TOOOO Long...sorry friends

Realizing it has been two months since I have had a chance to blog. WOW! Time flies.

I started my business with Thirty-One gifts and life took a jump into the fast lane. I am so excited being busy again. I love connecting with other women and having a chance to change their lives too.
I was able to see the North shore of Minnesota for the first time this summer. Gorgeous place. I would love to explore it further.

Tom has been working on a new project at work. He finds out today if it is something the company is interested in putting their $ behind it.
Boundary Waters...MY husband...YES!! Tom took a three day trip through the boundary waters. This is an area of lakes between Canada and Minnesota. Lots of rest and relaxation. He went with a great group of guys from his bible study at church and had a wonderful time. I even think he may do it again.

Karianna - Who is that?! She started the summer (the DAY after school was out) going on a mission trip to Miami. She was home a couple weeks then went to Camp Victory for two weeks. We were really starting to miss her when she got home. Then she headed off to a friends cabin up north for three days. I think we have her back now, but she has she face in a book due to the fact that she will be in 'AP Lit' when school starts on the 6th. She is always going off to a concert or out with friends, Applebees is the hang out of choice.  =)

Ean-Thomas is good. We had lots of plans this summer but they did not get done. He wants his bed replaced. It is a loft bed and he wants a 'normal' bed. I thought I would just whip one out in the garage...yeah that did not happen. He wanted to go swimming every day, but we were only able to go twice. He did get to hang at a friends cabin a few weekends ago. I know that was fun for him. He is a great kid staring at a new charter school next Monday. I know he will do well.

Collin Dave is great! He had surgery on the 5th of August and seems to be recovering well. I am not sure the right side was successful in sealing the hydro-seal, but we shall see. Check-up is a few weeks away. He still says "HURT" every time you change his diaper. He is talking very well. Much earlier then Kari or Ean did. He says "Cool Dude" "Popcorn" and calls us all by name. So so so cute.

God has truly blessed our little family. We officially joined Edinbrook Church here in Brooklyn Park. God has 'grown' Tom and I so much in the 9months we have been there. It is a church were God IS and I love being a part of Him moving and leading.

Hoping it does not take me another 2 months,
Elaine

Sweet Sweet 16

I can NOT believe my gorgeous daughter is 16 years old this week. She has grown to be a remarkable young lady and a gift to the entire family. She has been on a mission trip this past week and last night her 11 years old brother said, "Mom, I need my sister back."

Here she is at Easter 2001...

 

and in 2004 at 10 years old.

 

Baptism in 2006...

 

 ...and an all grown up young lady in 09.

Thanks for letting me share my sweet gal with you!

 

Thank you Lord for blessing Tom and I with this breathe-taking joy. I can never thank you enough for your blessings and provision. Continue to walk with my girl as she changes once again from a lady to a woman. Finishing high school and moving on to amazing places, as you lead. I love you, Amen

 

In Christ,

Elaine

My New Adventure!

So...It's official! God is leading me on a new adventure. I waffled and prayed and decided and undecided and opened my bible one morning last week to Proverbs 31. It finishes off, 

"...a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise."

With everything in me I want to be a woman of God. I want people to see Christ in and through and (hopefully rarely) in spite of me.

One of my dearest and closest friends recently got involved with a company called Thirty-One Gifts. As I sat in her home talking about what a great opportunity she has with this up and coming company the Lord spoke to my heart. I came up with many excuses...
*I have a little baby
*I have to take care of Mom
*I have kids in school
The truth is, with God's strength and leading I can do anything he wants me to do! I am signing with a company called Thirty-One, hum...is it based off being a woman of God, doing what brings God honor and glory in my life, a Proverbs 31 woman?! YES!

Feel free to check out the link above. Let me know if I can be of service in any way. Are YOU ready for an adventure? Is God leading you to do something different or out-of-your-box? JUMP IN! The rewards are more then you can imagine!

In Christ,

Elaine

Mission 2011

As many of you know Karianna is on a mission trip to inner city Miami Florida. She went with about 30 kids from our church, Edinbrook Church. She is working with a Haitian Church there. In the mornings they will be clearing fields for future building sites, so lots of brush and tree removal. In the afternoon they are working with kids, singing songs, playing games and telling them about our amazing God. In the evenings they will do additional work with the families of the kids. They arrived in Miami this morning after a one day, two night bus ride!!

They started work right away! I only know what Mark Thurston (Youth Pastor) posts on Facebook, but I will try to keep you all informed. They leave FL on the 18, spend the 19th at the Creation Museum in KY and arrive back in Brooklyn Park late on the 20th.

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

What a JOY to do God's work.

Have a blessed day,

Elaine (Mom)

the Uncommon Woman

So, I have been reading this book by Susie Larson called the uncommon woman.

 
Over the last couple years the Lord has been showing me how my worth does not depend on how others see me, but as He sees me. Others will let me done. Others will seek to destroy my reputation. Others can spread untrue rumors. Others are NOT where I find my worth! I am a child of the King and ALL of my worth and value are found in Him!
Here is one of the many many MANY excerpts that really spoke to me;

"The thing that continues to amaze me about this Man Jesus is that He takes us - rags and all - and makes something of us. In His presence and by His leading, we turn from wimps to warriors, from being pretty to powerful. He turns our lives upside down, and then He equips us to turn the world upside down."

