I'm Still Living!!

Well I've done it again! Went to long without a post! I'm so sorry my sweet friends.....

Ok, so I'm going to give you a bit of my life these past months in nutshell... :)

Since I last wrote I have taken a very long bus trip to South Dakota for a Christian music Festival, stayed a while in MN again, went on vacation to the beach, moved away from my family to be a live in helper for my Great-Grandparents (missing my family a good bit right now), found a very encouraging group of christian to fellowship here, and currently I'm going to be helping at crisis pregnancy center soon!

The Lord has been doing such wonderful things in my life!!! Growing me more in Him everyday! Since I can't see my family everyday I learning to lean more on the Lord for companionship, trusting more in Him, and finding new ways fulfill the vision the Lord gave me back in June.

I'm not sure if I shared my vision with you or not so here goes......

While in MN during the summer, the put a burning desire on my heart to be a missionary, to minister to new moms... esp pregnant teen-moms. So these last months of my life have been the Lord growing me in that! I'm the type of person who when given a order wants to jump to the end result right away. In this case being a full time missionary. Well I'm finding that's not how the Lord works. :) He has been molding, shaping and refining me! The bus trip that in total lasted 4days let me get a true glimpse of what the world is really like, how people react to one another, while on it I got into some very interesting conversations :) I got to met teenage moms, people who were on their last dollar, an Amish family, as well as many other colorful people. I got to see how much the Lord must really love us and then wanting to show that to them.....

Now I'm living in a new city, more shaping going on here..... Learning to care for people in all forms of mental health.... patients and trusting that the Lord knows what He is doing are the biggest things on my plate at the moment! My goal at the moment is to stay here through the winter, then go home for a bit and in the spring move to MN to take missionary training.... please pray for me, as this is a huge leap for me to take!

So as you can tell, my life has pretty much exploded in the last little while and the Lord is slowly putting it back together, piece by piece, to better serve Him!!!

I have thought of you all often! I'm hoping now that my life has settled at bit to get back to posting things....but you will have to be understanding if I don't :) I'm going to set up my email and Facebook account on here so you can keep up with me a bit more if you like, and I with you!

I was very encouraged to see that I still have friends and people who stop by this blog..... thank you all!!!!

Let me know how yo all are and what new things the Lord has been bring into your lives!

Your Sister,

Laura

Random Things......

Wow!!! I can't believe how busy this summer has gotten!!!

You will have to forgive me if my posts are getting farther and farther apart, but it seems like the summer is the busiest time for me!

Does it get that way for you? :)

Here is a bit of an update so y'all know what we have been up to!

I have started my Doula courses and Aromatherapy classes back in full force, as well as canning a bunch of figs that our neighbor gave us, getting ready to get my drivers licence, going to see my Great-Grandma next week, getting ready for some of our sweet friends to visit this week-end, Dad's paperwork, and just regular life stuff........whew!

Baby Girl is growing up so fast....she has started trying to walk!!!

It doesn't seems like that long ago she was just born..:)

All of my brothers are doing good, been mostly working on their school alot (they school though the summer).

The littlest ones have been picking alot of tomatoes in our garden, very much of a blessing!

The older I get the more I'm finding out how to juggle many things at once!!! :)

I have also been working on the giveaway I'll be hosting soon!!

Got it all put together just need to take pictures and post them! ;)

It's going to be so much fun......!

These are some pictures that I took of the wind chime in our garden....

Isn't pretty?

I love the colors!!!!

Sorry this post is on the random side, I just wanted to catch you up on what has been going on in my life...

And if I don't post for a few days don't think I've forgotten about you all, not at all! I actually think about y'all alot, but just haven't found the time to write down my thoughts....

I hope you are all having a very fun, blessed summer!!!!!

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.-- Henry James

Meet My Siblings!!!

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.~Jane Howard

I love my siblings!!!!
I'm so glad the Lord gave them to me!

In honor of my siblings, I thought I'd put together a post that tells a little bit about them!

I don't think I've ever really introduced all of them! :)

This is my Special Brother....

He was adopted into this family when he was 2 and now he is 10!!!

I love his sweet smile and the funny songs he makes up.

He is an avid reader and has recently shown a interest in nature (as you can tell by the picture!)

Here is Little Man with Baby Girl......

