God Watches Over Us!!!

For 2 days we've smelled this awful smell!  Thought it was the new recipe I tried,  pumpkin chocolate chip muffins!  Took out the trash cause it had a bunch of food in it, thought it was the trash!  Oh, No!!!    By the Grace of God and His ability to protect those who don't even know they need it we have not blown up!!!  That's right!  I'm assuming our gas stove has been on just barely enough for at least 24 or more hours!
Ever since I baked muffins our house has smelled awful!  Michael wheezed allnight and Mark has had a headache since last night.  I wanted to throw up this morning cause the smell was so bad even after cleaning out trash can.  Come to think of it our carbon monoxide detecter had been taken down and we never put it back up!  Michael is putting up right now! 
The topper to all of this is ,  Michael got home today before we did and due to the awful smell he came into kitchen and lit a candle then set candle in laundary room.  I get home about 10 min. after him, set groceries down and see that the stove burner is on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We immediately open all windows, go outside and breathe fresh air!  I got on my knees and thanked God Almighty for the preservation of my husband and our family! 

The windows are still open and I probably won't cook tonight!   Just in case! 

Thankful, oh thankful,  Brooke Ann

My first blogger text!

Sweetest Thing!

Tucking my 7yr old son into bed last night after having read, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and we were talking.  He grabbed my hand and said, "Mom, you are a good Mom."  Then he said, Dad is a good Dad too.  Will you tell him for me?"  So sweet, my heart melted!  Thank you Lord. 

This was so affirming because sometimes Joseph and I are like oil and water.  I don't want to constantly be on him.  I hope each day to encourage him and support him into becoming the young man God has created him to be. I pray constantly, Lord, help me to be the Mom that Joseph needs me to be, loving, firm, encouraging, guding him and leading him in all of the right ways. Thank you, Lord, for these sweet sweet earthly moments!!!

And God Provides - Truth!

Scripture, is what I needed earlier to cling to.  In order to leave my self pitty and disgust with myself behind I had to have a concrete message to focus on.  He provided!  I often ask God for a specific solution in the form of scripture and HE ALWAYS GIVES IT TO ME!!!  HOW COOL IS THAT!!!

Habakkuk 3:18,19
Yet, I will exalt in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds' feet, And makes me walk on high places. 

From Bible study:  This means if you cling to God's Word- believe Him, obey Him, not turn away no matter how difficult it gets - you will be able to preserve, to possess your soul.  Your soul is what makes you, you.  Faith wins!  It keeps your heart and mind under control.  (taken from, Faithful Abundant True, Arthur, Shirer, Moore)

1 John 5:4-5
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world;  and this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world,  but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Awesome!  Friends, as you and I carry on with that which we are up too , let the burdons rest and your work find a glorious purpose.  If that doesn't come to easy, simply ask God to open your eyes and see from His perspective that which we should be up too!!! 

No Negative Thoughts!

What if I chose to not let all of the negative thoughts about myself fester and sit upon my shoulders.  I want to say that picking up my home, organizing the clutter, putting clothes and toys away completely throws me for a loop and makes me feel like an idiot for not being able to keep  up with it all. So overwhelming.  I even pulled out my Fly Lady book for some inspiration and that just frustrated me even more. 

 But I will try starting today to reference a Bible verse,that combats those feeling which obviously are not coming from my heavenly Father above.  So mister satan, you have no hold over me.  My God created me strong and equipped me for all I get to do these days. 

I will hold my tongue and whisper or shout a verse that, in the depths of the clean clothes that are piled high, or the midst of random toys that have no specific place to call home, can pull me from my sorrowful self pitty pit and somehow glorify God! 

Sincerely, Brooke Ann

Dreams  Do  Come  True

When I was a little girl I dreamed of one day falling deeply in love, living in the country and raising a family! ( I have always been a hopeless romantic and still am.) My sweet husband has helped make my dreams come true!

