Husband and the Chicken Coop

Whew, it's been a while y'all. Life has been busy lately. And yesterday and last month and last year (I can say that because it's January) and today. Oh, you too? That figures, it seems like the "busy bug" has been making it's rounds.

Anywho, my creative juices have been flowing so I'm taking advantage of it and writing this blog post. Did you miss me?

Right now we're working on my chicken coop. Hooray! It's almost done and if you couldnt tell I'm here to tell you I'm excited! My dad, mom, husband and father in law have all taken the time to help me and I am so appreciative. They have no clue how much this means to me! As we've been working on the pen and other things around the house (we've almost been here 2 months. Eek!) I've noticed something. My precious husband and I do not fit your tipacal husband and wife mold. Shocker, I know.

If you want a tour go watch my Youtube video!!
https://youtu.be/swg-Be7Q14Y

So what do I mean by that? Well for instance my husband will ask me how to do things from time to time (because he's an amazing and humble human) that he's not quite sure how to do. Things he's fairly certain, because I grew up on a ranch out in the country, I know how to do. Or at least more about it than he does. My husband did not grow up on a ranch or anything close to it. He grew up in a fairly large town (especially for the south) in a subdivision. One with a big back yard I might add. I know how to drive a stick shift, dig a post hole, build a fence, ride a horse and move cattle, milk a goat (my friends owned them), feed chickens (again, friends had them not me), stack hay, hitch and  pull trailer (bumper pull and goose-neck), hook up jumper cables, and other things you need to know how to do if you're going to be helpful around livestock. Which I was. Daily. My parents taught me valuable things I needed to know because of the lifestyle I lived. Many of these things and others are still serving me.

Did I expect or plan to merry someone who grew up in a neighborhood less than 15 minutes from town? Not really no. Is he incapable? I'm going to go with "no" again. He's very capable and good at so many things. He's also a fast learner and very smart. He's quick to ask for my opinion and values my input. That is something that still makes my heart melt. He doesn't have to have all my "country knowledge" to be perfect for me. In fact I'm not so sure I would have liked a man trying to do certain things for me. Don't misunderstand me, I am not of the mindset that "Whatever a man can do I can do". My point is that I enjoy being outside and working with my hands. I like learning and knowing things that aren't your typical girl things. My husband is more than okay with this. He often does things around the house that aren't your typical guy stuff. I'm more than okay with that. If I wasn't I'd be cleaning out the old food in the fridge (gagging all the way), washing the dishes, cooking everyone's breakfast, changing dirty diapers and decorating all by myself. Along with other things that the wife typically does the majority of the time. The other evening Nathan asked, "Do you want me to finish nailing up those boards so you can get something done in the house?" Isn't he wonderful? He knows I get overwhelmed. I replied, "No, I don't want to go in the house. I want to finish this. I like nailing in boards." Poor guy, he tried.

Nathan has never tried to change who I am. He married me for me. He loves me just being me. He is the first person to give me that kind of freedom. Does he know how to do everything? No, I don't know of a soul who does. He knows how to do many things that I don't. Knowing that he is humble enough to ask for my help makes it so easy to ask for his when I need it. And even when I don't. When we were dating he wanted to ride horses together and for me to show him how he could improve. This was just one of many things he showed interest in that was important to me. Lots of people want to warn you that people change after marriage. That they stop trying as hard once they've "got you". And sure, this can easily happen f you let it. Nathan has not stopped. He still shows interest in all my crazy ideas and supports me in my endeavors. Nathan loves basketball. His favorite team was playing last Saturday on a channel we pick up for a change. You know where he was? Not in front of the TV. He, his dad, and me were working on my chicken coop. He doesn't even like chickens y'all. But he sure loves me! That I know without a doubt.

There are lots of points to this story. Take your pick. The main one though is you do not have to fit the "typical" in your marriage rolls. We certainly don't. We are not perfect and I'm getting better at not pretending to be. We are learning what God's plan is for OUR marriage, OUR life, and OUR family. One day at a time. Blessings friends!       

