Sunday, December 28, 2008
Extra Week
Because Christmas was on a Thursday, and I guess just the timing of everything, I feel like I have been given an extra week to end the year. It has given me time to reflect and fall in love a little deeper with my husband and my children. It has helped me to appreciate my extended family more (and just a little, appreciate that they live far away.) It has given me time to reflect on what God has called me to this past year. And, it has given me lots of time to play with my new Christmas toys :D
I hope you all feel this same sense of extra time. Real life goes on: people need to eat, nap, errands need to be run because no matter how many times I stop at Target OR the grocery store I can't seem to remember to buy my children toothpaste. BUT, if you have any free minutes. Read your bible, hug your kids, or read your bible to your kids while hugging them. Take pictures, eat treats, snuggle up to a movie or a good book: these are a few of my favorite things.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Why I Like Mike #18
There really are too many reasons, but TODAY I like Mike because he said my Christmas present should be delivered soon. WHAT?! "You aren't going shopping on Christmas Eve this year? But, what who is my brother going to shop with?" hmm. For years I have tried to explain to him how incredibly easy I am to please. He has just been very 'man' about focusing on the now and not so much a planner. I am so excited to get a present for Christmas. I mean, I usually get presents, I just usually pick them out with him by my side. In his defense, this is also happiness for me as my love language is quality time.
Speaking of presents, some of my favorite gifts we are giving this year are:
The game of Candyland
The game of Hungry Hungry Hippo
a very cute little pull along doggy for Sam
an unbelievable coloring book I got at Old Navy (random, I know)
and a video game in which you shoot cows with plungers. giggle.
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Princess is Four Today
Miss Addison is four today. Four years ago I gave birth to that ginormous Christmas turkey in the middle of a snow storm just like the one we are having today. I woke up to my water breaking at 1:22 am, called my mother (whose flight landed at 1:23 am) and told her to hurry, called the midwife, and woke The Man. Twenty minutes after the midwife arrived, Addison Noelle Brewer was born at 8 pounds 12 ounces, in my bedroom. Fantastic. The instant she was born, my beloved mother whipped up the greatest breakfast, which I ate, in bed. THEN, I went to sleep, snuggled right next to my new little bean and my hubby. What an excellent way to be brought into the world. I am so glad to have you Miss Addie.
I love your scowl
I love your dirty looks to all the dumb people around you
I love your love of all things princess
I love your four year old wit
I love your huge eyeballs
I love how you cover your mouth with your hand when you giggle
I love that you respond to Pearl and Squirrel Girl
I love your exasperation with your siblings
I love you Missy
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Today I...
*Woke up at 6:30- on a Saturday! Really!? blech
*went back to sleep until 7
*was greeted in bed by Miss Addison who will be 4 in two days
*did a double take on my new tattoo to ensure I didn't have buyers remorse (I don't!)
*ate Cheerios for breakfast
*watched the rest of a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie and loved it
*got five kids plus a sleepover friend dressed warmly for ice skating
*took five kids plus a sleepover friend to ice skating lessons downtown
*rewarded all the cold noses with Starbucks chocolate, hot, one soy
*they all changed their minds at the last minute and ended up getting chocolate milk, cold, one soy
*dropped off sleepover friend
*played in the snow with the kids until the man got home from work/study session for school
*played Pick The Chore Out of The Cup game to make cleaning more fun
*warmed our buns in front of the fire place
*drove around town for 2 hours until I found proper school shoes for my son, solid black
*snuggled with my husband with no interruptions
*came home to him painting my kitchen (I think he read my previous post :))
*worked on a puzzle with Layla Grace
*Played Apples to Apples Jr. with my babysitter, Izzy, Layla, and Addie while the boys played Yahtzee next to us
*read chapter 3 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone aloud to my kids before bed
*wrapped presents and got things ready for Addison's birthday party tomorrow night
*watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, again
*was happy for all of it.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
All I Want For Christmas
Here is my Christmas list. Feel free to pass it on although it is mostly for my husband:
A major award like a leg lamp
That my husband would finish painting my house (inside)
A new to-go coffee mug
New at home coffee mugs
cream colored scarf
wireless flash drive for my camera (automatically uploads pictures to my computer when I bring my camera home)
iPod plugger inner for my car
new tattoo (although I already have this coming from my friends the tattooers)
my husband to get textability as I have decided I like that form of flirting :)
gift cards for any of the following: Barnes and Noble, Old Navy, Express, Target.
