Y is for You Need to Hear This!

After having a week to settle into the news, as best as one can, of my husband's deployment there has been time to process and think about a lot of things. A few I have already shared with some of you privately, but many I feel the need to say to you as a mass! ;)  After this, we are moving on!  Well, mostly! ;)

Just because I am going through something big does not make what you are going through small.  THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO JUST OUR FAMILY!  Please hear me say this...

I know the human tendency is for us not to want to share our own hard day with a friend when we know they are struggling too.  Our "stuff" just seems to pale in comparison.  Please don't do that.  We all have bad days, and we all need to be able to share with friends.  I used to tell people, it doesn't matter if your husband is gone one day, one weekend, one month, or one year, when YOU are in the middle of it it stinks! Let's don't play the comparison game and please do not feel like you cannot have a bad day just because I am having a bad day.

Please do not be too proud of us!  Seriously.  Some days we will do great (yay us!) and other days we will fail miserably and sometimes publicly.  The pressure to live up to peoples' expectations is a lot of pressure. If you put us on a pedestal, we will all be disappointed when we fall off.  It will happen!

Just because we have done this before does not make it any less painful and scary.  Just have to get that out there.  Yes, this is the third time we have done this.  (one other time for a year and once for 7 months)  As I told my husband, sometimes the fear of the known is actually worse than the fear of the unknown.  'nuff said!

I know it is easy to slip into a conversation about people you know who are going though or who have gone through similar situations.  Unless they have happy endings, please do not share.  I do not want to get into a "who has it worse" conversation, nor hear of all the people who did not make it home.

We are not the only ones going through a hard situation.  All it takes is to step outside your home to see that.  There are people suffering, lonely, scared, and hurting at every corner.  There are people, some of our friends included, that are navigating some pretty hard stuff!  Reach out to those around you and make a difference in their day.

I live in the best community!  I think I have told you that before.  We have people by our sides daily that love us and are taking care of us.  They have won our hearts and we will forever be grateful.

YOUR PRAYERS MATTER!  Really, they do.  Every time I am tempted to sink into fear or despair I remind myself that there are friends all over this world that have committed to pray for us.  Not just say they will, but WILL!  If you are one of those people, thank you.  You are appreciated far more than you will ever know!

God is still in control!  I said it last week, but it remains the same.  And I am reminding myself of it daily.  I pray you are too!

Blessings,

"Trust in The Lord forever, for The Lord, The Lord himself, is the Rock eternal." Isaiah 2:4

X is for X-tra X-tra, read ALL about it!- Deployment Time!

Yep, there is big news in our family, but it is not the news I wanted to have to share.  Actually, it is not the news I wanted at all.  But no one asked my opinion.  Imagine that! ;)

On Tuesday of last week the military "invited" CP to a 365 day deployment.  Or retire by February.  Because of the timing of the news, the reality was he had about 48 hours to decide and his actual retirement would have only been weeks away, not months.  For reasons too numerous to list, he is accepting the assignment.  Because of additional training needed, he leaves at the end of the month.  (yeah, so much for 365)  Just for the record, it is a "great" job for him and a huge honor.  Please know that I am not trying to diminish that at all.  He signed on the dotted line 22 years ago and is proud to serve his country.  But choosing between your country and your family is a choice that no person should or wants to have to make.

I have struggled with whether to share this or not with my readers, but in the end it came down to this- I said a while back what you see is what you get on this blog and it would be pretty hard for me to keep that kind of secret for a year.  It would not be fair to me.  And I am not sure it would be fair to you.  Many of you have become very special friends to me and now I am reaching out to ask you for prayers for our family.  

We are going to need them.

• I have to figure out how to parent two boys alone for a while.  One of which has already suffered great loss in his life and one who is getting ready to turn 13.
• I have to figure out how to fill in for dad to a 16 year old that thinks he hung the moon.
• I have to figure out how to mentor a 20 year old alone through some pretty big things in her life.
• And on and on and on.

Which leads me to this-

• All of this may have taken us by surprise, but it did not take God by surprise.
• God is still in control, even when I feel like my world is spinning out of control.
• I am not alone.  There are military wives and single parents all over this world facing the same challenges.  They are not unique to me.
• I am blessed by friends and family that love us, and in a community that we adore.
• We are clinging to God's promises.
• We WILL get through this because of those promises!

I do not like it and I do not understand it, but I choose to trust God.

Does that mean every day will be easy?  No.

Does that mean there will be no tears?  No, not with 3 females in the house!

Does that mean there will be no whining?  Definitely no. ;)

But it does mean that we will move forward and do our best.

My husband asked us to do what would best glorify God in this situation.  I am not sure how it will look, quite honestly, but we are determined to try.

I saw this posted this week- (emphasis mine)

Look how Psalm 29 concludes – “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!” God’s glory and power is not meant to scare us away. In fact, it’s meant to draw us near, strengthen our spirit, and calm our soul.

You see, the same God who has the power to control the storm is the same God who resides in your soul. When David wrote this Psalm, the Lord lived in the temple (v. 9), but today, our bodies are the temple in which the presence of God dwells (1 Corinthians 6:19).

In addition, if God has the ability to control the most powerful elements of nature, does he not have the ability to control the elements of your everyday life? The next time you experience a storm, let it remind you of the glory and power of God, and let it give strength and peace to your soul. (Paul David Tripp)

I love that!  That is my prayer.  It is going on my fridge, along with anything else that will encourage us through this year.  

These lyrics keep going through my head- (and yes, they are going on the fridge too!)

All that is within me cries
to you alone be glorified
Emmanuel- God with us.

My heart will sing a brand new song
The debt is paid, these chains are gone
Emmanuel- God with us

Such a tiny offering
compared to Calvary
Nevertheless We lay this at your feet!

-Mercy Me

God IS with us!

And you as well!

May He get the glory!

Blessings,

W is for Water- 8 Easy Steps

Did you know that about 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by water?

Or that around 60% of the adult human body is made of water?

Or that the average person should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day?

You do remember that I am a homeschool mom, right?

Anyway, water is important.  And because we do not drink a lot of anything else in this house, water is especially important to our family.  Which is why I have looked longingly at water filters for a long time now.  Berkey filters, specifically.  

They are cool!

And pricey!  (but, yes, worth every penny I believe!)

But you know men.  They like to create. And play with tools. And challenge themselves.

So with the encouragement of Farmer Dan, my hero husband decided he could make a comparable water filter.  A man has gotta do what a man has gotta do.

Two stainless steal pots, 2 Berkey filters, a Step bit, and a spigot later- he was ready to create!

The short of it-

1- Use two Stainless steel stock pots, your choice of size.  We used 16 quart ones and one lid.

2-  Drill two holes on the bottom of one pot to attach filters.  This will be your top pot.

3- In bottom pot, drill a hole on the side for your spigot to attach to.

4- Prime filters according to directions that come with them.

5- Attach filters and spigot.

6- Place pot with filters on top of the pot with the spigot, the rivets of the handles will keep the top pot from sliding too far down into the bottom pot.

7- Fill with a little bit of water to ensure no leaks, and then add more later.

8- Enjoy- CLEAN WATER.

And now we have a Clarke-E!

And it works!

And we love it!  And it's creator.

Blessings,