Big Busy Birthday

This past weekend I turned good old 27! Busyness around our house continues, and because it has been such gorgeous weather for February, the BIG renovations definitely continue! Rob is working on the other section of the addition, which will be the garage/workshop and master bedroom and bathroom above it. I am able to picture it a bit better now! Trying to envision a new building or renovation is almost impossible for me, but now things are coming together in my mind. It will be so nice when it is all done.

My son woke up feeling lousy on my birthday, which we didn't realize until after giving him milk to drink... fortunately, he gives a lot of warning so I we made it to the toilet just in time! So, we spent the day on the deck enjoying the sun, and lounging around the living room together, watching the Winter Olympic games on tv. Besides the illness, Faith spent the entire day outside, away from her brother, in the sunshine playing in the gravel. She loves it out there.

As well, this weekend Mission Aviation Fellowship sent us our official invitation to candidacy training in April. We are very excited about this step, but I have to admit a little numb to what this all means. It's difficult to picture the changes that will take place over the next months and year. I suppose that's why I'm being reminded to Trust. It's all I can do! Trust in Him who supplies all the strength I need and usually not a minute too soon. I want so much to know what things will look like in a month or year from now. But what purpose would that serve me? I do not need to know.



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For The Record: To Clarify!!

I have this small incling that my previous post was misunderstood by some readers. I must clarify any misunderstandings, because my ultimate desire is to bring glory to God and honor to my husband! This is going to seem very counter-cultural to some women out there, but I whole-heartedly believe it is what the Scripture tells us, and we can't exactly argue with that now, can we?

To clarify, I wrote about my struggles with living amongst renovations, NOT to complain about my husband's vision or what he is doing... but because I wanted to express to people that I totally struggle when it comes to responding with a proper attitude when the pressure is on, or when things aren't going "my way!" Imagine that! Who'd have thought it, eh? LOL ;)

It really doesn't matter what road my husband takes our family down, because he is the head of our family and accountable to God for it. What matters is my purpose as his wife. It's pretty clear in Genesis 2:20 "But for Adam no suitable helper was found." (bold is mine) So God created a wife for him for that purpose. And, by helper, it does not mean somebody calling the shots behind the scenes. Wives have been created to compliment their husband's plans, to adapt their lives to their husband's dreams and desires. I can testify first hand that when I have seen women do this in their marriage, it is the most beautiful thing! It is truly God's plan. On the other hand, a disdainful thing is watching a woman constantly try to change her husband and "encourage" him to go another direction. I blogged about the God given authority our husbands have back in 2007 in a post called A-Authority, and also here.

So what am I trying to say? For one, I apologize for writing that post about our renos if it gave any sort of indication that I disrespect or dishonor my husband for making these decisions. For two, my God-given responsibility as his wife is to help him and build him up, so he can be the leader God desires him to be.

Reno Meltdowns, Breakdowns? Whatever...

Since posting about the state of our backyard the other day I have received a couple of comments in regards to how well I'm doing with it all. I thought I should put things right and let the world know that I'm not actually doing that well with it. As we approach 4.5 years of this, things are definitely better, however! I will admit that. God has taught me A LOT over this 4.5 years of mess and home improvements and differing ideas about our home. However, for the record I don't want people to have this misconception that Karina goes along with these activities and it's all terrific all of the time.


When we first began, I had what I would call "reno breakdowns" every couple of months. I would randomly burst into tears or start hollering about all the mess that was seemingly everywhere in my house. I remember one time in particular where he moved our hot water tank upstairs and had to have the electrical cord going down the stairs to have it plugged in. I couldn't understand why it had to be moved at all! And I lost it. Poor Rob. Or another time, early in, where Rob started bashing holes in the ceiling in both bedrooms upstairs---I couldn't understand why my house was being destroyed!! Every room! Even though we weren't necessarily fixing up those rooms yet. My personality is such, that my mental well-being seems to be largely effected by the state of my living quarters. If it's messy or disorganized, my mind feels messy or disorganized. Fortunately, after 4.5 years, 3 pregnancies, and many humbling experiences... these have become rarer around here. Through it all I wondered what God was trying to teach me. I think I am getting more and more glimpses of His plan.


Things I have had to give up or adjust to:
A perfectly organized house where everything has a place
The idea that I will have cupboard doors in my bathroom and kitchen
A nice manicured yard with a garden
Tools in the dining room constantly
No window frames
No baseboards
Drywall dust
Projects being started and not finished when I think they should
Unfinished projects staring us in the face


This is just a few things. But it's okay. I am learning well that our home does not have to be this fancy, put together place in order for it to feel like home. We will bring our 3rd baby home here, we have watched 2 of our children learn how to walk amongst the renovations, I have nursed my babies in the midst of insulation and drywalling, we have gone to bed hearing the scurrying of mice due to little openings in our walls, memories have been made! And guess what?! If the Lord takes us away overseas, a whole new adventure will begin!


May the Lord be using your circumstances--whatever they are--to shape you for His Purposes and not your own.

Our Backyard

The renovations continue and there is always progress being made. Unfortunately, it looks like a pile of rubble and chaos right now, but I've learned that renos usually involve a lot of that!

Rob just fininshed demolishing his shop yesterday and this is what is left of it. A pile of wood and some broken up cement. He tore down this workshop to make room for the new garage that will be built on the right side of the house. It will be double long, so the back half of it will be used as workspace.

The other pictures here are ones of our back deck. Our BBQ is very crowded by stuff right now, but the weather has changed I doubt we'll be doing much BBQing in the near future. That is the mini-excavator in the background that Rob purchased earlier in the summer. My deep freeze is also tucked away on the right in the third photo.

I don't imagine we'll be using our hottub anytime soon as the scaffolding is set up there waiting for Rob to put the shingles up. I should mention having the scaffolding there wouldn't be the only thing stopping us from using the hottub. The baby will be born soon!

How Do You Cope?

...the question “How do you cope?” could be directed at just about anyone in any situation someone else finds challenging. We women are living in diverse situations all over the place and coping underneath hardships and trials.
[...]The answer to all of these ‘tough’ how-do-you-cope situations is pretty obvious, isn’t it? It is one of those answers always easier said than done. The solution is right under your nose, or perhaps it’s becoming dusty on your bookshelf. Going to a therapy session will not change your situation, complaining to your girlfriends probably won’t either. Calling your mother and telling her your ‘troubles’ may feel good at first, but in the end there is only one answer to all of these hard situations. It is God’s Word and many moments spent in prayer. So, “since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful,” (Hebrews 10:21-23 NIV). As Christians, daughters of the high priest, Jesus Christ, He longs for us to draw near to Him. He has promised us that He will never leave or forsake us, and He has washed us with pure water to make us new creations in Him. “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests,” (Ephesians 6:18a NIV). I often ask myself, “Why did I forget to pray about that? again!” I can ask God to help me cope with this renovation that is happening around me. I can plead for patience and strength. I can praise Him when a project is completed!The answer to my problem is a lot easier than I tend to make it. If I will remember to wake up in the morning praising God and asking Him to give me wisdom and a thankful heart, my day should be a lot simpler to cope with. When I lose sight of God and how He continues to provide for, and protect me, I can too easily become a woman bound in bitterness and stress. So the next time we feel as though we need to escape life through the T.V. and our chocoholic tendencies, let’s turn our eyes to heaven and feast on His Word.