Sparkly Green Earrings

A few months ago I asked Bruce to pick this book, Sparkly Green Earrings, up when he was making a trip to the bookstore in Springfield, Mo, during Fellowship Week. There was quite the buzz going on thru blogs, facebook and twitter and I knew if there was that much momtalk going on, it was probably going to be great.

So, thinking I would just have gobs and gobs of time to read this summer, I added it to my stack of soon to be read. And finally, Friday, I had the chance to read it. In 5 short hours, this gem of a book made me laugh, cry and feel. As a mom, it was like sitting down and having a visit with an old friend. The casualness of the written word made it an easy read...and I found myself wanting a sequel....NOW!

If you are a mom who has struggled with feeling up to par, choosing your kid's extra curriculars, potty training your child, miscarriage, family size, keeping your mouth shut, school transitions....then you MUST purchase this darling book.

Melanie Shankle (AKA Big Mama in the blogosphere) is as real and transparent as they come these days. She writes the truth. There's no sugarcoating the ups and the downs of mommyhood. 

At the close of the book I left feeling encouraged to be part of this seasonal moment of raising my kids. It won't last forever, the job description will change from bottle washer, to tear dryer, to counselor, to cheerleader...but you will always be helping to shape the heart of your child. 

So, click on the picture of the book above or go HERE to purchase your copy of my favorite book of the summer .... so far!

VBS Outreach Ideas #2

Last year I told you how our church did away with "craft" time at VBS. Instead we did Outreach Activities...You can read about last year's projects HERE.

This year here are our outreach projects:

Day 1:

Blessing Bags for Nurses - We collected tissues, anitbacs, candy and gum and stuffed 250 bags with tissue paper, supplies, a short devotional, tract and information about our church. We are distributing these to Dr. Offices, Dentist Offices, Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Homes, Rehab Centers and the hospital. 

Day 2:

Sock Bundles- We collected 250 pairs of socks, rolled them up and secured them with a rubber band, placed in a ziplock with church information and a tract. We will donate these to a homeless shelter and the Salvation Army. Socks and Underwear are the two most requested items by homeless shelters.

Day 3:

Waiting Room Bags- We collected notepads, tissues, gum, candy, hygiene packets, kleenex, snacks and bundled it with church info, a devotional and a tract and placed in a gift bag to distribute at the hospital in the waiting rooms. 

Day 4:

Water Bottles- We labeled 1000 bottles of water with a well-designed label that advertises our church service times and our children's ministries.  We will distribute these throughout the community at various events.

Thank you notes - our first and second graders wrote 60 thank you notes to the local Police and Fire Departments

It was great fun sharing this time with the children. I love teaching them about looking around and seeing what they can do to share kindness, God's love and joy with our community. 

Lost and Found

"I've lost my joy"... I've said these words. More than once, I'm ashamed to say. And I'm learning how foolish I am when I lose something that is so important. Like the keys to my car, or my kid at walmart or the address of a long lost friend. Foolish.....

I've let people rob me. I've let mean looks rob me. I've let gossip rob me. I've let misunderstandings rob me. I've let ministry rob me. I've let financial distress rob me. I've let friends rob me. I've let enemies rob me. I've let family rob me. I think you get the picture.

My point is, I've let these things happen. They didn't just "poof!" happen. They came in and captivated my thoughts, my fears, my insecurities and I LET them rob me of that special joy that comes from being a child of God and walking with Him. His Joy...The joy of the Lord.

Joy can say:

I love you, even though you treat me poorly. I don't want to treat you that way.
I will make it through this hurt. God's up to something.
My joy isn't found in my wallet.
God will never leave me, or forsake me. He's with me.

The joy of the Lord is knowing that weeping endures for the night. But the morning is coming.
The joy of the Lord walks in the truth of God's perfect Words.
The joy of the Lord doesn't let circumstances dictate attitude.
The joy of the Lord helps us walk confidently in who GOD says we are. And as I recently heard, "If you can stand clean before the Lord, you can stand clean before anybody!"