A new wedding ring, or at least mine fixed as it has been broken for years.
And, 12 dates with my husband; one for every month of the coming year
Sunday, November 30, 2008
O Christmas Tree
It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Things I am looking forward to:
Decorating the tree with the kids
Cutting down ANOTHER tree in the mountains very near my house
Watching 25 days of Christmas movies
hot chocolate
stockings hung by the fireplace..for real this year
decorating the indoors
quilting
my family visiting
my friends visiting
baking
cooking snuggly dinners
eating said snuggly dinners by my fireplace
evergreen center pieces
working on my new year's list of goals
ashamedly discovering which goals I have not even gotten to yet
exercising with my husband
Santa parties
Christmas cards
writing our family Christmas letter
finding the perfect Christmas photo
Late night snuggles with The Man
attempting to beat him at who can do the most sit ups (I never win this game)
getting a new gold tooth-awesome- aarrr- piratey
winter jammies
Addison turning 4!!
and my kids saying, 'I can't WAIT until Christmas!' at least a million times between the five of them.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Yikes
Remember when I should be cleaning, cooking, prepping, and all the other necessary things you do before Thanksgiving?
SOOO much to do and not nearly enough time. So, I decided to blog.
Tonight is the big family talent show. My kids were totally excited to find out Sam and Addison have their own talent to perform. We will be video taping, so if anything amazing happens, I will be try to post it.
Also, I am totally ditching school tonight. I have only missed one other night of school. When Mike and I flew off to LA to be on The Wheel, I was a ditcher. What can I say? I am a loner, a rebel. There are things about me you wouldn't understand, things you couldn't understand, things you SHOULDN'T understand.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Come Monday
This post could have been about the Jimmy Buffet song, but it isn't. I DO love that song so, but instead it is about the craziness happening in my house right now on a Monday affternoon.
Right now, my husband is complaining of a belly ache
Right now, my littlest son is incredibly sticky because my husband has no boundaries when it comes to sweets and children, therefore, I came home to kids eating suckers carrying around their trick-or-treats bags minutes before the dinner hour
Right now, Isabelle is moping not just because I won't tell her what is for dinner, but because she is ten and this is what ten year olds do
Right now, I am not telling Izzy what is for dinner because she cannot talk to me with a normal tone of voice, so I am refusing her information until she can figure it out
Right now, Layla is upstairs wiping down her entire bathroom because shortly after I told her no to her sugar request, she began crying hysterically but claims it has nothing to do with the sugar and more to do with some problem that is 'too hard to explain'
Right now, my son Eli is on the verge of tears because none of his friends in the neighborhood are home
Right now, I am plotting in my mind a punishment for Eli and Layla that includes them writing the top ten things worth crying over where I am sure I should find sugar requests and friends not home to play with nowhere on the list
Right now, I am hoping to make it through dinner without yelling.
Monday, November 10, 2008
I have no time
And I will tell you why:
Began exercise regimen that I intend on sticking with (it's easier now that I get to watch my husband lift weights from across the room. oh my)
Applying for my substitute teaching license
Eighteen classes left until I graduate
Currently working on 100 hours of classroom observations
Leading the Toddler Room at church
Just agreed to take on a branch of the homeless ministry at church
The class I am in requires four chapters of reading and a paper to prove it each week. ew. I am not mentioning our real homework.
Trying to stick to my new routine. I am a little behind. Well, I am almost all the way behind. Love me through it.
Though I am not really homeschooling her, I have to prep and administer an hour of supplements for Layla Grace four days a week.
