Thursday, February 19, 2009
New to the Blog-sphere
Hey, Just wanted to introduce some friends of mine. They are 2Moms, or Mom-and Loving It! Ministries, aka Sharon and Laurie. They are sisters who have gotten together to write some music (and some with their big Brother Chris) for their CD "Hold you, Mommy" --anybody else have a "Jungle Baby"? Or have your kids reached up and said "Hold you." Or maybe need a reminder that "These days are here. These days are now. Help me treasure them." They have also written two books, and are entertaining speakers. They are real life moms with real life families and real life faith. I'm not getting a dime to promote them. I just happen to be friends with them and have been encouraged by what they are doing and hope the get to do it a lot more. They just started blogging and I can't wait to read the encouraging words they will share. I added their blog to my sidebar or here is a link to their website. Enjoy!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
My Blessing Day
Here is what I wrote at the end of my blessing day...
Yesterday (Tuesday) I was in such a bad mood that I couldn’t even finish my Bible study. I read it, but it was not getting anywhere. All day God kept chipping away at the wall I was building in my heart, and giving me a little grace here and there to not say what I was thinking. This morning (Wednesday) I woke up with hope that today was going to be better, but there was still a tidge of bad attitude ready to take over. I was reading in my Bible study, yesterday’s lesson, about having a blast in Jesus and really delighting in His blessing. Because He is full of blessing and He gives them to us one after another. “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” (John 1:16 BTW this is my new memory verse I'm learning.) (Beth Moore’s John: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple, Day 36) To fully set the scene, I’m memorizing Colossians 3:1-2, the set your hearts and minds verse, and a friend is reading a joy study I put together and we have talked about it recently, so I had been thinking about experiencing God’s joy and being in His presence…today would be better. The phone rings. SweetHeart calls to tell me that the big freezer in the garage—the freezer that housed, among other things too, the roast, steak and hamburger mom and dad just stocked for us—that freezer door was open all night. And everything was defrosted. Thankfully it is winter and everything was still cold. But thanks was not my initial response! Here is the prayer I wrote in my journal this morning.
God, today is better than yesterday, but I am struggling with being joyful. I know Your love for me is very great and right this moment I am loved, but life is happening and I am down—I'm frustrated with someone I love, money is tight, the fence blew down in the storm last night, the freezer door was left open, the dishwasher is out, SweetHeart's job is stressful for everyone, I have lazy kids because I'm not teaching them right, SweetTate is being 2, I’m tired and have a sinus infection…Lord, I need Your joy just to get through today! I want it to be more than that, for You to be a blast to me, but this is where I am.
So here is my blessing day…I decided I wanted this to be a blessing instead of a chore. How? I knew our youth pastor’s wife was on a mission trip to Africa, so I invited he and his girls to dinner. I needed to make a roast and some steak, and there would be MORE than plenty so I invited our music director and his family too. (The pastor and his wife couldn’t make it.) I figured Wednesday nights were hectic to get a meal in for them, and that was evidently my job for the day so why not! Was it easy? I defrosted the freezer, cooked 3 pounds of hamburger patties, browned 6 pounds of hamburger to freeze, made a roast and steak for supper to feed 12, the dog pooped in the house, the dog started tearing up the carpet, my son scratched a borrowed DVD, my daughter spilled oranges all over the kitchen, did I mention the fence was down…chased the dog, did I mention the dishwasher was out…washed dishes, pick up the house for company…um, no, it was not easy. Here are the blessings, one after another. Because my focus was on God, I told my daughter that she left the freezer door open, she said she was sorry, I gave her a hug and that was the end of it. I did have to explain later in the day that I couldn’t help her pick up the toys because I was busy in the kitchen—there were consequences all day. But at the end of the day, she knew I loved her, no matter the mistakes. That is not necessarily my nature, that is God working, that is a blessing today! My son thought we were having a party because friends came over—that is a blessing. Fellowship with friends, somewhat hurried because of busy schedules, but I pray it was a blessing to them too. We only lost a couple of pizzas and a package of chicken, and those I bought on sale with a coupon! That is a blessing! I was able to give a friend some of the steak. At some point in the day I asked God that if He was giving me one blessing after another, that I needed strength for this day. I was on my feet all day, and here I am at the end of the day, very tired, but my feet don’t hurt (that is rare). That is a blessing!
