It's about Corn and Christianity!

3 years ago Chad and I moved our family to his grandfather's house in the country. We had spent several months renovating it and we finally moved in on a very wet, rainy day in October 2014. Before making this decision to move I had some reservations being a "wanna be city girl" about moving to the country. Being out of town surrounded by corn is a dream to many --- but I wasn't sure at first if it was for me. However I don't know if I could do it any other way now! I have also begun to look at things differently.... like farming and faith! 

Every other year we have a backyard surrounded by fields of corn and on the off years they are full of soybeans. But this is a corn year! I love the corn because it is beautiful to watch as it grows into its final product tall and strong. 

Out here in the country it is almost always windy to some degree. This summer has been particularly windy when the storms have blown through. After our last storm the corn was positioned sideways but not broken (thank goodness)! I watched in amazement as the corn began to teach me a wonderful lesson about my faith in God. 

As I watched the corn recover from that storm I began to see how we are like a stalk of corn. Many times storms of this life come along and try to break us completely taking the very life out of us. However check out how in these photos the corn didn't break because it strong and held fast by its deep roots! The corn is bent but not broken. Sometimes we get slightly bend out of shape by the storms of life but we hold fast to our roots in our faith and it holds us strong. 

Are you bent out of shape from the storm? Holding fast to your roots?

Next I noticed that the corn began to bend up towards the sun. We too, like the corn, reach towards our Father God in Heaven. When we look up to Him we begin to take new shape and rise up to a new creation (one that is not perfect but has character and strength)!

Turn your face to the Son. Let Him lift you up out of the storm. 

Last I noticed not all of the corn was able to stand on it's own. It was leaning on the other stalks of corn for support. Sometimes as we walk through storms of this life we need to lean on each other for support. That is where the church comes in. We are a family of faith -- there to support those in need. Even after someone has gone through the storm we need to help and support them as they re-calibrate their life and reach towards the Son. 

We need to support each other through the storms. 

Questions: 

• How have you been "bent out of shape" by the storms of this life? 
• Did you reach up towards your Heavenly Father? How did He help strengthen you and stand you back up on your feet again?
• Do you have a support system? Is it your church family? Your closest friends? Family? 

A Day to Honor All Mothers....

This coming Sunday we celebrate Mother's Day.... but not every mother celebrates the same. As we approach this holiday please embrace it with some sensitivity. Not all mothers choose to celebrate in a big way because there are painful memories attached to it. Instead of questioning why or making her feel guilty because she isn't celebrating with joy... just accept her wishes and support her in the way she needs. 

Be sensitive to the moms that have lost a child. So many women/mothers I know have lost a child too early and are grieving that moment. They see their faces or can feel their kicks from their womb. Some mothers got to spend years with their deceased child while others only moments. Please be sensitive to their hearts on this day. Remember even if they are celebrating their other children the child they lost is on their hearts and minds especially on this day. 

Be sensitive to the moms that are waiting to become a mom. As a mom who struggled with infertility I know that Mother's Day was just another reminder that I wasn't a mom yet. It was a difficult day because I was always wondering if I would be able to celebrate AS a mom. For so many of my friends getting pregnant was so easy, but for others of us it wasn't an easy journey. Many times it ended in a negative pregnancy test in the bathroom where we felt alone and like a failure. So pray for these mothers.... that they have a peace in their hearts on Sunday. Pray for the children they may someday adopt or foster. Pray for the children they may bear into this world when God's will says it's time! Pray for the women who will be called into children's ministry to touch hundreds of children's' lives even if they aren't their own. 

Be sensitive to the moms who have had to say good bye to their mother until they reach Heaven. This one is very true for me. It's been 17 years since I have lost my mom but each Mother's Day is still so very difficult. Mother's Day was the last holiday I celebrated with her before she went into the hospital for the last time the following week. The week after Mother's Day my mom went to Heaven and I became a very lost 17 year old who missed her mother incredibly.
I thought that after I became a mother the day might take on a new meaning and I might even enjoy it. But even though I smile for my kiddos and love their celebration of me as their mom.... it's still a sad day to me. Followed by a hard week remembering losing my mom and all that it entailed. So please be mindful of these women who have lost their moms and are remembering them on this day. 

