What makes me smile..

Ever have those days where it's soo easy to be in a bad mood, feel sorry for yourself, and all you can think about is going back home, shutting the door, and wonder what exactly made you get outta bed on the wrong side?! I have these days occasionally:)... so I thought- why not think of some things that make me thankful to get out of bed each morning (in other words, what puts a smile on my face).

Here is what I came up with:

Laughter to make me strong...

sunshine to pierce the darkness..

desserts to keep me sweet:) or to satisfy my never-ending sweet tooth!!!
music that excites a passion..

Family to spread my wings... but also to catch me when I fall... friends that give me life..

And prayer to always remind me what my knees are for..

~JM~

Canada Fishing Trip

My daddy, loving life!!

Absolutely breath-taking!!!

Fishing group!

His outfit cracks me up- he wore those boots with everything!!!


I love you, dad...

A dear friend and fellow employer, Nelson, was going through some files on a K&K computer one day and found some of these pictures that were taken a few years ago of some work buddies on a fishing trip in Canada. He was even nice enough to send them to me:) Thank you, Nelson!!

I do treasure any pictures taken, but especially ones of my dad (even though it's hard to look at them for very long) because there will never be anymore added to my collection, and 25 years from now (God-willing) when I'm old and gray:) I'll be able to pull these out and the memories will come flooding back into my heart so that I may share them with my kids and furthur on down the line... I'm really into that family history stuff if you can't tell!!

~JM~

Amazing God

How can a year come to pass without the love of one you need so much... while some days seem to tick minute by minute, others pass with the blink of an eye. I can't explain the heaviness that has been laid on my heart to know that the anniversary is looming ahead of me in a few weeks. It seems like yesterday I was holding on to the hands that I had to let go of forever and in a few tomorrows it will become a distant memory that gets harder and harder to reach. My heart is fighting of what I need to let go of, and what I want to hold on to.

I had a really neat experience that happened to me over the weekend.. As I was sitting beside my dad's grave one evening, I noticed the quiet of the world, the harshness of the wind, the strike of the wind chimes we placed beside his tombstone, and the dark of night...and in that moment I felt so alone, like I was hurting without a nearby soul around to know an ounce of my loss.... and right that second, the wind picked up speed, the wind chimes completely stopped, they didn't even sway, and I felt this overwhelming peace like I could've reached out and touched it- my heart became still because all I could feel was that peace surrounding me in a love that knew no end. I keep forgetting that God feels and knows our pain no matter where we are; I will never be alone in my suffering even though it's very, very tough most of the time...

I found this song called Peace Be Still by Rush of Fools that I absolutely love!! Here are some of the lyrics:

Come to Me,
you who are weak
Let My strength be yours tonight
Come and rest,
let My love be your bed
Let My heart be yours tonight

Peace be still,
Peace be still
Please be still and know that I am God

~JM~

Over the weekend...

We had another relaxing weekend! Why do they have to fly by sooo fast?? Friday night I watched the Barr-Reeve volleyball team dominate against Loogootee and afterwards enjoyed sitting by a campfire, chatting with friends. Saturday was spend at South Knox for the 8th grade Blue Chip Conference (which they won!!) and then later that night a big group of us enjoyed some mexican food in Bloomfield! Sunday I had a yummy, yummy lunch at grandma's, went rhino riding in Odon, and later snuggled with the little girls to watch the Colts game in dad's favorite room (the theatre room!). What a great weekend! Below are some pics from the tourney:

My cute sisters:)

Some action shots of Bri!!

Here are a few pics of the apartment!! It's just a small two-bedroom apartment, but we love it! Still a lot of work we want to do though:)

Our Living Room

My bedroom..

Our teeny-tiny bathroom:)

~JM~

Pennsylvania Dutch

Unser vater der du bist im himmel,
geheiliget werde dein name zu komme
uns dein reich, dein viille geschehe auf
erden vie im himmel, gib uns heit
unser taglich brod, und verbig uns
unsere schuld, vie wir vergeben
unsern schuldern; und las uns nicht
eingefuhrt weden in verschung,
sondern erlose uns von dem osen
denn dein ist das recih, dein ist die
kraft dein ist die herrbichkeit in
ewigkeit. Umen

This is the Lord's Prayer in German (PA Dutch)- I'm in this multicultural kick for some reason, probably because that's all I hear about in all of my classes, but I thought this was really neat!! I would love to (someday) be able to read this fluently and teach my family and future kids this prayer. I think your heritage is a very special part of who you are and what you will become! I want my kids to learn to embrace their heritage from an early age and learn a little German! I was always counting on dad to do the teaching part, not me, but I guess I'll have to step up to the plate and learn it for myself!! It might just be a much longer process:)

I also got some exciting news this week- I'm going to be coaching the B-R jr. high cheerleaders this season, along with Stephanie Graber!! We're very excited about the job ;)!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

~JM~

Forgive & you will be Forgiven

I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness and being forgiven lately, so I decided to search a bit to see what I could find that might help me to understand the importance of forgiveness in my life. I don't know about you- but when someone does me wrong, it's the hardest thing for me to just let it go. I think about it all the time, and ponder it, and minute by minute I can feel more and more steam rising off of me:) Why do I do this to myself?? I am only hurting me; it's not like my thoughts are going to walk out and take revenge on what I'm so worked up about, so why not just turn to God first and let him take control of my emotions first and foremost?? I found this quote by Anton Bosch in a reading that I had and it really hit home for me:

When we live with bitterness and unforgiveness in our hearts, our whole outlook, spirit and attitude is contaminated by that bitterness. When we live with a grudge, we struggle to enter into healthy relationships with others and it also affects our relationship with the Lord.

Forgiving is not easy for me, never has been, and never will be. I don't know if it's just a lot of stubbornness coming out of me or what, but I do know that I want to learn to be a better forgiver:) I just might need a few nudges along the way!!

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven." Matthew 18: 21-22

~JM~

My relaxing weekend...

This weekend was a very relaxing weekend at home with the girls- one that I definitely needed!! Friday night was spent being lazy and reading books together:), and Saturday, Baleigh was in a volleyball tourney in Jasper- we had to leave wayyy to early for my liking! At the volleyball tourney, there was a yard-sale going on downstairs, so in between games I decided to venture down there to see what all they had. I came back in with a whole bag full of children's books that I thought were awesome- plus I got them at a really good price; needless to say I got some laughs along the way! What can I say- they aren't going to be teachers:)
Here are some pictures of us over the weekend:

Briona, Sarah, and me, on our way to the volleyball games at 7 a.m.!!!

Briona, line-judging, talking with the ref:)!
My awesome volleyball player:)

Bay & Court- best buddies!!

Last weekend was the annual Turkey Trot festival in Montgomery! Both nights featured awesome bands that I loved:), and on Saturday I played my 3rd year of mud volleyball. Our team was named the Jim Miller MudSlingers!! We had a huge spot to fill, considering he was our team mvp every year:)



My friends, Shay, spraying me off!! haha!

The nastiest feeling ever!! I found mud for days haha :)
Playing in the mud! I love the feel :)

High school sweeties ;)

For tough girls- they were a little hesitant of the mud!!


I love this picture- this is us on a daily basis :)

My Uncle Jim Gingerich- I think he looks sooo much like my dad, and they aren't even related by blood!!


Stuck, as usual!

Ugghh!!

My dad played many, many years of mud vball! We had won the tourney the last 2 years!

Presentation of Award.



It was very hard for me to play without my tough daddy... He introduced me to the sport.

As long as I am able, I will be playing for him and remembering the wonderful memories we made together...