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A Bird's Eye View - 2/11/2010 4:38:13 PM
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crazedmom
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Hey there. Okay, cabin fever is really setting in here with two blizzards back to back! I love snow, but am looking forward to spring at this point! I have shoveled more snow within the last few months than I can remember in a long time. We were without electricity from 2a.m.-11p.m. last Saturday, along with 89,000 other people. We were so cold!! It was 12 degrees that night too. This last storm we all prayed hard that the power would stay on! I should add that we just moved from Florida, of all places to transition from! We're from the northeast but have lived in the Sunshine State for almost eleven years.
I helped dig out my husband's car and shovel more of the driveway this morning. Then, I dug out the SUV and started it up. My arms and shoulders ache from all the shoveling! Dh had to work today and I pray that the roads are manageable.
My 10 yr. old son is looking forward to building another snow fort this afternoon. Maybe his 12 yr. old sister will join in. It's a lot different than playing in the sand, that's for sure! :) We have had to buy hats, gloves, coats, boots, thermals, etc. as our Florida wardrobe did not include such! We basically wore shorts and tshirts and flip flops almost nine months of the year. Big switch. The kids are adjusting, though. The complaint I hear the most is that they miss their friends. I assure them they will make new friends and, of course, technology makes it easier to keep in touch now.
We homeschool, so despite the school closings due to inclement weather, we've been trudging along with our work. We got a little late start with school due to the move, so it's better that we keep the momentum going. My daughter has starting doing some pre-algebra and it's good to know that despite the cobwebs in my brain some days, I've still got it! :) This is our 12th year of homeschooling. We have an older son, who we homeschooled from 5th-12th grades. He was dual-enrolled at the community college and practically had his AA upon graduation from high school. He went through the Police Academy after that and is serving as a Police Officer now. We're so proud of him. He's married and we love our d-i-l very much!
Fortunately, we have found an awesome church here. Everyone loves it and I'm so glad. Church was cancelled last Sunday because of the first blizzard. Hopefully we'll be able to go this Sunday. The week doesn't feel right without being in church on Sunday!! My husband and I just completed a 21-day Daniel Fast. We are praying about a number of things and expecting to see many answers to prayer in the coming days and months. In the book of Daniel, it says that he ate no meat or pleasant bread for 21 days. And it goes on to talk about how the Lord heard Daniel the first day he prayed, but that the answers were held up in the spirit realm due to warfare. Then in the New Testament, the disciples were asking Jesus why they couldn't heal the sick. Jesus said, Some things don't come out, except by prayer and fasting.
We did the 21-day Daniel Fast last year with our church in Florida, but it was more liberal compared to the fast this year. Our church gave an outline of food ideas and referenced a helpful website. This year's fast proved to be much more challenging, mentally and physically. Any time you give something up for the Lord, the devil is not happy. I can tell you that. I wrestled with some depressing thoughts and feelings of being completely overwhelmed by our present circumstances. The first week, the battles were mostly physical. My flesh was crying out for bread, flour, pasta, and chocolate M&M's!! The second week, the battles were mental. By the third week, I was feeling like, Okay, I can master this. I can make it. Then, I started praising God in advance for the anticipated answers to prayer. During the 21 days, we remained in an attitude of prayer and meditated on the Word of God. I definitely felt closer to God during this time. This was probably due to the fact that I was more tuned in to hearing from Him and pressed in more than usual during prayer. The Bible says, "When you draw nigh to God, He will draw nigh to you". This is so true.
If you've never fasted or haven't in a while, I encourage you to try it and see if it doesn't re-ignite your spiritual life. Our church fasted as a congregation and I'm looking forward to our first service together since we all completed the fast. There is something dynamic about giving up our fleshly desires and replacing it with pressing into the things of God. There are so many distractions in this life, aren't there? Our Pastor asked the question a few weeks ago, "Do you spend as much time reading the Word or in prayer as you do texting or on Facebook? If God had a Facebook, we'd all be doing much better." ha ha True, though.
