Safe in our Father's arms

Where do you put your trust? Do you trust that you'll have that job until you're ready to get a new one? Do you trust that your spouse will never hurt you, betray you, or even leave you? Do you trust that your kids will behave a certain way because you've raised them to? What happens when (not if, but when) some or all of these things fall apart?
There is one place we can put our trust. There is only one who will never leave, betray, hurt, or disappoint us. Only one thing is certain. Only one thing remains constant. In a fast paced, hustle and bustle world, full of ups and downs, there is only one thing we can trust will be a safe place for us to dwell secure. In Christ.
Does this mean we shouldn't trust each other? Does this mean we shouldn't relax and trust that our finances will be taken care of? Does it mean we shouldn't even bother raising our kids in a way that would please God? By no means! It means the opposite. Because of our faith in Christ, we can do all these things, and more! What an awesome feeling! No matter the circumstances or conditions we find ourselves in, we dwell secure! "On Christ the solid rock, we stand"

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

"And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock." Matthew 7:25

Song of Hope

I had to share this video I found on YouTube that was created for Jeremy Camp's song, Beyond Measure. I cannot listen to this song enough. There are few songs I feel more, and on my run this morning, I almost broke into tears over it once more.
Truly, I have been given so much more than I could ever deserve. I can be so petty, so rapped up in the day to day, not giving thought to the absolute magnitude of the greatness of the God I serve. The God that calls me His child cares for every part of my life and graciously, gently breaks my will to bring me back to His. I am SO THANKFUL for his mercy. The mercy that is new every morning brings hope "beyond measure".
Without God, there is no hope in this life. I pray everyone reading this could feel this hope, too. Let us all be thankful today and everyday, despite our circumstances, trials, and discomforts. The God of all creation is mindful of us!

Not Quite the Vacation We Expected

God is good. Even through the storms, God is good. Steven lost his job the day before his hard-earned two week vacation. With four kids to care for, I could easily lose my mind. God is good, though. He is steady. He holds us in His hand. He never leaves us. He gives us brothers and sisters in Christ who bless us with the gospel played out in real life. I am thankful.


We took a day to play amidst the job search. I'm so thankful our home town has a "beach".



Juliet is fearless in the water. That is both good and bad. Let's just say she keeps us on our toes at the beach. I only had one running through the water like a lifeguard moment, so I think that's an improvement.




Jaysen is the opposite. He is mister caution when it comes to, well, most everything. It's funny how those two look so alike, yet they're so vastly different.




Margot and I had some quality time in the shade. Don't you just love those feet? I do.

Oh, and I'm taking a much needed one week break from Facebook. It's been wonderful. It's funny how being "unconnected" has made me feel so much more connected. (to my family, anyway)

with much love, Lara

How do people keep up with these things?

My blog is appropriately titled, for sure! I know there are different seasons in life. There are seasons when blogging, for instance, will be more possible. Then, there are seasons when life is so busy, we can barely check all of our emails. My life has been a little more like the latter lately. Sorry friends who were counting on some blogs. Oh, what's that? You didn't miss them? My wonderfully written and oh so captivating blogs?? Ha! I've continued my running, friends, on days that sleep and conditions provide me that opportunity. It has been good for my body and soul. It's given me contemplative, prayerful time, all while burning extra calories I've been storing (for a rainy day, I guess ;)) I'm up to four miles at a comfortable pace, and that makes me happy. The marathoner in me wants that number to be more like eight or ten, though. Alas, I must remember: seasons, seasons. :) We've been finishing up the "school year". Our learning will continue this summer with grammar, math, and PLENTY of summer reading. Jaysen will be starting kindergarten in the fall. He is more than ready, if you ask me. My heart has found much encouragement in the book, "Large Family Logistics" by Kim Brenneman. I recommend this to any mother who wants to better her keeping of her household, whatever the size of her family. The tips, encouragement, and biblical truths she shares are a blessing. Oh, and be ready to feel some conviction, too. Is it just me who feels conviction when studying the ways of the Proverbs 31 woman? I'm thankful for the spurring on towards good deeds. I'm looking forward to laid back summer days and watching these little ones, who've been entrusted to my care, grow. I want to cherish all the little things in the days to come, as I'm reminded so often how fast the seasons change. Lord, help me to not miss a thing! Talk to you soon, friends.

Hot Spot #4...dun dun dun

Hot Spot #4 was revealed this morning! It is yet another one I have a leg up on. The spot is the refrigerator/pantry. Thanks to my dear friend Misty hiring me some cleaning assistance last week, I was able to tackle my fridge! Woohoo!! :) This week I will dive into the deep, dark cabinet that houses our dry foods. Oh my! This should be fun...join in with me, won't ya? I will update with the before and after pictures this Friday.

Household Chore Scavenger Hunt

Sierra had a brilliant idea she shared with me last night. She suggested I post a chore for her to perform in a certain location, then post another where she'll complete that one, and so on. I immediately thought it was a great, fun idea for the kids! I also thought they could find a little "treasure" at the end. Perhaps the treasure could be a certificate for a special privilege or a kind note, or something that would mean a lot to that particular child. I thought I would share as some of you may be looking for a fun system for household chores for your children. I like anything that teaches children that the tasks God requires of us can be something we delight in rather than drudgery.

Hot Spot #3 Revealed! Tackling Tiny Town :)

Hot Spot #3 was revealed today! The 3rd challenge is kid's toys and clothes. I have already done this recently to prepare for our garage sale we had Saturday. There is never an end to the kids' clutter though, so I will probably get in there and do a little more this week. This will probably be a good week for us to catch up on our paper clutter we failed to finish last week! :) Hope everyone is joining in and organizing their homes. It feels great to let it all go. ;)


The more I ponder it, the more I realize there is MUCH work to still be done in the kids' rooms. I'm excited! I love projects that involve the kids. They get just as enthusiastic as I do, and Sierra already loves to give her toys away.
I love this quote from Simple Mom: This comes from the famous quote from 19th century architect William Morris — “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”