He is Greater.....John 3:30 says He must become greater, I must become less"

15 months ago, a team of angels charged my home with a purpose....they called it the Kredit Christmas Blessing.....and they made a bedroom for Josiah so he could have his very own place in the world....and they set up my king size bed that came by mail in boxes.....because we buy things as cheap as possible....and they cleaned and organized all the nooks and crannies of this home.  They sorted and cleaned and painted and nailed and did electrical work and so much more..... I was told that Papa Rick and my friend Deanne Hoekstra assembled the king size bed.  Well.  You both need to know that even though it was a major pain in the butt to figure out....that bed has blessed this family beyond measure.  I'm starting to think of it as the "big comfy bed".  Tonight, Jeremiah asked if he could make a smoothie and go lay on my bed for awhile.  Absolutely, buddy.  Enjoy.  Earlier, I needed a break from the barking dogs and whiney kids and chaos so I ret...

Tonight, I was sitting at the full service gas station at almost 7pm because it was raining icey raindrops and I did not want to stand out in the freezing rain to pump gas.  Cold drops of rain were dripping into the car from the sunglasses compartment of my car, which is located above my head.  I texted my husband with a picture from my smart phone, reporting the new car problem.  His response was a catch word that we are using around our home lately.  He said, "sounds like Adversity".  We label all kinds of events and actions and issues "adversity".  I like the word.  It's not complaining, really, its just fact.  Saying it is almost like a magic word.  It dissolves the emotion behind the event.  Try it.  Stub your toe or break a glass or scratch your glasses.....and instead of throwing a fit, just calmly speak the truth.  Adversity. Google defines adversity this way:  misfortune, trouble, difficulty, hardship, distress...

Josiah has finally started to have real tantrums.  Not the "too tired" or middle of the night ones, but real ones.  Defiance, aggression, disobedience.  Little bottom lip sticking out and arms crossed across his chest tantrums.  Hitting.  Throwing things.  It's hard to fathom, really, because he has been so sweet for so long.  He's still sweet, no doubt, but he is starting to test some boundaries as well.  Good for him!  Really!  It's very age-appropriate for him to go through this phase and figure out where the boundaries are.......my conundrum is this. Josiah is my 5th child.  My baby.  I had a much better definition of my boundaries with child number one.  By the time I got to Josiah, I was like........."oh, whatever.  its all good!"   I have to amp up my game again.   I owe it to him to sharpen this aspect of parenting and have some zero tolerance rules that we always keep and monitor.....his birth or...

1, My God is deserving.....of whatever He calls me to. 2.  My children are beautiful....5 sets of perfect toes and fingers, 5 sets of eyes and ears and hands and feet...5 hearts and souls and minds and bodies. 3.  My husband works hard and is a loving, gentle, patient man. 4.  My dogs are sweet and fun and silly and loud and obnoxious and a major pain. 5.  My pool is a mess....until it is wonderful.  Then it is worth it. 6.  My style is casual but not frumpy as long as I keep paying attention and trying harder. 7.  My body is going to ruin with age and time and lack of oomph. 8.  My home isn't fancy but it is warm and welcoming and wonderful. 9.  My job is so rewarding and so costly. 10.  My life is for Him, and not for me.....

I am Nikolyn Kredit, formerly Nikolyn Vermeer....no middle name. I am a child of God.  He claimed me early and for as long as I can remember. I am the first born child, first born grandchild and cherished and celebrated and spoiled. I am the first niece to multiple uncles and aunties who forgot I was not a sibling.  I am loved. I am the quiet-as-a-church-mouse child among adults who listened and learned how things go...... I am the care-taker of all who are younger and more fragile than me.  Brother, nephews, nieces, etc. I am the babysitter at age 9, the nanny at age 12, the confidante in high school for all the troubled souls. I am the one who does not want to disappoint.  For a long, long time. and then....... I am the one who starts to learn who I am and what I want. I am the one who stops feeling less than and understands that I.  Am.  Worthy. Rebellion happens. Suffering follows. Suffering extends. Suffering teaches. that I.....am........