We're renting a house right now but can't wait to settle into a place of our own later this year. So much of our lives are still in cardboard boxes! There are many things I have yet to find since our move. I've pretty well given up on finding them until we move again. There are just too many boxes to sort through and then I'll have to tape them up again. I'll just wait. The house we're living in right now is half the size of our former house. We gave away a lot of furniture before we moved. But, we still have quite a bit things. We're so looking forward to settling in -- painting and decorating, etc.
So thankful for the sunshine today! Prayerfully it is melting a lot of the snow on our roof! We have about a foot and a half long icicles hanging over the side of the roof line. They are pretty, though. Oh, guess what was on our kitchen window sill at the height of the blizzard yesterday? A small woodpecker! And, it was pecking away. The outside pane of glass is missing so it found a good spot to hide from the storm. Amazingly even during the storm we also spotted some cardinals in the trees. Their coats are such a vivid contrast against the snowy trees. I'm always reminded of the Scripture that talks about if God takes care of the birds, how much more does our Heavenly Father care for us! Love that! So reassuring during the storms of life, isn't it?
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/12/2010 8:06:03 AM
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crazedmom
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Many times in life all we need is a new perspective, don't we? We tend to gain a greater appreciation for what the Lord has blessed us with when we can view life through another set of eyes or circumstances. Yesterday did that for me. My husband and I have been married for almost 15 years (in June). We're way past the stage of trying to change one another to fit whatever expectations we may have brought into the marriage. We're even past the stage of griping about clothes left on the floor a few feet away from the laundry hamper. But, many times familiarity causes us to lose the awareness of how very blessed we are... Until we hear about someone else's story. Their story may include a spouse on drugs, other addictions, infidelity, indifference, etc. and your heart breaks for them.
So, today I have a renewed thankfulness to God for the blessing of my mate. He is not perfect, but then, neither am I. He is chronically late and I like to be a few minutes early. He tends to be messy and I like to be neat. He drips toothpaste all over the bathroom sink; I rinse the sink after use. He is a risk taker; I like security. He likes music loud; I need quiet. He is an extrovert; I tend to hang back (at least at first). He procrastinates; I like to git 'er done.
He is all of those things, and I suppose that's why I married him to begin with. He is not like me. Perhaps his tendencies represent those I wish I had at times. (although not the toothpaste thing!) :) I love my husband because he is unique, just the way God made him. I joke with him that there is not another like him; God threw away the mold for sure. That's true, though. I love my husband because he is loving, dedicated to our marriage and family, responsible, a great provider, a good dad, fun, and most of all, that he puts God first in all he does.
I told my husband that he doesn't need to buy anything for me for Valentine's Day. He looked at me increduously and with a bit of skepticism. I said all I would like is for you to deep clean the bathroom and the kitchen. He asked, "What's the other choice?" ha ha He really is good at cleaning things thoroughly. He has an eye for detail. Me, I like to give things a once over and move onto the next pressing thing. He's gifted at cleaning, what can I say? He's also a good cook, but we may have to wait until retirement to see those fine qualities put to use. :)
One of the benefits of our recent move is that we are closer to family. My dad lives nearby and my sister and her family are only a couple of hours away. This is such a blessing to us after living so far away. I have talked to my dad more in the last few months than I have for many years. He's in his early 70's and I really do cherish these times. He was physically and verbally abusive, but my siblings and I have forgiven him. It has not been easy but we are all committed to respecting him as our father and choosing a path of peace and love toward him. This doesn't let him "off the hook", but instead frees us up to move past the hurt and experience the healing and grace God provides. God is so faithful to heal and restore when we turn our hurts over to Him! Life is so full of many challenges but through it all, God is there. When life seems the darkest, it's then He can be the closest if we draw close to Him.
