From One Sunday to the Next

So this week has been insanely busy...to the point of a few emotional break downs. Although it's been emotionally difficult, it has been so rewarding and full of blessings. We went to a beautiful wedding on Saturday, which only reminded me of the incredible love I have with my husband. It was so neat to see previous youth get married after watching them walk through so much together in their relationship since highschool. I was reminded of how sacred and beautiful God has intened marriage to be. Wow! people seriously miss out on the blessings that God has meant for marriage and while it breaks my heart that the world is missing out, I feel so blessed that I daily see more of Christ through my relationship with my husband.

Sunday was full of "activities," but ones that just make my heart smile...literally!!! Jacob got to baptize a few of our students who have recently accepted Christ and I just smiled, with tears in my eyes, at the opportunity to be a part of that!! Some of these kids don't even have families that care to be a part of this milestone in their lives or even understand the significance of baptism. Jacob and I were so very proud of them for stepping forward, regardless of their family situations, and making it a priority to get baptized. While it isn't the baptism that saves, these youth were stoked about making it known to others that they knew who saved them and that they understood their need for the Savior!! I was like "momma" proud of these kids bc we just love them so much!!

Then immediately afterwards we had a huge church barbecue with all kinds of fun activities. Jacob and I served lunch, with the other church staff, to over 500 people. It was so cool to see so many people come out and fellowship. What a blessing to be a part of the body of Christ! It's so neat to see so many people work together and enjoy each others company. Of course my husband didn't last long before he was joining the kids...

After a long, but fulfilling day at church, we went to our seniors baccalaureate that night. Wow I can't believe the time has come to graduate them. I have a picture of them all hugging the night before they started their first day as seniors...it went by so fast and now I'm taking pictures with them during their last week of school! I'm gonna miss these kids so much and feel so blessed to have been a part of their lives.

Sweet Sisters! I love my Jo-Jo

My wonderful running partner

Jacob & Scott ruining a picture together

Buddy performing @ Baccalaureate

My Buddy!

At the end of my emotionally draining week, we still had yet another eventful weekend ahead of us. Jacob's sister Alyssa graduated Friday night, so we went to Bridgeport to see her and the rest of the family. Then we had baby Savannah's 1st birthday party on Saturday in Hurst and got to see more family.

Then Sunday was full of more graduation stuff for our seniors. We had our "Senior Sunday" and recognized them in service and then threw them a luncheon after church. I got so caught up in decorations and food and slideshows and all the small stuff, that when I really realized why I was doing all this, I was so sad. It was our last Sunday to have them as seniors in Sunday school, the last time they would be a part of our youth group, the last time they would lead worship together, the last time I would walk into church and see their faces...their were a lot of "last times" running through my mind. And then Jacob said something so profound in the middle of my tears, "We've poured into their lives for these past 6 years to send them out into the world, not keep them to ourselves." And that's exactly what I told them as I stood before them today to give my "speech"...It's been a privelge to be a part of their lives and watch them grow so much. To change. To mature. To find Christ. To cry with them. To pray with them. To learn from them. I can't believe this group is leaving, but I'm so thankful that this is mine and Jacob's life. I love youth and I couldn't imagine doing anything else alongside my husband. This is our calling! So once again I say goodbye to more precious people in my life and I am so thankful for the time I've had with them!!!

Sisters @ Molly's Graduation Party

During the middle of our rollercoaster of a week I began to emotionally break down bc I've just gone from one big event to the next. We planned our whole summer schedule out this week and the youth activities are endless!! I was looking ahead at all the busyness and planning of all our big activities and I just got overwhelmed. We have conferences, summer camp, small groups @ our house, Jr. High Favorite Fridays, Highschool Sunday nights, Vacation Bible School, trips to Hurricane Harbor & Six Flags, community work days, my sister's wedding and activities, and in the midst of it all I have to get all my new curriculum ready by the beginning of August for my kindergarteners.

I am so blessed to have my husband! Not only is he my very best friend, he is a wonderful spiritual leader. When I am at my weakest moment, overwhelmed by the busyness of life, complaining about everything, crying over who knows what, he tells me "Come here, I want to pray for my wife." Oh what beautiful words to hear when my heart is so heavy. He just wraps me in his arms and prays! Literally everday I thank God for him! He helps me bring Christ back into the center, re-focuses my mind, and melts my heart with a peace only God can give. He just reminds me that we live this crazy life for only one reason...to bring glory to our King!

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what He has made crooked? When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.

He Gives All Men Life...

So as I lay in bed tonight, with my sweet husband cuddled up beside me, I couldn't stop thinking of the verse in Acts..."He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else...For in Him we live and move and have our being." I just started thanking God that my precious husband lay next to me, that my mom and dad and sisters are all healthy, that I am alive!

