Just Living Life

We have been quite preoccupied living life these days.

A while back a friend asked me if we video tape our children a lot.

We really do not.

She said that she tries NOT to so that she can truly enjoy the

moments AS they are taking place, instead of being uptight about

catching everything and every activity on camera and

then TRYING to relive those moments that she really

didn't partake of at the time.

That was an interesting response and one that definitely resonated with me

and where we are at in life.

Of course, we have captured some things on camera.

But as I look back over the past month, many things have

happened where I failed to take out the camera.

However, the images are etched in my mind and I will cherish

them for years to come.

So, as June comes to an end we are content living

the life God has called us to.

It may seem ordinary to some, but it is a joy-filled

ordinary life to live!

 

Joel Thorne -- 10 months

Kryptonite

  

Pancho has enjoyed Superman for years.

He knows the story inside and out,

frontwards and backwards.

He has done a good job of getting me hooked into the

story line too.

He has waited at Best Buy on the day

after Thanksgiving to get the latest season of

Smallville ("every story has a beginning").

He has done a good job of getting me hooked into the

story line too.

So good, in fact, that our youngest child's name

stems from the movie Superman.

(please comment if you know who I am referring to

in the story line; I'd love to know if you know!)

Well, lately I have been thinking a lot about Superman.

And kryptonite.

If you do not know the story line at all,

for this post you must know that Superman

has super-human powers that are not stopped, nor slowed by anything.

Except kryptonite.

I have been lovingly named

"Supermom" by a few of my young friends.

Although it is flattering, I have quickly

made sure that they both know that I am

FAR from "Supermom" status.

And a few nights ago I had a "kyrptonite moment."

I was heading up a VERY BIG event and three things

slipped my mind COMPLETELY.

Three things I normally would have easily handled.

I quickly texted one of my young friends, who

happened to be the "victim" of one of my mind-slipping

incidents, reminding her that I am indeed not

"Supermom."

"Even Superman has kryptonite"

came her texted reply.

That text has been revolutionary to my life this past week.

As I have pondered and processed that comment' I have

realized that I need to be careful about pushing

myself to my "kryptonite level."

My "kryptonite level" is when I commit to more

than I can handle while still doing well what is most important to me.

You see, last week when I was heading up the VERY BIG

event, I was at maximum capacity.

Mentally, physically and emotionally.

Then, a few more things fell into my responsibility pile

and I proudly claimed I could handle them.

Sadly enough, those things slipped my mind

and I was mortified to discover that I had

let some people down.

Then, last night I had another "kryptonite moment"

as my responsibilities for Family Bible Week at our church

were coming to a climax.

I saw my dear friend again and we shared a quick moment.

"I'm having another kyrptonite moment."

She smiled and today kindly reminded me that

kryptonite takes a while to wear off.

I came home and as I was feeding Joel, our youngest,

before bed I saw this on facebook.

* taken from An Abiding Mom

Amazingly enough it was just what I needed.

Even more amazing than that is the fact that

this dear friend and I are doing a Bible study

together this summer, one that we started today.

And the book we are studying is called

Secrets of the Vine.

Anyone see the irony?

I'll give you a hint.

The book is based on John 15.

What word in John 15 appears at least 10 times?

ABIDE!

God is so good!

He has been working on this very idea

in my mind and heart for some time and

it all came to a culmination last night with this

great chart.

I say all of this to remind myself that I

need to focus on abiding in the Vine

or I will continue to be at my "kyrptonite level."

God has been so timely, yet again, to bring this to

my attention as I look at our calendar for the summer.

This summer's calendar, more than any other in my memory,

has been overwhelming to me.

Yet, if I can keep my focus on abiding in the Vine I know

He will strengthen me and together we will

get through it.

In fact, we won't simply get through it,

we will get through it abundantly.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I came that they may have life,

and have it abundantly.

It's official now

We have been waiting for this to arrive... 

And this is the OFFICIAL transcript from the

University of Wisconsin -- Platteville.

Lord, thank You that it is official!

Up until yesterday it was all about ME

Yesterday Pancho took his final final exam

for his undergraduate degree.

You are looking at a mechanical engineer.

(well, almost; we are still waiting for the

paperwork to be processed)

Pancho began his undergraduate degree pursuit in

1998 in Venezuela.

At that time he was pursuing an industrial maintenance engineering degree.

He attended the university in Venezuela for four years and

the semester he was to complete his internship,

God called us out of Venezuela.

Hindsight makes that decision sound simple.

It was excruciating.

Pancho chose, at that time, however, to trust the Lord

and His perfect plan, even though it meant

surrendering his dream of completing his degree.

We moved to the States and immediately looked into him

finishing his degree.

There were no viable options so he worked as a bee keeper's

assistant and even as a cook in a chicken joint.

(as a side, he is an incredible man, this Pancho that I

blog about... he has never been afraid to

"get dirty" to provide for his family)

15 months after we moved to the States a friend from church

approached Pancho and told him that he felt like he would

be a great fit for a position that was opening up at Greenheck.

We were thrilled to think that God would have this in store for Pancho.

Pancho was offered that position and excelled immediately as

a configuration analyst.

The Lord has blessed Pancho with an incredible gift in the area of

systems (computer stuff) and this was quickly recognized

at Greenheck.

A few years later one of Pancho's co-workers told him about a pilot program that

UW-Platteville was going to offer where he could finish his degree.