I take my dad grocery shopping and to Dr. appointments, etc. This is always an interesting venture. My dad has this habit of "whispering" loud as we're waiting in the waiting room at the Dr.'s office. If it weren't so embarrassing, it'd be hilarious. He "whispers" about someone being, as he puts it, "obese" (when, in fact, he is not slim and trim). He also "whispers" and says things like, "Well, at least I'm not as bad off as SOME of these people." I cringe on the inside and pretend to read my book feverishly as I sit and wait with him. At the same time, I pray that he becomes disinterested in pursuing such "whispering". Yikes.
My all time favorite, though, happened last month. He was at a follow-up appointment with the orthopedic Dr. after a fall landed him in the E.R. Fortunately he recovered quickly and it was minor. But, I'm in the room with him and after what seems like an eternity, the Dr. enters the room. My dad proceeds to point and show the Dr. on the computer screen exactly which bone was the problem. Of course, he goes into great detail outlining previous damage on the xray, etc., etc. In other words, one might have thought the roles were reversed. Ugh. The Dr. was incredibly patient with my dad though. They say, "You should be patient with the young and with the old; for at some point, you will have been both." True. I only hope I'm not loud in the waiting room, when and if, my children have to take me for my appointments! :)
My husband often deals with difficult customers in his line of work. People get angry when they don't get what they feel they are entitled to. I told him the other day, "Well, this is another one to put in your OPG file." OPG? "Opportunity for Personal Growth"! God allows situations in our lives and it is up to us to become bitter or better because of it. So, why not allow it to make your faith stronger and build your character a bit? Sometimes situations arise and they stretch us beyond what we believe we can handle. I have often reminded God that He said in His Word that He wouldn't put anything on us more than what we can bear! And, God promptly says, "My Grace is sufficient for you". Grace. Sometimes we need to give ourselves more grace and many times we need to extend that grace to others as we go through life. Sometimes God sees more in us than we could ever imagine is there. It just needs to be refined, sometimes by fire. At all times, we can be assured that God is with us and He is there to help us when we call on Him. The answer is not always a "bail out". Sometimes it's a difficult process. I love the story in the Bible of the three Hebrew children who were thrown into the fiery furnace because they wouldn't bow down to the king. Ever feel like you were in the fiery furnace -- mentally, emotionally, financially? I love the part where they said, "We threw three into the furnace but now we see four, and the fourth one looks like the Son of God"! Love that. That gives us great hope that no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in today, God is right there in the middle of them. He will hold our hand and walk us through if we trust Him.
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/13/2010 10:41:14 AM
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crazedmom
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Yesterday was the first time I ventured out since our back to back blizzards here just outside the nation's capital. Most of the main roads are fairly clear; however parking lots remain a little dicey. My dh just called to say that we're expecting 4-6 more inches of snow on Monday! Oh my goodness! I love snow, I really do, which is why I am thrilled to be back in the northeast. But, this is a lot to adjust to our first winter back here. My husband is loving life because he works outside and this is a far cry from sunny Florida. :) He is working today (Sat.), although he normally is off on the weekends.
In the spring we plan on doing more sightseeing and visiting some museums in D.C., especially for the kids. We've been to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, The Air & Space Museum and some others in previous years. We'd like to visit The Postal Museum and The National Archives in particular when the weather permits. The National Archives houses the Declaration of Independence as well as the Consititution, so that will be neat to see. Since our move north, we have been to Williamsburg and Mount Vernon -- two places I'd highly recommend! My husband and I visited Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, on our honeymoon. It's always interesting to observe how our forefathers lived. My 10 yr. old son is very interested in the Civil War time period, so an upcoming trip to Gettysburg is definitely on the horizon for us in a few months.
We spent New Year's in Hershey, PA and took the factory and trolley tours and saw a 3-D movie there. It was neat to learn some of the history about Milton Hershey, who invented some of my favorite chocolate! Of course, we couldn't come away from there without purchasing some of the sweet stuff! We were tempted to go on to visit Gettysburg, which is only an hour away. However, the temps of about 20 degrees and the howling wind allowed better sense to prevail. Open battlefields on an incredibly cold day do not make for an enjoyable educational outing. I am all for "hands-on" educational trips as they make history come alive.
