I recently purchased Organized Simplicity from amazon.com because pretty much anything that Ann Voskamp recommends I feel is worth reading. I've been planning a house purge for the month of July since about April. So, this book is coming at the perfect time.
The great thing about Tsh (the author) is that she hasn't written another self-help, run of the mill, cookie-cutter home book. She's written a well-thought, goal based method for concentrating on the things that are important to you and your family. She says one of the first things that you should do before simplifying things at home is to determine and write out your FAMILY PURPOSE STATEMENT.
Do you have one for your family? Well, I must be living under a rock because we don't....I mean not specifically...nope...we don't. So, I've been giving a lot of thought to it....I've asked Bruce to think about what he feels our family purpose is so that we can begin to put together our statement. I've been thinking beyond today and to what I really hope that my kids will grow up to be ...Christlike, grace-filled, compassionate, loving, sacrificial, humble. Tsh says that once you've determined your family's purpose statement that you organize and simplify your home according to that purpose. So when you make purchases you ask how that purchase will help you fulfill or incorporate your purpose statement.
This makes perfect sense to me. But she goes further. She talks about filling our schedules and lining them up with the purpose statement. How does this or that activity reflect God's purpose for your family. Working late, soccer practice, music lessons....none are wrong or bad in and of themselves, but when they interfere with the purpose God has designed for your family, they can become a distraction to doing what God wants your family to do.
In the next few days I will be posting our purpose statement...in the meantime if you're curious about Family Purpose Statements you can check out this: THE SIMPLE MOM
Let me know if you decide to start working on your family purpose statement....or if you already have one leave a post in the comments.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
The Right Thing To Say
I'm not an overly depressed person. I don't usually stay completely overwhelmed by life's trials for a long period of time. I've learned through the years to surround myself with friends who will call me out on self-pity, inquire when I am in a funk and love me enough to cry with me...or tell me to get over it. I'm blessed to have a few friends who will be that iron-sharpens-iron gals in my life.
However....just like you (I'm guessing), sometimes life throws me a curve call and I get sad or mad and God sends just the right person to say just the right thing my way to speak truth, grace, joy and peace over my life.
Something like that happened the other day. I heard an encouraging word that not only blessed me, but Bruce too. Hearing that you are valued, gifted, talented, special, unique, hardworking, dedicated... not only did just the trick for our spirits but motivated us to keep at it...keep going...press on, work hard. Sometimes you need to hear it from someone you know isn't just stroking your ego....but from someone who has taken a hard look and watched with a discerning heart...someone who has even walked in your shoes a mile or two. The last thing you or anyone needs to hear is a fake compliment...or worse yet, a complete lie.
I'm thankful for a man who was pure in motive, gave some wonderful insight, spoke a word in season and loved us enough to make the time to say something nice. It made me think a little about the times that God has prompted me to encourage or bless someone with a compliment or a good word. The Bible tells us that a good worker is due praise, Christians should edify one another, and that a word spoken at the right time is beautiful. I'm motivated to really take a look around me and look at the many people that are doing wonderful things for the kingdom of God. Because, just like the soothing balm the words of an encourager were to me, a word spoken at just the right time, might be just the thing someone who is discouraged and disheartened needs to hear.
On a side note....sometimes when you're feeling sorry for yourself or having a bad day....speak an encouraging word to someone else and you may just find your day gets better too!
Leave a comment to share how you've been encouraged by someone else or if you have an idea that would encourage someone else. I'd love to hear it!
However....just like you (I'm guessing), sometimes life throws me a curve call and I get sad or mad and God sends just the right person to say just the right thing my way to speak truth, grace, joy and peace over my life.
Something like that happened the other day. I heard an encouraging word that not only blessed me, but Bruce too. Hearing that you are valued, gifted, talented, special, unique, hardworking, dedicated... not only did just the trick for our spirits but motivated us to keep at it...keep going...press on, work hard. Sometimes you need to hear it from someone you know isn't just stroking your ego....but from someone who has taken a hard look and watched with a discerning heart...someone who has even walked in your shoes a mile or two. The last thing you or anyone needs to hear is a fake compliment...or worse yet, a complete lie.