I'm learning this art of Joy. It doesn't come easily or naturally for my flesh. In fact it's about as opposite as it can get. No wonder the enemy wants to rob us. No wonder the world tries to discourage us. No wonder we feel overwhelmed by this journey.

Are you wondering where you left your joy? Find it at the same place you found it the first time...it's the real thing with Jesus. There are plenty of counterfeits out there that will tell you it's found in people and prosperity and possessions. But, at the end of the day...you can have all this world...Give me Jesus.

2 Acre Farm

Sometimes God blesses you more than you know how to express, but you try. 

Sometimes, He gives you the desires of your heart, He gives you favor.

And sometimes, He knocks your socks off. 

That's how I feel about this...

We've looked, found and today, we purchased...

Our soon to be 2 acre farm.

We're determined to use this land to honor the Lord...

How that will look? We're not entirely sure, but we know He will show us in His time. 

I'm hoping it involves a missionary retreat, 

large garden to share with neighbors and those in need,

maybe some chickens or goats or cows....(Ok...I know it's only 2 acres)

 and a peace-filled home to break bread and nurture friendships...young and old. 

Only time will tell....

And until then...and even then...

Thanks, Lord for all these blessings.

Basketful of Bargains

I'm busy at VBS this week at church....lots of fun going on, lots of sweat going on, lots of kids. Sounds fun, huh?

Anyway....if you're sitting in the comfort of your own home...with kids...send them on over to me at VBS and take some time to look at all the bargains at CBD this week:

I'll be back....after I shower, rest my feet and drink a diet coke!

Click HERE for the bargains....find something good!

Weekend Wrap Up

A quick wrap up of our week:

-We're in the throws of getting ready for VBS at the church. We have a recently hired Children's Director who has a fun week planned for the kids and we're looking forward to sharing God's love with our community next week.

- Savannah spent a day volunteering at the church. She and a friend washed every toy in the nursery. Between that and Taekwondo she's had a full week.

- Tucker's had a brief bout with poison ivy...it was caught in plenty of time so we didn't end up even having to go to the dr. Thank the Lord. Tucker remembers last year...and didn't want a shot in his backside!

- I tried this tip for fabric softening this week...and girlfriends...IT WORKS: (Click on Pic)

Source: matternfamily.com via Gina on Pinterest

- Bruce and I were treated to an evening out with some friends. We enjoyed the company and for me ...the adult conversation!

- I was deeply moved...and convicted...and burdened by THIS ARTICLE this week. I can't really explain it...but maybe after reading it, you too, will have something to contemplate and later act on.

- I tried this recipe off interest and I can't even describe in words how good it is! Try it!

Source: recipebyphoto.com via

The Gifts....Thankful Thursday

This week I'm thankful for these gifts:

1. For a glorious day at church Sunday...complete with gathered prayer for a sweet family in our church who suffered loss last week.

2. For a husband who will discipline his children.

3. For rain..twice!

4. For the opportunity to share....and receive kind words.

5. For a chat with my sister in law on the phone.

6. For a group of people who had a cancer fundraiser for one of my former student's sister, who has leukemia. Pray for Phoebe.

7. For three VBS's that are preparing to descend upon our town next week. Make Jesus Known!

8. For God's will revealed.

9. For 20 years celebrated...of imperfect marriage.

10. For a teenage boy...who is a social media guru...who will monitor our church feeds for us...proving again that God uses all our gifts, abilities and talents if we will allow Him to!

Thanks, God...for all these gifts and more.

What are you thankful for this week?

Once Upon A Time

June 19, 1993....20 years....

Half my life...

I've loved this man...

Sure...we were just kids when we said "I do". We had no idea how hard, and good, and precious and frightful this journey would be. And it's a good thing. Because I'm not very brave and I might would have changed my mind.

We've...

