Checking In...

Hi Everyone!

Things have been really busy around here, but I just wanted to check in with all of you, my faithful readers. :) HA. Felicia and Claire (best friend and sister) have been here now since Wednesday, and they leave this weekend. :( We are having a blast together. I have spent way too much money since they've been here and now I'm left with no money for diapers! :) Thankfully I had an extra check that I deposited so that I could buy some! Honestly, all the money I've spent has mainly been on Christmas gifts for my family and friends. With 8 siblings you have to be creative and frugal. I've been finding things on clearance and only have 2 more siblings to buy for! Then I have to decide what to get for my parents, which is always hard. My Mom is easy since she loves clothes just like me but I never know what to get for my dad.
Last week, my parents left on a Saturday. My sister was coming the following Wednesday, so I let Brookie go home with them and come back with Claire. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. I couldn't actually think of a reason not to do it other than my own selfishness, so I (sobbing uncontrollably) sent my 19 month old baby off to the airport. She gave me a kiss, told me she loved me and said "bye" before she left which only made it worse. I was pretty depressed the day she left, but after that I really enjoyed myself! It was nice having freedom and more free time! The biggest thing was not needing to have any sort of schedule. I could do what I wanted whenever I wanted! :) Nate and I had a perfect date night one of the evenings and had a blast. Of course, when Wednesday came I was more than ready to see Brooklynne and have her in my arms again! She's been quite the handful lately, so when she came back I was renewed to spend more time and effort training her and disciplining her. I do not want a tyrant on my hands!
Anyway, that's about all that's been going on besides all of our shopping! And eating of course. We have been making the best food, and it's been healthy too. Although you would not know by looking at us, because we all feel like we are getting fat. :)
I will be posting some pictures of their trip in the next couple days!

Jenna

He that is in us is greater than He that is in the World!

Our Missions Conference was wonderful this week. We heard many great sermons that didn't totally focus on missions, but focused on the heart that makes you willing to give and go. Each sermon spoke to me in some way and I wrote down a list of points from various messages that I don't want to forget.
One of those things was concerning the state of our nation today. Everyone is up in arms about this election and I'm no exception. However, you must vote for who you feel that you can. I'm not here to debate politics. In a few hours we will have our new president and what each of us thinks won't really matter anymore.
The end must come and that is what I was encouraged about in a sermon that my dad preached. He said that all of these leaders are like pawns on a chess board. God, in his infinite wisdom, is moving around the pawns so that they are all in the perfect position for him to come down and say, "GET OUT OF HERE!" and reign forever and ever. Maybe at some point in our lives we will have to suffer for Christ's sake like the Christians who went before us as Martyrs. We have had the easiest lives in the history of Christianity, but that may change in our lifetime. We all believe that we will be ruptured out of here before it gets too bad, but we have to be prepared in case that does not happen!
I'm not saying that one President or the other will make the difference. The end may or may not happen in our lifetime, but keep your eyes upward! This could be the day that the Lord returns in glory!