gingerbread shoe

The secret to our gingerbread dough was told to me this weekend, I have waited a long, long time to find out – well five batches later, I not only knew the secret ingredient (orange juice & cloves) but I had the recipe memorized!

It was a wild day in the hill country of Fredericksburg…Uncle Steve was at it again with his attempts to roast chestnuts on an open fire. We began the voting on Friday night, thus Old Woman in the Shoe was chosen and our engineers began early Saturday morning with chicken wire, measurements and sketching – our only other surprise was Aunt Jinx who surprised the entire family and showed because she can’t seem to miss out if there is a party going on!

The all-weekend event ended Sunday afternoon when the last gingerbread kid was secured climbing the shoelaces of the boot – we were done (check out the pictures and tune in for how we will destroy it Christmas day (and it if will actually make it 8 hrs. to Louisiana!)

Hope your holidays are just as fun!
Merry Christmas!

running through the creek

The cold hit our excited faces, like two kids who could be no younger.
We ran.
Often times the physical reflects the emotional, as our bodies longed to go so much faster than our hearts would allow.

We exchanged few words as we ran, we were both lost in our wonder of God and our heart’s love.
I could see the creek’s invitation up ahead, shall we go?
At his hesitation I ask…
Shall we make such small excuses for an invitation to adventure?

Kyle and I took to the woods and I could see it was going to be harder for me to jump or climb the rocks than I had thought. In my best English warrior princess voice I say…

I fear I can only see one way.

Kyle’s response stays with me even now, weeks later…
Well, that is your first problem, because there is always another way.

It seems this way in life, that we are captivated by only seeing one way, sure that God couldn’t possibly have found another way? We get caught staring at this one path: this is how my career must look, this is what love from my spouse looks like, and these are the ways my kids should choose.

When I stop to find a little trust and peace, I can see there are other ways. When I breathe in deep, there are ways I can trust my God sees that I can’t even recognize.

Kyle stood there looking at the different jumps and the rocks and the mud – deep in his leadership he muttered….The true struggle is finding which is the best way.

I have a deep respect for a man’s calling to lead. Having been single for some time now, I must say as a woman the stress and frustration of leading myself is a daunting task, I long for the comfort of my husband’s covering. Yet the Lord has sweetly whispered and sometimes yelled of His provision and covering, and for moments I have rested in it. I love the verse, and I rest between His shoulders. We can rest there, men and women alike can rest in His ultimate provision. As we externally wrestle to find the best way, He is chuckling above as He lays out the path right under our feet. It is truly a gift to build a relationship along the way of trusting the Father’s faithfulness.

There was much mud and water that followed Kyle and I’s adventure through the creek all the way home. We arrived cold and dirty but with smiles that stayed the rest of the day.

This has to be a picture of His invitation to life, a calling that has little directions, many guesses, lots of mud, and many rivers to cross. Yet we made it home, and realized His concern was not so much the path we took. He was just glad we made it home.