I'm thankful for a man who was pure in motive, gave some wonderful insight, spoke a word in season and loved us enough to make the time to say something nice. It made me think a little about the times that God has prompted me to encourage or bless someone with a compliment or a good word. The Bible tells us that a good worker is due praise, Christians should edify one another, and that a word spoken at the right time is beautiful. I'm motivated to really take a look around me and look at the many people that are doing wonderful things for the kingdom of God. Because, just like the soothing balm the words of an encourager were to me, a word spoken at just the right time, might be just the thing someone who is discouraged and disheartened needs to hear.
On a side note....sometimes when you're feeling sorry for yourself or having a bad day....speak an encouraging word to someone else and you may just find your day gets better too!
Leave a comment to share how you've been encouraged by someone else or if you have an idea that would encourage someone else. I'd love to hear it!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The Girl and The Boy
Savannah and Tucker.....
We're in the midst of a extremely busy-wonderful-tiring-exhilarating week of VBS at church. Don and April Claphan along with their daughter are with us and Don is doing a fantastic job sharing Mythbuster scenarios with the kids and already we are seeing the Lord work in little lives. It's beautiful to watch.
That being said, we started the week out wrong. Not intentionally, but after a late night reunion at Whataburger with the Claphan's and other friends, we didn't get the kids in bed at a decent hour on Sunday evening or Monday evening. So....Grumps and Grumpy, while extremely excited about VBS have been dragging a little more each day. So, last night we called in reinforcements for Tucker while we took our friends to dinner. Savannah went with us to visit with their daughter.
We were sitting at the local Mexican food place enjoying our chips and salsa when Savannah asked to go to the bathroom. She went. But when she didn't come back pretty quickly I went to check on her. She said she wasn't feeling good...but being the tough mom I am told her to go back to her seat, eat dinner and she would be fine. Besides....I had some leverage....she wanted red hair paint for her team spirit for VBS and walmart was the next stop after dinner. So, she went back to her seat, was feeling better, our meal was brought out, she ate, she threw up all over the table....yes, you read correctly....and then she spewed all over the table....NEARLY missing our friends daughter....but not quite. Yep...nearly...not quite. Geez...louise!!!
But...after that incident she was feeling GREAT! Well...of course she was....she had nothing in her tum-tum. So we proceeded to get all geared up for the red team at Walmart. We were perusing the craft department for face paint when Bruce came walking towards me with a panicked look...something that told me he had either knocked over something in the produce department or something was wrong at home....where TUCKER was. Yep...that was it. "My sister can't find Tucker". Um, that's not good. He reiterated this 10 times while I was standing there. Debbie, sister of Bruce, had called and said that they were playing and he hid and she couldn't find him and had even told him to come out....(even now, I'm chuckling because this is so TUCKER!) So after a few minutes she still can't find the little toot. Bruce grabbed the keys and was going to run to the house when finally....after 10 minutes or so, Tucker made an appearance. He is an expert hider....not so good on the seeker part. Relief rushed over Bruce's face....and in my mind I just chuckled....Tucker loves giving everyone a run for their money!
In the midst of all THAT.....Bruce invited our friends over to the house...the house that I have not touched to clean in several days since I have been sick. But thankfully, they looked beyond some dirty dishes, misplaced shoes and a little clutter and we enjoyed a nice evening of fellowship and Peruvian coffee. I like friends like that!
Now...the kids have been tucked in early....Savannah's feeling good, Tucker's been disciplined and I think the rest of the week will run more smoothly! We shall see!
Thankful for these little people who add such flavor to my life!
A head full of random
So if you've managed to survive the randomness that gets posted on this blog over the last few weeks and you're still with me....thank you! I was talking to a young man at church yesterday who said he's been reading my blog (which frankly scares me when men....young or old say that...since I never really gave a lot of thought to that.....I just thought only women would read it...) mainly to keep up with the Peru stuff and I warned him things can get pretty random here....So, Andrew, if you're still reading....this was what I was talking about!