Not My Kind Of Love

What if God’s love is not like our love. What if He loves in a way we often don’t understand. How do we know He loves us? There sure are a lot of bad and ugly things happening in this world. Where is God’s love?

1 John 4:9,10 “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 

Could you do that? Could you send someone you loved more than anything to be a sacrifice for not just the people who would love and serve you, but also for those who hated you and would laugh at your pain in loosing this precious one you loved? And could you turn your back on them in their pain and suffering to show your love for everyone else? No sir, not me. No way. In fact the thought makes my blood boil and tears come to my eyes. I could not and would not do it.

God did. The Creator of the universe loved you, me, and everyone else who’s ever lived or ever will live enough to do that for us. That is how He loves. That’s His love. He is the God of love. Over and over again the bible tells us of a steadfast love of God, one that never ceases. A love that we can’t be separated from by suffering, anxiety, sorrow, pain, persecution, or weapon.

So what about humanly love? What does our love look like? We’d never let our loved ones hurt if we could prevent it would we? Of course not! That’s crazy. If I love someone I want them to always be happy and never have to hurt. When someone loves me they want the same for me because they would never hurt me themselves. If you’re nice to me I love you. If you’ve had a hard day and you’re short tempered with me my love might go down one notch, but I still love you. I might not like you very much, but I can love you. If you don’t talk to me anymore except for when you need me to do something for you because you got yourself in a mess, well my love is going to keep going down a notch each time. We all know you’ll promise to spend more time with me and at first you might, but you’ll slack off again until you’re in trouble. I might run out of notches to go down and then your out of luck. I’m not feeling the love anymore. Or maybe you claim to love me, but when someone starts to make fun of me you don’t stand up for me. You just stay quite and let them drag my name through the dirt. When you need something though you’re back at my doorstep. Or what about when I ask you to do something for me out of your love for me and instead of doing it you lie to me in the form of an excuse.
Human love is conditional. We can deny it all we want to, but it’s the truth. Can we love unconditionally? Yes we can, but not with our own humanly love. Only through the love of God can we love unconditionally. We do all of this to God and yet He loves us still. That is not conditional.
I fail Him, I don’t stand up for Him, I don’t talk to Him, I don’t spend time with Him, I lie to Him, I come crawling back only when I need Him, and I do it all over and over and over again. We all do. We love with a humanly love.
His love is not conditional though remember? He still loves me! Even when I do all the things that would lose my love if they were done to me. Unconditional, steadfast, merciful, love. The love of The Father.

So do you really want God to just love the way we do? I don’t always understand His love especially when I see horrible things happening to people I KNOW He loves. It’s above understanding. His love is not like ours and it doesn’t work like ours. I know that’s hard to comprehend. However, I do know that He loves us and I have faith in that. I do know that one day I wont see anyone suffering or hurting. One day I will not have to worry about failing Him. One day I’ll never have to come crawling back because I’ll never leave Him. One day I’ll be in heaven and I’ll live forever with my Savior and King. Oh hallelujah what a day! That day is close and it’s coming fast. I’m so ready, come Lord Jesus come!              

Blessings, Cali

A Mom's Contribution

I’ve never felt comfortable with the mommy cliché “My contribution to the kingdom of God is to raise the next generation of Christians.” It never set right with me, but I wasn’t quite sure why. I thought that maybe once I was a mom myself I would suddenly grasp the meaning of the saying and similar phrases. Yet now that I am a mom I find myself disliking it even more. I had to ask myself, “Would that be my only purpose as a follower of Christ who is also mother?” It still didn’t line up with what I knew a life of following Christ should look like. I hate to say it, but it sounds like a cop out. Just this thought hurts my heart, but what if one or all of my kids do not become Christians? If my sole purpose was to raise Christians then I would have failed.  Do not misunderstand me please, I have the highest respect for mothers. Especially now that I’ve seen first hand what it takes to be one. I know that it is by no means an easy job. It’s hard at times, tiring and often stressful. So let me get to the heart of what I’m trying to convey.