We like to travel for fun as well and see new places. We took a big trip to California (from Florida) a few years ago and the kids still talk about it. We stayed in the mountains, the desert and along the coastline for several days at a time. We visited family, walked along the Hollywood Walk of Fame and drove through some very posh neighborhoods in L.A. One might have thought they would be gated communities, but it was neat to see. We didn't get out, but drove through Rodeo Drive, etc. Not my kind of thing, but interesting to see since you hear so much about it. One thing we noticed was how very green the trees were there. The lakes were gorgeous too with their vibrant reflections of the blue skies. We visited Mammoth Lakes and Santa Barbara during our stay. One of the most beautiful natural rock formations I have seen is Red Rock Canyon. We only drove by it but the pictures we took came out great. Pretty natural reds in the side of the mountain. We hiked and saw Devil's Postpile in Mammoth, which is a set of natural, vertical rock formations. There's only one other place in the U.S. that has such rock formations as Devil's Postpile and they are found in Wyoming. I learned that at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. See, you learn something new all the time, huh? I'm all for that.
We visited Maine about six years ago in the fall and definitely would like to go again. We're a lot closer than we used to be now, so we could feasibly drive there. That might be a thought for this fall. The foliage is breathtaking, really makes you stop and thank God for the beauty that He has created! We also drove over to New Hampshire through the mountains. It was a beautiful scenic drive. We stopped many times to take pictures of the autumn leaves changing colors around the lakes - breathtaking! We've heard that Acadia National Park is beautiful, so that'd be great to explore with the kids. We stayed in Boothbay Harbor and Kennebunkport when we visited. I have this thing with lighthouses, so we visited one in Portland and one in Cape Elizabeth. We've also visited lighthouses in St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, Florida on weekend trips.
One of the places we'd like to visit is South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore. Of course, we'd also like to see the Grand Canyon in Arizona and take a helicopter ride to really take in the sights. My sister said in order to get the full advantage of the trip, you either need to take a donkey ride down into the canyon or a helicopter ride. I'm thinking I'd opt for the helicopter ride. :)
When I was about 12 our youth choir did a tour through Ohio, Michigan and on to Niagara Falls. I would like to visit there again and for the kids to see the amazing falls. Of all the places I have visited, one place that is relatively close that I have not visited is... New York City. I'm mostly interested in seeing The Statue of Liberty, eating a slice of New York style pizza (which they say is like no other), seeing the Rockettes perform and maybe a play, like Beauty and the Beast (or something safe along those lines). {I say "safe" because my sister and I thought we'd broaden our horizons a bit last year and saw a play in D.C., which we thought would be a fun evening. It took a lot of prayer and time to get all the filth out of my head after that. I would have walked out but we were seated in the middle of the row on a balcony, and I thought I'd fall, not to mention, cause a riot.} I digress...
The kids and I did see an extremely well done play at a church in Florida last spring called "Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat", which was a former Broadway play. The church bought the rights to it and it was awesome! Living near Sarasota, Florida (which is a cultural arts hub), we were able to take advantage of several plays at reduced rates for students. We saw Hobey Ford's Animalia, Horton Hears a Who, and another one, which the name escapes me. Okay, I digress again...
Back to travel... My husband would like to take a cruise sometime in the near future. We took a western Caribbean cruise to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary, now almost five years ago. My husband thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. To have a travel package with all inclusive room, food and sights to see...What could be better? Neither one of us suffered from motion sickness, which was a blessing. But, I had this irritating sense of being so far removed from civilization and wanting to talk to someone! We did link up with another Christian couple and we ate and saw performances onboard with them. That was the upside of the trip. I guess I worried about the kids and not being able to talk to them. That was during Hurricane Emily and there was no internet service onboard. The only cruise that I think would be enticing for me in the future is one to Alaska or to Europe when the kids are older. Avoiding long air travel would be a definite positive for me and that would be a feasible way to take the trip. I don't mind air travel, although I liked it better pre-9/11; but sitting for that long does not excite me.