Summer ....feels like it is just starting. Since the first few weeks out of school were pretty crazy getting things finalized for Peru, I don't really feel like we had a good grasp on the heavenly months of June, July and August. But now that we are back from the trip, have had a week to recover and are in the throws of VBS it "feels" more like the summers I know and love. If you know me at all....then you know that summer will bring some sort of decorating or renovating. I haven't quite decided what that will be yet since there's really not anything pressing that needs to be done, so maybe I'll just paint my old kitchen table with a chalkboard top and let the kids spend the summer creating fabulous chalk drawings for me. I'll be sure to talk before and after pictures....and if you've painted with chalkboard paint before and think there is a tip I MUST know....now would be a good time to share that.
What I need to be spending time doing is.....working in my yard. I have a weed problem that I need to get a handle on...but doesn't that just scream BORING. However, I do love, love, love the results of a hard days work in the yard. So, after this week, that will be on my to do list.
What I've been reading....Lori Wick is known for easy writing...which makes for easy reading. I've had a touch of a "bug" since I got back from Peru and have had some down time. I picked up "Cassidy", which is part of the Big Sky Dreams collection, last week and breezed through it in 24 hours. If you're looking for an enjoyable Christian Fiction book I'd recommend it.
What I've been thinking about....are some women's ministry ideas that I'll be talking with Pastor about soon. Excited that God is allowing me to be a part of organizing and leading the special group of women in our church and community. I've also been thinking about what I can do to live out the things God taught me in Peru.
So there you have it...the long and short of what's going on in my head right now. This time will pass all too soon and it will be time to think about colors and shapes and letters and numbers....But, for now, I'm embracing today....and all the things God has for me now!
Summer ....feels like it is just starting. Since the first few weeks out of school were pretty crazy getting things finalized for Peru, I don't really feel like we had a good grasp on the heavenly months of June, July and August. But now that we are back from the trip, have had a week to recover and are in the throws of VBS it "feels" more like the summers I know and love. If you know me at all....then you know that summer will bring some sort of decorating or renovating. I haven't quite decided what that will be yet since there's really not anything pressing that needs to be done, so maybe I'll just paint my old kitchen table with a chalkboard top and let the kids spend the summer creating fabulous chalk drawings for me. I'll be sure to talk before and after pictures....and if you've painted with chalkboard paint before and think there is a tip I MUST know....now would be a good time to share that.
What I need to be spending time doing is.....working in my yard. I have a weed problem that I need to get a handle on...but doesn't that just scream BORING. However, I do love, love, love the results of a hard days work in the yard. So, after this week, that will be on my to do list.
What I've been reading....Lori Wick is known for easy writing...which makes for easy reading. I've had a touch of a "bug" since I got back from Peru and have had some down time. I picked up "Cassidy", which is part of the Big Sky Dreams collection, last week and breezed through it in 24 hours. If you're looking for an enjoyable Christian Fiction book I'd recommend it.
What I've been thinking about....are some women's ministry ideas that I'll be talking with Pastor about soon. Excited that God is allowing me to be a part of organizing and leading the special group of women in our church and community. I've also been thinking about what I can do to live out the things God taught me in Peru.
So there you have it...the long and short of what's going on in my head right now. This time will pass all too soon and it will be time to think about colors and shapes and letters and numbers....But, for now, I'm embracing today....and all the things God has for me now!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Multitudes on Mondays #22-31
Feel free to share your Multitude of Blessings by leaving a comment or linking up at A HOLY EXPERIENCE.
22. Grandparents to help us with our kids at a moments or months notice. Thankful for all the help they offered as we prepared and traveled to Peru.
23. Simplicity of summer
24. 15 ladies who've studied with me for 13 weeks to be more grounded in God's word.
25. A man who snagged our Pizza Hut bill the other night while we were out.
26. A good sale on kid's clothes
27. Tree that fell on our house but caused no damage
28. The pleasure of reading a good book
29. The testimony of a faithful man who met Jesus this week, but lived Jesus' message for many years
30. Fresh tomatoes from a church member
31. That His mercies are new each morning
What about you? Do you see God's blessings in the everyday?
22. Grandparents to help us with our kids at a moments or months notice. Thankful for all the help they offered as we prepared and traveled to Peru.
