Everything is all on the NEW Website :)

In case you haven't figured it out yet, we've moved ;)

Everything - including the blogs - is here: kimandkaylawoodhouse.com

You can still get there via kimberleywoodhouse.com kimwoodhouse.com kaylawoodhouse.com and kimberleyandkaylawoodhouse.com as well - but I don't know if I'm going to transfer the Feeblitz over - so for all of our hundreds of subscribers - I apologize. I would love to have you sign up for the RSS feed on the new site. We're trying to streamline and organize everything and keep it all beautiful at the new location.

And another great shout-out to Pulse Point Designs for their AMAZING job on it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

As always, we love hearing from you!
Meet you at the new site!
Kim and Kayla

New Website coming!!

Just wanted to let everyone know that our new website will be launching soon and the blogs will be there as well! Hopefully, we will no longer have our posting issues :)

Family... Every moment

We're so blessed to have Mom and Dad Woodhouse visiting us right now. We almost lost my father-in-law several times the past few years, and that makes the visit that much sweeter.

But it's also made me realize that every moment is a blessing. We never know when that last one moment will be - so we should be cherishing every one we have. (My friend Sally and I just discussed this the other day!)

We live a long distance from most of our extended family - and it is really difficult for us to go see them because of environmental issues for Kayla (the majority of our family is in the South). So we don't get the opportunity to see them often. But the time is always precious.

I was thinking about it this morning, because my sweet husband and kids - we're together ALL the time. We love it. And yet, I think we take a lot of our "moments" for granted, because we DO get to spend so much time together.

My thoughts right now are not incredibly profound - but just a challenge to us all to take the time each day to cherish the moments. Each and every one.

Hurdles

I've been doing a lot of speaking lately, and perseverance keeps coming up. :)

Times are hard. Real hard. And people are struggling. They're looking for encouragement, insight, advice, wisdom - on how they can keep running their race with perseverance.

Since I've had so many emails and people talking to me about this lately, I thought I'd share my little analogy I've been sharing along the way.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says this:
NASB "1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

I love how many times Scripture uses the picture of athletes - running their race. Our Christian walk is supposed to be that. Our own individual race - set before each of us. My race isn't the same as yours and vice versa.

But so often, it's too easy to get distracted. To head off the racetrack, get bogged down by life's problems, or simply lie down to take a break. :)

One day, I began to think of myself not just as a runner - but as a hurdler. Well, because frankly, I realized that my race would not be smooth like on a paved track. There would be bumps, mountains, valleys, and potholes. :)

So... think of yourself as an Olympic hurdler.
Would an athlete of this caliber stop and smell the roses on the sidelines if he hadn't finished his race?
Would an athlete of this caliber jog along, waving at his fans - smiling, chitchatting, etc?
Would an athlete of this caliber stop in the middle of the race just because he knocked a hurdle?
Would an athlete of this caliber go back and keep going over the same hurdle because it wasn't perfect the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th time?

How did you answer those questions?
Now, can you apply them to your own life?

Yes, there will be lots of hurdles. Sometimes one right after the other. Sometimes you'll clear it with no problem. Other times, you might scrape your knee as you jump. And there will be times when you will knock the hurdle completely down. Every once in a while, you may even fall on your face in the mud puddle and wonder if you'll ever be able to get up and keep going.

But you can.
Remember, we are supposed to cast our burdens upon HIM. He's waiting with open arms to help us up, clean us up, sometimes even to carry us until we catch our breath.

Right now, we've got some pretty huge hurdles we're facing. But I'm reminded of all the thousands of hurdles we've made it through so far. And I'm fixing my gaze on that finish line and not looking back.

Some days, I may go faster than others. Some days it might take me a while to climb out of the hole to get back on the track, but I am pressing on - to persevere.

Because... "...perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:4 NIV

MomMomMomMomMom

Remember when your kids were toddlers? (Or they might still be toddlers now) And that's all you heard? "Mommommommommommommommommommom" etc. (Okay, so those of us with teenagers might hear that all the time too!)

It's a beautiful sound. To be called "Mom."

I've been thinking about it a lot lately. Mother's Day this year was a little crazy as we were in California for a TV taping, so I've been doing my reminiscing over the past week or so since we returned.

I love being a mom
I love hearing my kids call me "mom"
I love cooking and yes, even cleaning for my family
I love being the mom of teenagers
I love driving them to swim team day after day after day after day...
I love sitting on "deck" and writing and working, and taking peeks at their skills in the water
I love traveling with my kids
I love singing at the top of my lungs with my kids in the car
I love watching movies with my kids
I love home schooling my kids
I love riding bikes with my kids
I love spending every day with them
I love being a mom