God, My Father, I am so overwhelmed! A day that every turn had another mess to deal with, and You were busy blessing me and others! You are so worth it! You can take a terrible day and turn it into good! I see other families that I admire turn mistakes into blessings and wondered how they did that. Today You showed me. I have to put You first and keep my eyes on You, not on whatever is happening around me. Thank you for my blessing day! I’m looking forward to tomorrow! I know You really love me, and I love You too. In Jesus’ precious name…amen.
Psalm 25:5 (current memory verse--another blessing!)
Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. ALL DAY LONG I put my hope in You.
Yesterday (Tuesday) I was in such a bad mood that I couldn’t even finish my Bible study. I read it, but it was not getting anywhere. All day God kept chipping away at the wall I was building in my heart, and giving me a little grace here and there to not say what I was thinking. This morning (Wednesday) I woke up with hope that today was going to be better, but there was still a tidge of bad attitude ready to take over. I was reading in my Bible study, yesterday’s lesson, about having a blast in Jesus and really delighting in His blessing. Because He is full of blessing and He gives them to us one after another. “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” (John 1:16 BTW this is my new memory verse I'm learning.) (Beth Moore’s John: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple, Day 36) To fully set the scene, I’m memorizing Colossians 3:1-2, the set your hearts and minds verse, and a friend is reading a joy study I put together and we have talked about it recently, so I had been thinking about experiencing God’s joy and being in His presence…today would be better. The phone rings. SweetHeart calls to tell me that the big freezer in the garage—the freezer that housed, among other things too, the roast, steak and hamburger mom and dad just stocked for us—that freezer door was open all night. And everything was defrosted. Thankfully it is winter and everything was still cold. But thanks was not my initial response! Here is the prayer I wrote in my journal this morning.
God, today is better than yesterday, but I am struggling with being joyful. I know Your love for me is very great and right this moment I am loved, but life is happening and I am down—I'm frustrated with someone I love, money is tight, the fence blew down in the storm last night, the freezer door was left open, the dishwasher is out, SweetHeart's job is stressful for everyone, I have lazy kids because I'm not teaching them right, SweetTate is being 2, I’m tired and have a sinus infection…Lord, I need Your joy just to get through today! I want it to be more than that, for You to be a blast to me, but this is where I am.
So here is my blessing day…I decided I wanted this to be a blessing instead of a chore. How? I knew our youth pastor’s wife was on a mission trip to Africa, so I invited he and his girls to dinner. I needed to make a roast and some steak, and there would be MORE than plenty so I invited our music director and his family too. (The pastor and his wife couldn’t make it.) I figured Wednesday nights were hectic to get a meal in for them, and that was evidently my job for the day so why not! Was it easy? I defrosted the freezer, cooked 3 pounds of hamburger patties, browned 6 pounds of hamburger to freeze, made a roast and steak for supper to feed 12, the dog pooped in the house, the dog started tearing up the carpet, my son scratched a borrowed DVD, my daughter spilled oranges all over the kitchen, did I mention the fence was down…chased the dog, did I mention the dishwasher was out…washed dishes, pick up the house for company…um, no, it was not easy. Here are the blessings, one after another. Because my focus was on God, I told my daughter that she left the freezer door open, she said she was sorry, I gave her a hug and that was the end of it. I did have to explain later in the day that I couldn’t help her pick up the toys because I was busy in the kitchen—there were consequences all day. But at the end of the day, she knew I loved her, no matter the mistakes. That is not necessarily my nature, that is God working, that is a blessing today! My son thought we were having a party because friends came over—that is a blessing. Fellowship with friends, somewhat hurried because of busy schedules, but I pray it was a blessing to them too. We only lost a couple of pizzas and a package of chicken, and those I bought on sale with a coupon! That is a blessing! I was able to give a friend some of the steak. At some point in the day I asked God that if He was giving me one blessing after another, that I needed strength for this day. I was on my feet all day, and here I am at the end of the day, very tired, but my feet don’t hurt (that is rare). That is a blessing!
God, My Father, I am so overwhelmed! A day that every turn had another mess to deal with, and You were busy blessing me and others! You are so worth it! You can take a terrible day and turn it into good! I see other families that I admire turn mistakes into blessings and wondered how they did that. Today You showed me. I have to put You first and keep my eyes on You, not on whatever is happening around me. Thank you for my blessing day! I’m looking forward to tomorrow! I know You really love me, and I love You too. In Jesus’ precious name…amen.
Psalm 25:5 (current memory verse--another blessing!)
Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. ALL DAY LONG I put my hope in You.