One might think I'm sitting here drooling over some travel show or something, huh? Not hardly. We are in the middle of conducting a "t.v. withdrawal experiment" with our family. We had cable for about 15 years so this is a big switch for us. I wanted to disconnect the cable long before our recent move; but the move conveniently afforded me the opportunity to do just that. My husband was finally on board with my idea. His main hold outs have been -- FoxBusiness and the NFL network. Believe me, watching him this past play off and Super Bowl season was not a pretty sight. He has gone over to my dad's house to watch one or two games. And, he wound up watching the Super Bowl at a restaurant down the street (right after our first blizzard!).
Our main reason for cutting off the cable is the negative, disrespectful and suggestive content so many of the shows for kids contain. Our daughter will be 13 later this year and she was demonstrating some disturbing "attitudes" towards us, as parents. So many of the shows have a pervasive, underlying theme that the parents are dumb and out of touch and the kids, well, they know everything about everything. That is such a lie. Another benefit of not having cable t.v. is the kids no longer fight over the remote or who got to watch more shows than the other. Sibling rivalry is alive and well at our house unfortunately. (otherwise known as yet more character building opportunities!) Anyway, dh and I have noticed a change for the good in our children since we have all been weaned from t.v. for now five months. Less in the "attitude" department is always a good thing.
My husband really didn't watch much t.v. because he works so much. And, I'm not a big t.v. watcher, although I did enjoy it here and there. I really liked having the DVR, which records t.v. shows to watch at a later time. We'll probably have cable at some time in the future, but for now, our experiment is yielding excellent results! Sacrificing for the greater good...
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/14/2010 6:06:45 AM
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crazedmom
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Forgiveness.
That is sometimes easier said than done, isn't it? Why is it simpler to receive grace than to extend it? I think it has something to do with our fleshly nature. Unforgiveness says that my feelings and my life have greater value over yours. At the root it says that I matter more than you. At its very core is plain selfishness. However, when we receive Christ's love, we then become vessels for His love to flow through us. Forgiveness allows our fleshly or sinful nature to step aside for a moment and we become a conduit of God's grace and mercy. It's not always easy, though. Our sinful nature wants to hold onto those negative thoughts and play them over and over again. That's why the Bible talks about being "renewed by the washing of the Word". We have to daily read the Word to flush out the thoughts, hurts, attitudes and opinions of this world. God's Word is truth and sheds light on our circumstances. It brings peace and deliverance when we need it most.
I experienced a childhood full of violence and fear. Forgiveness. I was a single parent at age 18 and my baby's father was absent and never offered support. Forgiveness. Dh's business partner was untrustworthy. Forgiveness. Family situations. Forgiveness. Grace.
Ah, the wounds inflicted by those closest to you. Guess it wouldn't hurt if they weren't close, though. Right? Our family has an opportunity in the area of forgiveness right now. We had a situation with another family member that was particularly hurtful and witnessed a real lack of discretion on their part.
I think sometimes we are more interested in justice being played out versus walking in love and forgiveness at any cost. God is the Judge and I'll let Him take care of that part. It's my job to forgive, walk in peace, and extend Christ's love in the situation. That doesn't mean I become a human doormat. It only means that I am choosing to release the hurt, forgive and move on. The Bible talks about unforgiveness hindering our prayers from being answered. I certainly don't want that to happen. Not to mention, it also says how can God forgive us if we do not forgive others?
So, I encourage you today if you have any areas of unforgiveness in your life to release them at the foot of the Cross. Forgiveness is not an emotion; it's a choice. We don't always feel like forgiving, but it is something we have to make a conscious decision to do. It is a process, not always an overnight destination. Sometimes we just have to lay our hearts on the altar of God and say, "I give it all to you, God. I don't know how I should respond to this situation, but I'm committed to walking in your love. Help me." And He will.
