Home with Tracy

Have you ever had a day where you want to give up? Where you think that it would be easier NOT being a Christian? Sadly, I must admit, today is one of those days for me! Today is a day that I am angry and if I am not careful, that anger will turn into bitterness, which will turn in to sin. If I am not careful, I will turn that anger on my husband and my children. It is okay to be angry, as long as you heal, and as long you do not take it out on those around you. "Be angry, and do not sin". do not let the sun go down on your wrath. Ephesians 5:23 My husband and I have been married for 7 1/2 years. We were suppose to close on our first home by today and we were excited because not only was it a new home, but we qualified for the first time home buyers rebate. That rebate would be enough to pay our mortgage for a whole year! How great is that! Needless to say, it did not work out and we still do not have a home to move in to. I was suppose to be leaving for Romania in 10 d...

Since I have been home, I have realized that little mirrors are always around me. These little mirrors are my children. Although they do resemble me physically, each in their own way, that is not the mirror image I am speaking of. These little mirrors are images of my temperament, language, reactions, all the ways that I act, talk, move. As I watch my children, I am sometimes overjoyed by the way they treat each other and others around us. I think "great! my kindness is rubbing off on them" other times I see the way they act to each other and to situations and it is very unpleasant. My first thought in those situations is "where did they learn that behavior?" that is when God whispers in my ear "don't you remember acting like that just yesterday?" Being home I have had to do a great amount of self reflecting. God created us in His own image and wants us to live and love like Him. He wants us to teach our children to live and love like Him. ...

..."Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. Matthew 18:3-5 NKJV I have recently been blessed with becoming a stay-at-home mom again, after working for a year. My children and I are trying to get use to each other again. I am trying to set up some structure in our home. This is not going as well as I had thought it would. Last week my children were not listening to me, not following directions and being very disrespectful. When I would tell them not to do something that could harm them, they would do it anyways. When I would tell them something that would make the task they were doing easier, they would ignore my advice and go about doing it their own way, the hard way. They simply did not want to obey. Somewhere in the m...

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 At this time in my life I am changing seasons. This past Thursday was my last day of work in the preschool ministry at Stevens Street. It was an extremely difficult decision, or should I say, it was hard to obey. I loved my job! It was easy and enjoyable for me. My new season, however, will not be easy. I left my job to come back home and to homeschool my children. When I gave my resignation I told them that it would be easy for me to stay, but going home I will depend solely on God. I have 4 children, the oldest being 6 and the youngest are 3. I love them dearly, but patience is not my strong point. I am praying that this time at home will bring me closer to God and that God will help me lead my children closer to Him. I am also praying that my coming home will bring me closer to my husband. Up until a year ago, I was a stay-at-home mom. My husband lost his job and I went back to work...

A few weeks back I received a call from one of our church members telling me that God put my name on his heart during his prayer time that morning and he wanted me to pray about going to Romania. WHAT??? I can't go to Romania, I have 4 children, I can't leave them for a week! I, of course, did not say this to him, I instead said that I would pray about it. Immediately I sent my husband an email telling him about the phone call. He instantly sent me a message back asking what we had to do to make it happen. Wait a minute....he does realize the kids aren't going with me, doesn't he? That evening we were sitting with our children looking at the globe. We showed them where they were born and where they live now. Suddenly, my youngest daughter spins the globe, points her little finger and says "where is that". Of all places, she pointed to Romania. I have often told friends that I need a postcard of clarity from God. I think that was definitely a postcard in the fo...

A struggle that I have been dealing with for the past 3 1/2 years is my weight! Today I started a Loser Challenge. There are 20 of us and we see who can loose the most weight over the next 12 weeks. I only know a few of the people that I am competing with. I don't know if that will help me, or hurt me. When I stepped on the scale this morning for my beginning weigh in, I couldn't believe the number that was in front of me. I haven't weighed this much since I was pregnant with the twins. Even with my first two pregnancies I didn't weigh this much. How did I let myself get this bad? I know when it comes to my weight, I never think to ask God for help. It simply has not occurred to me. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 Did you just read that verse? It says present you requests to God. Why wouldn't that include asking God's help when it comes to ...

I must confess first off that I am not in the Word as much as I should be. I am stubborn, unfortunately, and that keeps me away from my Heavenly Father...and the devil knows it. I don't pray enough either. Through this journey of mine, hopefully you will see me grow closer to my Heavenly Father. Hopefully that will inspire you to get closer to your Heavenly Father. I have taken a step of obedience and I am resigning from my job that I love and coming home to homeschool my four children...that's right I said four children. I love my job and it is easy for me. I am not trying to sound arrogant, it just is. Now, homeschooling four children, that I cannot do, it will be ALL GOD! I will write of my journey, my ups and downs. I will be honest because I think there are too many people who try to hide the fact that believing in God and living daily for Him is hard. IT IS! It is not all rainbows and sunshine. There are storms. The difference is that when you believe, you hav...