Today is our 14th wedding anniversary!  Here is our amazing story. 

The first time I met Michael I was 12, he was 14, (1989) and we had both gone to the movies with friends.  Ghostbusters 2 was showing.  I had noticed Michael at school (school had just started that August) and some of my friends said he was asking about me but we hadn't officially met until that night at the movies.  Like the gentleman that he is, he came up to me afterwards and introduced himself and asked me if I liked the show.  I was smitten from then on. 

Literally, I fell so in love with him so fast that my heart was sealed and no one would ever enter that realm within my heart except him!  We dated all throughout junior high and high school.  Had so much fun and truly became soul mates. 

First Kiss, 9 miles south of town out in a wheat pasture, next  to an old farm house that is about to fall down,  such a magical moment.  The music was playing in "our soundtrack" the sun shinning on our faces and we kissed an amazing first kiss.  That moment not only began our physical relationship but set the stage for our future. 

First "I Love You!"  in my front yard, he kind of tackled me to the ground, we were laying outside, again the sun was beaming down on us, ( it was early afternoon) he looked at me with ever intense eyes, I looked at him and I knew what was about to happen.  The words "I love you,"  spilled out from his heart to mine, I started smiling and crying and told him I love him too.  We both cried, kissed, laughed and went on our way.  I was 15 or 16. 

I followed Michael to college at OSU, we were married my junior year.  I was 21 he was 22. 

I am even more in love with Michael today!  We live way out in the country and are raising our 3 sons, Joseph, Mark and Eli.  Our other big dreams are to travel to Italy and Australia, but if those don't happen I'd say we are doing pretty great!

Here's the thing,  Michael is my Angel. 

Most young ladies who grow up and don't have a solid relationship with their father usually seek out the "wrong kind of guy."  My Dad and I did not embrace the whole Dad and daughter thing until after I was married.  Now, I can officially call myself a Daddy's Girl,  that is purely a God Thing! 

 I have always believed that God hears our prayers and looks after us. I have even as a young girl asked God to guide me and direct my paths.  He lead me to Michael and I truly believe with all of my being that God brought us together and has blessed us with a very passionate love for one another that glorifies Him!

Okay, I could go on but what I want you to know is that
 my husband, Michael Van Dietrich, is the best husband in the world.   
Every two weeks he brings me a bag of Lindt Lindor Truffles!!! 
He prays for us.
He is always ordering fun stuff for me from Victoria's Secret,(hence the lace in the title of blog) he even has an app on his phone for that!
He's completely devoted to me and our family!!!
He doesn't let the physical body I currently occupy deter him from being attracted to me. 
He helps put up the dishes all of the time.
He planned our anniversarry trip coming up. 
One time when he was away at a trainning in Montanna, he picked wild flowers, framed them and wrote a sweet messsage on the matting and gave it to me. 
We can finish one another's sentences all of the time:)
He has taught our boys to pick wild flowers  and put them in vases for me.
He's kind and has a crazy sense of humor!
He doesn't complain about all of the school projects we do and he always helps me. 
He always shows me and tells me he loves me!!!
He loves my parents.
Michael is my boyfriend and we still act like boyfriend and girlfriend.  He is always spanking my butt and kissing me in the kitchen and the kids are like, that is sick, that is gross, and we are always saying, you just be glad we are crazy about one another! 
He joins me in telling Chuck Norris jokes, we crack eachother up sometimes we laugh so hard we cry!
He is a fantastic father and teacher to our boys.
I'm in love with his intellect as well as all of his other parts. 
We do know how to fight, but we make up even better!!! 
HE MAKES ME LAUGH ALL OF THE TIME
I could go on but gotta go,

Babe, I Love You more than you'll ever know.  Thank you for all that you do and all that you are.  I thank God for you every day!  Can't wait to see what's in store for us!

Sincerely, Your Love, Brooke Ann

TOO BLESSED TO BE THAT STRESSED!

