HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY JOSHUA!

Today, Joshua turns seven...

I remember that week like it was yesterday. We were moving into our house, buying a car, and had a baby.

We love you Joshua.

10 years later...

Yesterday, our pastor said, "I can tell you, this man loves this woman." I know Bill loves me but to hear someone else say it, it has a different meaning.

I didn't do anything to deserve him but I am glad God sent him my way...

I love you, Sherry,

and I know that God has brought us together.

Because of this,

I desire to be your husband and best friend, always.

Together we will serve Him in accordance with His plan,

so that in all areas of our life Christ will be evident.

Through the pressures of the present and the uncertainties of the future,

I promise to be faithful to you.

There will be no other.

I promise to always forgive you no matter what you have done,

so that nothing will ever separate us.

I promise to love, guide, and protect you as Christ does His Church,

as long as we both are alive.

According to Ephesians 5 and with His enabling power,

I promise to strive to show to you the same kind of love, on a daily basis,

as Christ showed the Church when He died for her,

and to love you as a part of myself because in His sight we are one.

If you were to tell me ten years ago I would be standing here renewing my wedding vows, I wouldn’t have believed you. But I stand here today with you, my best friend, in front of our friends and family to rededicate our marriage. You have changed my life and made me complete. I am a better person because of you. I have learned how to love and be loved. I have learned to believe in myself. I have been blessed with the gift of our children and felt the happiness of being a mother. I have the honor of raising our children with you. The past ten years have brought more joy I could have ever imagined and I look forward to making many more memories. They have also brought some of the worst pain that I have ever felt and never thought I could bear. But I stand here today because you stood by me. You held my hand, you lifted me up, you let me cry, and pulled me through. I don’t know what this life has yet to bring us but I know that as long as you are by my side we will make it through. I promise to walk with you for the rest of my life. I promise to be faithful to you. I promise to be there for you whenever you need me. I will hold your hand through the hard times. I will rejoice with you in the happy times. I thank God for leading me to that little church where we met. I also thank Him because there are no coincidences we were meant to be and I know that as long as we walk together with Him this marriage will last forever.

Finally...

I can't say that I was doing everything right. I knew there was still a lot more to change. I still had a lot of pride to swallow and huddles to get over. I was broken. I believe I was right where God wanted me. Sometimes when I look back I can't even imagine what I was doing and thinking. I remember wanting to do it my way. But, my way led to one dead end after the other. Finally, after swallowing my pride, I moved back home. I couldn't keep living my life wrong and expect God to bless me.

I remember Mandy bought me a bible for my birthday that year. I carried that bible with me to work! We even tried starting a bible study before work. People must have thought I went off the deep end, all of the sudden I was a "Jesus freak!" That new christian feeling lasts for a little while, but it wears off. But the feeling of knowing your life is different doesn't.

I continued to go to church. I stayed involved. I knew I was there for a reason. I looked at my life and I knew that I someday wanted to be married but I didn't see it happening anytime soon. My dad liked to use his "prophecy" skills and would often say I was going to meet that certain someone in church. He would even throw in a "and he is going to have dark hair and brown eyes." I just laughed.

Time passed and I found the answer to the age long question...

Is the way to a man's heart really through is stomach?

Yes, it is!

I remember the first time I saw Bill Looman. My heart skipped a beat! There was no way he was the one for me. As he sang, Sunday after Sunday, I just admired him from a distance. My sister often said he reminded her of Tim McGraw and if you know Mandy you know how she "loved" Tim. Mandy, you silly girl, I don't stand a chance with him! Stop it, this is not why we go to church!

One Sunday, I made cookies for after the service. And that is when it happened. I heard him asking who made the cookies. I can not even tell you how excited I was! Fumbling for words, as I said it was me. He liked my cookies! This means something! Will I make you some more, you bet I will! He didn't have brown eyes but they were close enough!

Bill and I have come a long way since the day I told Mandy that he asked me out and she did a cartwheel in the living room.

Did God lead me to that church?

Yes, he did!

Tomorrow, Bill and I celebrate ten years together. We have made it through some of the greatest times and some of the worst times of this life. I don't know what the future holds but I know I am going to walk through this life with my best friend. We will stand up to whatever life throws at us because as long as I have him I have everything I need.

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12

Next...

When you start going to back to church it can be overwhelming, there are so many of them. Where do you start?

Mandy and I went to that church for awhile. We didn't really feel a connection. Sunday after Sunday, we came and went. We didn't build relationships, we just attended. We weren't sure if it was the church for us.

Then one day, my cousin invited me to a Mary Kay party. I wasn't crazy about it because I am not really a big make up person. When she told me her pastor's wife was the consultant, I was even more hesitant. She wouldn't give up, so I gave in and went. I had a good time talking with some of the people from her church. When I was talking to the pastor's wife, she asked me where we were going to church. I explained to her that I was tired of going to a church for months and no one knew even our names. She invited us to her church the next morning. I told her I wasn't sure what I was going to do.

The next morning, I decided I would try her church. After all, it was five minutes from home and I didn't have to go back if I didn't like it. You can bet I did the same thing on the way to church. I tried to get out of it until the very last second, "God, if I walk in there and she doesn't remember my name, I AM NOT going back to this church!" Usually, I am sure God doesn't like ultimatums but He must have wanted me there. I walked in the door and Jan came up to me, hugged me, and said, "I am so glad you decided to come, Sherry." She remembered my name sometimes it's the little things that mean so much.