Be sensitive to the moms who have children/spouses in the military serving our country. Pray that these moms have a peace on this day knowing that their children are serving their country with pride and honor. Pray for the phone calls that are made from military bases back home... pray the time is well spent in conversation and connections remain strong. Pray for the children who are missing their military mommies. Allow their letters and packages to arrive safely to their moms. 

As we approach any holiday we need to be mindful that not all holidays are a joyful time for everyone. That doesn't mean the person is hard-hearted or cold to the world. It means there is something deeper that we can't see. Everyone is dealing with their own internal battles and we can just continue to love people and meet them where they are at. Time can heal....but our hearts never forget our mommas. 

My response to the Women's March 2017

I was unable to participate in the Women's March in Peoria Saturday, January 21, 2017. I was still feeling under the weather and didn't quite grasp the entire concept of what the march was supposed to be about. If it was for the empowerment of women and to promote unity in our country -- I was all for that. But as I scanned the photos and posts from several of my Facebook friends I wasn't sure what the point of it was at all....so many negative messages! It wasn't empowering to me at all. 
Then I came across a photo meme that really disturbed me above all. At first it looks pleasant and positive.... but then I thought about why it bothered me so much! This was the image. 

Now don't get me wrong. It's an absolutely BEAUTIFUL picture of a GORGEOUS little girl! It's the words above that bother me so much.... right down to the core! "Women are Perfect." Talk about pressure?! It almost bothered me more than some of the unethical Donald Trump comments. (This was from a male friend's Facebook post BTW). 
Many women I know already feel inadequate and like they need to be perfect all the time. We see what the world sees as the "perfect woman" from a very small age. My 4 year old daughter Lucy sees Disney Princesses as the perfect woman. Not only from their perfect (impossible to get) bodies, but they have the right clothes, the right prince, and they are kind to all (all of the time)! They can sing, dance, and have it all together by the end of their happily ever after. During our awkward teen years --- women see the models and celebrities as the perfect women. Then even into our adulthood I have people that I see as perfect and I want to be perfect like them. This is an illusion of course because NO ONE IS PERFECT! But the journey to become perfect feels never-ending.....
When Chad and I were struggling with infertility I put on a happy face most of the time but I was a mess inside. All of Chad's tests came back normal while the problem was with my hormone levels being EXTREMELY low. I felt like I had failed as a woman. I was supposed to be able to bear children and now it wasn't happening. 
From not liking the image in the mirror to seeing how perfect "so and so" can cook to how patient and "together" that mom is on the playground. Nothing rattles these women... so what's wrong with me?! As a great author and friend of mine, Jill Savage says, "We have the perfection infection." We strive to be perfect even though it is never attainable. The world puts this stigma on being perfect so we put on an act trying to be perfect and beat ourselves up on the inside when we don't achieve our goals of perfection. Talk about feeling like a failure....
But the good news is this! God doesn't care about perfect! In fact He is the ONLY ONE who is perfect. He loves us through our imperfections and continues to tell us that we are beautiful to Him! If we were perfect then we would have no need for Him. But because we aren't perfect we need to rely on Him in our lives. To look through his eyes and see the beauty that we are! Only when we ask Him into our lives and reach our heavenly goal will we be made perfect in His image through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ! 

Overwhelmed.....but learning to cope!

We all get overwhelmed from time to time. No matter how cool, calm, and collected we may appear there are moments when we feel like our world around us is collapsing. Sometimes there are so many items on our plate and we just can't take one more thing! Sometimes I literally feel the walls of my house slowly moving inward about to squish me (think Indiana Jones type booby traps). 

I have always been a person who sometimes lets my "overwhelmed self" get the better of me! If you know me personally and are reading this I bet you just laughed out loud while nodding! Sometimes I just snap and feel completely out of control. If you ever want to see one of these moments just stop by in January --- the birthday month!

Because both my son and my daughter were born in January we have a lot of birthday parties in January. Jack was born on January 20, 2012 and we adopted him just 3 days later. Not quite a year later January 4, 2013 Lucy Sue was born on my 30th birthday! So we have 3 out of the 4 of us celebrating our birthdays all within the same month. Birthday parties weren't as big of a deal until this year when both kids have their own friends and we aren't just celebrating with family members. Now we had to have kid parties as well as the family party. And because they are a boy and a girl their friend parties are separate. Jack didn't really want a Beauty and the Beast tea party with his sister. LOL So he will have a Lion Guard party instead. 

