What Women Think .....

I had you there for a second right? Seriously, I have no clue what I am thinking half the time.

See, I digress.


After watching Moms' Night Out with the girls yesterday I had had a couple of thoughts running around my head. So, yes I am gracing you with my presence in blog world today.

I tell you, I could relate so much to Ally in the movie. I have sat in front of this computer so many times thinking to myself. "What am I going to blog about? No one is going to read it anyway." and so on.
If you haven't seen the movie yet, GO NOW! I was so proud to sit through a well made, entertaining Christian themed movie. What topped it off were my amazing friends that I got to hang out with.

So, a couple of things I brought from it.

• We women are incredibly hard on ourselves. We think we should be Wonder Woman or something because we are suppose to have it all together and be "with it" at all times. Yeah, right! Girls, that is not going to happen. We all have our moments, and we all want to run away and hide, and that is OK, we are allowed to have feelings. Just because we are caring for tiny humans, who grow up to be as big as we are, doesn't make us any less human.

• We women need to stick together. We are women and we do tend to be a little catty and judgmental, for some reason God chose to make us that way. My theory is that it is a self defense mechanism, but that is just my thinking. Ladies, stop it and stop it now!! We need to stick together. So what if one of the girls can't breast feed(huge pet peeve of mine). So what if one of the girls can't sew or doesn't like to sew. So what if she chooses to work or HAS to work to help provide for the family( this is another soap box I could hop on very quickly) So what if she is a single Mother. We need to be more supportive and loving of each other and quit trying to rip each other apart!

• We are all God's Masterpieces, as she says in the movie. We are wonderfully and fearfully made by the Lord almighty himself. We are each our own unique person and that is the coolest thing ever to me! He made us in all shapes, sizes, colors, nationalities. So what if we don't look like the supermodel that we use to. So what if we are carrying a few extra pounds after the baby. So what if we have a few more grey hairs than we use to. (Ok, that last one is still a little difficult for me to deal with.) We are all beautiful in His eyes and He loves us. No matter what! He loves us! If we can wrap our heads around that and just hang on to it! We just need to be comfortable and healthy in our own skin and quit looking at everyone else.

We are always right where we need to be, nestled safely in the Father's arms! Remember that on the days where you just want to run away from home. On the days where you seem like you are running 100 miles and hour and going no where, on the days where your child/children and fighting you on every little thing. We all have an oar in this boat and we are all paddling in the same lake. 

Now, go, Mommy On and savor every moment!! 

Be Blessed y'all! 

Wonderful Week of Prayer!!!

Wow, God is so faithful!! When we call on Him, He hears us. When He hears us He answers. We may not always get the answer we wanted at the time we ask. However,  if we continue to seek him, the answer will come in one form or another in time. The answer may be yes it may be no, or it may even be not now.
God really read my mail this week during prayer time. I am so thankful that I have been able to be stretched and pushed out of my comfort zone for the last couple of years. Has it been pleasant?? NO. It has been beneficial though. I think I may have blogged this before but I am glad I can see the plan that God had for this crazy 5 yr adventure halfway across the world and back. 
I can see the things that I need to change and have either changed my thinking or am still working on it. 
I had my little freak out moment about the changes and challenges for this year, but God has encouraged me to pray more specifically.
I will definitely miss Okinawa and my church family, but I am really excited about this new chapter that is about to be written in our lives. God is so good!
Be blessed my friends!

A New Year

 


As we watched Facing the Giants the other night as a family, I began to reflect on the message within the storyline of the movie.
My favorite line that night had to be "If you walk around like you are already defeated before you ever play the game then of course you are going to loose." (paraphrased)
The more I have thought on this the past couple of days the more those words kept coming back to me. 
Doesn't God want us to walk in victory instead of defeat? I think so. We know that trials, bumps in the road, unraveled plans, whatever you want to call them will all come at some point or another in our lives. And yes, sometimes even more than one at a time.
This verse spoke volumes to me today as I read it. In fact I have been seeing similar posts all over facebook over the last week or two. I know that this coming year will be full of changes, opportunities and challenges. I just pray I can keep my perspective during it all and remember who has laid the path before me and who is in control. I know I have said this before but I am thankful for the stretching, pushing and prodding that the Lord has done in my life over the last couple of years especially. I have learned a lot about myself and about my abilities and about not keeping God in a box. 
I am so nervous about the future but God reminded me ever so gently today that He's got this and that I need to keep an open mind. 
For those of you who know me, know that isn't always easy for the "planner" in me. However, she has gotten a little more easy going over the last few years. 
I wish you all the very best for 2014!!


 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

This year was full of adventure and fun!! 

We spent some time exploring the island, Kokosai Street, 

Kokosai St

Kokosai St

Kokosai St

Okinawa World

Okinawa World and the caverns, 

Look Jacob is a Shisa!!

Yep that is a real snake! Apparently a lucky one!

