Strength Needed Now

"...Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

I have so many people on my prayer list right now that just simply need strength. Need strength for loved ones in the hospital, need strength to trust and wait, need strength to find happiness in every part of their lives (jobs included), strength to just make it through the day.

After Rozlynn went back to sleep this morning I found myself with some "me" time...I love these moments (I say moments because they are usually 47 minutes or less, the time it takes the sleep sheep to run out). I had text a friend to check on her and God reminded me of 2 Corithinas 12:9, I spent some time in the chapter and was reminded of a truth...sometimes a hard truth to handle for us mere humans.

Paul was asking God to take away the "thorn in his side" basically asking for this hard situation (ie...hurting or sick loved ones, trust, waiting, happiness, or just to make it through the day) to be removed. (It even says, "a messenger from Satan"...man isn't he, Satan, real...he delights when we feel helpless like God doesn't listen - when lose heart and faith when we don't get the answer we desire.) However, God said no...did you read that right above, God said no! Paul was asking with pure motives and in faith, but he didn't recieve the answer he was seeking...sounds familar to me, too familar actually (if you only knew...and some of you do). God responded to Paul with, "MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT...MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS." (12:9)

So today I thank God for the hard things the chance be drawn closer to God and the unexpected power that will come through it. If I just TRUST.

I am reminded that my prayers are not about getting what I want from God, but finding my way to God...finding my way to the deep relationship with Him that I so desire. My prayers are about accepting God's answers even when it's not what I prayed it to be, this is why it is, "not my will but YOUR WILL be done, Father."

If you find yourself needing strength, I pray you find it and you can remember the lesson we learned from Paul...sometimes we just need to trust that "[His] grace is sufficent, [His] power is made perfect in weakness."

Many blessing to you all!

yum...

Okay so I am addicted to these little pineapple cupcakes! They are super easy and only 72 calories per cupcake - icing included...but that probably doesn't do much good when you eat six in one day :/ YIKES! I love pineapple and love things that are not too sweet, so this is the PERFECT summer dessert for me. I am going to put coconut in next time, I just didn't have any on hand today.

Preheat oven to 350

Mix these three ingredients together(no hand mixer needed):

yellow cake mix, crushed pineapple (do not drain), and  rum extract

scoop into mini cupcake pan (I use a cookie scoop perfect size) and bake for around 13 minutes - depending on your oven
While cooling mix these three ingredients together (let the cold ones sit out for a bit so they are easier to fold together, again hand mixer is not needed on these...they are that easy!) for the icing:


1/2 of each: Free Cool Whip, crushed pineapple drained, and nuefatchel cream cheese



Finished product...just heavenly if you like pineapple you will love them!



OMG they are so good!



Trancendent Peace

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Last night Rozlynn went to bed and woke up about 2:30 - literally screaming, not an "I'm hungry" scream, one of those that hurt you - when you know something is not right. This was the second night she did this, the night before was awful, we got very little sleep and last night was taking the same path. Sunday night I had tried everything I could think of to help comfort her: gave her a bath, changed her diaper, gave her a paci, gave her a bottle, gave her gas medicine, and even gave her Tylenol (she's teething already!) and nothing was working. It was after I had tried everything and was at my wits end that I prayed...I know what was I thinking, I tried to fix things first...BIG MISTAKE! The second I prayed with Rozlynn she stopped crying and I was able to comfort her and give her what she needed to rest. Why didn't I just seek God first, and let him direct my path as to how to comfort His little miracle to me??

Last night I began the night with prayer and Rozlynn went to sleep so much easier. However, she woke up screaming and I had only been asleep for about 3 hours...I got frustrated, I was tired...it was looking like I would get less sleep than the six hours I had the night/morning before. I made a bottle and took her into the living room to rock and feed her...about 30 minutes later she was throwing up, and gagging like she does sometimes. =( it's really sad!! It was then decided to pray with her, to just seek God first before I attempted to give her what she needed. We (I say we because I believe God uses those moments with her and that she does learn from them) began to pray and talk about how Jesus is the only one who can give us what we need, we prayed for His peace to surround her and give her rest and comfort...we could feel it, the "transcendent peace" that "surpasses all understanding." It was beyond incredible! Rozlynn then squeezed my shoulder and made the sweetest little sounds, she was at peace. I held her for about another hour and a half enjoying the comfort that was surrounding her at that moment.

At that moment it hit me hard -really slapped me in the face - how there are so many people that I know and around the world that would do anything to have a baby, to be up at night dealing with screams, and the lack of sleep. I was one of those people, one lucky enough to get what I desired the most. I knew she came from God alone and here I was thinking about how tired I was and trying to just deal with myself. How dare I get frustrated with the blessing that God gave me...she is a miracle and I will never forget that! God gave her to me to raise and to teach and I must seek Him first in the decisions that concern her, even the ones at 2:30 AM.

I hope that this lesson will go with me in my everyday life as well. I know to seek God and I do with "big things" but what about the little things, the times when as a mom or wife I am flat out pissed, annoyed, so upset? It seems I must learn this lesson over and over again. I pray that one day it will becoming second nature, that I will not try to do things on my own and when I fail, seek Christ...because I will fail, it's not my will or my glory but His.