I have five kids and a husband I actually like.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Seriously Disorganized
I feel like I have had such organization for the last 5 years. Homeschooling has taken up a huge section of my day and now that my kids are in school, I feel lost. (Right now I also feel chilly) but I need to implement some structure to my days. Last year at this time, I would have a month's worth of menus planned, my homeschool lessons planned and prepped for a year's worth of learning, and so much more. Sigh. You know what the problem is? I have a clean house. DANG YOU PEOPLE!! Why do you have to put so much emphasis on cleaning? I need to go back to making lists.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Reverence
1 Thessalonians 5:16
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
In 2 Samuel, we hear about David bringng the ark of the covanent to Jerusalem. He brought it there so he could know God was near. David focused his prayers and praises on celebrating God's nearness. It was just enough that God was near. They risked SO much just to be near God.
Those men could have been, and some were, easily killed just by moving the ark. One touch, and they were toast. They were willing to risk their lives. What do we risk? Sleep?- no. Food?- ocassionally. Our agenda?-hmmm. Thursday night tv?-not usually.
And, when they were near the ark, 2 Samuel doesn't say God revealed himself to the thousands of people in the processional. They weren't healed or blessed or given great power. And still, because they knew God was near, they gave a HUGE paradee, played music in worship, and danced so much that later in the day David was called out because of it by Michal.
I suppose we dance and worship. I mean, if we aren't up too late on a Saturday night, we might move a little, stand for a bit when Pastor tells us to, and maybe we raise our hands if the words of the song are "I lift my hands." Oh, well, I almost forgot; we give God a BIG G! That IS something.
Sometimes I wonder if God really misses the good ole days.
Monday, October 20, 2008
You Might Be a Redneck
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
More Funnies From Pearl The Squirrel
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Music is a Part of Me
I don't know if everyone can understand this statement. I mean, I know you all get what I am saying (I like to think i attract an educated audience), but I don't know if everyone can relate to what music is to me. Music has always been a major part of who God created me to be. It is a love. I hope it is like that for other people. It is probably, but possibly about other things like sports, carpentry, art, and the like. Anyway, I was reading my biblio this morning and jotting down prayers in my journal, and this came to mind. I like when God just gives me a song. I thought I would share. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it isn't like I am writing a song. It's like I am writing down something someone just said. It usually comes out about that fast. Then it sits in my journal. So, I will share this one. I can't so much sing it to you though. Dang technology.
Let me worship you
with more than singing.
Let me worship you
with more than bringing.
For you are
God in heaven.
For you are
God in heaven.
For you are
Lord, here with me.
Let me worship you.
More than words on a page
More than here on this stage
Let me worship you.
Monday, October 06, 2008
To my Peeps
Thanks for the prayers, Friends. I found the verse. I don't think finding Psalm 91 was a mistake though. I came home and found it underlined in all of my Bibles.
Isaiah 54:17
"No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD.
Isaiah 54:17
"No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Numbers
2- number of children upstairs sleeping
1- number of children I am homeschooling these days
19- number of classes I have left until I am a graduate
1- number of couches I still need for my loft
37- number of shows I DVR each week
5- number of children my husband needs babysat next Wednesday night so he can leave early for his hunting trip
5- number of days said husband will be gone on hunting trip
7- number of miles I cycled this morning at the Y where I am now a member
12- number of children who now live on our street
2- number of quilts I am currently working on
4- number of books I am reading
1- number of pets we now have- Mocha the hamster died..sniff. :(
30- number of days until Halloween (nearly my favorite holiday)
5- number of ginormous candy bags I have in my pantry just awaiting young trick or treaters
13- number of years ago that my husband proposed in this very month. (I bet my mom a taco that he wasn't going to. I still owe her a taco.)
100- the note streak I got on Guitar Hero last night while playing I Love Rock and Roll
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Dwight Schrute Wisdom
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Love on the Down Low
Here is a tidbit from the book Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell. He is an amazing writer and I recommend everything he has written or said in a sermon. You can find his teachings under Mars Hill (the name of his church) at iTunes in podcast form for free.
I thought this passage was inspiring. I felt challenged to find what I can be doing in my own area and neighborhood and church.
