Nae's Heart

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Go all out encouraging the writer who linked up before you.

Starting my five minutes now!

Ordinary is just a daily thing…My days are filled with things that may seem ordinary but make each day special.
Changing, feeding, and playing with my son. Ordinary moments made special…that smile from my husband as he brings Jacob to be fed.
Getting ready for the day and knowing that I get to spend it with my son and husband.

There are other ordinary things…like serving the Lord by ministering to the kids at school and helping out with things in the office.
I love how I can have a wonderfully ordinary day that ends up being magical because of the God I serve. He can make the smallest things seem special. God can take the ordinary and make it amazing.

Well that is my five minutes. Hope you will join me in taking a five minute break from life.

Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays.
We write because we want to, not because we have to. We write for fun, for joy, for discovery.
We just write without worrying if it’s just write or not.

Won’t you join us?

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Go a little overboard encouraging the writer who linked up before you.

As I start my five minutes I can’t help but think about the encouragement my friend, Jen S, was to me in her five minute post this morning.

One of my favorite quotes about friends is:
“A friend walks in when others walk out!”

It means so much to have friends who are always there for you, no matter what you are going through! I am so thankful for my friends. They encourage me, uplift me, cry with me, pray for me, and ultimately help keep my focus on the Lord.

My friends tell me what I need to hear and not just what I want to hear. They hold me accountable for my actions and keep me faithful in my Bible reading.

I know I can call or text them anytime day or night and they will answer me.

The one friend that I am the most thankful for though is the Lord Jesus Christ…He is the Friend that sticks closer then a brother. Without the Lord leading my life I wouldn’t be able to be a friend to those around me.

Well that is my five minutes! Won’t you join me in taking five minutes to think about your closest friends?

As I start my clock for my 5 minutes I want to share this quote with you…
“God gives you grace to live through the processes of change that are necessary so that his grace can do in you what it’s promised to do.” Paul Tripp

Growing…man, what a topic for me right now.
I have watched my son grow the last 3 months into an adorable little guy. He has grown so fast…It was almost exactly a year ago that I found out I was pregnant with him. I have grown into the role of mother and learned that it isn’t always easy to make decisions that affect a little child.

Another area I have grown in is my walk with God…There is a little boy depending on me to teach him about God. I can’t believe how often I take control…I need to grow closer to the Lord and I need to teach Jacob how to grow close to Him.

Growing isn’t always easy…I have had struggles in my personal life and I have watched my son adjust to a life that is all new to him. He makes me smile as he grows and discovers things that we take for granted like his hands.

Thank you, Lord, for growth in our lives!

Well, that is my five minutes…won’t you join me in taking five minutes to reflect on life?

Today as I start the clock and write for five minutes I look back on my week and at the joy I was able to have.

This week I had the joy of celebrating the life of a man who is gone far to soon for us but for the Lord it was the perfect time. Jesse Ravega was a wonderful encouragement and lived in the joy of the Lord. He brought joy to the lives he touched. I was honored to know him.

I have joy in knowing that I will get to see him again, but my greatest joy is in the fact that the same God who decided it was time to take Jesse home is the same wonderful God who I serve.

I find joy in the ministry He has given to me and in the family He has allowed me to have. My son brings joy to my life with his smiles and laughter. The Lord brings so much joy into our lives and we often overlook it. Lord, help me to dwell on Your joy and help me to share Your joy with others!

Well my time is up… until next time!

In real life things aren’t always magical but they can be sweet and meaningful. I don’t always have a smile on my face or have things go my way but I love living life. The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful life. My Son is 3 moths old and growing big and strong. My husband and I have wonderful jobs serving the Lord. My real life is being willing to be used where ever the Lord leads me…Real life has trials but through those trials I see the Lord more in control and leading. I am enjoying living in real life and not in a fantasy world. I know things go wrong but God is always good!

Well this week was fun and sad all at the same time.  It was a great first week of school and I am really enjoying my schedule.  On Thursday and Friday the Jr high and High School had Spiritual Emphasis and because I am off most of the day I was able to participate in some of the activities.  We spent Thursday at the park and Friday we joined them at the beach.

Friday we also received the sad news that Jesse Ravega, a friend of our family, had been killed in a motorcycle accident.  Jesse was a Godly man who loved his Lord and family.  He will be greatly missed.  This of course made my Friday evening very emotional.  I am so thankful Jesse was saved and that we will see him again.

Friday also brought James’ parents to visit.  We had a great weekend with them.  Saturday was a relaxing day of grocery shopping and walking around the mall.  We bought Jacob an outfit for his dedication on Sunday and mom and dad found some good deals on clothes.

Sunday brought church.  We dedicated Jacob to the Lord and both of his sets of grandparents were able to be there.  We had a relaxing afternoon at home with both of our parents.

