I've been working my way through "Unglued". It's the Bible Study I'm doing with my ladies this winter. The crux of the book is about learning to get ahold of yourself when dealing with raw emotions. It's a book that is full of honest, gut-wrenching questions and thought provoking text. I'm not sure that I even realized how "emotional" I am until I began answering some of the tough questions.
One of the things that the book deals with in large is negative self talk. I've blogged about this before. It's one of the most detrimental things I think women (myself included) deal with. We talk about each other, we talk about our kids, our spouse, our parents, teachers, politics, money and yes, we talk about ourselves. Talk, talk, talk. And a lot of that talk is negative. Hurtful to others. Hurtful to ourselves.
I recently sat and listened to someone complain, complain, complain. I walked away from the conversation drained, defeated, exasperated and frustrated. I wondered why they couldn't find anything good to say, anything positive, anything good, true, lovely...
Just a couple of weeks later I sat across the table from a seasoned man of God who spoke words of encouragement into my husband. I watched Bruce go from feeling somewhat unsure of himself to feeling encouraged, invigorated, energized and motivated. The transformation was unreal.
The power of affirming words....remarkable. In our Bible study this week, we've been challenged to focus on the instructions given in God's word regarding our thoughts and speech. I've been working on this and have noticed when you concentrate hard on thinking and speaking thoughts that are of good report, kind, lovely, pure...it's hard to be able to say those complaining thoughts that really don't do anything but tear down.
Sure life is hard...even overwhelming sometimes, but if we rise above the way we feel (our flesh) and obey God's word regarding how we act and think....maybe we will see life a little differently. Maybe we will see it through the truth of God's Word rather than through the lies our feelings try to talk us into believing.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
My Valentine
Last Thursday Bruce and I celebrated our 20th year as valentines.
20 years of joys and sorrows
20 years of ups and downs
20 years of successes and mistakes
20 years of good and bad choices
20 years of selflessness and selfishness
and
20 years of God's
Amazing blessings pouring over us
Gentle hands leading us
Perfect love teaching us
Thanks to our Savior for modeling to us the greatest love...
giving yourself to another, for another.
Without this love...
our 20 Valentines would mean nothing
but clanging
and clanking
and crashing
Thanks to our Savior for this amazing gift of love.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
How Does Your Garden Grow?
I've bought my gloves, my first seeds, a few containers, soil...and all I'm waiting on is February 1st to get here. My first spring gardening catalog came from Gardener's Supply about two weeks before Christmas. Then my onion seed catalog came the first week in January. And now Neil Sperry's facebook posts are starting to entertain thoughts of spring planting...and it's making me super happy.
Last summer we had to cut down 13 pine trees from our yard. I was sad beyond compare because they were one of the reasons we had bought the house. But the drought of 2010 had damaged them so bad that they were a danger and we had to get them removed. Anyway, now that I've recovered from our loss, I've been eyeing the perfect spot in the yard where a garden would get enough sunlight now. I'm pretty excited.
To add to the excitement are all the ideas you can find on Pinterest and blogs. Here are a few of my favorite ideas for container gardening:
So, in just a few days, I'll be planting. The feel of the dirt between my fingers, the promise of seed bearing fruit in a few months and the anticipatory waiting period...I love it all...well everything but the Texas heat!
Are you planting this spring? Do you container garden, dig in the dirt, buy plants rather than seed? I'd love to hear what works for you!
Last summer we had to cut down 13 pine trees from our yard. I was sad beyond compare because they were one of the reasons we had bought the house. But the drought of 2010 had damaged them so bad that they were a danger and we had to get them removed. Anyway, now that I've recovered from our loss, I've been eyeing the perfect spot in the yard where a garden would get enough sunlight now. I'm pretty excited.
To add to the excitement are all the ideas you can find on Pinterest and blogs. Here are a few of my favorite ideas for container gardening:
So, in just a few days, I'll be planting. The feel of the dirt between my fingers, the promise of seed bearing fruit in a few months and the anticipatory waiting period...I love it all...well everything but the Texas heat!
Are you planting this spring? Do you container garden, dig in the dirt, buy plants rather than seed? I'd love to hear what works for you!
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Pralines Anyone?
Born and raised in the deep south has its advantages. There's nothing quite like GA Fried Chicken, TN BBQ, South GA boiled peanuts, a greasy hamburger from the varsity, a mouthwatering fresh picked GA peach...and I could go on forever. I'm pretty partial to foods from the south. And maybe that's why when it came to choosing a paint color for our living room I was drawn to the warmth of the color praline cake. Think about it. The rich, sugary goodness of a praline.
