 From our house to yours, have a blessed day!!
 And smile, because God loves you!
In Him, Mae

  I had meant to write this post several months ago but just never managed to do it. Now it is nearly a year since our son Clayton's quad accident when he went home to be with the Lord.
  Shortly after we had lost our son, I had written down on a note paper about all the things that we seen that clearly pointed to him.
 So I am writing this now reflecting back over that time. It is hard not to have all these memories and thoughts going through my head as the first anniversary of his death draws near.
 
  Everywhere we looked we seen you, our dear son.
  Your school books laying on your bed, that you were working on that day, with your pencil  neatly beside them.
 The pile of trash in the back of the truck you cleaned out of that little shed so you could sleep out there this summer.
 Down in the basement were your little seedlings you had started in planter pots, which later I transplanted out in the garden for you.
  The items you wanted and had written on the shopping list on the fridge that we were to get for you the next day in town.
  The shelve in the utility room where you kept all your goodies from pocket knives to pocket change, from hockey tape to hunting supplies.
  And on the calendar for the month of June you had written in pencil on the 14th day, "My 15th B-day", which I found a couple weeks after you had passed on.
 And the stuff you ordered on E-bay from China started arriving  package by package with in a couple months.
 Your clothes that went through the laundry.
 Everywhere we looked, outside and in, we couldn't help but see you. Your psychical presence no longer with us, but  there was much evidence of you still.
 You always will be forever a real part of our lives. 
   You touched us with your amazing love and life for nearly 15 years, and you will always be in our memories and in our hearts.
 Till we meet again. 

   And as I look back over this year, our first year with out our son, I see that is just the way it is with God too.
 God is everywhere we look. He has been with me and my family every step of the way on the new journey we are on.
 In my pain and sorrow He is there holding my hand. Giving me joy. Giving me peace.
 Giving me the strength to keep going when I just don't feel like it.
 Giving me hope that though we have lost our son from our home here, I know he is now in his forever home waiting on us.
  Everywhere I look I see our Heavenly Father. His loving presence letting me know that He knows my hurts, He sees my tears, and He cares.
   In the timely and caring words of a friend. And in my 3 month old sweetest smile during the time of my rawest grief. I would smile back at her through my tears and say, " You are just here for my  joy aren't you"?

  Nothing just happens to those who love Him, that I know for His Word tells me so, but all things work out for good who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
 I still hurt like crazy some days, but I still know my God is with me and for me.
 Even though we will never be the same again with our eight precious children here around us.
  I know He makes no mistakes, and He called our dear son Home for a reason.
 When I open His Word and longing read His Scriptures His love pours off the pages and into my heart. 
 I hear Him say, " I love you my child, and I have a great plan for you." I am right with you, for I will never leave you or forsake you."
  ~Lord help me to trust you more and leave everything in your caring and capable hands.

  To you my reader, I don't know your story and what you may be going through right now, but I know my God and I know He is big enough to handle what ever it is.
​ He loves you and cares for you. If your  heart is breaking He can heal it and help you through or around your problem, and give you peace and joy again.
 If your marriage is broken he can help you resolve, or help you to move on. You don't have to remain broken. Let Him be your help.
 He is our  hope to restoration, new life, everlasting peace and joy. Call on Him today. He is waiting for you! His arms are open wide for you to run into them. So stop running from Him, and run into Him instead.
In Him, Mae
 p.s. please feel free to contact me if you need someone to chat with or if you have any prayer request.

  Here it is the first week in April and about the 3rd week into spring, and we still have tons of snow out there and it has been fairly cold too. We even got another dump of snow, about 9 inches, on the first day of spring! With this cold weather the snow does not appear to be going any where anytime soon. Though when it does decide to warm up the snow can go pretty fast and there will be lots of puddles of water every where. So that could happen pretty quick even though it looks right now that we are in the middle of winter.
 This time last year almost all the snow was gone. The children had all the bikes out, and they had a tent set up out by the driveway. And was even playing ball together. It was much warmer too. So a very different spring this year.  At least this winter the children got to go our local ski hill. The last 2 years it had been closed due to a lack of snow. No lack of snow this year. So that is one good thing! 
  We have big mounds of snow in our yard from plowing the drive way, so it has created the children a wonderful sledding place. I will share some pictures here of them out sledding. This is how it looks right now in April. But the snow should be all gone by the first of May when it is gardening time here. So no worries!! :)

  But this time next week we will be leaving all this snow behind and heading to our other home in Texas for the summer. All the children are excited. They love the traveling part because of restaurants, motels, and pools. Plus they love it in Texas.
   I, on the other hand, do not enjoying traveling --four longs days in the van with not always happy and behaved children. And I don't really enjoy Texas either. It will be hot!! It is far away from my mom and dad.
  And this will be our first trip going back with out our one son, Clayton. Then about 2 months after getting there our oldest son, Nathan, will fly back here and work at the Bible Camp again for the summer. He really looks forward to that. And I am happy for him of course. But I will miss him like crazy, and he will be so far away from us. So I am not as excited about this trip as everyone else is. I will just have to trust and rest in God more. And every thing will be okay.
   When we get there we will have to resume school again. How it is we have been keeping very diligent at it. We will try to keep school going right till about the last couple days before we leave. Though it is getting harder and harder to keep their minds on their books since they are excited about traveling and packing. I know after getting there it will take a bit to get back in routine to get schooling going good again. And therefore making us later in the summer. Not fun doing school late in the summer.

 
  I may not be able to keep up my blogging as I would like while we are in our Texas home because we may not have internet hooked up. I usually got over to my bothers to access the internet while we are there, and that is not as handy. But if I can keep up blogging I certainly will. I will keep giving encouragement and inspiration as it comes to me!

   Thanks for reading my blog. And take care you all!
 God loves you and has great plans for you!
​
 Until Next time,
In Him, Mae