I’m a mom and I have the opportunity to witness to people on an almost daily basis. I go to the grocery store, I have a Facebook account, I get the oil changed in my car, I go to the post office, I go to the gas station, I eat at restaurants from time to time. We all have opportunities, whether we choose to take advantage of them or not is our decision. Not just the opportunity to share the gospel with others, but also to encourage fellow Christians. That’s something we’re all called to do as God’s children.
2 Timothy 4:2     Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
Encouraging people is one of my favorite things to do! The Father has put a love in me for encouraging young women, wives, and young moms. God has also placed me in a position as a youth pastor’s wife to also minister to young people and I am loving it! There are plenty of opportunities out there no matter what your stage in life is right now. With all the technology we have now days we have absolutely no excuse. We can all make a difference in this world right where God has us. In this season. All of us are probably pretty darn busy, some more than others. Maybe there isn’t an opportunity staring you in the face like your deadlines are. So go and fine one then! They are out there, I guarantee it. Whether you’re a mom or not this applies to you, because if you are a child of God you have a job to do. You have a faith to act on. You have a mission. So start today and get out there. This world needs Jesus.

Blessings,
Cali     

What A Small World

Why do we ever doubt God's love for us? Why do I ever doubt His love for me? We doubt that He loves us or that He  even cares. We doubt that He is interested in the small details of our life. We doubt. I doubt. Yet our Father sends us sweet and gentle reminders that our doubt is unfounded. That He cares deeply about every part of our life. Why shouldn't He be? He did, after all, create it. When I am reminded of this it makes me want to shout, "Oh my goodness people! He loves us so much! Every time I come to this earth shaking, life altering conclusion it knocks me flat on my back. It blows me completely away! GOD LOVES YOU! HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH! So very much. And it's amazing. It's powerful. It will change your life."

I just witnessed one of these reminders of His love and it brought me to tears. Like ugly crying in the car where no one see's you type of crying. I praised God for caring enough to line up things just right so that my faith could be strengthened. Just read on, it might make you cry happy tears too.

As many of you know I worked at a wonderful place called Lake Forest Ranch in summers 13, 14, and 15. During my second summer I met a little girl from a children's home and there was an instant conection. I honestly had no idea what drew her to me, but I was thankful God saw fit to let me get to know her. We both cried the morning camp ended and she had to leave. We wrote each other back and forth a few times, but eventually lost touch. I worked at LFR the following summer and prayed hard that she would come back so I could see her again and find out how she was doing, but the previous year would have been her last to come as a kid camper. The children's home would have to send her as a youth camper and I wasn't sure if they sent their youth. But still I prayed. One evening I was sitting on the work truck's tailgate with my fellow wrangler watching the kids go about their evening activities when I saw a girl that I recognized. I called out her name in the form of a question. The next second I was running to meet her with a long hug. I sent a silent prayer of thanks to God. We reconnected that week and I learned more about her heartbreaking story. A lot of it I had already suspected, but hoped I was wrong. This sweet child let down her wall just enough to let me see the things she normally pretended did not hurt her anymore. The look in her eyes and the few tears that slipped out told me differently. We cried again at the end of that camp and again we lost touch. I tried to find her, desperately hoping that we could get in touch again. I hit nothing but dead ends. Still I prayed. 

Nathan just took our youth group to LFR for summer camp. It's been wonderful to see former fellow staff members and watch our youth get to know the place Nathan and I love so dearly. He was there as an adult leader and David and I went back and forth from there to my parents' house. We knew one of the other adult leaders because we were on staff with her for several years. I got to talk to her a little bit on one of the days I went to camp. She asked me did I remember a little girl that was a camper here several years in a row and then she told me her name. Now you have to understand, I gave rides to thousands of kids over the course of three years, but I knew exactly who she was referring to and my heart lept. I told her enthusiastically that I did! She said that her sister and brother-in-law were adopting her. I was speechless for a few moments as excitement shot through me! I could have broken down and cried. I told her how I had been trying to find her and she assured me that she is doing great. She said she talks about me often and how she came to the barn as many times as she could to ride. I have no doubt in my mind that this precious soul will be loved by her new parents, sibling, aunt, grandparents, and other family members. God is so good.

