Completing him...Remember your vows

I adore my husband.  He is the hero of our family.  How thankful I am that he is a man who stands by his wife, a dad who showers love on his children, and a man of character.

"Man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." ~Genesis 2:24

 "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is Savior of the body.  Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.  So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself." ~Galatians 5:22-28

Join me in the Completing Him Challenge.  I am several months behind, but whatev!  

Other Completing Him posts: Before the wedding

haven't written in a while

I haven't really written a real blog post in a while and just sort of feel like other things are demanding my attention lately, but thought I might punch on the computer keys and see what comes out.

Brandon

Si (pretty sure there was more flour on him than the cookies)

cookie decorating as only little boys can do

The kitchen counter is my "office" for the moment.  The alarm on the dryer is calling me to fold clothes, I just finished wrapping the latest Christmas gift to arrive in the mail, the boys are in bed, my hubby is filling out his Christmas wish list as he goes from website to website on the dining table behind me, and Christmas songs on my iPod fill my home.  The tree lights are on, the house Christmas lights are on, and my elderly neighbor across the street tells me every time I see her in her adorable Irish accent, "Oh Kori!  I am truly the one who gets to enjoy those lovely lights you put up. I just love them!"  She tells me this every year and if she can't tell me in person, she will call me on my phone.  Good neighbors are a treasure.  And since I am sure my dearest neighbor is reading this post, I will give him a shout out.  Wilson, you're the best!  My neighbor to the back who I lovingly call "Wilson" is my patriotic partner-in-crime.  And the eccentric couple who moved next door to us a few months ago painted their house orange, green, and purple.  Yes, you read that right.  But what utterly delightful people they are.  I steer clear of all conversation regarding politics since I am quite sure in this very left-wing community I live in, they have very little in common with me.  But we do value and trust each other as neighbors.  Oh, and the colorful Easter egg house has grown on me.  Don't tell Jamie, but I actually like it now.  :)

Content in life even though things aren't always smooth.  Things may not always be easy but they may always be peaceful as we trust the Lord to bring us to that place in Him.
A nugget I gleaned from listening to Beth Moore yesterday:

Part of spiritual maturity is ceasing to equate "hard" with "bad." 

Just because it's easy doesn't mean it's good.

I spent a few hours today with two delightful friends: precious ladies who warm my heart, share my ideals, and make me a better person, mom, and wife just by being who they are naturally and letting some of their wonderful-ness (not a word, I know) spill onto me.  This Summer while at the Mom Heart Intensive Training in CO, Sally said we need to surround ourselves with people who are better than us.  I am so glad to have had the opportunity to do that today.

For all who may read this, I truly wish you the most magical and miraculous Christmas.  What must it have been like to welcome the Savior of all mankind into the world as He made His humble debut?  And how we eagerly anticipate His righteous and just return.  If you have some time, check out this message (click on Psalm 110 from December 12th) given at my church this past Sunday.  Awesome!

And perhaps you can join me in prayer over something that has been on my heart this week and really for a while.

• President Obama's salvation; that our leaders would respond to conscience
• that the true Christian church will walk the straight and narrow of 2 Chronicles 7:14 and this nation will turn course
• the wombs of women will be a safe place for the unborn

Bless you,

p.s.  I have a beautiful manger that I lovingly place in our home at Christmastime and today as I walked past, I noticed a toy gun laying on top of baby Jesus.   You know you're a mom of boys when....

Reindeer Marshmallow Pops

My sister just made these super cute things with her boys.  How in the world can you eat something so darn adorable?!  Haven't tried these myself yet, but they were so darling, I had to share.  Enjoy!

My nephews, Carter & Lucas.  

From my sis:  We used the Wilton Candy Melts (follow the instructions on the back to melt them). Put the lollipop sticks in the marshmallows, dip them in the melted chocolate and place on top of pretzels on wax paper. Put cinnamon on. Let chocolate set. Use remainder of chocolate to "glue" white chocolate chips and a little bit of the melted chocolate for the eyes. The boys had a blast making them!

Yeah, don't really ever get tired of this one

Don't miss the Mom Heart Conference!

Join me at this year's California conference.  Or attend the one at the location closest to you!  You will embrace Sally's vision and inspiration!