I am learning that the church is at its best when it is underground, subversive, and counter cultural. It is the quiet, humble, stealth acts that change things. I was just talking to a woman named Michelle who decided to move into the roughest neighborhood in our city to try to help people get out of the cycle of poverty and despair. She was telling me about the kids she is tutoring and the families they come from and how great the needs are. Some other women in our church heard about Michelle and asked her for lists of what exactly the families in her neighborhood need. (One of the families wrote on their list "heat".) They then circulated the lists until they found people who could meet every one of the needs. It's like an underground mom-mafia network. Michelle told me at last count they had helped 430 families, and they are making plans to expand their network.
What can you be doing? Maybe you can't move to the ghetto, but surely there is something you can be doing to love on your neighbor.
Ideas:
Spend your fast food money on the homeless guy with a sign.
Find a church that does outreaches of this type, and get involved.
Start a clothing closet at your church for families in need.
Start a food pantry at your church.
Take your family to the local shelters and serve a meal once a month, a week, or as Part of your Sunday Sabbath.
Buy a case of water and hand out bottles to anyone you come in contact with. Who couldn't use a drink?
If you go to Hillside, pray and get involved in the ministries already in progress.
Pray for God to reveal people in your area that need help, then help them.
If you know a single mom, dad, or kids who are home alone often, do something to help- make dinner and bring it over, invite the kids over to just be, bring some fall decorations (or whichever season you are in), buy an extra coffee for a neighbor, buy bulk and give a food basket with your extras, send your kids over to pull weeds when they are naughty (your kids not the neighbors), etc.
Volunteer anywhere there is a need (neighbors, neighborhood schools, cleanup projects, community centers, church, shelter, Crisis Pregnancy Center, and on and on!)
What do you do already? Or what have you done in the past that may give someone a new idea of how to love others?
I thought this passage was inspiring. I felt challenged to find what I can be doing in my own area and neighborhood and church.
I am learning that the church is at its best when it is underground, subversive, and counter cultural. It is the quiet, humble, stealth acts that change things. I was just talking to a woman named Michelle who decided to move into the roughest neighborhood in our city to try to help people get out of the cycle of poverty and despair. She was telling me about the kids she is tutoring and the families they come from and how great the needs are. Some other women in our church heard about Michelle and asked her for lists of what exactly the families in her neighborhood need. (One of the families wrote on their list "heat".) They then circulated the lists until they found people who could meet every one of the needs. It's like an underground mom-mafia network. Michelle told me at last count they had helped 430 families, and they are making plans to expand their network.
What can you be doing? Maybe you can't move to the ghetto, but surely there is something you can be doing to love on your neighbor.
Ideas:
Spend your fast food money on the homeless guy with a sign.
Find a church that does outreaches of this type, and get involved.
Start a clothing closet at your church for families in need.
Start a food pantry at your church.
Take your family to the local shelters and serve a meal once a month, a week, or as Part of your Sunday Sabbath.
Buy a case of water and hand out bottles to anyone you come in contact with. Who couldn't use a drink?
If you go to Hillside, pray and get involved in the ministries already in progress.
Pray for God to reveal people in your area that need help, then help them.
If you know a single mom, dad, or kids who are home alone often, do something to help- make dinner and bring it over, invite the kids over to just be, bring some fall decorations (or whichever season you are in), buy an extra coffee for a neighbor, buy bulk and give a food basket with your extras, send your kids over to pull weeds when they are naughty (your kids not the neighbors), etc.
Volunteer anywhere there is a need (neighbors, neighborhood schools, cleanup projects, community centers, church, shelter, Crisis Pregnancy Center, and on and on!)
What do you do already? Or what have you done in the past that may give someone a new idea of how to love others?
Thursday, September 11, 2008
We Heart Guitar Hero!!!
Hopefully you can see how fantastic Eli's outfit is. This is what he put on for his Guitar Hero set the other night. He cracks me right up! Okay, well it isn't just him; we all have our own little rocker wardrobes. Mine mostly consists of my rocker hair fringe, the girls hike up their skirts just enough to stand in a rockstar stance, and The Man wears his regular clothes, but is the best player in our house, so when he finishes rocking out, he slicks back his hair or kicks the air, or throws up rockstar signs. I love it. We are usually his groupies while he plays.