Isn't that fantastic?! This book was loaned to me from a friend and honestly I can only get through a couple pages a day. The Lord starts speaking to me and I have to reread paragraphs and pray. There is just so much truth, painful at times, but complete biblical truth.

At the end of each chapter she has a prayer and a declaration. This is the declaration that I have been praying every day for a week plus.

"I Declare in the Name of Jesus, that I am complete in Christ! I have discernment in how I relate to others, and I wisely walk away for the battles God has not called me to fight. I will not be bound or manipulated by others' opinion of me. Even when good people think I am bad, I will put my trust in Him. I refuse to look down, look back or wonder about my worth, because it is a settled issue! I will not engage in spiteful conversations, nor will I listen to gossip about anybody. I refuse thoughts of insecurity, and I will not engage in petty differences that will ruin my day! I am made for better things. I will love, I will forgive, and I will walk in the fullness Christ has made available to me."

Lord Jesus, Thank you for your faithfulness! I am Your daughter and I want to look like You in everything I do, say and AM!

In Christ,

Elaine

 

Too long.....

As I look at my 'to do' list and all that needs to be 'done' I realize IT'S OK! As moms there is so very much going in our lives. Some of us run the home, work outside the home, run a business and volunteer and... and... and... I could go on and on, but what is important? What is the fuel in your life that keeps you going? Are you fueled by rest-sleep? Are you fueled by chatting with friends? I know that those things are great for me, but are they the fuel that is what keeps me going? No, it is simply not enough!!  As I look at the 'to do' list I see the things that have NOT gotten done, but what is important are the things that HAVE.
1) I spent quiet time with my Lord this morning.
2) I played a game of scrabble with my mother. (two actually)
3) I wrestled with Collin David.
I have lived too much of my life worrying about what needs to get done and not what has been completed. Years ago at a MOPS conference I was in a class with Julie Patrick-Barnhill (fantastic author and speaker) and she said something that changed the way I parent and think about time, "In the relm of eternity, what does it matter?" Really?? God wants us to weight everything on His scale and realize it's true value. Not on the scale of this world.
So, I will keep the 'to do' list and continue the day to day joys of being a wife, mother, daughter, friend, sister, giver, but God's scale is where I will place all that is important and look at it all though His eyes.

Let's look at our lists differently moms. Let's look at what is important to God and how it affects the lives we influence.

In Christ,
Elaine

Living out a dream ~BALANCED~

Yesterday Kristi Z. (my dearest friend) and I spent the day in Livermore, CA. We toured vineyards, enjoyed phenomenal tastings at La Rochelle and Wente wineries.

 

There were green lush rolling hills all around. We saw beautiful horses (and COWS-even) amazing villas and were just reminded again of the glory of Gods handiwork.

 This is the LaRochelle tasting room entrance. It was the first stop of the afternoon. I had had a Pinot Noir from there a few years back and wanted to figure out which one it was. We were blessed with a comp'd tasting of 9 different wines, three cheeses and a fig tapenade. It was a great way to start the tour of Livermore.

 This beautiful Mediterranean building is part of the Wente Winery. This winery had been open for over 100 years. They have over 200 acres of vineyards in three different locations in CA. The grounds were impeccably groomed. There were children running in the lawn and riding bikes with their families. There was a wedding in a cave on the grounds. The floral scent in the air was intoxicating. We walked, relaxed, laughed, took (a gazillian) pictures, admired Gods creation all around us, finished the day eating dinner at the restaurant there on the grounds. Truly the best meal I have ever had.

Appt: Salmon deviled eggs with red onion and capers

Salad: Asparagus and Spinach with prosciutto, egg and vinaigrette

Main dish: Filet Mignon in an amazing mushroom sauce with fingerling potatoes and small veges

Dessert: Brioche Donuts with sugared kumquats and ginger

Bottle of 08 Morning Fog Chardonnay with the meal and Port with dessert, both from Wente Vineyards.

One of the things the Lord has been shining a light on in my life is 'balance'. I am a wife, mother and daughter in my home everyday. Some days I choose to forget ME in the midst of all the duties of home, family and LIFE that happens all around me all the time. That is NOT Gods design.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Matthew 5:13

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

Laundry, dishes, prayer, dusting, vacuuming, washing bedding, quiet time with our God, making beds, changing diapers, driving kids to activities, praising God for His goodness, cooking, cleaning bathrooms, scrubbing floors, putting the baby down for a nap, helping kids out with homework...shall I go on??

HELLO PRIORITIES!!!

God created ME for a specific plan and purpose. Yes, I AM meant to be a mom and daughter and wife, but I am also meant to BE...ELAINE! God WANTS to use ME! Go WANTS to use YOU! Give Him.....YOU!!! God's amazing Balance can take place.

I pray Balance for you,

Elaine