Forest Adventure zip lining,

Zip Lining!

Naval Underground

as well as the Naval Underground.

acting silly at the Aquarium park

We also visited the Aquarium again this year.







The kids were both very involved in church activities as well as sports. 

Jacob played two seasons of baseball on two different teams. 

Kadena Rays Youth Baseball

Kadena Rays Baseball

MCCS Youth Baseball

MCCS Cardinals

He also went with the Youth to help with a clean up day at a local Japanese Christian school.

Youth helping at Okinawa World Missions

Christina played a season of soccer. 

Kadena Hornets Soccer

Soccer season Fall 2013

She had her first piano recital and did really well! I was so proud. She really picked it up quickly.

Ms. Kaitlyn

First Piano Recital

Raced a car in the 2013 Neighborhood 500 Pinewood Derby and lead the GM Pledge.

Saying the Pledge at the Pinewood Derby

Pinewood Derby car

Christina also participated in the Kadena Elementary Talent show.

KES' Talent Show

KES has Got Talent

Honor Roll

Of course she made the Honor Roll!

Honor Roll

BFF's

 More fun activities at church. Mother's Day Hula, 

Mother's Day Hula

Easter Picnic

 NAGC Easter Picnic 








Girls Ministries Sleepover at the Church.

Girls Ministries Sleepover

Several School field trips. To a local Okinawan School.

School Field Trip

                          Macaroni Grill

Girls on a school field trip

State project.

TN state project

It is so hard to believe that Jacob is an 8th grader and Christina is in 5th!!

8th Grade

5th Grade

 Christina is in 5th!
They have both done so well in school I am so very proud of all the hard work they put in. (most of the time)












It is even more unbelievable that I will have a high schooler and a middle schooler next school year!!

We are gearing up for another upcoming year of change! After the first of the year we will begin planing our upcoming move back to the good old USA!
We are so excited to finally make the move we have been working on for the last 15 yrs getting to East Tennessee!
It is so amazing to see how God has worked through this crazy 5 year journey. I am so grateful and blessed that the lessons are becoming more and more evident every day. It is really amazing to see how God stripped what I thought was important to me away in order to change my priorities and way of thinking. I am so grateful to have been able to spend the time with my kids as they have matured and grown. I have been so blessed to see them mature and grow here in Okinawa. They are both very strong leaders and love the Lord. It has been amazing to see how we have all learned to rely more on one another as well. We have been so blessed here in Okinawa with great friends and an amazing church family who has loved on us and who genuinely cares for us. THAT is going to be the hardest thing to leave! God has His reasons and timing right! So, on to the next season!

We pray you all have a wonderful and Merry Christmas and a very blessed 2014!

Much love,
Keith, Alicia, Jacob and Christina

Well the time has come!

After a whirlwind 5 years as a military family our journey is taking us back home. Back to east Tennessee where we have tried to move for the last 15 years! 
I am so thankful for this journey and the lessons I have learned along the way. God is always so faithful in his plan for our lives. 

I heard this last week on KLOVE.

What a great analogy of what God can do for us.

ENJOY!

 

 

60 Pounds of Burden

By Delight in Truth

This is Shrek the sheep.
He became famous several years ago when he was found after hiding out in caves for six years. Of course, during this time his fleece grew without anyone there to shorn (shave) it. When he was finally found and shaved, his fleece weighed an amazing sixty pounds. Most sheep have a fleece weighing just under ten pounds, with the exception usually reaching fifteen pounds, maximum. For six years, Shrek carried six times the regular weight of his fleece. Simply because he was away from his shepherd.
This reminds me of John 10 when Jesus compares Himself to a shepherd, and His followers are His sheep. Maybe it’s a stretch, but I think Shrek is much like a person who knows Jesus Christ but has wandered. If we avoid Christ’s constant refining of our character, we’re going to accumulate extra weight in this world—a weight we don’t have to bear.
When Shrek was found, a professional sheep shearer took care of Shrek’s fleece in twenty-eight minutes. Shrek’s sixty pound fleece was finally removed. All it took was coming home to his shepherd.
I believe Christ can lift the burdens we carry, if only we stop hiding. He can shave off our ‘fleece’—that is, our self-imposed burdens brought about by wandering from our Good Shepherd.

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

This is perfect.

Really need to get back to bloggin!

I say this all the time, LOL!!
I can't believe summer is almost over, or that I am working again!!
The job is completely out of my element, but I think I will love it. I have a lot to learn, still. I have to keep telling myself that if I feel confident enough to run and dental practice I should be able to manage being a church secretary!! RIGHT????
School will be starting back in 21 days. I know the kids are excited. I feel kind of bad that I have kind of ruined the end of their summer though.
OH well, they will live right??  Jacob is busy with baseball, and Christina will start soccer next month.
One more year and we are off of Okinawa and back to the US. I know God is preparing the way. I just have to be patient and not push it. 
Have a blessed day!