Thursday, June 2, 2011

My Journey to being a SAHM part 2

 So yesterday we did something that was GREAT!!!  Together as a family we went to serve, put together meals, for Feeding Children Everywhere!!!!
 We each took turns doing the different jobs which included scooping the different components of the meals together- vitamin mix, dried veggie mix, lentils, and rice. 
 My cousin Heidi was able to join us for our shift which was right before lunch. 
 This ministry has just recently started working with Meet The Need (the connectional ministry my husband now works for). 
 They had the event in the parking lot of where my hubby works. 
 It was great to get to serve as a family!!!!!!
 And they had fun music playing as we danced and did our jobs. 
 Awwww  Look it's Makenna- my cousin's daughter helping with the bags- she is concentrating.  :)
 Elizabeth and Jonathan got to serve too!!!!  They helped color the boxes :) 
 It was a GREAT experience and good reminder of all we have!!!  WE don't go hungry, but sooo many do.  How can you help- I help- we help?  So many ways!!!! 
 Thinking and praying about the 100,000 meals that were packed yesterday and praying for all those who helped, and especially all those who will get to eat!!!!                                                                                                    

So coming back to my journey ****REMEMBER this is my journey NOT a put down or anything to any mom who works outside the home :)  Just what God has done in my life.  :)

Well, so we knew that we wanted to stay home with the kids, but thought it would be Jason to do that.  Of course back when we were first married we were told you had to be married 4 years to adopt (if you don't know why we couldn't have biological children that is an amazing testimony all it's own!!!).  So we weren't worried for at least a while anyway.  Jason got a job at a local school.  I worked as a band teacher in small town Iowa- which I LOVED!

Then we felt called into full time ministry- and there were many options, ideas, etc......but God called us to Camping Ministry :)  So since I had a degree and the most experience I took the job of Director of a Christian camp in Iowa, and Jason worked for me (technically) as the food service director at the camp.  Now trust me- I know NOTHING really about food service, so Jason was really his own boss.  But people gave us a hard time about him working for me.

We made jokes about it, but never really thought of it as a problem.  I would turn to Jason lots of times for advice.  I enjoyed the fact that we both worked together for the most part.  And never really thought more of it......until........I read a book I can't even remember the name now buy it was by Elizabeth George?  But it talked about being reminded that the husband is the head of the household.  It also explained in depth how God wants to see this played out in our hearts and actions.  Allowing God to mold our husbands, and in turn our husbands to take care of us.

I would be lying if I told you that I jumped up and down at the thought.  You see I am what you call..... A BULLDOZER!  That is putting it mildly.  I like to lead, make decisions, and well have my way a lot.  I am great at arguments, love public speaking, and enjoy speaking my mind.  So let me just share this took a LOOOONNNGGGG time to even start to creep into my life.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU!!!!  THAT the changes that have occurred slowly and steadily in my life are for the better!  I can tell you that allowing God and my husband to take over has allowed me so many freedoms to do things I never even thought I would enjoy doing.  It has allowed there to become a much different atmosphere in our home.  A different way of doing things........and I can't put my finger on it, but it just feels more right.  

As we felt God moving us to another camping ministry job- this time we applied as CO-DIRECTORS.  The first step in putting Jason more in the position where he should be.  This time Jason got credit for all the hard hours and work he put in, and it was no longer me being his "boss".  Which sounds strange because to me it wasn't truly that way, but still it was a shift.

Over the years of being there- we had 3 children when we moved there- we gained 5 more children.  Knowing since we lived in Iowa that we wanted to homeschool our children took on a whole new meaning when we added so many more :)  BUT our lives were full of joy over our children!!!!!  Homeschooling also took on a whole new meaning when you run into- special educational needs that require more time.

And with that.....I will leave you hanging until my next post :)  Pray your week is going great!!!! 

6 comments:

  1. Looks like our family has been working at the same things as yours this week! A great opportunity for helping others, and so much fun!! :)

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  2. I was Jim's "boss" for 5 years when I created and directed a school for homeschoolers. I was the "Program Director" and Jim was the "Lead Teacher". It worked REALLY well 99% of the time. The non-believing school district superintendent (my boss) always commented, "I don't know how you do it ... but keep doing it." Not only was I Jim's boss, but we were both working full time and we were homeschooling 7 of our children.

    We actually enjoyed working together, parenting together, homeschooling together. It brought us closer together, as we worked as a team, regardless of my title as "boss".

    :) :) :)

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  3. What an awesome blessing to serve side by side as a family! One year when we just had the 2 older boys we served Thanksgiving dinner at the homeless shelter and I LOVED it. What a great social skill for the boys...learning how to interact with all ages and from all backgrounds! A year after we served with Josh McDowell's ministry (can't remember the name) creating care packages to send to children in Russia. What an operation and so, so humbling and eye opening!!
    Love reading your story and seeing how God has transformed you and your family over the years. What a God story!!
    Much love!
    lisa

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  4. Great testimony, Dawn. And serving together as a family? Top of the list!

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  5. What a great journey the Lord has called you and your family to..thank you for sharing it. So cool to see how God has been moving in your life. (I smiled at the picture of you sporting your "got love?" shirt. ;)

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  6. I think it is wonderful that ya’ll served as a family...what a great memory.

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