23. Simplicity of summer
24. 15 ladies who've studied with me for 13 weeks to be more grounded in God's word.
25. A man who snagged our Pizza Hut bill the other night while we were out.
26. A good sale on kid's clothes
27. Tree that fell on our house but caused no damage
28. The pleasure of reading a good book
29. The testimony of a faithful man who met Jesus this week, but lived Jesus' message for many years
30. Fresh tomatoes from a church member
31. That His mercies are new each morning
What about you? Do you see God's blessings in the everyday?
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The Take-Away - Review #7
I've had some time to really think about the things I will take away from this trip to Peru. Certainly all the obvious things like...
- I am more thankful than ever for hot water, toilet seats, toilet paper, ice, diet coke, air conditioning, grocery stores, American food
- I am more aware of the abundance I have ....in material possessions, in my family relationships, in America
- Lost people are everywhere...sin levels the playing field and the grace story hits the homerun
But there were a few less obvious things that I am taking away. These things have just hit me this week as I've had time to really think about the reasons God allowed me this trip.
- God allowed us to witness some of the most amazing scenes while we were passing out tracts and Bibles....things like women kissing the Bible they held in their hands, sailors stopping to read the tracts handed to them, a construction foreman hoping that we had enough Bible's for the entire construction crew. There was such a hunger....why? And I've been wondering about myself in all that...is my hunger that great? Is there an eagerness to share? Is there an aggressiveness to be sure those around me have God's Word? Is there a passion to be sure everyone gets a chance to hear? What does this look like for me? Am I willing to send, pray and go?
This was a little disheartening to see...A study of 1200 towns in America....but no fundamental church to attend...For argument's sake...let say that in reality there is at least one church in 1/2 these towns, since it's not clear when the study was done....still...look at the results:
I guess I just don't want to be let off the hook. I don't want God to leave me alone just because I am not moving to Peru. I want to be bothered by the faces of lost people where I am at this moment. I want to be burdened by poverty, prostitution, slavery of any kind and sin. I want to feel those same emotions and longings toward the people in Sulphur Springs and the rest of the USA that I felt in Peru. Those feelings of hope, longing, desire for them to know the one who gives eternal life. I want to be as free to love someone living next door to me as I did Rita, a Peruvian woman who ran a store down from the church we were working at in Pichanaki. But, for some reason, it's hard to picture Texas, or the USA for that matter, needing the same thing Pichanakiairconditioning with a toilet seat and toilet paper matters nada if we don't know Jesus and His grace....Location is nothing....relationship is everything.
- I am more thankful than ever for hot water, toilet seats, toilet paper, ice, diet coke, air conditioning, grocery stores, American food
- I am more aware of the abundance I have ....in material possessions, in my family relationships, in America
- Lost people are everywhere...sin levels the playing field and the grace story hits the homerun
But there were a few less obvious things that I am taking away. These things have just hit me this week as I've had time to really think about the reasons God allowed me this trip.
- God allowed us to witness some of the most amazing scenes while we were passing out tracts and Bibles....things like women kissing the Bible they held in their hands, sailors stopping to read the tracts handed to them, a construction foreman hoping that we had enough Bible's for the entire construction crew. There was such a hunger....why? And I've been wondering about myself in all that...is my hunger that great? Is there an eagerness to share? Is there an aggressiveness to be sure those around me have God's Word? Is there a passion to be sure everyone gets a chance to hear? What does this look like for me? Am I willing to send, pray and go?
This was a little disheartening to see...A study of 1200 towns in America....but no fundamental church to attend...For argument's sake...let say that in reality there is at least one church in 1/2 these towns, since it's not clear when the study was done....still...look at the results:
Bob Jones University Study:
Smaller Cities and Towns — Church Planting
We have identified almost 1200 smaller U.S. cities and towns with no known Fundamental churches within a 30-mile radius, to the best of our knowledge. Additional on-site investigation would be needed to fully verify the need. Here are the cities and towns of 5000 and more with no known Fundamental church.
