Relationship Reflection

God:
"Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."  Matthew 6:33 (NLT)

I strive to make my first and most important relationship the one I have with my Savior.  This relationship impacts all other relationships.  It reflects the love I have for my husband, the dedication that I show to my children, and the way I treat those in the relationships that surround me.  Without Christ, my life is meaningless and lost.  With Christ, I become the woman he designed me to be as a mom, wife, daughter, teacher, and friend. 

Justin:
aka Prince Charming

The next most important relationship is the one with my husband, Justin.  We have been married for 9 years and have grown closer with each passing year.  We've had our ups and downs like any couple, but God has brought us through and we are stronger than either of us ever imagined we would be.  He is a wonderful Christian man, provides for us with a full-time job that he really does not like so I can stay home with our children, is in the last semester of his Master's program, and is the best dad a kid could ever ask for.  As I type, he's out playing in the snow with them because I hate the cold!  Our relationship has become so strong because we put a lot of time and effort into identifying our weak areas and working on them.  Each time we have something worked out, God provides another area that he wants us to refine!  We laugh together, pray together, play together, and enjoy our simple life together.  The most important aspect of our relationship is commitment.  There have been times throughout the nine years that it has simply been our commitment that has carried us through whatever situation we were in.  Passion and lust may fade, but commitment stays steady to the end!

Payton, Grant, & Colton
Our three kiddos!

 God has blessed us far beyond what we deserve with three beautiful, funny children!  Our oldest is our daughter Payton, who is 5.  She is such a sweet, loving child who loves God and helps take care of her younger brothers!   Our oldest son, Grant is 2, and has the funniest sense of humor I have ever seen in a child.  With one look or silly saying he can put is in full belly laughs!!  Our youngest is our bonus baby, Colton who just turned one in December.  I was not sure what God was thinking when he gave us a third, but we can not imagine life without him!  Our relationship with our children is one that also takes a lot of time and effort.  The toughest challenge in our relationships with our children is finding the time to be intentional about our relationships, that is making quality time. We have specific times that we try to spend with each of them.  Payton gets time with us on the weekends when the boys go to bed, Grant gets time with Mommy while Colton is taking his naps, and Colton gets all the time he needs as he's the baby!  We have to be purposeful with our time with them and try to teach them character, love, and how to have fun.  Consistency, quality, and love are the foundations of our relationships with our children.


My Mom & Dad:
Carol & Sam

My relationship with my parents is the founding relationship that has lead me to be the person that I am today.  My parents love for God, for each other, and for our family was strong and consistent throughout my growing years!  They always had my best interest at heart and although I struggled at time to show my independence, they stood by me through many failed attempts.  My parents are still two of the most influential people in my life.  Without their love for Christ, I would have never come to have a relationship with God on my own.  My mother was the one who was there when I accepted Christ into my life!  Our relationship now has taken on a different level as I look to them for advice and guidance as we raise our children.  It is a relationship that honestly takes very little work and for that I'm grateful.  Although they have moved several hours away from us, we are still very close.  Regardless of how many days or weeks it's been since we've talked, we pick up just where we left off.  If I could have hand picked my parents, I would have chosen the ones that God chose for me! 

My Mom-in-Law:
Sheila
The final relationship that is very important to me is the one that I have with my mother-in-law.  She is a sincere, hard-working woman who has taken me in as a daughter and loved me in the same way my own mother does.  With my mom being so far away, I look to my mother-in-law to fill that relationship gap and she has done a tremendous job.  Our relationship really worked from the beginning and for that I am lucky and grateful.  She accepted me into her family on the day Justin and I started dating.  Our relationship has gone through some ups and downs also, but has grown as each year has passed.  She is a gracious, wonderful second mom to me!