New Years Year in review.......

As the year of 2006 comes to a close I am forced to review and analyze....... ok not forced but it is the DeGroff way... I mean we have all been groomed to write down our goals and go full force until we accomplish them.... this is a good thing. But as I review this last year I am thinking that the lesson I have learned more then any is that we can do nothing in ourselves and when we try we will fail so that the Lord can teach us. Joy is something the world does not understand or give...... Praise the Lord for being a restorer and life giver. For being a refiner that is willing to patiently work with us until we look more and more like our precious Savior......

I was at work yesterday and there is really no time to be more real then when someone is facing .....
what came to mind is that most people die as they have lived. You do not change that much at the end..... But the Lord can change you from being to being alive. Is this not good news??? When we come to the end of our time here on earth we are going home.... Our life is just getting better.... I thought of this little lady that was very restless and having a hard time. The nurses had given her alot of medicine and could not get her to rest. When I came on and I was getting report they were telling me they had tried everything.... she could not rest.
I started the shift and went on rounds. When I entered her room there was an old tattered bible laying there. I asked her if she wanted her glasses and a light on. She looked at me with these desperate eyes and said I can not read anymore but could you read to me. Please start at Psalm 23. I sat at her bedside and began reading. After several Psalms I prayed with her and she took my hands and said I knew you believed in Him too.
She was calm the rest of the day and passed away that night. She needed God's word to carry her through. It is the food as believers we need to carry us through. To grow us up and like young children need reminded of our love for them we need reminded that we are never alone as well.

Through loss, heart ache, trials, growth, joys, ups, downs, and everywhere in between the one thing that remains and is always there is the Lord......

Thank you Lord Jesus for making beauty out of ashes and for loving me enough to refine me....
purify me... and then use me...

The lights go out all around me,
one last candle to keep out the night, then the darkness surrounds me, I know I am alive but I feel like I have died.
And all that is left is to except that it is over, my dreams ran like sand through the fists that I made. I try to keep warm but I just grow colder, I feel like I am slipping away.

Chorus:
After all this has passed I will still remain.
after I've cried my last they'll be beauty from pain
though it won't be today someday I will hope again there will be beauty from pain.
You will bring beauty from my pain.

My whole world is the pain inside me. The best I can do is get through the day. My life before is just a memory.
I wonder why God lets me walk through this place. And though I can't understand why this happened I know I will when I look back someday
and see how you have brought beauty from ashes and made me as gold purified through these flames

Chorus

Here I am at the end of me
trying to hold to what I can't see
I forgot how to hope
this night has been so long
I cling to your promise there will be a dawn

chorus

This song really explains the last year.....
I am so utterly thankful that the Lord and His word are our light and that my path, plans and hopes are all in His plan and that His hopes and dreams are so much better then ours could ever be. Praise the Lord for bringing us through valleys and setting our feet in a place that shows us how far He has brought me and all is understood now that we are on this side of it.....

Malachi 3:3

Ok guys I ccan not figure out how to get pics on here. I have uploaded them on the new post but they do not show up... what am I doing wrong.

My Abigayle turns two!!!

My little girl is two!!! We had a birthday party.... we made ginger bread houses ( that did not stick that well), presents and lunch.... I hope fun was had by all!!! I think she is ready for christmas because she definately got the hang of opening gifts and that good things come in them....

THanks to all of our friends and family that came. We love you all and are so blessed to have you guys in our life. Enjoy the pics!!!!

Happy b-day !!!!!

Happy Birthday to the best sister ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is Lynn's birthday and I am so thankful for her..... she is such an encouragement and good friend and I love her dearly. Not to mention a wonderful auntie to my kids.

Thanks for being you Lynn!!!!!

McLaren Christmas....

This weekend we had my mom's side of the family christmas here at our house. It was fun and we all had a good time. I was thankful to have as many of us together as possible. Here are some pics (to the side) of the day.

Obey or not to obey..... that is the question......