Monday, September 08, 2008
S.O.S!!
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Blackeyes (not to be confused with black guys) and Bedtime
Both apparently very exciting. Layla Grace was playing at the neighbors when the little boy introduced her to GI Joe (GO JOE!). He also introduced her to a favorite childhood game: war with dolls (I mean figurines @@). They lined up their people and he told her where to stand. He should have told her where to look, because when he launched the bomb that was a rock, she mostly watched it hit her in the eye. Poor kid. He was grounded for the week! I told his mom that wasn't necessary, and that we mostly cracked up. She was beside herself. She is a good mom :)
And aren't bedtime just the most humorous. I mean, sure we are in a hurry to be free from all the shortness, but I just love tucking my kids in every night. Everyone has their own little ritual. Eli pretends to be a statue or sneaks Sam into his bed and tries in vain to keep from giggling. We have a knack for finding his butt cheeks through the cover and grab on for dear life. OR The Man takes to severely whacking him with a light saber. Sounds painful, but he misses perfectly every time. It always freaks Eli out!
Layla and Addison hide under their covers hoping no one will notice them. We pretend to be outraged at their disobedience and slam doors. The Man and I call to one another to get the spanking spoon, which always gets them giggling. And, by the time we finally pull back the blanket, their hair is so curly cue from the heavy breathing. They squeal as only little girls can, and then insist we wrap them up like a taco (layla) and a taquito (Addie).
Sam Fisher is my favorite because he wants a lullaby. We sing Rock-a-Bye Baby which he refers to as the baby song or I sing the Hebrew alphabet. Eli usually chimes in for a second round of the alphabet, then pretends to fall asleep midway through.
Izzy, doesn't realize it, but the whole time I am next to her bed, she is holding on to me. :) Sometimes The Man will throw her in her bed, but she is so knobby these days, she tends to gt hurt. Now he just pretends to jump on her, which freaks her out and makes me laugh. We recently decorated her room, and one wall is completely chalk board. So, I spent my time writing rotten things about her, and threatening her with punishments if she gets out of bed to change them.
Regularly we feel like doctors making the rounds, but I love it. I love how much my husband gets involved, too.
And aren't bedtime just the most humorous. I mean, sure we are in a hurry to be free from all the shortness, but I just love tucking my kids in every night. Everyone has their own little ritual. Eli pretends to be a statue or sneaks Sam into his bed and tries in vain to keep from giggling. We have a knack for finding his butt cheeks through the cover and grab on for dear life. OR The Man takes to severely whacking him with a light saber. Sounds painful, but he misses perfectly every time. It always freaks Eli out!
Layla and Addison hide under their covers hoping no one will notice them. We pretend to be outraged at their disobedience and slam doors. The Man and I call to one another to get the spanking spoon, which always gets them giggling. And, by the time we finally pull back the blanket, their hair is so curly cue from the heavy breathing. They squeal as only little girls can, and then insist we wrap them up like a taco (layla) and a taquito (Addie).
Sam Fisher is my favorite because he wants a lullaby. We sing Rock-a-Bye Baby which he refers to as the baby song or I sing the Hebrew alphabet. Eli usually chimes in for a second round of the alphabet, then pretends to fall asleep midway through.
Izzy, doesn't realize it, but the whole time I am next to her bed, she is holding on to me. :) Sometimes The Man will throw her in her bed, but she is so knobby these days, she tends to gt hurt. Now he just pretends to jump on her, which freaks her out and makes me laugh. We recently decorated her room, and one wall is completely chalk board. So, I spent my time writing rotten things about her, and threatening her with punishments if she gets out of bed to change them.
