OK, so here is Brooke in Katrina's pj's, and then there is Katrina in Katrina's pj's. Noticeable size difference???
Humm......
Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
1 Week Down
Well, it has been one week today that we have closed the doors. It has been pretty ok. God has been faithful to keep me strong, and to not have the desire to go and open the doors for the day or something. Although, my mind still continues to think of different possibilities that we can pursue, that may or may not work out. Who knows? Certainly not me. Although, we are not going to be doing anything until the building gets finished, so that's good for me to know, because I can put all of my thoughts to rest!
The hardest part for me is when I am home and can see people come up and then leave. That's pretty hard. I take that as I am to be too busy to notice, so that's what I keep telling myself, so I leave that room and go do something! Good idea, yes???
So dinner is on, BBQ meatballs in crock pot, 1 minute rice will only take 1 minute, and then some sweet corn with garlic bread. Dinner, check.
We have a really busy week this week actually, so that's good. Tuesday night is back to school night for our 2 elementary girls, and then Thursday is Brooke's, and then we have a dinner date with some friends on Friday night, and then were invited to some "new friends" house for a pot luck on Saturday night, and then (yes I know) church on Sunday, and Sunday night have a "get together" meeting with our new small group at the park so all the kids can meet and play while us grown ups talk and visit.
I am very excited about this week, and pray that it all goes well. Thanks for your continues prayers, support and emails. They really mean a lot!
The hardest part for me is when I am home and can see people come up and then leave. That's pretty hard. I take that as I am to be too busy to notice, so that's what I keep telling myself, so I leave that room and go do something! Good idea, yes???
So dinner is on, BBQ meatballs in crock pot, 1 minute rice will only take 1 minute, and then some sweet corn with garlic bread. Dinner, check.
We have a really busy week this week actually, so that's good. Tuesday night is back to school night for our 2 elementary girls, and then Thursday is Brooke's, and then we have a dinner date with some friends on Friday night, and then were invited to some "new friends" house for a pot luck on Saturday night, and then (yes I know) church on Sunday, and Sunday night have a "get together" meeting with our new small group at the park so all the kids can meet and play while us grown ups talk and visit.
I am very excited about this week, and pray that it all goes well. Thanks for your continues prayers, support and emails. They really mean a lot!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Clarification!!!
Yes, my dear friends, it is true, it is for sure a "closed" cafe. Sorry that I did not clarify that in the last post.... I was just so caught up in the story of it all I guess! (yea, that's it!)
I have LOVED hearing from you all. Thank you for emailing & calling with words of encouragement and love. I love you all!!
I have LOVED hearing from you all. Thank you for emailing & calling with words of encouragement and love. I love you all!!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Life's Up's and Down's
As some of you may know, Brad and I opened up a new store in another town on June 1st. It's not been too terribly busy, and I've been having a hard time finding good dependable help.
For a while now things have been in disarray at home, well, since we opened the first cafe...two years ago! But things really were coming to a head, in all things during the last couple of months. This cafe thing was fun (when it was busy) and we had a good ride. But my home was falling apart. I was fighting the inward battle of wanting to be successful outside the home and needing to be at home with my children and husband. I was clearly losing BOTH battles. The more it seemed I fought to keep this 'business' alive and well, my most important assets (hubby & kids) were dwindling, falling apart & failing. It took me a while to FINALLY figure this out.
I was angry, bitter, extremely agitated, frustrated & feeling like a caged animal that could not get out!! Within the cafe, funds were limited. We didn't have extra $$ to move forward, couldn't go backwards, couldn't turn to the right, or left. I was miserable, truly miserable. Miserable with the cafe, miserable with my home, family, my walk with Christ. Oh wait, what walk with Christ? I was too busy to have a relationship with Him, or anyone else for that matter. So no friends, no time with Him, unless I needed something of course, and then I wanted it/needed it NOW! Give me, give me, give me. I talked to my husband about what I was feeling, and he listened, and consoled me. It didn't help. I tried to talk to one of my sisters in Christ, just for her to tell me she'd "pray for me." That was it? If you're a girl, you know that if you're finally at the stage/level of actually trying to talk to someone about something important/personal, you're at a pretty high level (or low level if you're sinking!). I got really mad at her. Are we not supposed to share our struggles, to have someone encourage, rebuke and come along side one another? That's what I thought I heard a pastor tell us one day in church. What was this? "Hey, I'm too busy for you and your problems?" That really chapped my hide.