Finished College
Lived in Paris...Texas, that is, College Station, Beaumont, Gunter and Sulphur Springs...all Texas!
Become Aggie Fans
Survived 20 years of ministry together
Said goodbye to 4 babies through miscarriage
Loved many kids who were not our own
Said hello to 2 precious children through birth
Buried loved ones
Rejoiced over God's blessings
Cried over disappointments
Made mistakes
Apologized
Bought and sold houses
Made a home wherever we were
Celebrated birthdays and anniversaries and milestones
Have shared the lowest and highest moments of life

And there's still more...

More challenges
More celebrations
More "I'm sorrys"
More learning
More lows and highs

And because of the past we know...

We'll walk it all together. Because there are few greater joys in life than walking this life with someone you trust, you admire, you love, you respect, you enjoy...even after 20 years.

Thank you God...for these years and the ones to come...we are blessed.

Enjoy these pictures...We had some good chuckles with the kids over them last night!

Slightly Imperfect...

There's a slightly imperfect sale going on at Christian Book Distributors. If you love a bargain, like I do... check out this sale. Bottom of the barrel prices on top of the content books, gifts, music and what not. There are Bible study books, cookbooks, gift books, kid's books, homeschool books, fiction, non-fiction, biographies....all just slightly imperfect. Hope you find something good!

GO here: Slightly Imperfect Sale

The SALE goes on from June 18-24, so go today for the best selection!

1 Month of Homemaking

So today marks my one month anniversary since becoming a full time stay at home mom. A few things have dawned on me over the last month and so I thought I would share my random wealth of wisdom regarding my discoveries:

1. My kids are not nearly as excited about eating home cooked meals as I am.

2. Every mom should have a happy hour. I opt for an alcohol free one. One hour of kids in their rooms doing whatever kids do...1 hour of me doing whatever I want. It usually includes diet coke and a book....but could just as easily be a nap or crocheting or catching up with a friend. Do this one thing to save your sanity.

3. There's a lot of grime in my house....like the hairspray build-up that the swiffer has to remove each week from the bathroom floor (don't judge, I warned you, this post was random)

4. There are days that I don't leave my house. I'm ok with this.

5. The laundry...while, yes, it does get washed and folded, still has trouble putting itself away.

6. In an effort to save money I sarcastically offered to wash both vehicles by hand at home each week. I do hope that Bruce heard my sarcasm, because if not, you'll be seeing us in two awfully dirty cars soon.

7. I've managed to make banana bread, homemade cookies, muffins and brownies this month. I think it's time for a carb intervention.

8. Tucker's revolt against the 15 minutes of reading time each day culminated with him reading a dictionary the other day. Bad idea. Rethinking this whole thing now. There are words children should not try to sound out before they are able to understand them.

9. God's teaching me that I don't have to be busy right now. It's a time of discovery...discovering my children's gifts and talents, discovering recipes, discovering a rhythm that works for our family and discovering what God wants from me during this season. It doesn't have to look like anything anyone else is doing. It's a unique design.

10. And lastly, Bruce is way too glad I'm home. He's commenting on the way the house smells....and it's not in that "smelly sock, vegetables rotting in the back of the fridge" way.

Looking forward to the next month....and years.

Book Recommendation!

This short and to the point book is an easy, yet convicting read. Bruce picked it up at a recent trip to BBC and I read it after he left it on the kitchen table one morning. If you're a church member...you should read it...and if you're not....you should read it. I think that just about covers everyone! It's only $5.....$5???? I know! I can't believe it either!

I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes the Difference By Thom S. Rainer / B & H Publishing Group I Am a Church Member seeks to remedy the outbreak of inactive or barely committed church members. It addresses--without apology--what is expected of those who join a body of believers. When a person's attitude is consistently biblical and healthy, matters of giving, serving, and so forth will fall into place more naturally and Rainer's practical work unpacks what that should look like. Six compelling chapters with study questions guide this more-important-than-ever discussion: 1. I Will Be a Unifying Church Member 2. I Will Not Let the Church Be About My Preferences and Desires 3. I Will Pray for My Church Leaders 4. I Will Lead My Family to Be Healthy Church Members 5. I Will Be a Functioning Member 6. I Will Treasure Church Membership as a Gift Buy it HERE !!! It's only $5 today! That's a bargain!