Regularly we feel like doctors making the rounds, but I love it. I love how much my husband gets involved, too.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Why I like Mike #17
He is taking me and the big kids to the rib cook-off tomorrow even though we are poor because tradition is important. Most of you know our story of moving to Reno after many years of prayer. Many of you have heard us say we moved here because of the Rib Cook-Off and the lemonade they have to offer. It really is all true. Well, I don't eat ribs of any sort, but I love going every year because it was part of what made us fall in love with this place. One weekend, about 7 years ago, our friend Joelle left her car in our care while she and her hubby went out of town. She said have fun, so we drove to Reno. (Please note, it was a lease she was soon to return and bitter about the number of miles she still had yet to burn. We would not normally steal your car and drive it to another city.) We knew the Cook-Off was happening, and because we had been the year before, we knew what we were missing. We went to the Cook-Off three times that weekend even though we were only here for two days. So, if you are needing to get ahold of The BrewCrew tomorrow, just head on down to Victorian Square. We will be the fools in bibs.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Too Tired!
School for the children and my husband started this week. I am sooooo tired. That is all I have to say about that.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Seriously!!!
The Giver by Lois Lowry
rating: 1 of 5 stars
Not at ALL for children. This book was recommended to me by many teachers. They must secretly hate me, because about three hours into listening to this book on tape with my children, I had to turn it off. The writing was excellent and the story thought provoking until it detailed how the father killed a little baby. My kids were very upset!! Then, the ending was not nearly great enough to redeem this story. Sorry, but I do NOT suggest this story.
View all my reviews.
My review
rating: 1 of 5 stars
Not at ALL for children. This book was recommended to me by many teachers. They must secretly hate me, because about three hours into listening to this book on tape with my children, I had to turn it off. The writing was excellent and the story thought provoking until it detailed how the father killed a little baby. My kids were very upset!! Then, the ending was not nearly great enough to redeem this story. Sorry, but I do NOT suggest this story.
View all my reviews.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
SIGH
I feel like this is me. Out here all alone. I need a date with my husband. We keep trying to just sit and talk, and that doesn't work either because there are so many other mouths needing to say something. Then we yell. Then we give up because we are tired of trying to finish the same sentence twelve times without success. I need a date with my husband.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Don't Roll Your Eyes at Me (aka Why I Like Mike)
The other day at Target, I was supposed to go to the Customer Service desk and pay my bill. I didn't bring the bill in with me, so I stepped out of line just as the worker lady was summoning me to come to the counter to call my husband on my cellular telephone. I stepped aside and told the man behind me that he could go because I think it is rude to be on the phone when you are conducting business with someone else. The obviously really joyfilled worker lady gave me the dirtiest look, rolled her eyes, and shook her head over what I can only interpret as her inability to understand what courtesy is. My answer was to point at her with my arm extended and say to Isabelle in a loud voice, "Izzy, do you see that lady? Now, I was trying to be considerate and let the man behind us go so I didn't have to talk on the phone while she was helping us, and because she is small minded, she rolled her eyes and gave me a dirty look instead of giving me the benefit of the doubt. That, Isabelle, is very rude behavior. Please do not grow up to act like that." While I was saying all of this, my husband had picked up his end of the telephone and listened quietly. Then HE said, "oh my gosh, can that lady hear what you are saying? You are so rude. Please stop talking." To which I cracked right up in laughter.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
A super fast update
Not really an update at all.Just a quick note to say I got home a few hours ago from visiting the fam and I am tired. Also, I feel like a schmuck because I was supposed to work in the nursery this morning, only I was stuck in an airport and couldn't get home. awesome. Dana, if you are reading this, I am more sorry than I can say. I left Virginia yesterday morning at 11:02 and though I was supposed to arrive to my door around 7 last night, I got in at 5 this afternoon. awesomer. My trip was great. I am still working at taming my hair from the humidity, but I am oh so glad to be home. I missed The Man the most because he worked a ton before I left and then I was gone. He is downstairs vegging out his brain from the chaos that is five children and an only parent. That means I get to check blogs. :) I am beyond exhausted.