Another week or two passes and I decide to send an email to my pastor. I waited...for a week and a day. Are you kidding me?! So I sent another email, wondering why he hadn't responded to my first email...did he not get it? Did he not hear the urgency in my voice? He responds, “I’m on vacation and I haven't gotten any email from you, so I don't know what you're talking about." I resent my first email and got a response very quickly. Not only by him but also by another dear sister in Christ, to follow up with me. A couple days after that I met with her and shared with her all of my struggles, my thoughts, and what was going on in my home, as well as the cafe. She listened, she shared some of her own experiences, she encouraged me, and she listened some more. The encouragement she gave me was just what I needed (of course). As well as the advice she offered. We prayed together and went on our way. (was that asking for much??) BTW, thank you for taking the time to meet with me and for caring my dear sister and friend. Our time together was exactly what I needed & I appreciate all of your words.
The next day I talked with my husband again. We talked about all of the things that I had said before, but asked him what he thought the priorities of his wife ought to be..... He agreed that being at home, taking care of him, his children, as well as the home is where I am supposed to be. At the end of that conversation we decided that lunch was going ok at our restaurant and that we should stick with that and cut out dinner; except for Friday and Saturday nights. We continued to move forward with what seems to be slower and slower days. (do you see my continual grip.... not letting go?)
A week later, I am feeling the exact same way I was feeling before. So I lay in my bed, sick to my stomach, unable to sleep. So I start to pray. Just crying out, asking for his help. Asking for specific, obvious guidance. Something!! I can't do it anymore and I need His help. I journal to my husband and go to bed. The next morning my one and only cook doesn't show up for work (a no show is voluntary termination). So for a minute I was really agitated, knowing that my two other front staff members would be starting school on Monday; leaving me, myself and I to run the front and back of the store. Then it dawns on me... (you know, a light switch) Is no one going to show up for their shift today? That would be so totally awesome! :-)
Well, those two did show up for their shift but I still got the message; loud and clear. I sold out of almost my entire inventory that day and decided that that was it. No more. I couldn't wait to talk to my husband when he got home to tell him about the dawn of my day. Before I could get to my story, I asked how his day was and he proceeded to tell me that it was good. His boss told him he is doing a great job and wants to sit down with him to go over his review so that he could give him a raise (his review is not due until November!). How cool is that, that God closes one door, yet still provides for us, but in a different way. Yes, I know, to some of you that's normal, you may see it all the time, but it is still awesome to me to see, especially in my own life, and especially when I am asking!
I love God, and all of His stories. And I wish that I would just trust Him more. I can't imagine what all he would do in our life if I were to just trust.
So that is (another one of) my cool God stories, and I just wanted to share.
On a side note.... it is VERY hard for me to let go, as well as Brad, but more for me. If I just did this, if I just did that, oh, if I tweaked this, oh yes, if I just added that. Please pray for me, and Brad, that we will just let go. For good. I am holding on so tight.... even today, I was thinking, ok, just one more day.... NO! No more, yesterday (Tuesday) was the last day, and I just need prayer to keep me strong. Another good thing was already seeing that need (or weakness) and praying about it, and asking Him to make me strong, to just let it go..... and so far, so good. Today was the girls first day at school, and so Katrina and I did some errands, and baked a lot if yummy stuff, and I got dinner ready, and it was just a great day. I pray for many more fun days ahead!
Thanks to all of my friends that have been praying for me, and for my family. And praise be to God, for He deserves all the glory! I love you all!
For a while now things have been in disarray at home, well, since we opened the first cafe...two years ago! But things really were coming to a head, in all things during the last couple of months. This cafe thing was fun (when it was busy) and we had a good ride. But my home was falling apart. I was fighting the inward battle of wanting to be successful outside the home and needing to be at home with my children and husband. I was clearly losing BOTH battles. The more it seemed I fought to keep this 'business' alive and well, my most important assets (hubby & kids) were dwindling, falling apart & failing. It took me a while to FINALLY figure this out.
