Author: kimhamm

Truly Celebrating Thanksgiving & Christmas

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Can you believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas will soon be here? That means we will be adding even more chaos to our very busy schedules! Remember to stop and count your blessings when you begin to feel overwhelmed. The moments of chaos with your family can make a lifetime of memories.

This time of the year can get overwhelming with all the activities and commitments we add to our schedules. Instead of feeling stressed out, take a few minutes to reflect on God’s goodness in your life. He knows what you need and what your family needs. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get that to-do list finished today. Even if you get everything on your list accomplished, there will be a new set of challenges tomorrow!

When you spend time alone with your our Heavenly Father it helps keep your perspective and our priorities straight. I pray that as we enter into the busy holiday season we will remain focused on Jesus Christ our Savior. Treasure all of the memories that will be made with your families!

May we take the time to be thankful for all the blessings that the Lord has given to each of us as we gather with our families for Thanksgiving. May our Christmas celebrations keep Jesus as our main focus! The baby born in the manger is still changing lives today. Only He can set the captive free! He is the Light that can shine through us to reach this lost, dark world. 

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Romans‬ ‭8:1-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Take a moment to listen to this and focus on the goodness of God.

Messy Monday Milkshake Madness

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(Here’s a repost of one of our all-time favorite blogposts! Have a laugh. Enjoy!)

Image result for Jack's milkshake

by Kim Hamm

The month of April came and went like a whirlwind. It came in and turned our house upside down. After ten years, it was time to do some home repairs and remodeling. Everything we owned was moved out of the house and stored in the basement and garage so that the work could get done without interruptions. Needless to say, five people living in the basement for three weeks can cause quite a few stressful moments! There were many “spilled milkshake” days.

Let me explain. It had already been a very stressful weekend. Let’s face it. Getting ready for church on a normal Sunday can be a challenge but when all the clothes that your entire family own are dumped in the basement, it can be downright scary. Our new living arrangement started off nice and orderly. All of the clothes were stacked in neat piles and everyone had their own area to keep all their “stuff” organized as much as possible. The problem was that after three weeks of stacking everything neatly and living out of storage bags and bins, all the mountains of clothes started falling. Everything became a huge mess. So, to get the week started off right, after school on Monday, I decided to go through Jack’s drive through and get Kayla and myself a delicious milkshake.

We were having a great time talking, singing to the radio, and enjoying our milkshakes when it happened. As I turned onto our street, Kayla’s milkshake spilled … no, exploded everywhere! One moment I can see beautiful blue skies. The next moment all I can see is milkshake running everywhere. It was dripping down the front of my windshield and onto my dashboard. It was running down my face from the top of my head. I couldn’t see so I immediately turned on my wipers which did nothing to help the situation because, obviously, the milkshake was on the inside, but who can think logically when a milkshake has exploded all over the inside of your car … not me! We had no napkins (I can never remember to ask for them when I need them) so I started grabbing jackets from the backseat to throw on my dashboard to absorb the gooey, sticky mess. I pulled into a driveway and sat there with milkshake in my hair and all over the car. Kayla and I just stared at each in shock and disbelief.

I would like to say that I remained calm and cool at that moment, but I would be lying. I let out a scream, more out of shock than anger. I could just imagine my car smelling like sour milk all summer long. As I looked at Kayla, I only said two words … “How?” and “Why?” I wasn’t really expecting her to give me an answer because how can you explain an unexplainable accident. She just shrugged her shoulders in confusion as milkshake dripped off our hair and faces. Later, as I was cleaning up the milkshake mess, it hit me.

The entire month of April we had been living in a messy state of total disorder and displacement. All of our family routines were halted and our lives were thrown into chaos, mess, disorder and stress. It was just like the messy milkshake that had been thrown all over my car. I realized that life is exactly like that milkshake explosion – messy, unexpected, surprising, stressful, exciting, and chaotic. When you are in the middle of a terribly difficult situation, you can’t see the end results. That’s when you have to let out a scream of frustration (at least I did) and then put your car back in drive and just keep going forward.

Whatever situation you may be dealing with this week, this month, this year, be encouraged that this challenging season will not last forever. You may not know the outcome today, but you can rest assured that God can use any messy, frustrating situation to grow and mature us. Today, as Kayla and I look back on our messy Monday milkshake madness, we can both laugh. Why now and not in the moment of the madness … because God has a way of changing our perspective on the other side of the mess! Don’t give up when you are sitting in the driver’s seat, but you can’t see where you are going. Just let go and let God take control while you wipe the milkshake from your eyes.

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24

Soaring Above the Storms of Life 

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“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:30-31

pexels-photo-31431As we sat on the plane waiting to taxi down the runway, the rain was pounding on the window so hard that I could barely see the men in their yellow raincoats as they prepared the plane for takeoff. We were already delayed due to weather, so I could feel the tension on the plane as everyone waited anxiously to get the flight started.