Where I'm From I am from old houses with creaky wood floors, musty attics filled with treasure and willow trees and neighborhood ball games on summer days. I am from grandma's kitchens that smell like clorox and cookies. I am from cracked neighborhood sidewalks with crackling leaves in the fall and dusty rain in the spring. I am from small town familiar in the mid-west, Seasons change faster than people here. I am from hugs in the kitchen and homework with friends, and meaningful conversations at the table. Popcorn and tea served on a tray with cups and saucers......as we watch Little House on the Prairie on  weeknights.  My mom and my brother and me.....cozy if just for a short time. I am from Heidelberg Catechism and the books of the bible song......and a fire-and-brimstone preacher and long prayers.  I am from hymns, the Apostles Creed, the Lord's Prayer. I am from egg coffee and dutch food.  From peppermints passed down the row in church.  From ...

Precious.  Oh Precious.  I have spent countless hours trying to figure you out.....and a fountain of tears crying about you, for you, over you.  You are a master-piece, my child.  You are stunning and you are exquisite....and such a mystery.  I didn't know it was possible to feel more deeply than me, but I have decided that you feel more deeply than I do.  You are so bright, and so intense. In so many things, I fail you, my child.  Your vault of shame and condemnation is flabbergasting and unexplainable.  Where does all that doubt come from, sweet one? You are in agony this week because of kindergarden round-up.  Awake for 2 hours in the night, having anxiety and stressed all day today because of it.  Last year, after round-up, it was decided you should do TK and not kinder.....and it was the right choice for sure....but this year it is stirring up doubts about why you didn't go right to kinder last year.....and what will next year ...

I haven't  done much writing lately.....mostly to avoid being whiney.  The dog is annoying, and its warm....but muddy.  The kids are restless....I am frustrated that the winter has ended and I haven't shed all of my "winter weight"...whiney, whiney, whine.  Who really wants to hear it anyway?  Not me. I jacked up my back saturday, trying to move a basket of laundry that was way too heavy.  It's a sign of old age, I think....and too many wet towels....anyway, I've been in rough shape as of late.  My friends all rushed in with essential oils and prayers....Roger stepped up and walked the dog and managed the fam......and Claire got Influenza B.  Thanks, Claire.  Did you know that if you cannot swallow pills and you need Tamiflu to stop the raging influenza......you will pay $230 for a 5 day dose?  Yes.  It's true. I got some pain relief yesterday from the chiro.  I'm not exactly a chiro girl but its faster than physical thera...

Spring came to my home town today.  We woke up to blue skies and a bright sun shining.  Josiah calls the sun "big yellow guy".  Sometimes he says, "big yellow guy, stop.  you are too bright in my eyes!".  I need to find him some good sun glasses. We gave Isaac his gifts and I think his sweet smile was even warmer than the spring sun today.  He feels loved, not because of the stuff he got, but because what we gave him reflects that we know him.  We validated him on his birthday.  We are celebrating him.....and the day got warmer and the kids spent time outside on the tramp and around the yard.  I took the dog for a nice long walk.  I might even have a bit of 45 degree sunburn on my very pale face.  Spring. I opened the windows today at 8am and have not closed them yet.  I hear birds and trains and children......oh my this winter has felt so, so long.  Spring came today. It will stay warm for a few more days and then ...

Last week Tuesday I shared some insights at a local MOPS group....and my thank-you was a gift certificate to a yummy coffee/wine/restaraunt/swanky kinda place called The Fruited Plain.  There are few of these in Sioux County.....but I know where they all are.  At least I hope I do.  The very next day, I played hookie because it was snowy and windy and I don't work in those conditions.....and invited my boyfriend Roger out to lunch to spend the gift certificate.  We stuffed ourselves and it was awesome.  The other gift in my thank-you bag was a cook book.  There is no way the leadership could know how much I love, love, love......love.............love cook books.  They are my secret hobby, my indulgent chocolate........when I have down time, I love to read through cook books and get ideas and remember whens...... So after I got my sweet cook book thank-you gift, I started reading through it.  I came upon another childhood flash back.....and ear-...