I was angry, bitter, extremely agitated, frustrated & feeling like a caged animal that could not get out!! Within the cafe, funds were limited. We didn't have extra $$ to move forward, couldn't go backwards, couldn't turn to the right, or left. I was miserable, truly miserable. Miserable with the cafe, miserable with my home, family, my walk with Christ. Oh wait, what walk with Christ? I was too busy to have a relationship with Him, or anyone else for that matter. So no friends, no time with Him, unless I needed something of course, and then I wanted it/needed it NOW! Give me, give me, give me. I talked to my husband about what I was feeling, and he listened, and consoled me. It didn't help. I tried to talk to one of my sisters in Christ, just for her to tell me she'd "pray for me." That was it? If you're a girl, you know that if you're finally at the stage/level of actually trying to talk to someone about something important/personal, you're at a pretty high level (or low level if you're sinking!). I got really mad at her. Are we not supposed to share our struggles, to have someone encourage, rebuke and come along side one another? That's what I thought I heard a pastor tell us one day in church. What was this? "Hey, I'm too busy for you and your problems?" That really chapped my hide.
Another week or two passes and I decide to send an email to my pastor. I waited...for a week and a day. Are you kidding me?! So I sent another email, wondering why he hadn't responded to my first email...did he not get it? Did he not hear the urgency in my voice? He responds, “I’m on vacation and I haven't gotten any email from you, so I don't know what you're talking about." I resent my first email and got a response very quickly. Not only by him but also by another dear sister in Christ, to follow up with me. A couple days after that I met with her and shared with her all of my struggles, my thoughts, and what was going on in my home, as well as the cafe. She listened, she shared some of her own experiences, she encouraged me, and she listened some more. The encouragement she gave me was just what I needed (of course). As well as the advice she offered. We prayed together and went on our way. (was that asking for much??) BTW, thank you for taking the time to meet with me and for caring my dear sister and friend. Our time together was exactly what I needed & I appreciate all of your words.
The next day I talked with my husband again. We talked about all of the things that I had said before, but asked him what he thought the priorities of his wife ought to be..... He agreed that being at home, taking care of him, his children, as well as the home is where I am supposed to be. At the end of that conversation we decided that lunch was going ok at our restaurant and that we should stick with that and cut out dinner; except for Friday and Saturday nights. We continued to move forward with what seems to be slower and slower days. (do you see my continual grip.... not letting go?)
A week later, I am feeling the exact same way I was feeling before. So I lay in my bed, sick to my stomach, unable to sleep. So I start to pray. Just crying out, asking for his help. Asking for specific, obvious guidance. Something!! I can't do it anymore and I need His help. I journal to my husband and go to bed. The next morning my one and only cook doesn't show up for work (a no show is voluntary termination). So for a minute I was really agitated, knowing that my two other front staff members would be starting school on Monday; leaving me, myself and I to run the front and back of the store. Then it dawns on me... (you know, a light switch) Is no one going to show up for their shift today? That would be so totally awesome! :-)
Well, those two did show up for their shift but I still got the message; loud and clear. I sold out of almost my entire inventory that day and decided that that was it. No more. I couldn't wait to talk to my husband when he got home to tell him about the dawn of my day. Before I could get to my story, I asked how his day was and he proceeded to tell me that it was good. His boss told him he is doing a great job and wants to sit down with him to go over his review so that he could give him a raise (his review is not due until November!). How cool is that, that God closes one door, yet still provides for us, but in a different way. Yes, I know, to some of you that's normal, you may see it all the time, but it is still awesome to me to see, especially in my own life, and especially when I am asking!
I love God, and all of His stories. And I wish that I would just trust Him more. I can't imagine what all he would do in our life if I were to just trust.
So that is (another one of) my cool God stories, and I just wanted to share.
On a side note.... it is VERY hard for me to let go, as well as Brad, but more for me. If I just did this, if I just did that, oh, if I tweaked this, oh yes, if I just added that. Please pray for me, and Brad, that we will just let go. For good. I am holding on so tight.... even today, I was thinking, ok, just one more day.... NO! No more, yesterday (Tuesday) was the last day, and I just need prayer to keep me strong. Another good thing was already seeing that need (or weakness) and praying about it, and asking Him to make me strong, to just let it go..... and so far, so good. Today was the girls first day at school, and so Katrina and I did some errands, and baked a lot if yummy stuff, and I got dinner ready, and it was just a great day. I pray for many more fun days ahead!
Thanks to all of my friends that have been praying for me, and for my family. And praise be to God, for He deserves all the glory! I love you all!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)