I chose this name for him because that is exactly his personality!!

You can usually find him with a old cell phone in his pocket and other office supplies not to far away. :)

He has a great interest in becoming a firefighter and loves to draw pictures to cheer you up!

He is five years old.

Baby Girl is such a blessing to our family!

Her smile lights up a room and she has recently started to babble. :)

She just turned 8 months old!!

I really never thought I'd have a sister, but the Lord had other ideas!!!

This is Sweet Guy......

He has been my closest friend and partner in crime. ;)

He turned fifteen this year! Wow! I'm getting really old!

I really enjoy spending time with him (we set aside Saturday nights to do something special together)!

He has a love for books as strong as my own!

And is a great human spell check! :)

So, there you have it, a bit about my sweet siblings!!!

We all have bad days but in the end I can't imagine life without them all!!!

Here are some fun quotes on siblings I found:

I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at. ~Maya Angelou

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you,as you are to them.~Desmond Tutu

If you want to know how your girl will treat you after marriage, just listen to her talking to her little brother. ~Sam Levenson

I thought the last one was good! :)

What do you enjoy about your siblings? Sometimes it they seem to be the hardest people to get along with. But I see it as such a great learning and growing experience for myself! Is there a special way you show your siblings you love them? Please share!!!!

Hope you are all having a restful day in the Lord!!

Blessings!!

Updates and Awards!!

Hello all!!!!

I'm back in blogging land now! :)

Thank you all so much for the sweet and thoughtful comments you left me!!

I was really blessed by them!

We are all doing a little better now that the funeral is behind us. But it is still hard sometimes and I think it will be for awhile.

Anyway, we are just working on getting back to normal life now. :)

I thought I'd give you a little update on Eddie also.

(if you haven't read about him go to the Farm link on the dashboard)

It looks like we are going to have to get rid of him soon. :(

He has to go because we don't have any hay to feed him right now. Our goats have been turned out to eat grass but he is too big to turn loose and he also keeps running away!

So, today the man from the sheriff's department is coming to get him.

I'm a little sad about it, but he isn't turning out to be as sweet as I thought. :)

Well, while I was away I got awarded several times:

#1 The Best of Friends Award:

Lindsay @ Content In Christ

and

Eden @ Growing In Him
gave this one to me!!

Thank you both so much!!!

I'm very blessed to have you both as friends. :)

I would like to give this award to:

Hannah @ Trusting in His Love

Grace @ The Upper Road

Hannah Grace @ Hannah Grace's Blog

Lauren @ Wearing His Purity

Many of the other people I wanted to give this to already got it.

So, know that I was thinking of you!!

If you haven't gotten this one before, consider yourself awarded!!!

All of you are such sweet friends!

#2 The Prolific Blogger Award

Jenna @ Where the Heart Remains

and

Addie @ Girlish Musings

both gave this one to me!!!

Y'all are so sweet! Thank you!

About This Award:
A prolific blogger is one who is intellectually productive, keeping up an active blog with enjoyable content. After accepting this award, recipients are asked to pass it forward to seven other deserving blogs.

I award:
#1 Eden @ Growing in Him

#2 Zoe @ Joyful Sounds....

#3 Grace @ The Upper Road

#4 Rachelle @ Going Against the Current

#5 Katherine@ Akeret haBayit in Training

#6 Marissa and Andrea @ Servants of the King

#7 Miss Raquel @ God's Daughter

Eden @ Growing in Him
This award is for the bloggers who I believe have a practice of turning the lemons of life into lemonade.

I'm giving this award to all the people I awarded today!!!

I hope all of you have a very blessed weekend!

Strangers are just friends waiting to happen. ~Rod McKuen

More Lovely Awards!!

Eden @ Heirs of Promise

and

Jenna @ Where the Heart Remains
gave me this sweet award!!

Thank you both so much!


List Seven Interesting Facts About Me:

1. One of my favorite smells is a Sharpie!

2. My very favorite color is purple

3. I like spicy foods

4. I have a brother who is adopted!! (Special Brother. Thus the name!)

5. I like to get up early in the morning (5:00am lately), but I also have a tendency to stay up late!

6. I was home schooled from third grade till graduation

(I'm so glad the Lord had my parents switch!)