My Top 10
Jen, over at Talking Hairdryer, tagged me for this meme. My top ten reasons I haven't blogged in a while (in no particular order). I could have said SweetTate (age 2), SweetDoll (age 5), SweetBoy (age 8), SweetHeart, new dog--Daisy, laundry, dishes, company, projects, life...but that would not be very interesting. True, but not interesting. So here is some of what we have been up to lately.
1. I tend to be a one project at a time kind of girl. (I have visions of completed projects that rarely actually happen!) So when I get on a project, I get a little obsessed. My project lately is the kids' scrapbooks. When I started scrapbooking, SweetBoy was about 18 months old. I thought the book I started would be his. A few pages into it I decided it was too much work for that and it would be our family album. Then I saved pictures for the kids, and have now decided to make them each a book too. Well, a few weeks ago, Mom took my little ones home for a few days, and I had all day while SweetBoy was at school to myself! I got the house all clean and scrapped the rest of the time! It was S-W-E-E-T! I got SweetTate's caught up to the point I have pictures developed...um, last May... but it is close! Now I've started on SweetDoll's. I have her home from the hospital. Yep, I have a long way to go, but I am enjoying seeing their baby pictures and watching them grow up. It really does fly by! I can't believe she will start school next year!
2. We have had the sinus junk with this crazy weather but thankfully have not had the really yuck bug that has been going around.
3. My birthday was a few weeks ago. I've reached the point of life when no one mentions your age. They will tell you happy birthday, but no one says which one it is! A few years ago my mom told me, "It is bad when you stop lying about your own age, and start lying about your kid's age!" Yep, I'm that age!
4. I mentioned The Truth Project a few posts ago. I have also been watching the Wising Up video series by Beth Moore. SO GOOD! She started it by saying, "We are not here to just learn about wisdom. We are here to get some!" And let me tell you, she opened up the Word and there was wisdom for the taking in every area of life! I love it!
5. In my personal Bible study I'm doing the John: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore. I have really enjoyed her studies in this format when I'm not involved in a group Bible study. Anyway, this study has really hit home. I never really stopped and thought about the person of John and his life. I can really relate to him.
6. On another spiritual note...I've been memorizing Scripture. Seriously, taking it to heart and applying it to life. That has been a neat thing. And good to keep my mind from wandering to negative things.
7. We are in the blessed "between" season--between football and baseball! SweetHeart is not all that into basketball or hockey. He will watch it now and then, especially March Madness, but it is not an obsession in the house quite like football or baseball. But...baseball will be here before you know it. SweetBoy AND SweetDoll are signed up to play this spring. It will be our first time to juggle two in sports and any words of wisdom are welcome! SweetDoll is so excited to move from cheerleader on the sidelines for big brother, to player on the field.
8. My dishwasher is out, so I'm probably doing dishes instead of blogging!
9. We do the Blockbuster movie in the mail thing. We have watched the recent ones and have started digging into the oldies. Last night the kids and I watched "Bye Bye Birdie." In high school we did that musical when I was a sophomore. I got out the photo album and showed them the pictures of me in the musical. What a riot! That movie was so corny! I don't remember the play being like that! The kids asked which part I played. I told them I was one of the girls that fainted! Nothing like a trip down memory lane! In the dancing scenes they asked what they were doing. "Dancing, you know, like they did the basketball dance in High School Musical." They didn't quite get the 60's dance. Thankfully I can say that was before my time!
10. This one is a teaser...we have had a very long week for many reasons. One being the day that I called my blessing day. It is a post of its own, so you will have to come back later for that one! ;)
So, now it is your turn. What have you been up to?
1. I tend to be a one project at a time kind of girl. (I have visions of completed projects that rarely actually happen!) So when I get on a project, I get a little obsessed. My project lately is the kids' scrapbooks. When I started scrapbooking, SweetBoy was about 18 months old. I thought the book I started would be his. A few pages into it I decided it was too much work for that and it would be our family album. Then I saved pictures for the kids, and have now decided to make them each a book too. Well, a few weeks ago, Mom took my little ones home for a few days, and I had all day while SweetBoy was at school to myself! I got the house all clean and scrapped the rest of the time! It was S-W-E-E-T! I got SweetTate's caught up to the point I have pictures developed...um, last May... but it is close! Now I've started on SweetDoll's. I have her home from the hospital. Yep, I have a long way to go, but I am enjoying seeing their baby pictures and watching them grow up. It really does fly by! I can't believe she will start school next year!
2. We have had the sinus junk with this crazy weather but thankfully have not had the really yuck bug that has been going around.