Now the tendency is as we're getting up from kneeling at the foot of the Cross, to pick up the shattered pieces of our lives and strap them to our backs again. God says, "You were never meant to carry all those broken pieces." Once we turn our cares and burdens over to the Lord, we must leave them in His competent and caring Hands. It is there that He is able to work in our lives and show Himself mighty on our behalf if we allow Him to.
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/14/2010 3:35:48 PM
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crazedmom
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Well, it was good to be part of corporate worship today after canceled services for the last two weeks!! The parking lot was clear enough but the lane leaving the parking lot was horrible with thick ice. I have to get used to driving in these conditions again. The worst weather I had to drive through in Florida was the torrential downpours we had during the summer.
The time of praise and worship was encouraging and inspiring. I appreciate our worship leader so much. He has such a heart for taking the congregation into the presence of the Lord and really connecting with God during worship. The pastor gave a great message, which we always glean from. He was encouraging us to make fasting a natural part of our lives, not just for 21 days in the month of January. As he noted, trials continually persist in our lives and some breakthroughs never happen except by prayer and fasting. Jesus said in Matthew 6, "When you pray...When you fast...When you give." He didn't say "if you pray, etc..." These three things should be core things we do as believers, he said. I agree. They all require discipline and denying the flesh, yet yield amazing rewards.
He has noted before, "You're either in a trial, coming out of a trial, or a trial is heading towards you right now." Mountains and valleys, ebbs and flows...such is life, isn't it? Our pastor encouraged us not to give up on the things we are trusting God for in prayer, but to stay on course. Stay faithful and God will be faithful to us. Amen.
We also had communion today, which is always a special time. I was glad to see my new friend, Jackie, and hug her during greeting time. We attended a Wednesday night Bible study class together several months ago. She is a dear lady, who is battling bone cancer. My heart goes out to her and she is often in my prayers for her healing. She still works full time and looking at her, you'd think she was on top of the world. She styles her hair so nicely, is beautiful, dresses stylishly, and manages to put a big smile on her face despite her pain. It is a thought to ponder, isn't it? We pass many faces during this life and often times, we are not aware of what they may be battling. It is cause for greater compassion for our fellow man, isn't it?
We drove separate cars today as my dh and dd are picking up a foyer table and mirror that we purchased from Craigslist this afternoon. We agreed to buy it two weeks ago, but the blizzards have prevented us from picking it up unfortunately. Thankfully the seller has been very patient. We're actually purchasing it from a law firm, so from the pictures, they look like they're in mint condition, which is great. We'll store them probably in the basement for now until we move, but the deal was irresistible. My shoulder and neck muscles have been talking to me the last few days and reminding me that perhaps I have done too much snow shoveling lately. My dd is almost as tall as I am and strong as a tank, so she'll be able to help her dad with no trouble.
...I had to laugh just now as my Blackberry was buzzing due to an incoming email. The email is from the seller with additional photos of other furniture items they are selling. I'm sure my dh is over there wheeling and dealing and asked her to send the pictures so I could see. If my dh is anything, he is a master negotiator! He almost never pays full price for anything. He has gotten the most amazing deals on countless things. I just shake my head in amazement sometimes. One of those times was when he bought a car from Goodwill. I never knew they sold cars. When we lived in Florida, they had a store exclusively for cars and boats. He went there to help an employee at the time find a car, and wound up buying a car himself. He got a car that had about 7,000 miles on it and was 8 years old I think, for $4,100, including tax. We sold that car a year or so ago and turned a $1,500 profit! God has blessed us with several deals like that. All we can do is give Him the glory because He is the one Who gives favor and has given my dh the skills and abilities that the Lord uses. I will say that we have always been tithers and love to give. We believe very strongly about tithing and that keeping 90% of our earnings is pretty fair! We strive to honor God with all that He gives us. It's all His anyway; we're just stewards for a while. The Bible says He gives power to get wealth and also that God blesses the fruit of our labor. God rewards the diligent. (Proverbs 13:4) The New Living Translation phrases it, "...Those who work hard will prosper." I believe that.
