One by One

Lunch with Girlfriends

2010-09-09T14:41:00.001-05:00

Good conversation, good food, and I didn't have to cook OR clean-up. What a blessing!

My Hubby

2010-09-07T20:25:00.002-05:00

Not only is my husband:

- a hard-worker
- a wonderful provider
- a hilariously funny dude
- the most generous person I know
- romantic
- thoughtful
- a good cook
- a fantastic, hands-on Dad
- silly
- did I mention funny?
- sweet
- smart
- Spirit-filled
- strong
- competitive
- sincere
- witty
- handy around the house

He's also my best friend.
(And he smells good, too.)

Daily Choices

2010-08-12T13:43:00.004-05:00

"I choose love...
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy...
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical...the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace...
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience...
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness...
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness...
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness...
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I choose gentleness...
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control...
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose selp-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest."

-Max Lucado
"When God Whispers Your Name"

I've got the (turquoise) blues

2010-04-29T12:21:00.018-05:00

A few weeks ago my neighbor and I decided to get up at 6:30 in the morning on a Saturday and hit our community-wide garage sale. I've never been much of a garage-sale kind of girl, so I surprised myself that I even wanted to go, but we ended up having the best time and got some great stuff to show for it. The first thing I got was this metal cart. It was painted a pale pink and had some rusty spots, but I just fell in love with it. I originally thought of using it on the patio as a food and drink cart, but soon decided I wanted to use it on my front porch to hold flowers. I immediately knew in my mind that I wanted it to be a bright peacocky-turquoisy-mediterannean blue, (that's a real color, right?) but wasn't sure if that would stick out like a sore thumb in front of the house. I mentioned it to my neighbor and she thought it sounded fabulous, so I decided to go for it and I'm so glad I did.

This was my favorite kind of project...cheap, easy and quick.

The reason I know all about Clone Troopers

2010-04-05T13:24:00.003-05:00

The thing about 8 year-old boys is that they never get tired. Ever. They are a ball of energy, or maybe a ball isn’t the right word, more like a BURST of energy. They wake up ready to greet the day with an enthusiastic “HELLO MORNING!” And as their eyes open each morning, before their feet hit the ground running, they are thinking “LET'S DO THIS!”

They eat, they run, they laugh, they joke, they eat, they yell, they climb. They jump, they build, they slide, they are on the move constantly and did I mention that they eat? They have 2 speeds…..full-speed and off. They have a “why not?” attitude about life. Grown-ups have to think about things first and make a list of pro’s and con’s. Not them. They just do it. Why not climb up that wall and jump off of it? Why speak softly when you can yell with excitement? Why giggle when you can laugh your head off? Why not jump in that puddle? (Because then you’d have wet pants all day isn’t a deterrent in the slightest to them.) Why walk when you can run? Why enter a room casually strolling when you can make a REAL ENTRANCE and enter a room sliding across it on your knees? Why eat sitting down when you can stand up and be ready for action at a moment’s notice instead?

They LOVE potty humor and are obsessed with bodily functions. (Don’t ask me. When I asked my Husband why our son thinks these things are so funny, Hubs replied, “because they are.” OK then.) They live, eat and breathe Star Wars. Legos are a must-have, as are light-sabers, nerf shooters and skateboards. They read things called Captain Underpants and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

The really cool thing about 8 year-olds boys though, is that they still like their mom to snuggle with them each and every night. They still grab and hold her hand when she picks them up from school. They still think dad is the coolest guy ever, and aren’t afraid to give him a big ol’ smooch on the lips. They love going to stay with Grandma and Grandpa, help Mom bake cookies, and cuddle on the couch with Dad while watching movies.

And I will treasure every minute of it, because I don’t know if 9 year-old boys do these things or not.

