The Beaber's 2014 Year in Review

When I look back at this past year one of the themes I see woven throughout all of our days is: Provision.

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Matthew 6:28

We have been provided for. Everything we have needed this past year and more has been supplied. Things I've wanted and things I didn't know I needed, I have received. I even got some things I didn't want. Sometimes this provision has come from the paycheck Troy earns each month (which is made possible by generous donors to SBR), sometimes from family, some from friends and even from strangers. Some things come as a result of being a sinful person living in a fallen world. Regardless, all of it is filtered through our Heavenly Father's hands before it gets to us. Whether good or bad, it goes through Him. He knows what we need and even what we want. Why does the creator of the Universe choose to provide for us? 

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 

Matthew 10:29-31(NIV)

And so He blesses.

Do you know Jesus? Is he your Savior?

If the answer is yes, we rejoice with you! Even if your year has been full of hard things, God is still good and He is there for you, ready to bring beauty out of the ashes. 

If your answer is no, I would challenge you to ask yourself why? What is holding you back? 

Jesus is our Christmas gift. Salvation for all bought through the sacrifice of one. He's waiting for you. You are worth more to Him, so much more. 

Don't delay, open the gift of Jesus this year. 

Rejoicing in His provision:

Troy, Jana, Tate, Seth and Wyat

Some of our 2014 highlights: 

An interesting trip to Chicago. I'll just say one of the highlights was eating a Chicago style 'dog'.

The boys got to swim in Lake Michigan

A glimpse at our beautiful neighborhood. 

Our dog Jinx had 5 puppies. We had a lot of fun with them.

We got to watch some hot air balloons at a festival in Wausau

We spent some time enjoying one of our favorite crawdad holes. Its a great place to cool off in the summer.

How many boys can fit in Dad's Carhartt overall's?

Anakin is still with us. She loves her boys.

Her boys love her.

Whose wild child is this? He takes after his dad.

Our lumber jack's 

Yep, School happened this year too!

That's right, I said "school"! Honestly, we do enjoy our home education.

Seth is continuing to develop his baking skills

We had a Valentine party and photo booth with our Home School Co-op

We have a fun group of moms and kids to learn and play with.

We continue to get visits from Megan. 

This kid is just like his Poppa. 

Tate learned to ski at the little ski hill that's less than 2 miles from our house. 

Seth chose snowboarding. He has Olympic hopes! 

Wyat tried snowboarding but had more success on skis. 

Can you believe the tow rope tickets are only $2 at the hill?

We caught up with family at various holidays and events as well. 

You may not know this, but those verses in Matthew are where the name for this little blog came from. 

Have a very blessed New Year.

It's That Time Again

Resolutions . . .
I know a lot of people spend a lot of time thinking about and planning what their resolutions for the new year will be.
Not me.
Nope.
I don't believe in resolutions.
And I'm terrible at setting goals and keeping them.
That isn't to say I shouldn't try . . .
However, I've decided to simplify things. 

If I simply decide to make an effort to grow in my relationship with God, then I will be different at the end of the year, than I was at the beginning of it.
I'll cover a lot of ground in one fell swoop, as they say.
It covers my desire to be healthier and more active.
It covers my desire to change and be a better wife and mother.
It covers my desire to be a better friend.
It covers my desire to learn to think about others more than myself.
It covers my desire to become who God made me to be.
In fact, if my only goal for the year is to grow in my relationship with Christ, and I do that, I will be guaranteed to change and improve in all the areas of my life that I want to change in.
You see, God may love me just as I am (and you too for that matter), but he loves me enough not to leave me as I am.
There is a verse in the Bible that says "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phillipians 1:6) 
This verse alone brings me so much hope for this new year!
Because of the salvation that I have received, I know that God has begun a good work in me already.
I am also assured by this verse that he will keep working on me as the years go by!
However, I won't be complete until His return for me or until I join Him in heaven.
I'm learning to be okay with that last part.
I'd prefer to be perfected this side of heaven.
But I am learning, changing, and growing each day.
I understand a little better that Gods ways aren't the same as my ways.
They are so much better.
So I'm going to choose to leave Him in charge this year.
I'm simply going to commit to give all I've got to pursuing Him throughout the year.
I can rest in the fact that God will do the rest.
And I'm looking forward to that.
I know from past experience, it promises to be an interesting year.

How about you?
What are you looking forward to this coming year?
Have you recieved God's gift of salvation?
If you have a question about what that means, please contact me.  I'd love to explain it to you in more detail.

Happy New Year!

-Jana-

Happy New Year

The whole group all together (from left to right) Wyat, Seth, Lincoln, Ella, Tate, and Ian

I love the sweet friendship between these two.

The only problem with trying to do what your older cousin does . . . unexpected bumps in the ride.

Ella and Tate, both the oldest kids in their family.

We celebrated New Years Eve -Eve (no that isn't a typo) with my sister and her family and my Mom and Dad. They all drove up to our house so we could have our family Christmas together.  Being that Dad is a preacher man he was unable to come up for the actual New Years Eve, which is ok. In the end, it all worked out. 
After all, more important than the day we get together is the fact that we actually get together. It's nice that my family is flexible. Troy's is too. I guess we really lucked out that way. So it makes for a stress-less holiday season.
As anyone with kids knows though, it's the kids that really make the holiday fun.  I mean, why go through the hassle of actually wrapping a present when there are attractive gift bags that are quicker and easier? 
Except, it is so much fun to watch the kids tear the wrapping off of their gift and watch their eyes light up when they see what is in the box underneath the paper.
We managed to have just enough snow in the yard while the niece and nephews were here for all of the kids to enjoy a little sledding out in the back yard.  It was pretty funny to watch the kids ride their sleds down the barely snow covered backyard steps. They seemed to really enjoy the bumpy ride. This is where my kids usually sled, but normally the stairs are covered with enough snow that it forms a sleek slope that is bump free for them to glide down.  My kids are a little more rough and tumble than my sisters kids, so I was a little concerned as I was watching them slide down our barely snow covered slopes. I just kept praying that if they fell off of the sled, their hat would be thick enough to protect their little skull when it hit the exposed rocks and branches in the yard.  Happily, other than one face wash for my littlest nephew, the sledding commenced without mishap but with lots of laughter and smiles. It warms my heart to see my sons and my niece and nephews get along so well. And I am thankful that even though we are separated by enough miles that keep us from getting together regularly, we get together often enough to cultivate a relationship between these kids. 
They're pretty good kids too.
So Happy New Year, and I hope you all have opportunities to enjoy some sweet time with your family throughout this year.