3. My birthday was a few weeks ago. I've reached the point of life when no one mentions your age. They will tell you happy birthday, but no one says which one it is! A few years ago my mom told me, "It is bad when you stop lying about your own age, and start lying about your kid's age!" Yep, I'm that age!
4. I mentioned The Truth Project a few posts ago. I have also been watching the Wising Up video series by Beth Moore. SO GOOD! She started it by saying, "We are not here to just learn about wisdom. We are here to get some!" And let me tell you, she opened up the Word and there was wisdom for the taking in every area of life! I love it!
5. In my personal Bible study I'm doing the John: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore. I have really enjoyed her studies in this format when I'm not involved in a group Bible study. Anyway, this study has really hit home. I never really stopped and thought about the person of John and his life. I can really relate to him.
6. On another spiritual note...I've been memorizing Scripture. Seriously, taking it to heart and applying it to life. That has been a neat thing. And good to keep my mind from wandering to negative things.
7. We are in the blessed "between" season--between football and baseball! SweetHeart is not all that into basketball or hockey. He will watch it now and then, especially March Madness, but it is not an obsession in the house quite like football or baseball. But...baseball will be here before you know it. SweetBoy AND SweetDoll are signed up to play this spring. It will be our first time to juggle two in sports and any words of wisdom are welcome! SweetDoll is so excited to move from cheerleader on the sidelines for big brother, to player on the field.
8. My dishwasher is out, so I'm probably doing dishes instead of blogging!
9. We do the Blockbuster movie in the mail thing. We have watched the recent ones and have started digging into the oldies. Last night the kids and I watched "Bye Bye Birdie." In high school we did that musical when I was a sophomore. I got out the photo album and showed them the pictures of me in the musical. What a riot! That movie was so corny! I don't remember the play being like that! The kids asked which part I played. I told them I was one of the girls that fainted! Nothing like a trip down memory lane! In the dancing scenes they asked what they were doing. "Dancing, you know, like they did the basketball dance in High School Musical." They didn't quite get the 60's dance. Thankfully I can say that was before my time!
10. This one is a teaser...we have had a very long week for many reasons. One being the day that I called my blessing day. It is a post of its own, so you will have to come back later for that one! ;)
So, now it is your turn. What have you been up to?
Friday, January 30, 2009
Beautiful Winter
I know with a title like that on this blog you would expect a picture. Sorry to disappoint, but you will just have to use your imagination. Like a large section of the country, this week we have had ice. School was even canceled one day. So by yesterday, it was time to run errands--we hadn't been out of the house for days! I never thought I would be thankful for a Wal-Mart trip! The roads were clear, but the trees were covered with the most beautiful ice. The day before it was mostly clear ice, but this day was white. As we drove SweetDoll, SweetTate and I were in awe of the beauty of the winter! God really out-did Himself today! I was glad the roads were clear because I was watching the scenery more than watching for ice patches on the road.
Anyway, there is not much exciting going on here, just the normal stuff. SweetHeart and I have been going to a Bible study with some friends called The Truth Project. It has been so good and very thought provoking. It has really hightened my awareness of God's truth and what lies I have fallen for from the world's point of view. One of the theme questions is "Do you really believe, that what you believe is really real?" Think on that one for a while! All of that to say, if there is one happening in your area, it is worth the effort to go! On a kids note...Baseball sign-ups were this week. This spring we will be juggling 2 teams. SweetDoll is so excited to play! Speaking of her...as I watched her play, I realized that I have to get her new pants! Her other ones are getting so short. Anytime we are out, people ask if the two little ones are twins, but she has grown and the gap between them is a bit bigger. Not much though, it will not be long before SweetTate passes her! Which will rock their world, because you know the tallest is the oldest! One day the kids asked if I was as O-L-D as Uncle Justin! He just loved that! I guess I better go get the laundry done, again. Hope you are having a beautiful winter day too!