Today brought good-byes.  We said good-bye to mom and dad Ashton.  We will see them on about a month but I still hate good-byes.  After they left we went and got our rings cleaned at Robbin’s Bros. and then walked around South Coast Plaza.  Now we are home listening to the Giants game while Jacob takes a nap.

Well, this week James is back to working full time with the school year starting…This week was teacher in-service and he has been busy with meetings, classroom preparations, and technical duties.  He is ready for the school year and excited about what the year will bring.

Leading up to this week he had a week off and this allowed us to get away for a short family vacation.  Since my brother, Tim, has been living up in Big Bear this summer we figured that would be an awesome place to visit and it would allow Tim to see Jacob.  It was only the 4th time Tim had gotten to see Jacob since his birth and James had never been to Big Bear.  We started our vacation at my parents house on Tuesday and had a wonderful time with them.

Playing with Grandma and Grandpa

We spent the night and then headed up the mountain to Big Bear Wednesday morning.  We arrived at Evergreen Baptist Church (the church my brother has been helping out at) around 11:00 am and I was able to feed Jacob and Tim and James talked.  Lunch was the next thing on the agenda and we headed to The Hacienda for some mexican food.  After lunch we took a walk by the lake…

A walk by the lake

this brought us to Jacob’s next feeding so we headed to check into the cottage that the Pastor’s wife had reserved for us.  It was a nice little cottage with a spa tub and a fireplace!

Our Cottage

We enjoyed hanging out and relaxing with Tim.  After Jacob’s feeding we went to play mini golf and James and Tim went down the Alpine Slide… our next stop was Boulder Bay ,which is just a little park by the lake over looking a couple big boulders!  This brought us to Jacob’s next feeding which took us back to the cottage. After this feeding we went to dinner at Teddy Bears in the Village…we then walked around a little bit but most of the stores were closed so we took Tim home and headed back to our cottage for the evening.

Thursday found us back in the Village at the Copper Q for breakfast and then we walked the Village and visited the shops.  SInce we had checked out of the cottage we headed to a park and played some card games and tossed a baseball around…Then it was onto lunch at BJ’s…After lunch we headed back down the hill to my parents house and relaxed there until church.  We visited Lighthouse and then headed home.  All in all it was a very relaxing time! We enjoyed spending time with Tim and my parents.

Tim and Jacob

Our week ended with a wedding on a yacht…this was Jacob’s first time on a boat!

Going on a boat

Our family with the Bride and Groom

This week Jacob is 11 weeks old and growing big.  He has slept 7 hours a few nights and loves giving smiles and playing with mommy and daddy when he is awake!

What beauty is to me:

My Baby boy smiling up at me at 2 am as I change his diaper

My husband handing me a cup of coffee in the morning with an “I love you” and a smile

The sun setting on the water as My Love and I walk down the beach

Time spent with family

The love that the Lord displayed on the cross when He took my sins and said “Father, Forgive them”

The laughter of friends over dinner

A relaxing afternoon as my baby naps

Cuddling with My Love after a long day

Enjoying the moments of life

As I think about all these different things I am reminded that my definition of beauty may not be yours but these are the things that show me the beauty of life.  My life was made beautiful the day I got saved and it is the little blessings from God that continue to make it beautiful day after day!

The topic today is: Whole… The Gypsy Mama challenges others to set the clock for 5 minutes and to write an unedited blog post about the topic…So here it goes.

Whole

When I think if the word Whole I think about my life being made whole in Christ.  Without the saving grace of my Lord I would not be complete or whole.  This impacts every area of my life.  I want my son to some day experience this saving grace and the wholeness that comes from it.  I want my life to reflect the wholeness of God and for others to look on and wonder what I have that they are missing.  Whole and complete in Christ should be the goal of every Christians life…but sometimes I fail.  I need to grow become more whole, more dependent on Christ.  As I go through my days I want my whole life to reflect the love of Christ in every area.  Lord, help me be whole in you today!

Well that is my 5 minutes! What does whole mean to you?

Well, Jacob is 8 weeks old and I am finally feeling back to normal.  I have worked through the hormones and the healing from childbirth.  We have finally settled into a routine and the feeling of reality has hit.  I actually have a baby, all our own.  It is kind of an unreal feeling but becoming more real every day.  I am finally learning to respond to certain cries and to let him fuss through others.  I am becoming more efficient at bathing him and changing diapers.  We are both getting more sleep at night and that is helping our days to go more smoothly.  Do James and I as parents always know what Jacob wants? No. But we are learning slowly and surely.  We are doing our best to love our little bundle of joy and to teach him about the love of God.  I am so thankful for all of the love and support that we have and for our wonderful family.  I would not have made it to where I am today without all of you!