100 Flowers Arrived Yesterday

Peace out!

This Is the Day!

Eventually , when Saturday comes and goes I'll be able to slow down enough to write down some of my latest thoughts, insights and lessons learned on this journey called growing up.

Or maybe it's called The Refinement Process

or

Sanctification

or

Craziness!

Whatever I feel like calling my journey on any given day I would like to share those thoughts with you.

I've actually gone back to the old school way of writing: on paper.

With a pen, and ink.

It's easier to do when waiting for music lessons or when stepping away from the computerland of wedding spreadsheets and rsvp's.

Speaking of wedding: flowers are TAKEN CARE OF!! and paid for by Jesus, but that's an upcoming post!

For now I am waking every day saying, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Psalm 118:24

So rejoice!

Meanwhile in other news, we are really enjoying our new washer and dryer:

Big Yiayia has been finger printing us all.

Guess she thinks we're all more trouble than she realized ;-)

And I have been reminded once again one of the hidden perks of home schooling...

outside crafts with teenagers!!!
Have a great day and tell me what are you rejoicing about today?

9 Days Away

So what was going to be a small family wedding on May 1st has exploded into a larger than we thought, 9-days away wedding on May 1st.
Bummed because out of town family and friends probably won't make it, but hey they can thank me for saving them a dime or two on travel expenses- hehe.

Anyway so far we have the location and food taken care of.
Cake in the works, actually doing a different spin on this.
Flowers... hey we know what she wants at least :-)

Ceremony outline done.
Rehearsal dinner plans done.
Marriage license: getting today.
Invitations: love this part... using evite to save on money, paper waste and time.
Did you understand the wedding is 9 DAYS AWAY!!

Dress and veil: done.
Table decorations: done, somewhat- in our heads at least.
Chairs: in the works
Tables: hoping to borrow.

For right now that's where I'm at, now what will I wear??
What has you busy these next 9 days??

Resting in Who I'm NOT

Ever feel like God is telling you something?
Like when you read 3 things that all seem to be on the same page of your life?
That was this morning for me.

Last night as I lay in bed I had the strongest feeling come over me that I should have done things differently in my life.
My career path to be more precise.
As a teenage mom I did have the chance to go to college and I did start down that path but instead I chose to drop out and focus 100% on my family.
I chose to stay at home, support Steve's college and work careers, change diapers and homeschool.
Last night as I lay my head on my pillow, I thought very strongly that I should have pursued college and a career outside my home.

Then this morning I read in the Daily Bread about it being Jesus' work on the cross that saves me, not my own good works. Not doubting my salvation just struggling with how I can be where I am when I have truly been serving with a well-meaning heart.
My mind jumps to "If I'd gone a different path, I wouldn't be at this point on the journey." When in reality I could be at a very different point still just as heart aching.

"It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't play the major role. If we did, we'd probably go around bragging that we'd done the whole thing! No, we don't make or save ourselves. God does both the making and the saving." Ephesian 2:8-9 Mess.

Then, when I read Brandi's blog she quoted Beth Moore saying: "You need to learn to rest in knowing who you are, and resting in who you are NOT."

Who I am not.
Resting in that.
Cause it's OK.

Thankful for Everyday Things

I have never been so excited to get an appliance as I was yesterday to get my new Samsung washer and dryer.
The last time we bought them it was 14-years-ago when we were moving into our home on Altus Air Force base, wow that seems like yesterday.
My old ones had seen better days;
at the end of their lives the washers needed a pair of needle nose pliers to start and the dryer a screwdriver.

I did 8 loads of laundry yesterday.

I sat and watched the better part of 3 loads in the washer.

I can be in the laundry room while they run and have a phone conversation.
My new dryer does not "eat" clothes leaving them with a black, twisted stain.
I can wash delicates, comforters and sleeping bags!

Today I am thankful for everyday things, like the laundry.

I Hope He Discovers What God Designed Him to Do for Work

I have to tell you the worst thing about all of this is that my 16-year old has to work a bunch!
I guess if he was in the IB program or in all AP classes then he'd be up all night doing homework, so what am I fussing about, at least that's what Dani is thinking right now.
3 nights a week and 1 Saturday isn't that bad.
Perhaps I let the emotions of a 16-year-old wear off on me too much.
Perhaps this momma's heart is too sensitive and protective.
Anyway it's a bummer.
But it's our new normal.