Ain't Gonna Lie

Some days, like this Father's Day are hard. Bruce is experiencing his first Dad's Day without his own dad. His mom and sister are mourning in their own ways and me and the kids are quietly offering hugs and love when it's appropriate. Sometimes, there are no words and the subtle presence of you is really the most comfortable thing you can offer.

I'm not gonna lie. Days like today aren't fun. It's just enough to get through. And it's in these moments that God asks for our praise. It's this "sacrifice of praise"...it costs us something. We have to deny ourselves, transfer our self-centeredness to God centeredness because really anything less than that isn't a sacrifice. We praise Him in spite of our feelings, our emotions, our desires, our opinions. It's the praising in the storm that Casting Crowns talks about. Way easier song to sing than to mean.

So today...on a day that's less than stellar, we choose to praise God. To remember His faithfulness to us. To glory in this temporary suffering. To honor His with our sacrifice.

Our gifts from today:

1. A God who is familiar with our pain
2. Good Memories to remind us of God's faithfulness
3. Lessons passed down from generation to generation
4. Photographs to share with our kids
5. Laughter for all the good and crazy and out of control times.

Thanks God...for these gifts and more today.

Imperfect Dads

I had an imperfect dad. Charles Douglas Anderson:

He was a closet smoker, wore white socks with black dress shoes (gasp), said the occasional bad word, worked on Sundays sometimes, was color blind, flat footed and if you asked my sister, she would tell you he picked favorites and she was it (however...I'm not sure of the truth to that matter).

I had an imperfect father-in-law. David Alfred Stinson:

He spoiled his kids, wore a toupee for a number of years, got mad when you said something negative about his family, enjoyed a little extra attention, paid for his kids car insurance way into their adult years and even though his daughter would swear she was the favorite...we all know...the grandkids outranked her.

I have an imperfect step-father. Harley Thomas Morris:

He laughs loudly, tells redneck jokes, sends lots of forwards through email, hugs entirely too tightly (shame on him), refuses to rest when he's supposed to, doesn't like to eat out, disobeys drs. orders and would rather fish than shop.

My kids daddy is imperfect too... Ronald Bruce Stinson:

He works too hard, tries to please people, cares sooo deeply, forgets to take out the trash, tells corny jokes, uses improper grammar occasionally, has quite a few hobbies, has favorites songs that span multiple decades...beginning in the 70's, and corrects me when I drive.

I jest...sort of.

I was just thinking today about these men who have influenced how I view the role of a father...and complete with all their imperfections, I realize now more than ever, these are 4 of the best men who have ever walked this earth.

Because amid all those imperfections they are or were:

God fearing
Devoted to their family
Solid in their Beliefs
Hard Working
Teachable
Loving
Giving
Servants
Caring
Prayerful
Joyful
Patient
Kind
Forgiving
and

Imperfect.

They have taught me how to recover. They've taught me how to get back up when life knocks you down. They've taught me that, besides God, family is top priority. They've taught me to seize the moment, give extravagantly, serve unnoticed and to love, love, love.

These are the lessons of imperfect men. This is their legacy. These are the lessons of men who have lived with eternity in their hearts...Lessons they taught more through their actions than through their words. Lessons full of honesty and integrity.

Imperfect? Yes. And I'll take it. Each lesson. Each moment. Each memory. Each day. Because in the end, I already have a perfect Father. I know Him and so did my imperfect dads.

Maybe that's why they've been such good fathers.

I think so.

A Little Cheesy

Yesterday I had the blessing of speaking at our community wide Widow to Widow group. The group meets every other month at various locations and shares lunch, fellowship and a short devotion. I really enjoyed getting to know these ladies and hearing their vision for a broader ministry in our county.