 

Perfect through sufferings

Yesterday, we received news that a dear friend, Gene, had an accident and lost his finger.  He is a true servant of the Lord and a pillar in our body of believers here in Borrego.  He and his wife have been struggling recently with the economy, his hip (he needs a replacement), and now this.  He works in construction and is a guitar player, so fingers are essential.  I understand his biggest concern is not being able to play his guitar since he loves to worship.  Please pray for Gene and his wife, Susie.  We know that God works everything together for good for those who love Him and are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
If you would like to help support his business, check out his cool porch swings: http://www.sevenfootporchswing.com/Home.html.

(The following is taken from Streams in the Desert, December 2)

Steel is iron plus fire.  Soil is rock, plus heat, or glacier crushing.  Linen is flax plus the bath that cleans, the comb that separates, and the flail that pounds, and the shuttle that weaves.  Human character must have a plus attached to it.  The world does not forget great characters.  But great characters are not made of luxuries, they are made by suffering.

I heard of a mother who brought into her home as a companion to her own son, a crippled boy who was also a hunchback.  She had warned her boy to be very careful in his relations to him, and not to touch the sensitive part of his life but go right on playing with him as if he were an ordinary boy.  She listened to her sonas they were playing; and after a few minutes he said to his companion: "Do you know what you have got on your back?"  The little hunchback was embarrassed, and he hesitated a moment.  The boy said : "It is the box in which your wings are; and someday God is going to cut it open, and then you will fly away and be an angel."

Someday, God is going to reveal the fact to every Christian, that the very principles they now rebel against, have been the instruments which He used in perfecting their characters and molding them into perfection, polished stones for His great building yonder. (Cortland Myers)

Suffering is a wonderful feritlizer to the roots of character.  The great object of this life is character.  This is the only thing we can carry with us into eternity... To gain the most of it and the best of it is the object of probation. (Austin Phelps)

By the thorn in the road and no other is the mount of vision won.

The Circle of Life

In April 1995, while I was in (dance) class at Grossmont College, a brightly colored flyer caught my eye on the bulletin board.  It was an audition flyer for the Lion King Parade at Disneyland.

The Lion King is one of my very favorite Disney movies.  The best scene is when Rafiki finds the long, lost Simba.  Simba makes excuse after excuse about why he can't take his rightful place in the "Circle of Life," when Rafiki blindsides him with a sharp whack to the head.  Simba, shocked, asks what that was for.  Rafiki says, "The past is in the past, you can either run from it or learn from it."  Then he swings at Simba again and this time Simba ducks.  Lesson learned.
This movie came out right about the time I had my abortion.  So this lesson was key for me.  I could either remain depressed about what I had done or I could stand up, find hope, and live a purposeful life USING what had happened to me.

So, how appropriate it is that this would be my first professional dancing gig.

Of course, I never imagined I would actually be cast.  A friend told me that she had auditioned half a dozen times before and was always cut.  We decided a free dance class would be worth the drive, got in line with 600 other girls, and went through the cattle call.  I learned the first routine and was immediately cut.

"Well, that was a waste of time," I thought.  My friend and I grabbed our stuff and headed for the door.  I placed my right hand on the bar to open the industrial-style door, and a hand firmly grasped my left arm.  I turned, startled, and noticed it was the choreographer who was holding onto me.  "I'd like you to stay," she said.

Five words that totally changed my life.

I picked up the final routine with no trouble.  My friend said it looked like I had choreographed it.  It felt like it too.  

The next thing I knew, I was holding a casting card.  I was dumbfounded.  "They're going to pay me to dance?"  Ok, so they didn't pay much, but heck! I would have danced for free!!!  I was in total disbelief and thus began the blessing after blessing from the Lord since my surrender to Him.

I danced at Disney for 8 years.  
The Lion King Celebration, 
Hercules Victory Parade, 
A Christmas Fantasy, 
Fantasmic!, 
Light Magic (may it rest in peace...FOREVER. lol!), etc.
And I stage-managed for a few years on Mulan, Parade of the Stars, and The Electrical Parade.  It was a wonderful time.

I am so thankful for God making my dream come true.

Light Magic.  I was "Wiggle Wink."
Yeah, don't even go there.  My knees hurt just thinking about it...and my shins.  

One of my favorite parts ever.  Mistletoe dancer.
Will was one sweaty guy!
And I had to kiss his sweaty cheek all down the parade route.  LOL!
He was sweet, though, and we had a blast!

Midnight rehearsal for the Christmas Parade.
About to sneak up on an unsuspecting cookie.