I know that is has been a long while since my last post and a few things have been encouraging me to start again...a little push... in the right direction. I won't start with where we have been but with where God is taking us.
The love of my life left this morning, on a "non traditional" mission trip to Africa for 12 days....I want to write down my thoughts, for him and for me, during these days while he is away spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Day One:
I think that that this day may be the easiest. It hasn't hit us that you are really gone and that we really don't know where you are. That may come tomorrow...the girls are happy and Maddie and Ally are spending the night at a friends house, so it is just Hunter and me tonight. Nice and easy. (Are you already looking out for me, Lord???) I have been praying for you and this trip constantly and forever, it seems, although it has only been a month since it all began. And today, I found myself just saying the name of "Jesus" and "Lord, Your will", over and over, because He knows my prayers more than I do. Brian, I have been praying that the Lord will do amazing things through you and that His Will will be done in Africa and the Glory of it all will be His. I pray also for your safety and that you will come back to us. I pray that we will be able to communicate and that our precious girls will not drive me crazy! :) I am amazed at your willingness to GO....you are my hero and I love you more than ever. Thank you for being a Godly example to our beautiful girls and to me. You amaze me, Brian Aubrey Cheek and I am yours forever and always.
A little push...and here we go....
Friday, July 15, 2011
Monday, November 16, 2009
God's Whisper
Have you ever just known when someone needs you? A tug on your heart, a feeling? Some say a mother's intuition.... I don't think so, rather, God's sweet whisper that you must stop what you are doing and listen.
Where does this come from, you wonder? Well, I was taking my nightly relaxing, "let no one bother me bath" and I just literally stopped reading to listen. And then I realized that I forgot to turn on the monitor in our bathroom. But I try to always keep a second monitor on in the other room, just in case and when I felt the need to stop and really listen I heard a funny sound. I didn't recognize it as crying but just different. Because I had this funny feeling, I got out of the bath and turned on the monitor in our bathroom and on came the sounds of Hunter screaming.
God whispered in my ear that I was needed and it was so amazing to FEEL it!
Where does this come from, you wonder? Well, I was taking my nightly relaxing, "let no one bother me bath" and I just literally stopped reading to listen. And then I realized that I forgot to turn on the monitor in our bathroom. But I try to always keep a second monitor on in the other room, just in case and when I felt the need to stop and really listen I heard a funny sound. I didn't recognize it as crying but just different. Because I had this funny feeling, I got out of the bath and turned on the monitor in our bathroom and on came the sounds of Hunter screaming.
God whispered in my ear that I was needed and it was so amazing to FEEL it!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Mom
Today is my precious mom's birthday! I am so thankful to have her as a mom, she has been everything that I need and the perfect mom for me. From picking me up when I fell, to wiping away my tears, to knowing at the exact moment that I needed a hug, she has always been there for me, in the good and bad. How do you show someone just how very much they mean to you...I found a poem that fit her perfectly.
A Mother's Love
A Mother's love is something
that no on can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.
~Helen Steiner Rice
Mom, it is funny to think about being a teenager and wondering why I couldn't stay out as late as some of my friends or go to a certain concert or watch a certain movie or date a certain boy. I had a "It's so not fair" attitude....but I can see now all that you were doing, moving Heavan and Earth to protect me from a selfish and evil world. Even at the cost of your teenage daughter's diapproval. :) I know that I would do anything to protect my precious girls and you were doing the same for me. I didn't understand then, but I understand now.
Thank you for being my angel on earth, for loving and protecting, forgiving and sacrificing. There are no true words to explain all that you mean to me. You have given me so much....you have made me feel safe when I was scared, loved when I was heart broken, beautiful when I felt ugly and you showed me what it was like to be a Godly woman in an ungodly world. Thank you for you constant prayers and for your never-ending love. You are amazing and I love you more than you can imagine!
Happy Birthday, Mommy!
A Mother's Love
A Mother's love is something
that no on can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.
~Helen Steiner Rice
Mom, it is funny to think about being a teenager and wondering why I couldn't stay out as late as some of my friends or go to a certain concert or watch a certain movie or date a certain boy. I had a "It's so not fair" attitude....but I can see now all that you were doing, moving Heavan and Earth to protect me from a selfish and evil world. Even at the cost of your teenage daughter's diapproval. :) I know that I would do anything to protect my precious girls and you were doing the same for me. I didn't understand then, but I understand now.
Thank you for being my angel on earth, for loving and protecting, forgiving and sacrificing. There are no true words to explain all that you mean to me. You have given me so much....you have made me feel safe when I was scared, loved when I was heart broken, beautiful when I felt ugly and you showed me what it was like to be a Godly woman in an ungodly world. Thank you for you constant prayers and for your never-ending love. You are amazing and I love you more than you can imagine!