As I said, we shared a meal. One of the ladies had made the best pimento cheese sandwiches and as she gathered her dishes from the buffet table to go home, I nearly knocked her over to find our the recipe. (Sorry, Mrs. Sue) So, here's her secret recipe for the best pimento cheese in the universe:

1. Small container of Prices Pimento Cheese Spread already prepared (see, you like this recipe already)

2. One small container of whipped cream cheese

3. Handful or 1/2 c. pecans (optional)

Mix the pimento cheese and the whipped cream cheese 50/50

Add pecans if desire.

That's it.

Well, she did trim the crust of the fresh white bread, just like any good grandma would do...but truly, I don't think it influenced the taste!

Go....now....make yourself some!

Enjoy!

The Gifts...Thankful Thursday

This Thursday I'm thankful for....

1. A sister in law who takes my kids and their friends to the local pool and gives me a few hours of Hallmark Channel time...thanks Sassy!

2. Our church staff that is truly all over the place this week. Two in Peru, two at work camp and the rest  holding down the fort here... Such a hardworking, God-n-people loving group of ministers.

3. .. the mission teams that are represented out of our church this summer 15 to Peru, 16 to Workcamp, 1 to Africa, 1 to Canada and at the end of the summer 38 to Wyoming. What a blessing to share Jesus worldwide!

4.  For fresh veggies from a friend's garden.

5. For a long talk with my mom on the phone....even at 40, nothing is better than talkin' to your momma.

6. For mail from Papua New Guinea and for modern technology that makes thousands of miles not seem quite so far.

7. For the peace of God, which passes all my understanding.

For this and so much more.

What are you thankful for today?

Some Days

Some days I don't get anything done.

That's right. Nothing gets done....

And it's ok.

Because some days you just need to sit and read with your kids, and some days you just need to watch a netflix, or go to the park or make your own snow cones or read your Bible for a long long time. Some days you don't need to get anything done.

The laundry isn't going anywhere. The house can be cleaned tomorrow. The yardwork and projects can wait. Some days, you need to evaluate the situation around you and you need to do nothing.

Nothing.

Instead, you need to do the thing that really matters. A long talk, a prayer with a friend, a book with a child, a date with a spouse. Because if we wait 'til there's time, it just might never happen, or we'll blink and time will have taken the moments away.

Some days we can be busy living this life...and really not fully live at all.

What's the thing you need to do today?

Great Deals at CBD

I've been shopping through Christian Books for around twenty years now. I remember very early in my marriage looking forward to getting one of their newsprint catalogs in the mail once a month or so. Hope you enjoy browsing some of their best deals...

There are a plethora of Web Specials over at Christian Book Distributors this week.

A few of my favorites are:

Children's Bargain Books

Bargain Bundles 

Under $1 

Bible Bargains

Affiliate Discloser: In an effort for full disclosure, I am am affiliate for Christian Book Distributors and do receive a small commission on merchandise ordered through the affiliate links listed on this website. 

5 years

It's been five years since I started blogging. June 7, 2008, marked my first blog entry. So much has changed and so much has stayed the same...

Changes...

Well, I'm older...and hopefully a little wiser. I've gone from writing for myself, to thinking about the audience of reader's that occasionally or regularly visit this space. My life has changed as I am now mothering an almost 11 year old and a 7 year old. We don't talk diapers and bottles...but rather Taekwondo and iPods. We've gone through some trials and some mountaintop experiences and while I haven't shared every intimate detail on the blog, those experiences have shaped my writing and my heart. I will never be the same.

The Same..