Monday, July 21, 2008
TwoGive and FourGet
Forgiveness is such a tricky thing. We all have to do it at some point, and we all beg for it at other times. Sometimes we aren't literally on our knees begging, but we can become consumed with needing or giving forgiveness. We dread our next meeting, we worry about running into that someone unexpectedly, we constantly play and replay the incident in our minds until we have either justified our actions or added more dramatic flair than a scene from Hairspray the musical. Or, if you are like me, you have sarcastic lines ready for anything the wrong-doer throws at you. I don't think this is how God intended me to use my gift of wit, but it happens. It then becomes up to me alone to choose my path. Both paths lead to the inevitable end where I meet Jesus, but one will take me the long way around (thanks for this phrasing Tom). I will have to crawl under things, over bumps, around rotten logs, maneuver over missing pieces in the path, and most likely stumble more than if I were on the path God originally intended for me. The good route sure may still be a little bumpy, and the Bible ensures me I will stumble at times, but this path is concise and close to God. The chances of me hearing God are far greater because there are less distractions. The path on the left offers serenity, whereas the path on the right offers obstacles. I am a great multi-tasker, but I will no doubt have a hard time focusing on God's still small voice while I am busy mumbling swears about the struggles I am going through. Okay, I am not really a swearer, but you know what I mean.
This Sunday we had a guest speaker. He isn't a guest really, but a guy who goes to our church every Sunday. I love that our Pastor chooses people like this when he is away because when you are part of the community you are speeching to, you know better what that community is going through. No vague sermon necessary. This one was all about prayer; a teaching I have heard various ways and times through my 27 years of attempting to be a Christian. My favorite part was the side bar.
Tom spoke of the Hebrews and their grumbling. The word he used is 'murmuring.' To put it not mildly, our church has been experiencing some changes and there is much murmur which, in my mind, leaves little room for prayers. Exodus tells us~ "And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD hears your murmurings which you murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD." ew. ouch. dang it. That means when we gripe rather than pray, especially about our Pastor or church happenings, we aren't really grumbling about them at all. So every time I have complained about something my church is or isn't doing, every time I think of how much better I could be doing things, and every time I sit around with my friends and roll my eyes at how much the church spent on fill in the blank, I am really saying, "God, you seriously suck at this; I could do such a better job." Pride can be so big it hurts sometimes, huh?
For weeks I have been digesting the changes and the areas that sometimes bug me at church. I felt badly at first, but then someone wise reminded me questions aren't sinful. Doubting isn't even sinful. But what I do with it can be. Another dig into my giant pride again. Sucky. I am not through this trial. I am really in the middle of it, but I am past the deciding what to do phase and on to the start-moving stage. This seems to be the one that hurts the most. But I feel in order to keep my mind focused on being a non-grumbler and support my church, God is asking me to serve more. He said I am part of the problem because I am not part of the solution. To that I roll my eyes and say whatever, because I like to pout before I obey. Now that that is done, I am going to give a little more of myself to my church through prayer, participation, and leading where God wants me. Lucky for me, my pastor is out of town so I have a few days to stew over it before I really get started.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Deep Thoughts Not at All by Jack Handy
Layla Grace is getting to be so beautiful. She has always been striking, but now that she is getting a little older, I find I can't take my eyes off that girl. My favorite part is what a total smarty pants she is. The boys aren't going to know if they love her more for her looks or her brains. Because she has done so well in her schooling at home, we had her tested for grade placement for her start in public school next month. She breezed through the first grade assessments, and the teacher said she would do great as a 2nd grader. We prayed and prayed about the right decision. God gave us our clear answer when we called the school district and they informed us she has to be seven years old before she is allowed to skip a grade. That is fine. I am grateful for the pros of her staying put. I am still worried she will be bored in first grade, but I am trusting God to place her with a challenging teacher.
My husband, the hottest fire fighter this city has ever seen has been working like crazy. I feel blessed for the overtime and the opportunity to make money when so many people are struggling, but is it selfish to just want my man home?
My little son Samuel is upstairs sleeping in his very own big boy bed. :( sniff. I can't even believe he is old enough for that, but it has been killing him not to do EVERYthing just like his big brother. Sigh. I love it, it scares me, and makes me sad all at the same time.
I get to go see my nephews in a couple of days. I would put both of them on here, but I only have the one picture of the one nephew, so for now you get to look at the greatest Sanjaya look alike EVER.
UPDATE!! I got a new picture of the boys. Here are my cutie nephews, Adam and Noah.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Under Construction
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