Today as we hurried home from church and were trying to get the kids fed and in bed as well as Micah to work we had some interruptions with Christian's flesh.... It was such simple things that I found myself frustrated and on our fourth trip to the bathroom in 20 minutes I looked at him and said "Why are you choosing to disobey? What is worth all of this?" And as I looked at his beautiful blue eyes I could see our heavenly Father who responds to us perfectly at all times and in all situations asking me the same thing as I choose disobediance over and over and over..... Why? Why do we choose disobediance when it is always better to obey....... It really gave me a picture of the Lord's love and patience..... Not only how I need to respond to my kids but to keep learning to obey joyfully and willingly.....
Thank you Lord for loving me and being utterly patient and merciful with me, a child who messes up constantly and consistently....

My mouth

Today we (Christian and I) took my mom out to lunch for her birthdayand he had ice cream and chocolate milk.... We go to leave the shopping center and he states that he is hungry because he wanted more sweets and here is the rest....
Christian: I am hungry mom.
Me: Christian you had enough at lunch and you need to be thankful for what you had.
Christian: Well, I am not thankful.
Me: ( I stop the car and turn around in my seat) Do you need me to pullover and get out?
Christian: No
Me: Well then you need to watch your mouth and speak kindly to me.
We drive a few seconds and I hear:
Christian: I can't watch my mouth because it is below my eyes and they are busy looking at other things.......


My mom and I could not stop laughing.... Quietly of course

The Photo Guy.....

Check out Micah's photo gallery at :
www.flickr.com/
micahdnl@yahoo.com
Go to the flickr web page and look under people
put in photoguy72
and Micah's pic should pop up.

They are lots of fun!!!!

SIN

Christian and I have been talking about sin and how it effects our lives. This is our conversation:
Me: So what is sin??
Christian: Bad things we do.
Me: Do we choose to sin?
Christian:Yes.
Me: Does everyone sin?
Christian: Yes even you cause of your bad attitude.......
Me:............fully convicted...............

Isn't it good that the Lord can use all things for His glory. Even our faults teach our children......

Sundays....

I love Sundays. Whenever you are tired or stressed or hurting you go and sit on a Sunday and soak up God's word and see people that you love. How can you go and not remember all of His incredible blessings.... I guess today I am just thankful for the family of Christ and how it encourages, supports and sharpens you. How blessed I am.

Are we living as though we are alive and already started on Eternity????

I was up early this am and in the quiet of children still asleep and the Christmas tree lights on I just had this overwhelming thankfulness to the Lord for where this last year has brought Micah and I and how this Christmas is such a time of thankfulness for His grace and faithfulness.

I am doing a study in Romans through BSF this year and one thought I have had through it is are we living as though we are alive or ?? Do we realize when we walk through the store and come in contact with unbelievers that we were them. Headed on our way to a lost eternity and to hopelessness.
Do we judge the lost for their horrible life (realizing that we were them and still struggle with the flesh but have awesome victory through CHrist) or thank the Lord for the privledge of sharing His gospel and utter thankfulness for our salvation.
Do we stay in our comfort zone or stretch ourselves to reach out to those who need us most. Do we live as though we are alive or ?

Do we in Victory through Christ alone and as though eternity started the day we were born- again or do we live as though it does not start until we are home in heaven. Praise the Lord for our new lives and that we can through His srength live a life for Him now into all of eternity.

I love that we can totally throw ourselves on our precious Savior and He cares for us and about every aspect of our lives and longs to help us grow in Him alone.

When I had all of these thoughts I was convicted.What an awesome privledge and job we have to do as sons and daughters of a living and risen Savior! But the thing that came so strongly was utter thankfulness and joy for His awesome sacrifice.

Lord- Thank you. Thank you. THank you. For saving a horrible wretch like me..... Romans 6 and Eph 2

Malachi 3:3

Malachi3:3
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness.

The Lord has been so gracious and faithful to us this year. He is the restorer and keeper of our heart, soul and mind. Praise the Lord!!!!