We worked quickly to get his credits validated "state-side"

and we were told that the industrial maintenance engineering

major would be best equated with a mechanical engineering major.

Pancho applied with Platteville and began to work with advisors

to develop a plan.

In 2008 Pancho started taking classes through

UW-Platteville as well as through UW Colleges.

In Venezuela the university requirements are much more

major-specific.

Here in the US we take many general education classes.

So, he had to not only take courses in mechanical engineering,

he also had to take classes like music, history and psychology.

It has been a long and windy road and yet

Pancho has persevered.

One semester his first son was born on the first day

of classes.

One semester he needed to travel to Venezuela

to bury his father and attend his sister's wedding.

Through it all God has given him the strength to

minister to his family, to work full-time as well as study.

The title of this post is

"Up until yesterday it was all about ME."

Some may think that I am referring to myself when I say ME.

Nope.

I am referring to M.echanical E.ngineering.

M.E.

Tonight when Pancho comes home there will be no

M.E. to attend to.

When he comes home tonight he will not have to

dine-and-dash to the desk downstairs to study.

Tonight when he comes home he will not have to

kiss all of us goodnight and return to that desk downstairs.

Tonight when he comes home he will not have to

endure hearing the laughter of his children and wife

upstairs while he slaves away, studying.

Tonight when he comes home he will be able to

enjoy his children and his wife.

And we will be able to enjoy him.

 God, thank You for providing the opportunity

for Pancho to complete his mechanical engineering degree.

Thank You for giving all of us the grace to help him

finish strong.

And thank You that he is done and it is not about

M.E. anymore!

Joel Thorne 9 months

Adjustments take time

Adjustments take time.

This is quite obvious and yet when

you are the one adjusting the time seems to

go much more slowly, doesn't it?

What have we had to adjust to since we got Simba?

a little bit of barking at night

finding Simba OUT of his garage kennel in the mornings

(he is a strong pup; and smart too... he would push on the door and bend the metal!)

(we have remedied the first two by letting him sleep in the garage, loose,

and he has done extremely well)

less crumbs on the kitchen floor, especially around Samuel and Joel's chairs

a companion for Pancho while he is up late and again up early studying

more frequent family walks/bike rides/trips to the dog park

a new connection point with my brothers

more of an urgency to be home

(all of which have proved to NOT be negative things)

Everyone is adjusting well.

Samuel has been found to ask to take Simba outside on the leash.

(this from the boy, who for the first week Simba was with us,

said multiple times a day, "Mama, remember, I don't like dogs.")

Joel enjoys sitting by Simba and pulling on his fur.

Even Simba has had to adjust, but he too has done well.

Adjustments do take time but this time has been precious for all of us.

Thank You, Lord, yet again, for Your provision of teachable moments

during each phase of life.



I'm not sure even where to begin ...

I mentioned about 3.5 weeks ago that we were beginning

a new chapter in our family's life.

Little did I know that chapter would have such a rocky start.

I will spare you most of the details.

I will, however, share that the past 3.5 weeks have been some of the

most difficult days emotionally for me as a wife.

As an individual I do not like conflict.

As a wife, I do not like it even more.

During the last couple of weeks Pancho and I have

not been on the same page when it comes to

how this new chapter of our lives should begin.

He has been on page 1 and I have been on page 100,

if that explains how differently we have looked at this

big decision.

He has listened to my perspective and I have listened

to his and we have sought the Lord individually, as a couple

and as a family.

We have involved some of our friends in this process as well
and they have committed to praying for us
which has proven to be such a gift.
(thanks A TAL) 

And in the midst of the discussions and praying

we have not been united.

Neither of us has been upset with the other.

Yet it has been a very uncomfortable place for us to be in

our marriage because we are not accustomed

to being on different pages, let alone such different pages.

Right in the midst of this difficulty, I shared this part with a dear friend.
 She reminded me that these times will come again
with future decisions 

and that it is good to simply push through,

doing exactly what we have done (discuss, pray, pray, discuss),

trusting God to bring about a united decision eventually.

What great advice.

(thanks, Amy C)

So, like I said, I will spare you all the details and simply say:

WELCOME SIMBA

Simba is a 5 month old Irish Cream Golden Retriever.

We are overwhelmed with God's obvious hand and

orchestration in his arrival into our family.

He has a sweet, honey-like disposition and has done

well with us during the past 15 hours he has been in our home.

This morning as I spent some time with the Lord I thanked

Him for seeing us through this decision and

giving us all the strength to walk in the way He clearly

indicated.

(this was one of my big concerns, how will we each deal with

whatever God calls us to do?)

I am sure there will be hard times with Simba, times when I question

whether it was a good decision or not.

However, as I am studying in God's Word,

"Come, let us rejoice in Him..."

Psalm 66:6

 I am learning that "to let" is not passive.

It is actively causing something to happen.

I am actively rejoicing in God's hand in

this decision about a dog, which dog,

when dog, how dog,

etc.

Please rejoice with us!

Remember, it says,

"Come, let us rejoice in Him..."

We hope you can stop by and meet Simba soon.

Just because

 I have been playing with the settings a little bit on

our camera and sometimes I have live

models and other times I have inanimate ones.

This time I had a live one and an adorable one to boot, right?

I'll Never Get Tired of This Image

No matter how many times I see this out the front window

or the patio door, I will never tire of seeing Samuel mirroring

his papa.

Lord, may Samuel mirror Pancho in more than

just lawn mowing!