CLICK HERE
Does this concern me like it concerned me about the people in Pichanaki or Lima? Because it can't just be an emotional thing....I want to know the burden across the board....a realization that world wide there are people who don't know about this amazing love the Father has for us....about His willing Son who was sacrificed and about the amazing miracle of a risen Savior. I'm committing to pray for these towns...that God would send laborers into the harvest and I'm wondering how else can I be a part of doing something to help reach these people and the people in my own town who have not heard. CLICK HERE
I guess I just don't want to be let off the hook. I don't want God to leave me alone just because I am not moving to Peru. I want to be bothered by the faces of lost people where I am at this moment. I want to be burdened by poverty, prostitution, slavery of any kind and sin. I want to feel those same emotions and longings toward the people in Sulphur Springs and the rest of the USA that I felt in Peru. Those feelings of hope, longing, desire for them to know the one who gives eternal life. I want to be as free to love someone living next door to me as I did Rita, a Peruvian woman who ran a store down from the church we were working at in Pichanaki. But, for some reason, it's hard to picture Texas, or the USA for that matter, needing the same thing Pichanakiairconditioning with a toilet seat and toilet paper matters nada if we don't know Jesus and His grace....Location is nothing....relationship is everything.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Got Fruit? Review #6
On Sunday morning the people in Pichanaki take it easy....stores open later, families spend some time catching up and a very few people go to church. Wisely, Brent and Miriam have decided that for now church will be in the evenings on Sundays until the church is established. So, that being said, on our Sunday morning there we didn't have church. Instead we passed out tracks, inviting people to church. Over a three day period of time our team passed out over 7,000 tracks, 400 Kid's Club invitations, and 600 Bibles. People were practically begging for the Bibles....over and over we saw people reading the tracks and the Bibles after we gave them away. They were hungry for something...
Such a stark contrast to what we see in America. On any given day you can have dozens of doors slammed in your face, or find discarded Christian literature littering the roads, or worse, encounter Christians who don't want to go to church even though they know what Christ has done for them. It's like the world is satisfied with what they have in America....wealth, cars, homes, clothes, pride....and yet, the one thing that would satisfy all those cravings is discarded in the street like an unclaimed coupon. What a shame.
In all the distributing we did for Brent and Miriam, I am overwhelmed with joy to announce a new sister in Christ. Poula came to know Jesus on Sunday Night while we were in Peru. After a simple service where the gospel was taught she stayed behind and talk to one of the workers and accepted the gift of salvation. More exciting news is that the next week she brought visitors with her! She's already bearing fruit!
What are we doing to bear fruit? Would we tell 7,000 people in America about Christ and be happy with one soul? Are we prepared to share the gospel....do I know how to tell someone? do I carry some sort of literature or card or New Testament with me so others can be left with someone to ponder? do I pray that God will guide my path so that I will be able to share His story with someone? Just some things to think about...I want to bear fruit....but I am afraid that sometimes I don't make a plan! I completely "get" that it's the Holy Spirit's job to convict and woo.... but He uses people too and I'm more focused than ever to be prepared to be used!
Such a stark contrast to what we see in America. On any given day you can have dozens of doors slammed in your face, or find discarded Christian literature littering the roads, or worse, encounter Christians who don't want to go to church even though they know what Christ has done for them. It's like the world is satisfied with what they have in America....wealth, cars, homes, clothes, pride....and yet, the one thing that would satisfy all those cravings is discarded in the street like an unclaimed coupon. What a shame.
In all the distributing we did for Brent and Miriam, I am overwhelmed with joy to announce a new sister in Christ. Poula came to know Jesus on Sunday Night while we were in Peru. After a simple service where the gospel was taught she stayed behind and talk to one of the workers and accepted the gift of salvation. More exciting news is that the next week she brought visitors with her! She's already bearing fruit!
What are we doing to bear fruit? Would we tell 7,000 people in America about Christ and be happy with one soul? Are we prepared to share the gospel....do I know how to tell someone? do I carry some sort of literature or card or New Testament with me so others can be left with someone to ponder? do I pray that God will guide my path so that I will be able to share His story with someone? Just some things to think about...I want to bear fruit....but I am afraid that sometimes I don't make a plan! I completely "get" that it's the Holy Spirit's job to convict and woo.... but He uses people too and I'm more focused than ever to be prepared to be used!
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