Well, accomplished much today although no one but me would be able to tell it.  Lots of laundary done, but not all put away,  toothpaste is still screaming at me as it dots the counter and sink in boys bathroom,  a wonderful meal filled all of my boys bellies, they are each sleeping on clean sheets. I trace thier beautiful faces with my fingers, asking God to keep them and protect them.  Thanking Him for such abundant blessings in the flesh. 

 I will end this day thankful for the messes I get to tend to , thankful for the cleaning supplies and elbow grease that will clean bathrooms tomorrow,  blessed knowing we have 3 amazing children that don't care that the clothes didn't get put away, but know they are dearly and deeply loved!!!

I tried reading 3 days worth of the Bible study, Faithful, Abundant True, and my poor mind had a hard time not falling asleep as i read the text.  I did ask my Heavenly Father to pour into me, to open my mind and my ears to receive what He had ready for me.  I did get out of it that Jesus interceeds for us.  Amazing!
 I'll plug in, maybe first thing in the morning and read with a more refreshed mind. 
Tomorrow is our 14th anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I could cry thinking about what an amazing man I share my life with but that will wait till tomorrow:)

Sincerely, Brooke Ann

A Very Big Idea!

Lord, the idea of a community kitchen for our local youth keeps popping in my head, is this something You want me to do.  To pull this together, organize this.  A table and kitchen for our kids who don’t have a kitchen and table to sit at.  They would come.  Lord, please provide the specifics for me.  Bring the exact idea you have for this to life, I can’t fail b/c  I can’t ask my family to fail financially or right now be a risk taker.  You , though , know what I don’t .  I believe if it’s your idea it can’t fail.  I’m willing Lord, guide me.  I want to be a light for you, to love others, specifically our children here in our small community. 

          Kids, must pay to enter, either by bringing a food item that we need to cook with or by working in kitchen or serving food , setting table or cleaning up.  Location must be neutral, no church – could change.  Need kids and volunteers to donate food, cooking items, pots , utensils.  How do we pay electric bills, who do we turn away.   Shape this idea, help me to be ready if you call this into action Lord, help me to believe you , and to trust your large scale idea.  Need businesses to contribute to fund, locally, statewide. 

Biblicall base:  Romans 12: 9 – 21  LOVE in action 

Lord God, organize my thoughts today.  Help me to prioritize my day and get as much done in the attempt at creating a calm home environment with everything in it's place.  ok, how about at least 2 rooms of everything in it's place. 

Sincerely, Brooke Ann

My sweet amazing husband, my soul mate, will be chimming in also.   A she said, he said perspective. 

- Brooke Ann

What does God want me doing with myself? 

 So many gifts to share, so many people in need.  The waste around me sickens me.  My home is a chaotic mess.  I want peace, calm and excitement.  God has blessed me with so much, He hasn’t provided these blessings to overwhelm me.  How do I organize “all of this?”  I am on a journey and I get to steer.  Why do I have to fight to be the one to steer.  I need to take the wheel, God is my rudder and wheel, my true north.  I must have the right foundation for daily success, excellence and a healthy perspective!  That is reading God's word daily.

 My tools, right now, prayer, feverent prayer.  I don’t want to waste each day toiling with the chaotic spinning of oneself.   I know a woman who is a mess, she spins herself in a constant circle but not seeming to make any progress.  Dealing with her is frustrating. It’s more than frustrating, its maddening and makes me swear. 

I know, as a Christian, I shouldn't say that, but lets be real ok.  I sometimes swear and yes, I am working on that one. 

I don't want to dissapoint God. I want to rise up and accomplish what He is asking of me.   So hear we go.  I'll plug in daily with real life stuff going on that is hopefully always linked to my foundation as a Christian.  I said REAL. 

Romans 12: 9-21 is my realm,  that pretty much sums up my bubble, what i try to be , how i operate.  My starting point for daily living.  My method of operation. 

Sincerely, Brooke Ann