7. I collect antique broaches to wear. I have about 40 already!

Now, award as many people as you think have a Beautiful Blog!

I award:

Hannah @ Trusting in His Love

Hannah Grace @ Hannah grace's blog

Marrissa & Andrea @ Servants of the King

Laura @ A Basket of Flowers

Rachelle @ Going Against the Current

Grace @ The Upper Road

Nicole @ Psalm 27:14

Hannah @ Hannah of Marilla Heights

India @ Musings of a Countess

Zoe @ Joyful Sounds

And

Taylor @ Proverbs 31.....In Training!

This is the other award I received!

Jenna @ Where the Heart Remains gave me this award too!

Thank you Jenna!!

Here are the rules:

1. Tag at least five of your 'sweet friends' on Blogger.

2. Answer the tag (below) in your post.

3. You may tag the person who gave you this award.

4. Don't forget to comment on the post that awarded you.

Let's get started!

1. You are the ___ in your family:

I'm the oldest in my family! Such a fun place to be!

2. Do you have your own camera?

I do own a camera. It gets used quite a lot too. :)

3. List three of your character qualities:

Christ-Like, Loving, Helpful

4. How long have you had your blog?

I started Sharing His Love in February 2010!!

5. What is your favorite thing to blog about?

I like blogging about all kinds of things, but my favorite is about the Lord and His goodness!

Now I would like to award:

I would like to award all of my followers and frequent readers with this award!

You have all been so sweet with your comments.

They have been such an encouragement to me!

Comment and let me know if you take the award. I want to be sure and stop by and see you answers!!!

I Got My First Award!!!

Jenna at Where the Heart Remains awarded me!!

Thank you so much Jenna!!!!!

I feel very blessed. :)

Here are the rules:

1. Post about the tag.

2. Choose 5 bloggers who deserve this award.


3. Leave a comment on the blogs of the people you tagged, letting them know they were awarded.

4. Answer the questions along with your post. (Omit questions you don't want to answer)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


1. Apples, Oranges, or Bananas?
I guess I would have to say that Bananas are my favorite.
Especially if they are in banana bread!!!

2. How many siblings do you have?
I have 3 younger brothers and one baby sister!


3. Do you live on a prairie, woodland, city, or other?
We are surrounded by woods. So I guess that puts us in the woodland category.


What is something you enjoy doing with your family?
I really enjoy taking Sunday drives with my family!
We usually get some ice cream and drive around on the back roads. Right now is a beautiful time to this because the roads are just covered in wildflowers!

5. Is your room clean?
*Cough* Well it’s quite a mess right now. I’m in the middle of redecorating so it’s disorganized at the moment!


6. Italy, Greece, France, Spain, or England?
I’d love to visit all of these places, but I think England would be first choice.
It is so pretty there!



7. What is the scripture that encourages your the most?

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33


8. Gum, chocolate, or jelly beans?
I like dark chocolate the most!
Jelly beans are my next favorite though.



9. What are your favorite types of books?
My favorite types of books are: Information books (books full of hints, medical books, herbal book and books on birth!), Mysteries and Historical books.


10. Favorite ice cream flavor?
Homemade vanilla with strawberries. :)


11. If you had to eat one type of food for two weeks, what would that food be?
I could eat salad for two weeks. As long as I had a verity of toppings to go on it! :)



12. Are you an outside or an inside person?
I LOVE to be outside! Especially if I have my camera with me.




13. Describe yourself in three words.
Sweet, Fun, Christ-Lover!



14. What chore do you like to do the most?
I would have to say that I really like washing the dishes.
I haven’t always liked doing them. But recently I have found it a good time to just be quite and think, pray, etc.


Now, I’d like to award:

Grace @ The Upper Road

Rachelle @ Going Against The Current

Schy @ All Other Ground is Sinking Sand

Lauren @ Wearing His Purity

Hannah Grace @ Hannah Grace's Blog

I hope everyone has a very blessed day!!!

I've Been Tagged!!

Eden at Heirs of Promise tagged me! Thanks a bunch Eden!

The rules are: Please tag eight people and do not tag the one who tagged you. And if you would not like to answer a certain question, simply change it to one you like and answer that.

#1-What song are you currently listening to a lot?