Just sharing what's on my heart today.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:8-10

Something Heavenly #2

Almost exactly a year ago I posted this blog entry:
http://hightower-family.blogspot.com/2010/06/something-heavenly.html

After reading this post and listening to this song, Something Heavenly by Sanctus Real, I am once again in tears.

I knew God had "something heavenly" instore for us as we made the BIGGEST leap of faith we have ever taken when we left our home...April 21, 2011 at 12:45 PM we met "something heavenly", Rozlynn FAITH Hightower, and I am so thankful for our move and the HARDEST year of my life.

As I re-read my thoughts and feelings about Martin's Mill, I am once again overwhelmed by them. It is so hard to believe how many changes have taken place in the top ten things I love about that place, but yet how much they took care of me my family during a very rough 9 months. How many form schools, churches, and communities would provide for a family they way that Martin's Mill ISD, Martin's Mill Baptist Church, and Martin's Mill, Tx did for us. I had been out of work for one month and the staff of MMISD had a fundraiser for me and provided my family with and overwhelming amount of money, the Women's Ministry of Martin's Mill had a food drive and provided my family with many groceries to last us many months, and community members gave us a little something to help us through.

The most important thing was the prayer that continued to intercede for us. At Martin's Mill's graduation this year, I met a grandmother of former students and the mom of a former co-worker, she came up to meet and wanted to meet Rozlynn, her words still bring me to tear because I BELIEVE WITH EVER OUNCE OF ME THEY ARE TRUE, "I just had to meet this baby, we all prayed her here, this town and the people we know, we prayerd this angel to you." Yes you did, and I we are forever grateful. We cannot wait until we can repay to someone the compassion and "carrying of eachother's burdens" that was given to us...in the name of Christ. So, once again thank you Martin's Mill for being a Christ centered place, keep showing Christ's love - this is why you are so successful you are representing the right thing - a Powerful God!

Just wanted to share my heart. I will be back to the blogging world. Life has been crazy with a newborn and it took me about a month to recover from being so sick, I still have a few bad days but I am enjoying life and can't wait to share my new blessings with you all!

Thanks to everyone who has been praying for us and for Rozlynn. We love you all!

9 year journey

Well, here we are the night before our little girl is born! We are all three so excited for this gift God is giving to us, we are so very thankful. We understand how blessed we are to not only have one miracle but to have two as of tomorrow afternoon.

We tried to get pregnant with Reese for 3 years before it happened. We had pretty much given up hope and had signed all the financial papers saying we were willing to pay lots of money for lots of treatments to help us get pregnant, we were just waiting for my cycle. It never came and come to find out we were pregnant! Reese is the sweetest most compassionate little boy around, his heart is so big and we cannot wait to see what God has planned for him.

After trying for 3 years to get pregnant and overcoming PCOS, Endometriosis, and IC including treatments and medications we got pregnant, but unfortunately it wasn't in God's plan for us to meet our baby on earth. Six months later once again after just deciding that God's will was perfect and one baby was more than we deserved, we found out we were pregnant!

This pregnancy has been more than challenging but every second of heartache and stress has been worth it and I would do it all again to bring Rozlynn Faith to our family.

9 years and two children is just amazing, we are so very blessed and thankful that God is allowing us to raise both of these miracles.

We will try to get pictures up as soon as we can so you all can see sweet little Rozlynn. Say a prayer for us tomorrow that all goes well.

Almost Done

Rozlynn's room is almost done, we just lack a shelf and the changing pad =) Here are some pictures of the almost complete room. Hopefully I can get a picture of everything before next week.

When we were painting the letters in Rozlynn's name this is what Reese made for her!

He wanted to hang it with butterflies <3

Changing Table - pad is coming!

close up of the chest

mirror - Mom painted this like 5 times before it was like she wanted, then we added the words!

Texas Hoodie and extra headbands =)

We can't wait for you, Rozlynn Faith, to get here so we can start using this room! You are one loved little girl, we can't wait to meet you and see the special things that God  has planned for you!! Love you so much, Mom, Dad, and Reese aka Bubba

Reese Turned Six

I cannot believe that Reese is six years old! He had a birhtday party at Chuck E Cheese which he LOVED!! However, for me it was so crazy - there were 5 parties happening at the same time and lots of little kids whose parents just decided to let them run wild without supervision. I think all the kids had a blast!! I will say it was a very easy party because the hostess did EVERYTHING for us: set the table, decorated, served, cleaned, and help load up the goods.

I couldn't get many pictures because my camera was out of memory...of course! It is my fault for still having Christmas pictures on it...anyway you can also check out Katie's blog for some great shots of the party!

http://theskinner-family.blogspot.com/2011/03/reese-is-6.html

On his actual Birthday he woke up to a "huge dinosaur" in the living room. I was in the bathroom and I heard, "now that's big" it was so cute! Gammy came and had lunch with him at school and brought Army cupcakes and juice for his class to celebrate at recess. I had a doctor's appointment so couldn't make it. Then after school we took him to Sonic for dinner and went to Alba to watch Maddie play Little Dribblers. We got home about 10:30 and had a little cake. Yes, that is really late for a child to load up on sugar, but it was his birthday! We had so much fun as a family that day, Reese we love you so much more!!



It was a great birthday and birthday weekend!