Picking paint colors was somewhat of a daunting task for me. The room is huge, filled with good natural light, has a gas fireplace. I've worked to get the right furniture arrangement using what we have for now and think I just about have it the best way possible. We use the room for all our family TV viewing, gaming, homework, reading...it's our comfy room...rarely ever spotlessly clean. I have an old farmhouse table there that's used for everything from laundry folding to homework to extra guest seating when company is over.
So, I thought I wanted a pretty robin egg blue on the walls...something like
But...after living with a sample on the walls for a month I decided it was too blue. So, I looked at this color...
Nope....just didn't do it for me.
Then I read this article from The Nester. CLICK HERE to read it before you decide on paint....really, go now...it's very informative. Go..now. And if you have the time...(and I'd suggest that you might want to have the time) follow the links within the article...because it's somewhere in there that I found the answer to my problem. Somewhere within those links I found out I like the warmth of a room to surround me. In other words...I found out what I've known all along....I don't like the beach (GASP..no haters please!)...I prefer the mountains...with an occasion lake (thus the attraction to the greenish blue color). I like the fireplace, a good book, flavored cream with a little coffee, Fall and Winter, sunset shadows and earthy warm colors. And why I couldn't settle on a blue???....it's because I like warm colors. And while I'm sure there is a blue out there somewhere that would satisfy my cravings for pralines, barn reds, golden yellows and evergreen....I haven't found it!
Instead, I found this...
 |
| Valspar- Praline Cake |
...and we love it!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Attention PLEASE!
In a classroom of first graders I watch as they pay attention one second and then just as quickly fade into that beautiful place between day dreaming, sleep watching and distraction. They're six and seven years old...it's almost expected. But not quite.
More times than 10 in a day I caution, encourage or demand that they pay attention. Just because it's nearly impossible for them, doesn't mean I'm allowed to just give up and let them take the first train to dreamland. No, it's my job to continuouslynag remind them that something important is being discussed or read or written on the board.
But sometimes, my message is ignored. Sometimes the directions aren't followed. Sometimes, I don't catch the one before the train comes for them. And then...what happens next is near disastrous. It's when the handout requires the knowledge of the material that they missed. The hands raise, they approach the desk, they ask the question ...to which I have just spent 10 minutes answering on the board, and without fail, I give the look. (You know- the one similar to the "mom" look, only from the teacher). And they know...they've been caught. Not paying attention. Not listening. And they've made mistakes on their paper...they know...but they don't know how to fix them. Because that's what happens when you don't pay attention. And so, I explain again why, how, what, when and where to the particular topic and they fix their mistakes and learn the concept and have the power to make better grades.
Oh my! Isn't this just like our own grown up lives. Aren't we really in a lifelong classroom. Trying to pay attention...but distracted by so many other things...new stuff, the neighbors, someone else's family, money, jobs. And all the while God is trying to teach us stuff on the chalkboard of life. But we're looking somewhere else, too tired to see what He's explaining, disinterested in His lesson. And so we miss the truths in the lesson. And the next time we're faced with the worksheet....we don't have the material, the information, the knowledge to implement into life to succeed. And sheepishly (yes, SHEEPishly) we go to the teacher...we admit we weren't listening...and sometimes...He gives us that look of correction.....and then lovingly He goes back over the material...and we apply it and have the power to make better choices and decisions in the future.
Before I judge my first graders too hard, I'm going to try to remember this little lesson. I'm old enough to be paying attention, old enough to read the directions found in His Word and certainly know who to go to when I've got questions about the material of life. Thankfully He's patient with me and knows I'm a little bit of a slow learner. Aren't we all?
Thankful particularly today for His never ending supply of grace and patience with me.
More times than 10 in a day I caution, encourage or demand that they pay attention. Just because it's nearly impossible for them, doesn't mean I'm allowed to just give up and let them take the first train to dreamland. No, it's my job to continuously
But sometimes, my message is ignored. Sometimes the directions aren't followed. Sometimes, I don't catch the one before the train comes for them. And then...what happens next is near disastrous. It's when the handout requires the knowledge of the material that they missed. The hands raise, they approach the desk, they ask the question ...to which I have just spent 10 minutes answering on the board, and without fail, I give the look. (You know- the one similar to the "mom" look, only from the teacher). And they know...they've been caught. Not paying attention. Not listening. And they've made mistakes on their paper...they know...but they don't know how to fix them. Because that's what happens when you don't pay attention. And so, I explain again why, how, what, when and where to the particular topic and they fix their mistakes and learn the concept and have the power to make better grades.