We Will Glorify-Twila Paris

We will glorify the King of kings

We will glorify the Lamb

We will glorify the Lord of lords

Who is the great I AM

Lord Jehovah reigns in majesty

We will bow before His throne

We will worship Him in righteousness

We will worship Him alone

He is Lord of heaven,

Lord of earth

He is Lord of all who live

He is Lord above the universe

All praise to Him we give

Hallelujah to the King of kings

Hallelujah to the Lamb

Hallelujah to the Lord of Lords

Who is the great I AM

#2- What books are you currently reading?

Right now I'm reading Lady in Waiting-Debby Jones and Jackie Kendall-

as my devotional.

I'm also reading The Complete Book of Sherlock Holmes and I just finished a book called

Labor Pain: A natural approach to easing delivery -Nickey Wesson-

I was reading it for my doula course.

#3-Do you sing a lot?

I do sing a lot! But usually when no one else is around. :)

#4-Sweet or salty?

Definitely sweet for me. A big bag of dark chocolate M&Ms makes me very happy!

#5-What is your favorite hobby?

I guess I would have to say that sewing is my very favorite hobby. But knitting and canning aren't to far behind it.

I really like making things with my hands!

#6-What books have you read at least 3 times?

I have read Christy- Catherine Marshell- at least three time if not more. I really enjoy that book! Also The Last Sin Eater -Francine Rivers-

and of course my all time favorite Sherlock Holmes!

#7-What sites do you always visit when you get on the Internet?

I check my blog account, the all the email accounts and several blogs.

#8-What was the last things you bought?

I think the last things I bought were: a bag of dark chocolate M&Ms :), a necklace, stickers and a book on missionaries in Africa.

#9-Which fictional character do you think you are most like?

This is a hard one......

I guess I'm most like Fanny Price out of Mansfield Park.

Or at least I'd like to be like her!

She is always helping out someone else and she never thinks about herself. She is also very meek and quiet!

#10-Favorite earliest memory?

I guess it would be when I was about 2 years old. Mom was taking me to a swimming class for mommies and babies. I really enjoyed swimming around! I do remember not liking the part when we practiced swimming under water. But for the most part it was really fun!

I wonder why most of our earliest memories are of doing things with our Mothers?

#11-What do you do to change your mood?

I will usually just pray about it. Sometimes I will listen to music too.

Music is one of my favorite things!

#12-What was the last meal you ate?

Dinner...we had spinach salad, chicken fried steak and freshly made strawberry ice cream! YUM!!!!

#13-Do you want to learn another language?

I would really like to learn Spanish. But so far I haven't found the time to learn

nor the people on whom I can practice on!

#14-Five things you can’t live without?

1. My sweet family

2. Music!

3. Good books to read

4. The Lord!

5. Being in contact with people

(maybe my dark chocolate M&Ms too :) )

#15- Find the closest book to you, and flip to page 54.what is the first sentence in the 2nd paragraph?

One of the closest books to me is Lady In Waiting. Page 54 says:

~An ugly oyster shell is an unlikely place to fins a lovely gem, but Isaiah 55:8 say, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways...." You may see an ugly shell, but God sees the beauty He is creating in you. Are the sands of singleness causing you bitterness right now, or are you allowing these trials to change you into a pearl, the Lord wants you to be a Lady of Virtue-a costly, beautiful pearl for all to admire.~

I know that is more that one sentence but it was so good I wanted to share the rest of the paragraph with you!

#16-What is something you would like to say right now?

I hope you are all having a wonderful day!

And also that you will be filled with joy from the Lord!

#17-What are you looking forward to?

I'm really looking forward to going on a 2 week trip to Minnesota for my 21st birthday in June! I'm going to visit some missionary friends up there and I'm also going to visit one of my pen-pals that I've been writing to for several years. I've never met her in person so I'm really excited about it!

What a long post!!! But I really enjoyed it! Thanks again Eden!

Now for the 8 people to tag.....

Hannah @ Trusting In His Love

Grace Elizabeth @ The Upper Road

Morgan @ A Day In The Life Of A Southern Girl

Courtney @ Courtney's Blog

Naomi @ Treasuries of Joy

Hannah Grace @ Hannah Grace's blog

Laura @ A Basket of Flowers

Schy @ All Other Ground is Sinking Sand

If you aren't on the list but want do it please feel free to!!!