Her husband, Bob, was a very good pastor. He spoke about things that pertained to everyday life. He often would bring lawn mowers or various other power tools in to make his point. Every lesson had a prop and a good message behind it. I remember he said, "To solve a problem you must first eliminate the source." I don't know why, it seems so simple and it's common sense but I use it still. When I find myself trying to solve a problem, I now find myself wondering 'what is the source of this problem and how can I get rid of it?'

We got pretty involved in that church, Awana Clubs, Vacation Bible School, nursery, and even joined bible studies. It seemed as though I found a good church but, did God have more? Could it be that I was lead there for some reason I didn't know yet? I still wasn't sure what it was but I decided I liked that church and I was going to stay.

to be continued...

The early stage...

At one point, my life was crazy. I was searching for happiness somewhere, anywhere. I was determined to find it on the dance floor or at the bottom of that glass.

One day, a friend said to me, "Sherry, what are you doing? Some day, you are going to stand before God and He is going to want to know why you haven't taught your little boy about Him."

There was a

SMACK!

Right there on my face

I was responsible for my son knowing right from wrong. If I didn't change my ways, God was going to hold me responsible for not teaching my son about Him.

I don't know what hit me that day. My parents had always taken us to church. We knew about God. Why wasn't I doing right? There was something that scared the life out of me about standing before the God of our universe and not having an answer for Him.

I started taking Tyler to church. I decided I was going to change my life. There was more out there for me in life.

I remember, in the car, on the way, still trying to get out of it. I said, "God, if Tyler cries when I put him in that nursery, I am leaving!" I even remember telling Mandy about my little prayer. I got a surprise when I walked into that church. Tyler walked into that nursery! Not a single tear! I am a "burning bush" type person. If something is meant for me it has to be right there in front of my face. I guess it was God's way of telling me, "Sherry, I have plans for you...change you life, follow me, and see how I can bless you."

I was scared of the unknown. I wasn't sure where to begin. It was more than going to church. It was a change of heart, of lifestyle, of attitude. Life began to have meaning, a different meaning than before.

I can't tell you I haven't messed up since then. I can tell you that I stopped trying to find happiness in places it wasn't. The road is still being paved but as it's being paved it is being blessed.

...to be continued

Does it work?

Have you ever prayed for something over and over and it doesn't happen? Have you ever just gotten discouraged because the answer may not be the one you are looking for?

Sometimes, I just don't understand why I go through such a dry spell, not a prayer answered for what seems like forever.

I have prayed for things lately that I wonder if God hears me. I know He does and I want to believe the things I pray are in His will but I am not God.

God is God and I am not that is just the way it is!

I believe in prayer. I believe God hears every one of them. I believe He will answer but it will be in His time.

I prayed for my sister to get better, God had a different plan and it was obviously not the same as mine. Now, here I am still trying to figure out why and how to face tomorrow because it is no easier today than on that day.

I prayed for friends. I have prayed for family. I have prayed for healing. I have prayed for hope. I have prayed for strength. I have prayed for peace. I have prayed for understanding.

God has heard every prayer. He has held every tear. Some day, it will all make sense. Some day, I will see Mandy, my little brother, my grandparents, and anyone else I have lost. Then, it will all make sense.

God answered a prayer for a friend today.

So...

Does it work?

Yes, it does!

Is the timing right?

Yes, it is!

Was it the answer I wanted?

Yes, it was!

Is it always?

No, it is not!

I thank God for being God. For doing the things that I can not do. For holding me up when I fall. For giving me hope when I am hopeless.

Prayer works just believe!

A little bit of ramble...

So, this past week was an interesting one.

The weather has been yucky. I know that we live in Ohio, get used to it, but it is just not fun when it gets up to 60 one day and then school is cancelled the following week. I can handle winter until that first warm up.

On Tuesday, they decided to try delayed start for the first time. I am not sure how I feel about it. The kids didn't understand why they were going to school so late. They get to school just in time to eat lunch. There is no AM kindergarten which I also don't quite agree with. I guess if you going to delay school you might as well just cancel it, just my opinion.

Jacob was sent home from school on Wednesday. He had a fever. When I took him to the doctor, he was fine. But since there are so many things going around, he put him on an antibiotic to be safe. I kept him home Thursday just to be on the safe side. Then they cancel school on Friday, so he got a whole 5 hours of school in last week.

Basketball season is coming to a close for Jacob and Joshua. They have gotten so much better as the season went on. The more they play the more they will become confident in the sport. I am sad to see the season end but I am excited about next year. I am such a big baby, I tear up every time I watch them play.

Tyler got an electric guitar. I guess I really do not have to say anything else. He has been teaching himself, which is pretty cool. I have just learned for the most part to block out a lot of the noise that is coming from his room!

Isaiah has been, well...Isaiah. I have to register him for kindergarten next month. Where has it gone? I posted on Facebook what he said to me about staying little. He told me all I have to do is give him "little" pills. I sure wish I knew where to even find some "slow down time a little" pills!