I still feel incredibly blessed to be a wife, mom. The main reason I even starting writing this was so that in some way there would be a written legacy for my kids. I want them to see the struggle, the pain, the joy, the good times and learn from what God taught us. I still write what I know....and most of the time that has something to do with my family, friends or church. I'm still sorry for anything embarrassing that I may share from time to time about them....but hey, that's part of the memories, right? God's is still faithfully guiding each step of the journey. I still trust Him..although I don't always understand. Thankfully that's not a prerequisite. I'm pretty sure the tone of the blog will stay the same. I like to think about us sitting down to a diet coke at my kitchen table and just catching up. Hopefully something said will minister to your heart and bind us together to the Savior more.

So what's in store for the future...probably more about my family than you might want to know. God's allowing me to stay home full time now and so there's actually stuff going on here that I'm not sure goes on other places...so I might need your help. I can assure you there's going to be some talk about church...and ideas for ministry and there's going to continue to be a lot of talk about Jesus. Because without Him there'd be nothing for me to write about. There's going to be some grammar mistakes, some run on sentences, misplaced punctuation and spelling errors. And there's going to be homeschool talk and gardening and homemaking and crafting and Bible Study and parenting talk.

Goals...

I'd like more conversations in the community we are building here. I'd like to know if you resonate with something I write or if you think it's crazy and off the wall. I can handle it. I'd like to know how to pray for you or encourage you. I'd like to know more about my readers. So..drop me a line...or leave a comment.

Thanks for the five years...I can't imagine what things will look like in 5 more!

Choosing Us

I'm recording this moment in the event that in just a few short years I need a reminder that at some point in their lives....they chose us.

Mondays are fundays around our house. Bruce is off and we typically are recovering from a busy Sunday. Yesterday was no exception and so last night as we were deciding how we would spend Monday, we gave the kids several choices:

1. Go to the movies...get popcorn, drinks...the whole nine yards.

2. Pack up a picnic lunch and go to the local park and play.

3. Enjoy a PJ day with mom and dad, complete with games, netflix, wrestling (Tucker's request) and music.

Ding Ding Ding!!! They chose #3. As much as I would have enjoyed a movie, or even the 90+ degree heat....I was thrilled they chose us. We enjoyed a day of Apples to Apples, Mario Kart, practicing TKD, listening to Toby Mac, watching Saved by the Bell and a yummy dinner of homemade spaghetti and salad. Truly a day we all needed. Oh, and yes, Tucker (7yo) and Bruce (42) had their wrestling match. The loser can hardly walk....I'll let you guess who that is.

So...in the future..when I'm wondering if they ever really enjoyed being at home, with us, I'm coming back here...to remind myself...one Monday...they chose us!

The Gifts...Thankful Thursday

For this moment....

1. I am thankful for a week to catch up on a little rest. I have felt wiped out....possibly from the marathon cleaning of the past couple of weeks. Now, I feel like I can let my body rest without feeling the mom guilt. (which we can talk about at another time)

2. I am thankful that, in Texas, I can grow tomatoes through to November. Which means that although I didn't get them planted until last week, I'll have them in time to make some yummy salsa. Planted peppers too.

3. I am thankful for my Sunset Candle Co. candle that makes my house smell soooo good. 

4. I am thankful for the beautiful flowers blooming in my yard. Moon lilies, lantana, lipstick ladies. God's handiwork all around me.

5. I'm thankful God hears our prayers and our dreams and sometimes He allows those to collide. He's doing that for me and I'm just about as blessed as I could ever imagine. 

What are you thankful for this week? 

Unhappy Endings

Sometimes we don't get our way.

I know, shocking.

Sometimes life falls through. The job ends. The kids mess up. The friend fails. The loan is denied. The medical test comes back positive. The spouse leaves. Sometimes it doesn't matter that we didn't "DO" anything...Sometimes we don't have any control. 

And if you thought temper tantrums ended when you turned three....well you know better than that if you've ever had a three year old!!! We still pout, we still cry, we still sulk, we still rant, we still kick and scream til someone gives us a little attention. It's what we do. We're disappointed, self-consumed, upset, disheartened, devastated, angry. 

We've all been there.