Happy Birthday, Mommy!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
My Constants
I should have posted this long ago.
Ally has transitioned to Pre-k amazingly! She enters into the room everytime with her big girl attitude, a hug and a kiss and a wave goodbye. For those of you who remember, Ally never LOVED going to "school/MDO." There were tantrums and crying and only every now and then she was ok. It was hard to watch and to leave her crying for me to come back. But in the end, she has grown into herself and into her new world of Pre-K, of new friends, a new teacher, and a new room. To be honest, I didn't expect it to go so well but everyday it has been a blessing to see Ally's new attitude of "I can do this!"
In a world that pulls me up and down, this way and that, it is reassurring to have some CONSTANTS in my life. And writing about Ally's new attitude about school, I realize that it has amazingly become one of these constants. It is something that I can count on now to be OK. Here are some more of my constants~
1. The amazing grace of my Savior, Jesus Christ.
2. Answered prayers (Example: Ally's attitude toward school!)
3. My husband will always love me.
4. My children will always want to cuddle after bath and they will always ask for ice cream but not always get it! :)
5. My girls will always need me.
6. The sounds of Hunter's cries when I leave the room~ :)
7. The love of my family.
8. Good friends.
9. Laughter at the end of the day....as the girls run around to entertain Hunter as I put on her pj's.
10. Easy nights.
11. Sleepy mornings.
12. Shoes on the floor in every room, it seems.
13. I am ALWAYS out of SOMETHING.
14. Maddie and Ally's little voices singing in the house, in the car, in a Target near you!
15. Oh, and (drum roll....) LAUNDRY!
Just to name a few....
Thank you Lord for constants, each and everyone of them!
Monday, August 24, 2009
1st Grade and Pre-K, can you believe it?
Well, we survived Maddie's 1st day of 1st grade today...barely! Maddie didn't want to go. The night before, the school jitters got the best of her and she didn't want to go because she had to wake up early, her best friend wasn't in her class, she wasn't "sure" about her teacher, and the list goes on. I feared the morning but with lots of prayers on her part and mine (and I am sure others out there! :-)), she woke up ready to go! Yipee! I was nervous for her as Ally, Hunter and I walked away but she looked confident! Well, when we got home after school, all the stories told with a smile on her face for the most part and it was time to stop playing with friends and do HOMEWORK, yes, you heard me.....a test on Thursday AND Friday! YIKES! Well, let's just say that Maddie was less than enthused.....can you blame her? At that moment, her summer was officially over! "Why do I have to go to school?" "Why, why, why?!?!?!?!?" "You see, THIS is why I didn't want to go in the first place!"~ And this went on and on and on. ;-)
Again, I say we survived! And I say this again as a reminder because we still have Ally's first day to "tackle!" So look forward to another post that only my sweet Ally could inspire!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Which Way to Go...
It has taken me a week to get my thoughts together and even then I don't know that they are.... There is so much to feel and think and remember that is it almost overwhelming. And there are so many "shapes" that this story can take....which way to go, which way to go....
I will start at the end because that is where we all came together. Sunday night the 19th, one week after the incident we all came to watch Paul, Brian's father give his testimony of what had happened the week before. When I say "we all" I mean, Paul and Charlotte and all of the "kids", Brian and I, Josh and Amy and all the girls. It was in one word, amazing and the tears came; finally some release to all of this. As Paul recounted his memories, I was sitting besides my mother-in-love in her church and with my precious sleeping baby in my arms, crying these tears of, as Paul said in his testimony, "so many things"....tears of happiness that my dear "Baba" is still here in my life, tears of amazement at just hearing the story told by the one who holds Charlotte's heart, tears of joy that my Lord had made his presence known during all of this, tears of triumph that this was all for a reason, for His glory- Amen, tears of love for all of those that I adore and couldn't imagine losing....
On Sunday morning, July 12th, my sweet Charlotte, went in to cardiac arrest at her home in Tom Bean, Tx. My husband received the call from his dad that his mother was being taken to the hospital via the ambulance with chest pains. Oddly enough, there was no panic, no tears- just words and prayers... God was in control...we waited, can you believe it?!?!? Almost as though, we knew that it was OK, but even then we waited to hear some news. She was in surgery and that was when we headed up. The prayers were coming, the visitors were there to offer support as Charlotte battled her way "beautifully" through ICU. Paul took Charlotte home from the hospital on their 37th wedding anniversary, July 15th and she is doing great. Ultimately, Charlotte went through something that should have taken her life on so many levels. But the circumstances, the friends that were there to lend a hand, the timing of it all...EVERYTHING...the Lord our God had his hands on this family and I will continue to thank Him for that. There is a song by Casting Crowns that touches my heart every time I hear it and I wanted to share it. Read the word carefully, it will touch you- then buy the CD~ :-)
Praise you in this Storm
God you would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say “Amen”, and it’s still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as You mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will life my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find You
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
God wants to raise us up, God is real, He is here, He never leaves, He wants all of us to believe and be with Him in heaven.....the way to go is.....UP!