Sweet Treats

2010-04-05T00:00:00.016-05:00

Ok, so this is a little late, but I just had to share these. I have ooh'ed and aah'ed over Bakerella's cake pops for so long that it was time I finally tried to make them myself. Mine don't even come close to hers, but I still think they turned out pretty cute. (They are supposed to look like Easter eggs in case you can't tell.) I could get hooked on making them for sure. I'm already thinking ahead to what I can make next.

If you haven't checked out Bakerella do it now! You're welcome.

Amazing Love

2010-04-04T09:12:00.009-05:00

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the word to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." -John 3:16, 17

Because he loves us.
Not to condemn us.
To save us.

Love so amazing. Happy Easter!

Letting Go

2010-04-02T13:16:00.016-05:00

Yesterday, while driving I heard the song, "Let it go" by Tenth Avenue North. Although I have heard that song before, it really spoke to me yesterday and I listened to it 5 or 6 times, just driving down the road singing it as loud as I could. It reminded me that I have some things I need to let go of, and that I am not the one who is supposed to be in control of everything, there is One much greater who is. So, today I'm letting go.

Hear what the band has to say about the song here

Quiet Time

2010-02-15T12:47:00.009-06:00

Enough said.

Snow

2010-02-11T10:52:00.014-06:00

It is snowing today and has been since before I woke up. It is so beautiful, and it hasn't slowed down one bit. This is more snow than I've ever seen in my life. Growing up in Phoenix, I never thought I was much of a cold weather gal....that is until we moved here. Winter has become my favorite time of year. Who knew?

Little Hands

2010-02-04T15:30:00.011-06:00

I have six little hands that live at my house.

Very busy little hands that do all sorts of things. These hands leave fingerprints, smudges, and smears on every single glass, stainless steel, or otherwise shiny surface in our home. Every. Single. One. These hands have more energy than I could even dream of having. And without coffee even! These hands can take out toys to play with at the speed of light, but are usually too tired to put them away. These hands throw snowballs at their mama every chance they get. I have seen these hands push, hit, slap, and knock each other down. I have seen them shove toys under dressers, beds, and other places they don't belong. And, I have seen them holding things that don't belong to them, filthy after they've supposedly been washed, and up inside of little noses. Just being honest.

However, these are the same little hands that I have seen pick up their siblings when they have fallen down. The same hands that have stroked my cheek when I nursed them, cupped my face when I kissed them, and patted me tenderly on the back when I hugged them. Hands that like to hold themselves up to mine and my husband's to see if they are as big as ours yet. Hands that have worked together for many hours making up choreographed dances, plays or musicals with props, and lightsaber battles. Hands that have taught each other how to snap, put band-aids on each other's ouchies, and given each other high fives. Hands that have helped set the table, feed the dog, and taken every cent out of their piggy bank to give to charity. (Their idea.) And, I have seen them folded in prayer.

My favorite thing about these hands, though, is not what they have done in the past, but what they will do in the future. I pray that these hands will grow up to help others. That they will feed the hungry, reach out to comfort the hurting, and be laid on people in prayer for healing. I hope they will construct things, create things, and repair things. I hope they will work hard, but play hard too. I hope they will clap, wave, cook, prune, lift, hammer, drive, paint, and hold. All for the glory of our Lord. God has great plans for these little hands, and I can't wait to see what they are.

My Bible

2010-02-03T12:36:00.017-06:00

Here is a picture of my Bible. Well, technically it's my husband's Bible. It was given to him as a gift, but I (ahem) borrowed it from him many years ago and never gave it back. He now has a newer one that he uses. Yes, I have my own, but this one and I were a perfect fit from the very beginning. I love the size and weight of it and that it's a life application Bible, which is full of descriptions and details that really help me understand what I'm reading. The most special part of it, of course is the treasure found inside. The more I read it, the more it makes sense to me, speaks to me, teaches me, comforts me, encourages me, and humbles me.

Today I am so very thankful for God's Word.

And for a husband who would gladly share his Bible with me.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."
-Psalm 119:105