This January has been an experiment in dealing with my Overwhelmed Self. Lucy's birthday party was the first Saturday of the month. Her adorable friends came dressed in their favorite princess outfits (save for one of her friends who wanted to come in her Creature Power suit - to each their own). These little ladies were so excited to see the table decorated to the nines with candles and roses galore.... just like Belle would like it! We played Pin the Kiss on the Frog, Princess Bingo, and had a princess dance party/sing a long! It was a magical time for all of the little princesses! But for the King and the Queen (aka Chad and I)  it was a different story. 2 hours before the party the Queen of OCD became her overwhelmed self and started to lose it. Some of the treats she was preparing weren't all turning out quite right, the house hadn't been vacuumed yet, and things weren't going according to her carefully laid plans! So she let the King (Chad) know just how frustrated she was... mostly unloading everything on him! But by the time the guests arrived all was back to "normal."

The Beauty and the Beast Tea Party

The Birthday Princess!

Princess playing games

All in all it was a good day!

Later that evening the Queen Emily apologized to King Chad. I was so disappointed I had let my overwhelmed self take control. After all I had just finished being a part of the book launch team for 

Overwhelmed: How to Quiet the Chaos and Restore Your Sanity by Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory. 

Click to buy on Amazon

The book had been revolutionary to me and had literally rocked my world! I had already put so many things from the book into practice. This was a definite test... and I had failed. A common theme throughout the book is pre-deciding how you will react to things. This can happen in many ways. I hadn't taken the time to decide how I would react when the mini bunt cakes stuck in the pan therefore ruining their perfect shape. I didn't pre-decide my reaction when I was running behind schedule. I just didn't think ahead to the "what happens when things go wrong?" 

So I decided that the next party (the combined birthday family party) would be different! I pre-decided my attitude would remain calm because after all this was a celebration!!! God definitely put this pre-decision to the test. The Thursday before our Saturday party Jack came down with a fever. He was feeling "less than" in many ways, coughing throughout the night, and was just plain miserable. Friday before the party I joined him with body aches, sore throat, and feeling awful. Early on Saturday morning I stuck to my pre-decided plan. Instead of "freaking out" like I normally do when life throws me curve balls I calmly decided we would leave it up to family members to come if they still wanted to or stay home if they didn't want to be around this cold that had hit our household. Some stayed home and some stayed. I had purchased the cake and veggie tray earlier that day and decided to just make a simple chex mix that didn't take a lot of effort. I pre-decided that if the house wasn't in perfect condition it was ok. I disinfected door knobs, counters, and the bathrooms but that was it! No vacuuming, polishing, or tidying up beyond just a basic pickup. Chad was in disbelief! He had never seen his "pre-party crazed wife" acting so calm. It was a great party and all of us enjoyed it regardless of being under the weather. 

Combined family party ---- A complete success! (with no overwhelmed self looming)

As we go into this New Year I encourage you to figure out how to tame your "Overwhelmed Self." How do you eliminate some of the things that overwhelm you? How do you pre-decide your reaction to the curve balls of life? I would highly recommend the purchase of this book by Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory!  Click this link to purchase: Overwhelmed:How to Quiet the Chaos and Restore Your Sanity The strategies and situations are applicable immediately... not just over time! It is a great tool to help you on your journey of restoring your sanity! 

Blessed are the flexible....

Hi! My name is Emily Wurmnest and I am a CONTROL FREAK! I am absolutely OCD about many things and have to work really hard to "let it go." I don't know where it comes from (although I have an inkling) but it is defiantly getting worse the older I get. 

Today I was cleaning out the guestroom/office basically purging everything that wasn't a necessity. As I was going through old papers, scrapbook supplies, fabric scraps, etc. a piece of lined notebook paper fell out onto my foot. In my handwriting I had written one simple sentence..."Blessed are the flexible - for they will not be bent out of shape." Not sure when or why I had written this phrase down - may have been from a Bible study I was working through or a Pinterest quote I liked. Either way it was exactly what I needed to see today. 