So, how are we supposed to handle unhappy endings..the ones where everyone doesn't fall in love and get married and drive off in the sunset smiling? I've wondered this many times and the only place I ever get comfort is from the Word of God. 

Look at these guys and gals from the Bible....Moses, Job, Joseph, David, Ruth and many more. Each of them had a set of unpleasant circumstances....things they wouldn't have chosen for themselves if given the opportunity to foresee the future. Yet....they did two things. They grieved and they trusted. They acknowledged their pain to the Lord. They grieved their losses, disappointments and frustrations. They cried to the Lord...

David...Psalm 130, 142, 120, 141

Moses... Exodus 14, 15, 17, Numbers 12

Job... Job 7, 30

Joseph.. Genesis 45

Ruth...Ruth 1,2,3

In the midst of their hurting and frustration God sent them and many others a message...Fear Not!

Abraham: Genesis 15v1
Isaac: Genesis 26v24
Jacob: Genesis 43v3
Moses: Exodus 14v13
Joshua: Joshua 8v1; 10v8
Jehoshaphat: 2 Chronicles 20v17
The Remnant: Isaiah 41v10, 13, 14; 43v1, 5; 44v2
Ezekiel: Ezekiel 3v9
Daniel: Daniel 10v12
Joseph: Matthew 1v20
Zacharias: Luke 1v13
Mary: Luke 1v30
The shepherds: Luke 2v10
Paul: Acts 27v24
John: Revelations 1v17

Don't fear the future, the past. Don't fear people or circumstances or test results or _____________.

And the opposite of Fear...is Trust.

Trusting God with all the details of your life is much harder than it sounds. But when you put it into the perspective of trusting Him with the details of your eternity, trusting Him with the smaller things in life (however "big" they feel) should be easier.

Do you trust Him? Even with the unhappy endings? When you don't understand? When things don't make sense? It's hard. Yet, the peace we receive by reading His word, crying out to Him, trusting His plan is more satisfying and comforting than if we try to figure things out ourselves. It's not up to us to always "know and understand". He just wants us to believe that He's taking care of things...even when they are unpleasant, even when the outcome isn't part of our happily ever after plan. Remember His love is greater, His reach is farther, His hand is bigger. His mind and plans are beyond our imaginations. He can handle your grief, your tears, your heartache, disappointments and even your anger. But He doesn't want you to stay there...move from grief, to trust..because You can trust Him.

You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

—Isaiah 26:3-4

Menu Monday

Here's what's cooking at our house for dinner this week:

Monday: Little Cesar's Pizza (hold your applause)

Tuesday: Fajitas and grilled corn (good deal at Wal-mart on fresh corn...you should get some)

Wednesday: Hot Dogs, Chips

Thursday: Spaghetti, Salad

Friday: BLT's, Pasta Salad

Saturday: Grilled Steaks, Potatoes, Veggies

Sunday: Leftovers

Homemade Goal- I am making a goal of baking our bread this week. THIS is the recipe I'm making.

Lunches- Sandwiches, Leftovers and any leftover easy meals from school year (Ramen Noodles, Easy-man, Lunchables, Frozen lunch meals) I'm trying to move some food out of the pantry and freezer!

Breakfast- Cereal, Poptarts, fruit, breakfast bars.

What's cookin' at your house?

Post Sunday Thoughts

Some Sunday's are better than others. Yesterday was one of those. Although it was one of the longest, busiest Sundays, God was busy.

1. I finished up teaching in the ladies Sunday school class at church. I've just been filling in while the teacher was out taking care of a family member who has been ill. These ladies have been such a blessing to me. Almost everyone of them is older than I am, so it was a little intimidating sharing my small amount of life experience with them. I discovered how thankful I am that when God's Word speaks it really doesn't matter who is doing the talking...He's louder. We have had some wonderful discussion over some of my favorite Psalms. I've been reminded just how much God cares for us. 