Anyway, there is not much exciting going on here, just the normal stuff. SweetHeart and I have been going to a Bible study with some friends called The Truth Project. It has been so good and very thought provoking. It has really hightened my awareness of God's truth and what lies I have fallen for from the world's point of view. One of the theme questions is "Do you really believe, that what you believe is really real?" Think on that one for a while! All of that to say, if there is one happening in your area, it is worth the effort to go! On a kids note...Baseball sign-ups were this week. This spring we will be juggling 2 teams. SweetDoll is so excited to play! Speaking of her...as I watched her play, I realized that I have to get her new pants! Her other ones are getting so short. Anytime we are out, people ask if the two little ones are twins, but she has grown and the gap between them is a bit bigger. Not much though, it will not be long before SweetTate passes her! Which will rock their world, because you know the tallest is the oldest! One day the kids asked if I was as O-L-D as Uncle Justin! He just loved that! I guess I better go get the laundry done, again. Hope you are having a beautiful winter day too!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Scripture Memory Team
Beth Moore is having a Scripture Memory Team Challenge for 2009 to memorize 24 Scriptures in 12 months. I have never been good to memorize Scripture, so I am really looking forward to this. For the past two weeks I've been memorizing this verse:
Psalm 86:11-13
Teach me Your way, Lord, and I will live by Your truth. Give me an
undivided mind to fear Your name. I will praise You with all my heart,
Lord my God, and will honor Your name forever. For Your faithful love for
me is great, and You deliver my life from the depths of Sheol.
(HCSB)
This verse has fit right in with other things I'm studying. It has been so neat! Here is what I have learned by meditating on this verse.
* undivided mind and with all my heart--complete devotion. This is going in the theme of having a transformed mind and focusing on things above.
* honor Your name forever--do what will be honoring to God forever, don't be short-sighted
* live by Your truth--"Do I really believe that what I believe is really real?" (Truth Project) My actions will reveal what I believe. Am I living by His truth?
* This way of living is cross culture and not human nature. It will be tough. But God is with me, a mighty woman of valor! Be courageous! (Wising Up by Beth Moore, videos 7,9)
So here is the next verse I'm working on.
Colossians 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (NIV)
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Introducing Daisy!
I'd like you to meet the new addition to the family. This is Daisy!
This is SweetBoy beside her so you can see she isn't very big. She is so soft and sweet! We chose her at the animal shelter yesterday, and she has fit right into the family. There is just something about having a dog around. Yes, it is more responsibility, but she also adds an element of relaxing that I have missed. I'm sure you will be hearing more dog stories in the future, so you had to meet our new dog. (Hopefully nothing like Beth's post today--I'm still laughing!)
Friday, January 2, 2009
Happy New Year!
I just love clean slates, and that is what the New Year feels like. A chance to start again. I have finally realized that I don't have to feel like the past year failed if it wasn't "perfect." There was some growth and that was good. I won't arrive until I'm in heaven, so do my best and be happy with that. Now it is time to refocus toward the goal and go again. Last year the theme was giving God my best. This year the theme is focusing on Him through it all. I'm watching the video Bible study by Beth Moore called Wising Up. One of the points she made was about Proverbs 3:5-6:
Acknowledge means to know Him. In everything I face I need to know Him there. Money trouble--know Him there. Parenting struggles--know Him there. Success--know Him there. Failure--know Him there. Relationship problems--know Him there. Get the picture? And I have to set my heart, mind, and soul on Him.
Here is my top 9 list for 2009 that I want to work on.
1. Meet with God everyday in prayer and Bible study and use my journal.
2. Pray for SweetHeart and the kids more.
3. Memorize Scripture (Beth Moore has a challenge going if you want to join me. Here is the info and here is the sign up.)
4. Exercize more.
5. Read the Bible with my kids more.
6. Teach my kids to help around the house more.
7. Take time to play and enjoy my kids more.
8. Go to bed earlier.
9. Be on time to church. (Hubby will love that!)
These are not very qualitative, but any progress is good. I'm sharing it here so you can help keep me accountable, and I'm interested in any tips you may have that work at your house.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path
straight.
Acknowledge means to know Him. In everything I face I need to know Him there. Money trouble--know Him there. Parenting struggles--know Him there. Success--know Him there. Failure--know Him there. Relationship problems--know Him there. Get the picture? And I have to set my heart, mind, and soul on Him.
Colossians 3:1-2So this is my main goal for the new year: to know Him and keep my heart set on things above.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things
above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mnds on
things above, not on earthly things.
Here is my top 9 list for 2009 that I want to work on.
1. Meet with God everyday in prayer and Bible study and use my journal.
2. Pray for SweetHeart and the kids more.
3. Memorize Scripture (Beth Moore has a challenge going if you want to join me. Here is the info and here is the sign up.)
4. Exercize more.
5. Read the Bible with my kids more.
6. Teach my kids to help around the house more.
7. Take time to play and enjoy my kids more.
8. Go to bed earlier.
9. Be on time to church. (Hubby will love that!)
These are not very qualitative, but any progress is good. I'm sharing it here so you can help keep me accountable, and I'm interested in any tips you may have that work at your house.
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