As we get closer to the holidays my OCD has been kicked into high gear because I crave the perfect Christmas that you see in the movies and read about in books. This past weekend I hosted my small group girls for a "Favorite Things" party. Everyone was supposed to bring a gift that cost $6 or less for each girl in attendance. It was supposed to be something that was one of their "favorite things." After getting the treats all made, house picked up, etc. I decided not to vacuum that day because I had already done it two days prior. This decision may seem easy to some but for me it took me several hours to commit to that decision. Of course my friends and I all had a great time enjoying each others conversations, stories, and gifts - even without a freshly vacuumed carpet! 

So where does this OCD come from? Why this constant need for control in my life? I think it honestly goes back to when my mom was sick while I was growing up. I had no control over her heart problems and couldn't prevent her from going to the hospital which was often. Her heart problems didn't take a holiday or care that it was my first piano recital. Her heart problems didn't care that I was only in 2nd grade when my mom went into sun cardiac death changing out lives forever. Her heart problems didn't care that it took her life when I was 17 years old on the last day of my junior year. I had no control over this circumstance but I knew I could try to control some of the variables in my life... starting after she died. 

In college I tried to control my love life which ended in making stupid decisions and eventually in heartbreak. After college I tried to control my future which I could do to some extent but ultimately learned that God had a plan and I needed to trust and follow that plan. After getting married I tried to control the plan for children which ended in several failed attempts to get pregnant but eventually led to the adoption of our son, leading up to the birth of our daughter. (God definitely had the control on that one --- not my plan but His!) After having kids I should really give up trying to have control because it is evident every day that I will not have control with two preschoolers in the house.... it's IMPOSSIBLE! 

So here I am.... in the midst of a crazy holiday season.... trying to gain some control. However it is in those moments when I am flexible and just enjoy the Christmas season that I will not get bent of shape! I can relax and create lasting memories with my family instead of having them remember the Christmas's where "Mommy lost it." I need to remember to breathe and let God have control! Who will be in control of your Christmas season? Will you learn to be flexible or will you continue to try to regain control only to "lose it" in the end??

Home for the Holidays

I couldn't wait any longer.... the anticipation was too great....I needed some Christmas cheer and I needed it now! After trying to hold out as long as possible, last weekend my family put up the Christmas tree and all of the home decor that entails. Yes, I am one of "those people" who can't wait until the day after Thanksgiving to begin the Christmas season. This year I was especially anxious to get started because of how much hatred and unkindness has been sneaking its way into my life via social media and the news. I was ready for some holiday cheer! 

My main goal during the Christmas season is to make my home warm and cozy to all who visit. I want them to feel like they are "home for Christmas." There is always a bountiful variety of hot chocolate, cider, and holiday flavored coffees for friends and family to warm themselves with. After next weekend there will be Christmas cookies in the freezer to set out for guests after my in-laws and I have our Christmas cookie baking day (blog coming on this later). Our gas fireplace is at the ready complete with stockings hung with care. And we have not one, but two beautiful trees in our family room with beautiful lights aglow. Sometimes it feels like I have stepped into one of the Hallmark Christmas movies I love so much! 

But what makes our home a Home for Christmas? It's not the cozy atmosphere or the abundance of holiday decor. Being home for Christmas is all about having joy in our hearts and a place to feel love for each other. So is our home a Home for Christmas? Not always....

While the tree decorating was commencing I always try to hold myself together. I want to keep the peace and have a joyful time. But the OCD mom in me always seems to kick in. For example, we had unpacked the Christmas "toys" for the kiddos to play with (old McDonald's Christmas toys from my childhood, the little people train, the finger puppet Nativity set). The first thing they did was dump them on the floor in the middle of the main walkway. When I asked them to pick up the toys and perhaps take it to their rooms to play with so we could get the rest of the Christmas items up I was met with no response and obvious ignoring from them. So I made myself a little louder to still have no response. So the "Scary Mommy" came out and the Christmas toys were sent downstairs to the basement for the rest of the evening. 

Next my husband and  I were unpacking totes and I found that my favorite tree skirt that we bought for our first year married had been a mouse's snack last winter. There were holes throughout the whole thing as well as droppings in the box covering everything. GROSS! I was so caught up in my own feelings I took it out on Chad who wasn't getting it outside quick enough. Again... stealing the joy of the moment. 