2. We had a musician's meeting after church. As always, when you get a group of creative minds together there are plenty of opinions and dreaming and ideas. I am thankful for the people God has placed together to mesh worship ideas together. I loved hearing a 15 year old young man share his ideas, as well as hearing the ideas of the oldest member of the group. It's beautiful when the body of Christ is working towards the same goal of worshipping the creator. 

3. Savannah sang a solo in church for the first time. She has sung small parts in programs with the kid's choir backing her up, but this was her first time all alone on the big stage. She did so good (well, of course, I am her mom, so I would say that...but some other people said it too). She sang Jamie Grace's Lead Me On. 

4. During the evening service we held our new/perspective members class. We had 11 people at the meeting. We enjoyed fellowship with them and with our officers and staff afterwards. I love those people and their sweet and fun personalities. 

When we finally got home it was close to nine or maybe after...not really sure. We all got in our jammies and vegged on the couch for a little bit. We rehashed the goodness of God on our day and reflected a little on what God is busy doing in our own lives. Bruce talked about the sermon, a meeting with our Caraway Worker's and Savannah rehashed her piano lessons from the day. Tucker told on himself and got a little extra sermon on kindness and compassion. And slowly but surely we all realized how tired we were...

But, as tired as we are post Sunday...we are so very thankful that we get to do this amazing job. 

Sunday's Reading

Lots and lots of good links out there this week. Hope you have a few minutes to be encouraged, enjoy a laugh or to just be entertained. Here you go:

1. From my favorite diet coke loving author, Lysa Terkurst....on my favorite blog....one of the best articles I've ever read.. Click HERE to read about how mama's can feel sometimes.

2. If you need a little bit of a chuckle...you should read THIS ....about something that we really do need to talk about at this time of year.

3. If one chuckle wasn't enough.... Go HERE. Evidently this 1980's form of exercise is making a comeback. Be sure to watch the video in it's entirety to get the full impact.

4. If you homeschool a middle schooler or a high school student who needs a foreign language credit, THIS might be just what you're looking for.

5. I came across THIS article written back in January. If you're parenting boys...this is pretty good stuff.

6. Chuckle #3 alert: Whether you're a teacher or a student or a parent, by the end of the year, it's all survival of the fittest. I've never been fit, so THIS article pretty much sums up how it is.

So....you might say there's a little less seriousness on the blog today...you're right. But hey, somebody out there needs to laugh...most of us do. And a quote I heard this week that has stuck with me is, "Take yourself less seriously and your ministry more seriously". I think we could all use a good belly laugh now and then. Hope this helped you get yours!

Weekend Wrap Up

This week has been much less intense than last. Maybe it was that it started with Memorial Day. Bruce enjoyed the day off by installing our latest QVC find....an air conditioner for the den. He had some help from one of the handymen at church and his son. At first I was skeptical about their skills, since the words "I think we made a wrong cut" were uttered, it took two trips to a friends house to cut one of the pieces, and there were lots of groans...and they actually got the directions out and read them. BUT, after all that, they did manage to get it installed and now we are nice and cool in the den.

Real Men Read Directions

We spent part of our day Sunday and Monday taking care of a couple of cool boys while their parents were out of town. This was a thrill for Tucker...Savannah managed to find a way to stay away most of the time the guys were here...typical yucky boy aversion. Before 9am Monday morning we had a sink full of water balloons and it was war.

By midweek, I think the last 12 days of house overhaul hit me. I needed a V-8 or some chocolate or at the very least, a diet coke. I did manage to make an amazing (Bruce's word) roast in the crock-pot on Tuesday. In fact it might have secured my status as a stay at home wife/mom for the rest of my life.

In the middle of the house overhaul I ended up with a couple of piles. You know, the ones where you know you need to find a place and space for the items but your just not quite sure where that will be? Well I had been putting off doing that but finally on Thursday decided that no one was going to do it for me, so in just a matter of minutes I had those taken care of. Makes me wonder why I procrastinated so much.

So, all in all, a pretty uneventful week. Thankfully. I think my body needed it!