As I sat there waiting,  the Lord spoke so clearly to me. Sometimes He puts us in a holding pattern while the storms pass over us, other times He leads us straight through the storms. You must strap on your belt of truth “Jesus is in control ” and grab your sword “the word of God ” and He will go with you through your storm.

After a few minutes, we started taxiing down the runway. Needless to say it was a bumpy, bouncy takeoff. It was one of those flights that the fasten your seatbelt sign never went off. A roller coaster ride in the sky, only there wasn’t a track! I certainly knew that I was not in control of the situation, which is hard for me.

pexels-photoAfter about an hour, the clouds broke and the sun came bursting through the window. Again the Lord spoke,  “I was always in control, the sun was always shining, you just couldn’t see it because of the storms you were passing through.”

Sometimes He allows us to go around the storm, or fly above the storms of life, but there are times that we must go through the storms. Those are the times when I let go of the controls and turn myself over to Him. Only then do I realize that He is my pilot and I am only a passenger that he has chosen to take on an amazing journey through this life.

Needless to say,  this flight has been a reminder to my soul that my life is not my own. I belong to Jesus, and His plans are always better and bigger than I could ever imagine. I must turn the controls over to my Pilot and he will guide  me safely through the storms into the sunshine. With Jesus in control, I know that I will reach my destination in his perfect timing.

photo-1437936251057-dfbf79980ce5

“Praise You in This Storm” – Casting Crowns

Messy Monday Milkshake Madness

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Image result for Jack's milkshake

by Kim Hamm

The month of April came and went like a whirlwind. It came in and turned our house upside down. After ten years, it was time to do some home repairs and remodeling. Everything we owned was moved out of the house and stored in the basement and garage so that the work could get done without interruptions. Needless to say, five people living in the basement for three weeks can cause quite a few stressful moments! There were many “spilled milkshake” days.

Let me explain. It had already been a very stressful weekend. Let’s face it. Getting ready for church on a normal Sunday can be a challenge but when all the clothes that your entire family own are dumped in the basement, it can be downright scary. Our new living arrangement started off nice and orderly. All of the clothes were stacked in neat piles and everyone had their own area to keep all their “stuff” organized as much as possible. The problem was that after three weeks of stacking everything neatly and living out of storage bags and bins, all the mountains of clothes started falling. Everything became a huge mess. So, to get the week started off right, after school on Monday, I decided to go through Jack’s drive through and get Kayla and myself a delicious milkshake.

We were having a great time talking, singing to the radio, and enjoying our milkshakes when it happened. As I turned onto our street, Kayla’s milkshake spilled … no, exploded everywhere! One moment I can see beautiful blue skies. The next moment all I can see is milkshake running everywhere. It was dripping down the front of my windshield and onto my dashboard. It was running down my face from the top of my head. I couldn’t see so I immediately turned on my wipers which did nothing to help the situation because, obviously, the milkshake was on the inside, but who can think logically when a milkshake has exploded all over the inside of your car … not me! We had no napkins (I can never remember to ask for them when I need them) so I started grabbing jackets from the backseat to throw on my dashboard to absorb the gooey, sticky mess. I pulled into a driveway and sat there with milkshake in my hair and all over the car. Kayla and I just stared at each in shock and disbelief.

I would like to say that I remained calm and cool at that moment, but I would be lying. I let out a scream, more out of shock than anger. I could just imagine my car smelling like sour milk all summer long. As I looked at Kayla, I only said two words … “How?” and “Why?” I wasn’t really expecting her to give me an answer because how can you explain an unexplainable accident. She just shrugged her shoulders in confusion as milkshake dripped off our hair and faces. Later, as I was cleaning up the milkshake mess, it hit me.

The entire month of April we had been living in a messy state of total disorder and displacement. All of our family routines were halted and our lives were thrown into chaos, mess, disorder and stress. It was just like the messy milkshake that had been thrown all over my car. I realized that life is exactly like that milkshake explosion – messy, unexpected, surprising, stressful, exciting, and chaotic. When you are in the middle of a terribly difficult situation, you can’t see the end results. That’s when you have to let out a scream of frustration (at least I did) and then put your car back in drive and just keep going forward.

Whatever situation you may be dealing with this week, this month, this year, be encouraged that this challenging season will not last forever. You may not know the outcome today, but you can rest assured that God can use any messy, frustrating situation to grow and mature us. Today, as Kayla and I look back on our messy Monday milkshake madness, we can both laugh. Why now and not in the moment of the madness … because God has a way of changing our perspective on the other side of the mess! Don’t give up when you are sitting in the driver’s seat, but you can’t see where you are going. Just let go and let God take control while you wipe the milkshake from your eyes.

Psalm 37:23-24, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”