I have felt a little overwhelmed this week with the burdens of those around us. This week marks the one year death of our precious friend who now still has 5 kids and a precious wife left here. A sweet couple from our church, that I hold so dear to my heart, are still fighting through his cancer after so many options failing. One of our youth kids ran away from home and hasn't been heard from. So many of our kids are spiraling out of control bc of horrible home lives, abuse, divorce, drugs...My heart has just been aching for so many people and in the stillness of the night God gave me this verse. Acts 17:25-28.

What a reminder to me that He is the One in control and while it hurts to watch others hurt, He has their lives in His hands. "We have our being" kept ringing in my heart and I couldn't help but stand in awe and be overwhelmingly thankful that I serve the One who has my very life, and the lives of all these dear people, in His hands.

Our very existence is dependant upon Him! A year ago to this week I remember laying in bed with my hand on Jacob's heart, thanking God for his very life bc he is so, so precious to me. The very next morning we found out Jeff was in coma on life support. After a long day of prayer for his miraculous healing and many tears for their precious family I lay in bed again listening to my husbands breathing. It was then that I began to really understand how fleeting and precious life is. Just the night before life was "normal" for this family and now the unimaginable was happening. That could have been us. That could have been my husband. My heart hurt so deeply for a wife that would never feel her husbands heartbeat again or hear his reassuring breath next to her while they slept. How often do I take it for granted? How quickly I forget that with a snap of His fingers God could call any of us home?

It's so hard not to have the answers to why things happen? "Why Lord take an incredible, Godly man away from his sweet wife and 5 young kids? Why do You take a wonderful couple through this horrible journey of cancer with no cure at the end? Why are kids born into such broken homes? Why not vividly show Your face to youth that are struggling with Your very existence bc their surroundings reflect nothing of this loving God they hear about at church?" And then I find myself asking..."God why are we still here? Are we hearing and obeying? Are we following Your plan for our lives?"

With all these questions my heart finds no comfort, but God is faithful to tell me once again..."I give you life and breath; you live and move and have your very existence bc of Me! I do things so that people will seek Me, reach out, and find Me (vs. 27)." I do find comfort in knowing that while I have no control over ANYTHING, He has all of our lives in His hands and will bring glory to His name however He sees fit! I am so blessed to know these incredible people bc their lives are such a testimony to our Savior. And while there are no answers now, here on earth, one day the Lord will say to them, "Well done My good and faithful servants" (Matt. 25:21) and the heartaches of this world will "grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." (Helen Lemmel)

Acts 17:25-28...He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, bc He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and reach out for Him and find Him though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.

100 Tacos Later...

So as I sit here typing I'm listening to the hysteria of highschool boys in my front yard. I have to laugh at all the comings and goings in this home. Just in one weekend our home has hosted many exciting and memorable events. We had a cooking marathon in the kitchen, a sister sleepover, a shower honoring my sweet bride-to-be sister, and an end-of-the-school-year game night with the highschool boys.

My sisters came over Friday night to cook and clean for Bekah's shower on Saturday. After a night full of baking desserts we finally just relaxed and spent time together. Saturday morning was filled with last minute decorations, finishing touches to desserts, and spot cleaning. The shower was a success, but more than anything it was so fun to shower my sister with new things to start her marriage. I remember it being such an exciting time during the stressful process of planning a wedding and I wanted my sweet sister to have a moment for herself because she is so deserving to be celebrated. Then it was back to more cleaning and a much needed run with the hubs. And now I sit here listening to yet another wonderful moment happening in my home 100 tacos later and cooking flour all over my carpets. :)

I remember when Jacob and I were first looking for a home I had three hopes for the place we would start our family of 2. First, I wanted my home to be a blessing to the Lord and used to benefit His kingdom. Second, I wanted two living rooms for our youth kids...one for the girls and the other for the boys. Third, I wanted a big closet :) I have both the closet and the living rooms, but I still constantly strive to daily offer my home to the Lord. It's moments like these though that I know God's hand is on our home. It may seem silly bc it's just a home, but to both Jacob and I it really belongs to the Lord as do all earthly blessings He gives us. Our money, our objects, our home, and our very beings belong to Him.

Psalm 24:1-2 says, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it..."

It's a struggle sometimes for me to not get caught up in earthly things, so it still continues to be my prayer that God will use everything we have for His glory bc it's really not ours in the first place. I pray that our home will be a refuge for teens that are struggling with all the sad stuff going on in their own homes; that it will be a place of joy and innocent fun to block out, even for a moments time, the world and its pressures; and most importantly that it will be a home that honors Christ!

I sit here now thinking of the horrible mess I have to yet again clean in my home...the broken ice chest in my front yard, the dirty boy clothes strewn from the front door to the back, the taco meat that has fallen all over the floor, the muddy footprints everywhere, the sticky soda on my kitchen tile, and the flour that is still settling from being tossed around in the air...and I feel so blessed!!!

Ezekiel 34:26-27 says, "I will bless them...I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord."

He answers my prayers; He blesses my life; He provides for all our needs; He watches over our home; and He daily proves Himself faithful and constant...

