Back Home Again & Other Thoughts

We are back in Ohio! Actually, we've been here for about two weeks now, but I haven't had time to post anything on here. :-)

It was so nice to be able to spend so much time with my family in Florida! I can't wait for the day when we are all neighbors! Hopefully that will be soon. It was hard leaving them.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our trip:

Brianna :)

Brason :)

Beri- Isn't she cute!!!??

Mom at a neat little shop we visited one afternoon. :-)

Ben after rescuing Pat. C. from a tree :)

Amanda :)

Another cute one of Beri! :)

Josh ( in the white t-shirt), Dad ( in the yellow t-shirt) and Ben ( in the black t-shirt) walking towards the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C during the Healthcare Bill Opposition Rally that we took part in.

Josh and I in Front of the Capitol Building.

Mom, Dad, and a few of the kids at Alexander Springs :)

Mom looked so pretty in her dress and hat! :)

Josh and I at the beach! It was REALLY windy that day! :)

We went to a part where you can drive right down to the water. It was fun!

I really miss everybody down there. Hopefully It won't be too long before we see them again!

For the last few days I've been thinking about just how blessed I really am. Yesterday Josh came home a little early, which I always love! :) The windows were all open because it was absolutely beautiful outside, the birds were singing, there was bread baking in the oven, my husband was here with me, and I thought to myself, 'This is what fairytales are made of!!'

Life isn't always perfect. We have our share of hard times and bad days, but some days I just have to step back and think, ' It doesn't get any better than this!' I am so thankful for all of the blessings that God has given me. It is certainly more than I deserve.

A few days ago I was on Facebook reading comments on a post a friend made about submitting to our husbands. She simply quoted Ephesians 5:22-24 and said she was praying for the strength and humility to obey that command. What followed was over 50 comments on wether or not God actually does want wives to submit to their husbands. It amazed me what some people will go through to justify their decision not to submit to their husbands! What saddened me even more though, was something one of her "anti-submission" friends said at the end of a very long comment. She said "I'm soooo much more than just a wife and mother and am quite frankly sick of people seeing me as just those two things." This strikes me as very sad, and I could not disagree with her more!

What a blessing she is missing! It was obvious from her whole comment that she is a career minded woman with an "I'll do my thing and he can do his, and he better not try and tell me what to do" mentality. I guess a lot of women think that way.

There is no "just" in being a wife! Being a wife is to be your husbands best friend, closest advisor, encourager, comforter, lover, and helpmeet. Marriage done right is one of the most powerful institutions in the world. A husband and wife who are doing God's will and working together as one can save lives and accomplish great things for the Lord! Look at the woman in Proverbs 31. It is obvious that her and her husband are in compete agreement, and through her actions and help her husband becomes a well respected and well known man, she is happy ( she smiles at the future), and loved and respected by her children and husband.

Just because we are submitting to our husbands, doesn't mean that we are any less important than he is. We are just embracing our God-given role as helpmeet, and allowing him to embrace his God-given role as leader so that our family can receive the blessings that God has for us. Marriage is supposed to be an illustration of God's relationship with the church.

To be a wife is the most holy and beautiful thing God can ask us ladies to be, and to be a mother is a close second in my mind. What an honor to be given a new little life to nourish and protect and teach! How can you belittle such and honor? You are raising up the next generation of men and women. How you raise them will affect thousands, maybe millions of people. This cannot be taken lightly, or brushed off as a mere distraction from your agenda.

I am partly talking to myself here, because there are many areas in my life that are not as they should be. I'm not anywhere close to a perfect wife, and I suppose I never will be, but I pray that I am getting CLOSER to perfect as time goes on. It takes a lot of effort, I'm finding. ;-)

I welcome any comments and opinions you may have!