2 Part Post, 2 Subjects- Youth Group Stuff

You may wanna read this post if you are new here in the month of April.

As you can imagine these last few days have been a fog.

Weeks actually.

I woke in the night last night thinking this had to be a dream, that there was no way my life was headed in this direction.

This is a tough spot. I went from the mom of a straight-A student, "on track" for whatever it was we thought he was "on track" for and now he's having a baby, and getting married.

I am thankful that they want to get married. I think it's honorable and coming from a similar situation I understand the desire to have mom and dad together when baby comes.

Then I think he's 16, and this isn't how it was "suppose" to be.

How can he be sure he wants to get married. Shouldn't they wait?

Wait for what?

Ahh... can you see the battle in my head; but then I gotta be honest when I have the most peace in my head, my heart, my soul, it's when I trust the LORD and trust that sooner or later if they're gonna marry, they're gonna marry.

So when I woke up this morning I found the new bathroom shelving unit sitting on my dining table reassuring me that yes this is real, this is not a dream and that when a girl, my daughter-in-law moves in she'll need more bathroom shelves.

PART 2:

While that part of my life is going on the rest of it is still ticking away. Last night at youth group we ended with prayer as we always do, usually no one wants to pray out loud and some nights I strongly encourage one of them to do so. Last night we took a different approach.

Wanting them to understand that Jesus is a friend and that He's always with them I drew a face on the milk jug we had and said, "This is God tell Him what you wanna say to Him."

For some reason we ended up with the paper towel roll as our microphone to God. Some talked through it, others looked at God through it. It was amazing, hearts were revealed, we had thank You's, requests and confessions. Powerful stuff when you combine 12 grade girls, a milk jug and a paper towel roll.

Here we all are... boy I so want them to graduate, such a milestone; but I so don't want them to leave. Good times in this room with these girls. I truly love them!!

The Engagement

How much fun that you get to travel this journey with me.

To bring you up to date on my current life events, you'll wanna read this post.

With a baby on the way Vaughan and Sarah have decided to get married.
Whoa...
they are young. I know that. I also know that this is not what we planned or taught or wanted for our son, or for Sarah, but it is where we are at.

We've heard the statistics on young marriages but we do not serve a God of statistics.

A few questions I ask you:
-what percentage does a marriage of unfaithfulness have of survival?
-what percentage does a man with heart blockage have of that blockage being gone within a week?
-what percentage does a man have of being cured of leprosy?
-can a woman be healed of years of bleeding by touching a coat?
-what percentage does a man have to come back to life when he's been dead 3 days?
All of these impossibles have come to be, I've seen some first hand and others I believe through faith.
Get it?
We don't serve a God of percentages.

That brings me to the first bit of good news. Vaughan asked Sarah to marry him this last Friday night. I knew it was coming but she did not.

He had made reservations on his own at a very nice restaurant near the river. They looked so nice.
Shortly before they left Vaughan snuck into my room trying to find a way he could hide the ring box. He tried up his sleeve, down his pants, in his shirt and finally figured out he could put it in his pocket and slide it toward the back and it was virtually invisible from the front and side view.

Steve and I went out that night too, only we went out to buy a new washer and dryer!!

Do you see the difference between 17 years of marriage and an engagement?!

I requested that Steve turn his phone off but he put it on vibrate anxiously waiting the tweet, Facebook update or text announcing the BIG moment!

When it came in we were thrilled!!

Vaughan did a great job, they stepped out on a patio after dinner and while she was looking in one direction he set the camera up to take a photo. The he spoke her name and when she turned he was on his knee.

I think he timed the camera just right:

So there it is.

The moment my preemie boy got down on his knee and became a husband to be.

So now you have been introduced to my daughter-in-law to be, Sarah. She is a beautiful young lady who loves the Lord and she fits our family very well. We are so thankful for her in our life and look forward to many, many years with her as our daughter.