Goodbyes

Another busy week has gone by and with it their were many goodbyes. The highschool youth girls put together a "Goodbye Party" for BriBri because she and her family went back to Africa to serve for another year. It was hard to send her off, but at the same time I was so excited for her bc I know their heart is there with those people. What a blessing to be involved in the lives of such incredible youth!!! Watching her heart for the Lord as a teenager is so encouraging to me and only solidifies in my heart that Jacob and I are doing exactly what the Lord has called us to. With heavy hearts we said goodbye, but know that a year will pass by quickly!

And then I also graduated my kindergartners this past week too. Oh my goodness how much they've changed since the beginning of the school year!! I just remember how scared they were that first week of school and they wouldn't even come near me. Now as I send them on to 1st grade they are full of confidence and not holding anything back from me. How I will miss them so much :(

Miss Molly came to say goodbye too

Pam (our room mom) and I pulled together their little graduation with a slideshow, cap and gown, speeches, diplomas, the whole nine yards. They were so proud of themselves as they walked down the center aisle to Pomp And Circumstance :) For my speech I wrote my own little poem for them with kindergarten rhyming words and said at least one quality I loved about them:

This year has flown by so fast
Teaching y’all was such a blast
With a heavy heart I graduate you today
But before I do there are a few things I want to say,

Grant I will not forget your sweet, tender heart
And always remember that you are so very smart
Ethan I loved your fun and care free spirit
Every challenge you faced, you did not fear it
Jeffrey you were my creative and grand story teller
And quickly too you became a wonderful speller
Daniel your knowledge of life amazed me each day
Sometimes you shocked me; I didn’t even know what to say
Emerie your sweet hugs and that pretty little smile
Made coming to school every day so worthwhile
Caroline I was amazed at how quick you forgave
And the outlook you have on life is so brave
Jarrett you always showed others your love for the Lord
The things you did to help them was never for a reward
Lucy every day with you there was something new
And I loved watching you giggle as you learn and grew
Payne you were always such a lively, but obedient boy
Watching you soak up what you learned was such a joy

I will miss all of y’all so very much
My life and my heart you forever did touch
Even though I do wish with me you could have stayed
I wish you sweet blessings as you begin first grade!

And now I begin this next week preparing to graduate our 2010 seniors! Our Senior Recognition Sunday is coming up in a few weeks and we're pulling together a slideshow and meal for seniors, their families, and the whole youth group. Once again more goodbyes...and oh how I will miss this group of girls so much!! I've been working in this youth group for almost 7 years now and seen them all grow up and it gets harder every year!!

It's hard not to get caught up in the busyness of May and overwhelmed by all the change. I have a hard time not looking back and holding onto the past, but as I sit here writing about these pivotal and life changing events I can only feel blessed to be a part of God's big picture. As I sat reading my bible last night I came across John 17:17-19 where Jesus was praying for His disciples:

"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is the truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."

I was reminded, once again, that my life is:

1.) to glorify God in all I do

2.) to be sanctified daily through my relationship with my Savior

3.) to share Jesus to a lost world and

4.) to make an impact for eternity

As hard as it is to say goodbyes and move onto a new chapter, I thank God that I had the opportunity to be a part of so many precious peoples lives. He blesses me daily thru the lives of the kids and youth that Jacob and I are involved with. May I never grow weary of serving the Lord and may He give me the strength to continue with goodbyes bc what He has in store for the future is so beautiful!!

Starting Now

I finally gave in and decided to blog! Our life is so crazy busy and I want to keep an account of the precious memories we share with so many wonderful people. Just to catch up on the past few years of mine and Jacob's life together before I start blogging up-to-date...

Jacob was coaching at the private school at our church and I was working as the Girls Youth Director right after we both graduated from college in May 2006. We took both of our groups on a rock climbing trip around October 2006 and hit it off immediately. Our love for the Lord, passion for young people, and goofy personalities drew us to each other right away. We began working together side-by-side in the youth group planning activities, going on mission trips, doing local service projects, teaching small groups, etc.

After a summer packed serving together we knew we were ready to get married, so in August 2007 we got engaged!

Within 7 months we were married!

We went on a fabulous honeymoon to Cancun, Mexico...which was a much needed trip after planning a wedding, basketball season (Jacob was still coaching), and youth events.

And since getting married on March 15, 2008 a lot has changed in the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Holmes. Jacob coached one more year at Waxahachie Prep Academy and I got a part-time job there teaching K-5 and 2nd grade Math & Phonics. Then Jacob left the school and took on the youth pastor position full-time at our church in January of 2009. We bought our first home, got a puppy named Davinci (named after the dolphin we swam with on our honeymoon), lost our precious cat Nala, started doing triathlons (Jacob) and running 5ks (me), went on fun vacations, celebrated new births in our family, lost dear friends, married off close friends, started seminary, and the list goes on...

So much has happened in the past 2 years together so I'm beginning this journey of blogging so I don't forget any more moments.

Colossians 1:16-17 "...all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."