You all better believe I cried on my drive back to my parents house. Why do I ever doubt? Why do I ever doubt that He cares for me? That He is personal and interested in the smallest details of my life. He loves me enough to make sure that former staff member and our group, out of all the camps from this summer, were there at the same time to let me know that the little girl that touched my heart in a huge way was being adopted by her family. God could have provided for her, taken care of her, placed her in that new loving family, and never let me know. And that would be ok. He would still be good and merciful and righteous. But He did let me know! He gave me the answers I've been searching for. He gave a beautiful gift and I'm so thankful. I want to see her again as soon as possible, and that is possible all because my Father cares about me. He cares about the small details. He loves me so very dearly. He cares! He loves me so much! He loves you so much! He does care about you and every part of your life! I just can't even get out the excitement I have felt all day! Just...know you're loved!!! Ok?! Alright, that's all folks. But seriously, He loves you.    

Just You Wait

"Oh you think you're busy and stressed now? Just wait till you get older and have a job, bills to pay, a house to look after..."?
Have you ever benefited from a conversation like this? Yeah, me neither. Let me ask you something else, have you ever been the one telling someone something like this? Unfortunately I have. I've been on the recieving and giving end of it. Maybe you have too. We think by letting this poor young soul know that they certainly don't have anything to complain about, we have improved their outllook on their situation. Or maybe it's not them we`re thinking about at all.

Please don't think I am condoning complaining because I'm not. Complaining is wrong and it's a sin. We all do it. What I am saying is we miss an opportunity when we choose to respond in this way. What if someone isn't complaining. What if they are letting down their walls just a little bit. What if they're looking for some encouragement or a sliver of hope. What if all they want to hear is, "It's worth it". And instead we tell them it's not worth it. It's not worth growing up. The change isn't worth it. What you're feeling right now is not true and it isn't legitament.

Do you want to know why younger people feel stressed, stretched thin, and overwhelmed at times? Because they are! They are. What they are feeling is real and it's not made up. Sure, they don't know what it's like to have bills to pay, a house to keep up, or a family to care for. But that's just it! They haven't experienced those things yet. They are the busiest they have ever been not the busiest they will ever be. They can look at the lives of their parents and other adults in their lives and realize there's a differnce. But they only know what they have done so far.
Hopefully one day they will have a family, a home, bigger responsibilities. Wouldn't you rather they looked forward to it instead of dreading it?

There is enough negativity in this world. There's more than enough actually. Be someone who encourages the younger people in your life to live a full life where they are right now. But to also look forward to what's coming. I love being married! I love being a mommy! I love having a life together with my family and friends! I love where I am right now! Is life always a piece of cake? Of course not. There are hard days. There are painful days. There are days when I have to make decisions I really wish I didn't have to make. But life is good. Every day is a new chance to see where God's taking me on this adventure. 

I doubt I have had my last conversation like this with someone. But my hope is that as time goes on I have fewer and fewer. I want to encourage those around me and build them up. I may not be able to stop all the negativity in this world, but I can stop adding to it. So can you. I leave you with this encouragement from Ephesians.

Eph. 4:29
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

And to you young people (Yes I know, I'm young too):
1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

I Hope this has encouraged you! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! Blessings.

Yes, But Is It Worth It?

Please tell me I am not the only one who has a coversation like this with the Lord, "Ok, what do you have for me today? Who do you want me to witness too? How can I be the Light today?! Oh right...I'm going to be around people who are probably already saved...ok then. Then who is it that you need me to minister to?" Then the thought that follows is, "It's probably something hard and really not fun isn't it? It's probably going to be unpleasent isn't it? Something super simple like helping someone I don't want to be around." I then I say, "Oh well. That's what God promised us this life will be. He never said it'd be easy..." yata, yata, yata. Do you think that sounds appealing to someone who does not have a relationship with Christ? I can answer that for you in one word. No. No! It doesn't.

Hey! You should be a christian! 

Why?