No, this journey is a not how it "should" be or how it "usually" goes- but it is our new normal and we are learning to love it. In the words of my cousin Molly: "What fun would life be if we planned it. We sure would miss out on a lot!"

Giving God the glory in it and now... I have been given the OK to be the wedding planner :-)

In case you don't know- I love to plan events!!
Stepping little by little on this new path of normal- love all my readers,

Florida Sunrise

You'll Wanna Stick Around

This is my friend Katie.
Each year while our kids home school test we get to play.
This year our playing meant the world to me.
I'm lucky, I get to plan our adventures and she doesn't question what we do; she smiles her beauteous smile and we head out.
This year I made her drive.

I love Katie for who she is and the friend that she is to me.
Katie's story is really neat and in some ways parallels my own. Her story now holds an extra special place in my heart. Katie is the mom of a daughter and a son, wife to a knight on a shiny firetruck, bow and arrow in his hand. Katie is an amazing mom and her daughter Faith is one of the most precious young ladies I know. Faith has a heart of gold and her 10-year-old life already mirrors her Savior Jesus Christ.

But Katie's story, that's the story that is near to my heart right now. The simple version: Katie found out she was going to be a mom at the age of 16,
Faith was born 2 weeks after her 17th birthday.

See, my life took a turn for the different on Monday, March 29th when my 16-year-old son came home with BIG news.
*gulp*
My 16 year old son, who is a gift from God and a huge joy in my life, gave me the news that his girlfriend is pregnant. Their child will be born 2 weeks after he turns 17.
Yep, you read that correct. Go back and read it again if you think you misread it.
You can believe I will be blogging this journey.

This journey from motherhood to Yiayia-hood*.

"Be joyful always,
Pray continually
Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thes. 5:16-18

Thus Far the Lord....

I gotta be honest I am scared to death to write about my life right now.

Scared that by typing it out I will be be admitting it's all true.

Oh, I have come to be joyous in the situation after all I have been instructed by God's Word in 1 Thes. 5 :16-18 "to be joyful always, to pray continually and to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you [me] in Christ Jesus"

I am giving thanks.

Some times things in life come our way and make NO sense at all.

Life can go against what we've been praying for,
it can change our path in a second. Life is certainly an every changing adventure.

As I face a mountain before me, a mountain I wonder how I'll climb; as I look ahead I look back.

Not back in regret or condemnation.
Not back in fear or a desire to live back there.

No, I look back today and know without a shadow of a doubt that God has been there.

Did I type that correct? Did you hear that clear?
God has been there.

Where has He been in your life?

In mine He's been there when I was
scared,
afraid,
when I thought my marriage would end,
when I thought my son would be seriously sick,
when bones were broken and hearts were healed.

He's been there when my parents divorced,
when I moved for the 7th time in 10 years.

He was there when I was worshiping another god,
when I told Him I didn't wanna believe,
when I waited,
when I jumped in too soon,
when I failed,
when I wept,
when I laughed.
He was there and I am here.
I am here only because He was there..

See, as the titled of this blog states, as the prophet Samuel said, "Thus far the Lord helped us."

When I see a blur of a week gone by and a future of uncertainty lie ahead, I rest on that fact: "Thus far the Lord helped us."
Why would a never changing God change.
Why would I not move forward with confidence and in victory.
Why would I not have peace at the base of this mountain when "Thus far" has been covered by the hand of God.

Be encouraged, I promise I'll share more.
This is a process.
Love you all!

Please Comment Here

This week has been a whirlwind of activity and major life changes for the Span Clan.
As of right now I am not of the liberty to share the details and am not even sure if this is the platform I will be using to share the upcoming road that lies ahead. I would like it to be and think it will be but I need help from my readers first.
What I would ask is you would leave a comment on this post. My stats say I have a small following but my comments say I have no following.
If you read this and do not have a blogger or google account that's OK, just leave a comment as anonymous and if you'd just leave your first name and state that'd be great.
Again I am sorry for the vagueness in this post but I ask that you would please comment, trust me, right now I will need it to know how to move forward on this blog.
Thanks and you'll be hearing from me.

Oh and check out my friend Heather's video post, it is viral and landed them on CBS's the Early Show.
Don't forget to comment here on this post.
Thanks friends.