Oh my! Isn't this just like our own grown up lives. Aren't we really in a lifelong classroom. Trying to pay attention...but distracted by so many other things...new stuff, the neighbors, someone else's family, money, jobs. And all the while God is trying to teach us stuff on the chalkboard of life. But we're looking somewhere else, too tired to see what He's explaining, disinterested in His lesson. And so we miss the truths in the lesson. And the next time we're faced with the worksheet....we don't have the material, the information, the knowledge to implement into life to succeed. And sheepishly (yes, SHEEPishly) we go to the teacher...we admit we weren't listening...and sometimes...He gives us that look of correction.....and then lovingly He goes back over the material...and we apply it and have the power to make better choices and decisions in the future.
Before I judge my first graders too hard, I'm going to try to remember this little lesson. I'm old enough to be paying attention, old enough to read the directions found in His Word and certainly know who to go to when I've got questions about the material of life. Thankfully He's patient with me and knows I'm a little bit of a slow learner. Aren't we all?
Thankful particularly today for His never ending supply of grace and patience with me.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Meal Plan for Wk of Jan 20
Well...here we go. This week is going to be crazy because we are having some interior painting done and my guys are out of town until Wednesday afternoon....but Savannah and I still have to eat so we've made a special meal plan while they are gone...(her favorites).
Monday- Leftover Spaghetti
Tuesday- Homemade pizza
Wednesday- Eat at the church
Thursday- Chicken Spaghetti
Friday- Corn Dogs (for the kids)
Date Night (Bruce and Gina)
Saturday- Sausage/Potatoes/Onions with green beans and salad
Nothing exciting at all...except date night!!!
Monday- Leftover Spaghetti
Tuesday- Homemade pizza
Wednesday- Eat at the church
Thursday- Chicken Spaghetti
Friday- Corn Dogs (for the kids)
Date Night (Bruce and Gina)
Saturday- Sausage/Potatoes/Onions with green beans and salad
Nothing exciting at all...except date night!!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Holding the Rope
So tonight at about 10pm one of my sweet friends and her family will be on their way to Papua New Guinea to continue following God on their journey to assist in spreading the gospel of Jesus to people in their own heart language. This is their first term. There are lots...and lots of unknowns. But they have faith in a BIG God..that same God who has led them every step of the way...and He will not fail them.
Sunday night in church we were challenged to help hold the rope as our church held a commissioning service for the Brewers. It was beautiful to see the body of Christ praying over them, crying (a lot), rejoicing that this time was finally here, loving on their parents in the service, laughing, letting go, holding on, embracing, taking photos of tear stained faces with smiles and watching as we help send this family to the other side of the world to fulfill God's call on their lives. Again, it was beautiful. God's presence was all over the place.
So, here they are...
From tonight at 10pm until Friday morning around 1am they will be flying to Australia, then to Papua New Guinea and once in the country they will be flying to the city of Madang where they will catch their breath for a couple of days and then head to 4 months of intense training before finally making it to the city of Ukarumpa where Jason will be a pilot for the JAARS/Wycliff associations. He will be assisting in getting translators, Bibles, missionaries and supplies into areas of that country that otherwise would be nearly impossible to reach.
You'll notice the three little munchkins in the picture...Mal, Dylan and Mo are gearing up for their own adventures....Schools, culture, food, language.
As Christians, we all have some level of sacrifice that God has called us to. What God has asked us to give or sacrifice doesn't even begin to touch what we have been given because of His own sacrifice. Like most missionaries I've met through the years, the Brewers are humbly sacrificing relationships, convenience and security to be sure that others know of the greatest sacrifice that has ever been made.
Will you pray with me, for them? Especially for these first few days of travel, time zone craziness (they will travel 16 time zones!), emotions running high and low....just whatever comes to your mind.
You can follow the Brewer's journey at Jaime's Blog HERE
..."We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first." — Oswald J. Smith
Sunday night in church we were challenged to help hold the rope as our church held a commissioning service for the Brewers. It was beautiful to see the body of Christ praying over them, crying (a lot), rejoicing that this time was finally here, loving on their parents in the service, laughing, letting go, holding on, embracing, taking photos of tear stained faces with smiles and watching as we help send this family to the other side of the world to fulfill God's call on their lives. Again, it was beautiful. God's presence was all over the place.
So, here they are...
 |
| Jason and Jaime Brewer Family |
You'll notice the three little munchkins in the picture...Mal, Dylan and Mo are gearing up for their own adventures....Schools, culture, food, language.
As Christians, we all have some level of sacrifice that God has called us to. What God has asked us to give or sacrifice doesn't even begin to touch what we have been given because of His own sacrifice. Like most missionaries I've met through the years, the Brewers are humbly sacrificing relationships, convenience and security to be sure that others know of the greatest sacrifice that has ever been made.
Will you pray with me, for them? Especially for these first few days of travel, time zone craziness (they will travel 16 time zones!), emotions running high and low....just whatever comes to your mind.
You can follow the Brewer's journey at Jaime's Blog HERE
..."We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first." — Oswald J. Smith
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