Um... well...Oh! I know! Because if you don't you'll burn in hell for ever and ever while I'm sipping lemonaid with Jesus. You want to go to heaven instead right?

Yeah that sounds great and all, but don't you have to like, do hard stuff?

Well...yes. Sometimes I do.

And don't you have to miss out on a lot of fun things because they're "Bad"?

Yeah sometimes. But I still do fun stuff!

Right. Just not the kind of stuff I think is fun. No thanks. I'll live my life and you just live yours. That Jesus stuff is not for me. For all you know you could be wrong. Once you die you could just go in the ground. End of story. If that's the case I'd rather just live while I can. Without having to worry about what I can and can't do. Besides, I'm a good person. Sure I may not be the best, but I'm certanly not the worst.

What?! No! Just...no.

So many times we as christians are missing the point! Does the conversation I just presented you with convence you that you need Jesus? Or that you made the right choice as a follower of Christ?

Why do we endure the uglyness of this world? Why do we choose to do what seems hard to the rest of the world when we could be doing other things? Why do we continue to push back when the world says, "I have what you really want"? Why do we choose to look different from this world when it would be much easier to just go with the flow? 

Philippians 3:7-12, 14

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I press on. Press on towards the goal for the prize. The surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. He is worth it. He knows what's best. God has a plan! He knows best! He has my best interest and his glory in mind. Are you getting all this? Is it soaking into your heart and your mind? We serve a God that cares about every detail of our life and journey because it's right where he has placed us. He's so personal! Oh my goodness he loves you so much! Why on earth would we sacrifice knowing him, bringing him glory, and being loved by a perfect Father for the temporary gratification this world could give us? It's not worth it. Without God life is empty and hopeless. With him it's worth living, it's full, and it has purpose.

Now here's my challenge to those of us who are folowers of Christ and children of God; live like it. Live like the sacrifices are worth it because they are. Live so that others will say, "I want the peace and true joy you have". Live like this world is not your home and you are looking to what is coming next because it's worth the trials here. 

My hope is that you are encouraged from reading this post. I hope you are stirred up to live the amazing life that God our Father has set before you. Don't be ashamed of the life you have chosen. Walk out in faith! 

Blessings,

Cali Sims

Yours, Mine, and Ours

I love my son. I do. He's only been here 5 short months and already he's such a big part of our life. I love him so much that the thought of not having him with me hurts my heart and brings tears to my eyes. Now, I'm not trying to be morbid or make anyone sad. But I know the fear I have felt other parents have also felt. I have wanted to go to other mothers and ask, "How do you do it? How do I keep the fear of losing this precious person that is my child from overwhelming me?" How do these people, at a young age, not just fall apart when they lose a spouse or child? I'll share with you something that was revealed to me this weekend. My son does not belong to me. My own life it's not even mine. No matter what I do I cannot keep my son here with me if Jesus wants David with Him. And whether I choose to acknowledge it or not, David belongs to my Lord. 

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭1:20-22‬ ‭

Job tore his robes and worshiped. He worshiped! All his children had died and all his possession were gone, yet he worshiped. He knew that all those things had been given to him by God. He also knew that God could take them away as he acknowledged here. I've been given a family, a husband, and a son by my Heavenly Father. He could choose to take them away, and get this, it would be what is best. I trust him for my future, for my husband's future, and for my sons future. He is the only one that can see the big picture. Like we are able to see the whole story of Job, we know that everything works out for his best in the end. God has already seen my story and everyone else's from start to finish. I want my life to bring glory to Him. That's what I'm here for! Everything is His, even those things that He has given to me for a short time. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

You want to know something else? God loves my son more than I could ever hope to. He knows what is best for me, my husband, and my son. I have given God my life. I have surrendered my wants, needs, comfort, everything to my Savior. It is nothing more than what He deserves! He gave everything for me so that I could have eternal life with Him instead of what I deserve. I'm so thankful for everything that He has given me this side of heaven! I pray He gives me the wisdom to use it all to His glory. 

Thank you so much for visiting my blog! I hope this has encouraged you! Blessings! 

Cali Sims