I will start at the end because that is where we all came together. Sunday night the 19th, one week after the incident we all came to watch Paul, Brian's father give his testimony of what had happened the week before. When I say "we all" I mean, Paul and Charlotte and all of the "kids", Brian and I, Josh and Amy and all the girls. It was in one word, amazing and the tears came; finally some release to all of this. As Paul recounted his memories, I was sitting besides my mother-in-love in her church and with my precious sleeping baby in my arms, crying these tears of, as Paul said in his testimony, "so many things"....tears of happiness that my dear "Baba" is still here in my life, tears of amazement at just hearing the story told by the one who holds Charlotte's heart, tears of joy that my Lord had made his presence known during all of this, tears of triumph that this was all for a reason, for His glory- Amen, tears of love for all of those that I adore and couldn't imagine losing....
On Sunday morning, July 12th, my sweet Charlotte, went in to cardiac arrest at her home in Tom Bean, Tx. My husband received the call from his dad that his mother was being taken to the hospital via the ambulance with chest pains. Oddly enough, there was no panic, no tears- just words and prayers... God was in control...we waited, can you believe it?!?!? Almost as though, we knew that it was OK, but even then we waited to hear some news. She was in surgery and that was when we headed up. The prayers were coming, the visitors were there to offer support as Charlotte battled her way "beautifully" through ICU. Paul took Charlotte home from the hospital on their 37th wedding anniversary, July 15th and she is doing great. Ultimately, Charlotte went through something that should have taken her life on so many levels. But the circumstances, the friends that were there to lend a hand, the timing of it all...EVERYTHING...the Lord our God had his hands on this family and I will continue to thank Him for that. There is a song by Casting Crowns that touches my heart every time I hear it and I wanted to share it. Read the word carefully, it will touch you- then buy the CD~ :-)
Praise you in this Storm
God you would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say “Amen”, and it’s still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as You mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will life my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can’t find You
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
God wants to raise us up, God is real, He is here, He never leaves, He wants all of us to believe and be with Him in heaven.....the way to go is.....UP!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Summertime?
Is it only me or is Summertime stressful for others too?
I keep seeing and reading how happy other mothers are that summer has arrived and I absolutely LOVE that I can spend the time with my girls and I don't want to take that for granted but I was not warned that they would want to be entertained EVERY second of EVERY day of Summertime!!!!
Maddie even asked me tonight..."Mommy, what are we doing tomorrow???" I went from being a full time working mom, who had no idea of all the summer camps there are out there to a summertime mom of an almost 1st grader. 4 yr old and a 4 mo. old, who STILL has no idea of all the summer camps there are out there and I find that it is hard to keep up with the expectations of summertime. Can anyone relate?!?!? There needs to be a summer magazine of summer crafts, activities and summer fun for reference.
I am trying to take a deep breath and I will get on the computer and find some activities for my girls to make their summer as special as it can be... but for future stay at home moms....beware of the "activities addiction", there needs to be a PLAN in place and now I know through experience! (There is only so much swimming you can do before it becomes old news!)
I love my girls and I love that I can stay home with them part time and experience a Summertime through their eyes. I want them to remember summer like I remember summer...an incredibly exciting and fairytale time. I hope that after a few "google searches" and brainstorms that I can find what will make their summer as magical and as memorable as I hope!
I keep seeing and reading how happy other mothers are that summer has arrived and I absolutely LOVE that I can spend the time with my girls and I don't want to take that for granted but I was not warned that they would want to be entertained EVERY second of EVERY day of Summertime!!!!
Maddie even asked me tonight..."Mommy, what are we doing tomorrow???" I went from being a full time working mom, who had no idea of all the summer camps there are out there to a summertime mom of an almost 1st grader. 4 yr old and a 4 mo. old, who STILL has no idea of all the summer camps there are out there and I find that it is hard to keep up with the expectations of summertime. Can anyone relate?!?!? There needs to be a summer magazine of summer crafts, activities and summer fun for reference.
I am trying to take a deep breath and I will get on the computer and find some activities for my girls to make their summer as special as it can be... but for future stay at home moms....beware of the "activities addiction", there needs to be a PLAN in place and now I know through experience! (There is only so much swimming you can do before it becomes old news!)
I love my girls and I love that I can stay home with them part time and experience a Summertime through their eyes. I want them to remember summer like I remember summer...an incredibly exciting and fairytale time. I hope that after a few "google searches" and brainstorms that I can find what will make their summer as magical and as memorable as I hope!
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