Luckily I recognized this and quickly changed my attitude. I sent my family off to pick up a carryout pizza for dinner and sat to collect myself. I told myself this can either be a stress-filled Christmas with me demanding it to be Hallmark movie perfect or it can be a loving Christmas where the focus is on the Ultimate example of love... Jesus! So I decided to choose Jesus, not just this Christmas, but every day of the year. He is what makes my home filled with love and laughter. He is what I want my guests to feel when they enter. He is what our holidays should be centered around. 

Will you let Jesus into your Home for the Holidays? (and perhaps forever....) 

Election 2016: My Point of View

Yesterday I am proud to say I went to the polls and cast my vote for president. I am proud of the fact that I had the right and responsibility to do so. As I got into my car after submitting my ballot I breathed a sigh (not of relief) but just took a moment to collect my thoughts. As I took a moment I sat to breathe in the presence of God. I had asked him to help me in making my decision and He did just that. 
What a privilege to be able to voice my opinion and make it count. However I was still disturbed and unsettled that I couldn't get behind a single presidential candidate whole-heartedly. It was a decision that I could stand behind because I had put so much thought and energy into it this election. I have never been one to like politics - but I couldn't get enough of this election (at least until the last month of so when it totally went out of control). 

As my husband and I sat and watched the numbers on election night I was hopeful yet my heart was broken, not because of who was and wasn't winning, but because the United States looked broken. We are so divided (not United)! My heart was also very saddened by the tone of the media.... they weren't reporting the results --- they were throwing in their opinions and bias. It all felt so negative and disheartening. Shouldn't they be more positive???? Around 11:00 I decided to call it a night and went to sleep (after taking melatonin and a Benedryl). 

This morning I woke up to the sun shining beautifully in the sky and was reminded that God, creator of the universe, was still in control. My heart began to feel joyful again! Then I made the mistake of getting on Facebook....... what a cesspool of negative energy. People that I consider friends were using language that wasn't kind or civil. It was a very gloom and doom situation. So what did I do?? I started to pray. I prayed for our country. I prayed for my friends. I prayed for all of the candidates on all sides of the aisle this morning. I prayed for unification and love to prevail. Then I heard the pitter patter of little feet.....and my children came into the room. So innocent and naive to the brokenness in our world. Oblivious of all that was going on in their own country. They were just happy to be alive at home with their family. God gave me a sense of joy and peace yet again. 

My boss, Jill Savage, posted a great article that no matter what side of the aisle you are on it made sense....Please take time to read it. http://www.jillsavage.org/the-one-question-you-must-ask-yourself-today/  She asked the one question you must ask yourself today and everyday. Instead of asking yourself "How are you today?" ask "WHO are you today?" She gave some examples of what she hopes answers were.

 “I measured my words and resisted needless arguments on Facebook.”

“I was kind, no matter how those around me were acting.”

“I was grace-giving and allowed others to have different opinions. If it was appropriate to share thoughts and opinions, I did it in a respectful way.”

“I was loving to even the most unkind person I came in contact with.”

“I was a prayer warrior. One who absolutely believes that God is still in control.”

So I asked myself the same question... WHO AM I TODAY? So what can I do as a mom, a wife, a daughter, and a friend?? Here is what God laid on my heart throughout my pondering and praying today. 

• I can be a light in the darkness. This world is a dark place right now. No matter what happened in this election we know the world isn't in a good state right now. We have evil in the world like ISIS, a divided country, hatred pouring in..... But God calls us to be salt and light. He calls us to LOVE each other even through disagreements. We can have different opinions but we are all God's children and he loves us all.

• I can be an example for my children. They are watching constantly and it amazes me how much they try to emulate what I say and do. So I need to be an example of love for my neighbor. I can agree to disagree peacefully. I can be intolerant to hate. 
• Yesterday we talked about why I voted. I was a good citizen and used my right and responsibility to vote for my candidates. I hope they understand how important that is and that they will continue to exercise their privilege to be counted in the vote. 

• I can love my country. My son who is 4 years old and in his second year of Pre-K can say the pledge word for word because he was taught at school. We continue to support him learning the pledge and songs like "The National Anthem." We want our kids to be proud of the United States of America. 

• Last but not least I can be a prayer warrior. The most important thing we can do for our country is pray. Prayers for unity, prayers for peace, prayers for solutions, and prayers for each other are what should be in our daily prayers. We need to pray for Mr. Trump as he gets ready to take on this new position. We need to pray for our other leaders within our government. We need to pray that we become the UNITED States of America again!