...Dh just called to say he also bought a small secretary's desk, matching chair and lamp for $100 in addition to the two pieces he was already picking up. I knew it! He knows how much I like antique looking furniture, so that will be a nice treat. Now we just need a house to put all these pieces in! :) We do live in a house; it's just not ours. Prayerfully, the Lord will help us to find a great bargain within a few months!
After they pick the furniture up, they'll stop by my dad's house and shovel his sidewalk. I know he'll appreciate that very much. And, so will the mailman, who has to walk up to his mailbox mounted by the front door. :)
We'll have a nice dinner together at home tonight. Maybe we'll make it a candlelight dinner. I gave my dh his Valentine's card last night; I couldn't wait any longer. He was touched. He bought some peanut M&M's for me but I'll have to wait until he gets home for those. He also bought dark chocolate M&M's for himself. I do not like those as well. They definitely aren't as sweet and something is just wrong when you mess with a classic like milk chocolate M&M's!
I just about had the laundry caught up yesterday, when dd cleaned her room. She is a very creative child, which also means she has these tendencies to be messy! When I open the door to her room, the doorway is about as far as I normally get because every inch of her carpet is covered with clothes, shoes, papers, etc., etc. I don't know how she stands it, but it drives me crazy. Yesterday I told her she had to clean it up; that was it! She asked to borrow my docking station so she could play her i-Pod to give her cleaning inspiration. So, I gladly agreed to let her borrow it. I like to keep it in the kitchen so I can play my i-Pod while I'm cooking or washing the dishes.
Anyway, all of those dirty clothes that previously littered her bedroom floor are now in a hamper waiting for me to wash. My goal is to only do laundry one or two days a week as it tends to drag on. Then it feels like I'm always doing laundry! How can four of us produce so much laundry? We're even down one, with my ds now married and on his own. Dd used to be in charge of doing laundry until I relieved her of her duties. She often put clothes in the dryer that needed to be line dried and mixed colors profusely. I'm thinking my aggravation of doing laundry is cheaper than buyer all new clothes for everyone.
One area that dd is a big help in is cooking dinner. She is a budding chef, for sure. She vacuums too and other chores as assigned. Ds unloads the dishwasher and handles trash duty.
Being a homemaker is a lot like chasing your tail often times. For instance, you wash the dishes, do a load of laundry, dust, vacuum, etc., etc... And, ALL it takes is for ONE child to come through and eat, spill something, dump a zillion Legos all over the living room floor, etc. and it looks like you have never cleaned anything at all! It can be extremely unrewarding. Probably more so because I tend to be more task oriented. I like to check things off of a list and know that it's done. Housekeeping with kids around makes this nearly impossible. Add on top of this, the fact that we homeschool and are home much of the time, it's a recipe for a lot of frustration if you like things neat and tidy. I've learned to let up a little. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that when the kids are grown, my house will be clean and organized the way I'd like it. Then, I'll probably wish I had umpteen Legos spread everywhere and artwork all over the floor. Until then, it is my prayer that the house will look somewhat respectable the next time the neighbor rings the doorbell! My personal favorite is when the neighbor across the street came over a few weeks ago to thank me for shoveling her driveway for her. The only trouble was I was still in my pajamas and my hair was a wreck! Argh. Gotta love it! So now I go to sleep with my clothes on for the next day! ... NOT! :)
Happy Valentine's Day All! Have a blessed day!
< Message edited by crazedmom -- 2/14/2010 3:43:43 PM >
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/15/2010 6:32:08 AM
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crazedmom
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I was thinking about the parable of the lost sheep found in Luke 15 last night. Sometimes Luke 15 is referred to as the "Lost Chapter" because it talks about not only the lost sheep, but the lost coin and the lost son. The entire chapter is a loving reminder of our value to our Heavenly Father!
How amazing that the shepherd would leave the flock of 99 sheep just to find the one that was lost somewhere! You might think he'd be satisfied with knowing he had most of his flock in tact. And the parable of the woman who lost a coin, a day's wages...she turned her house upside down looking for that special coin that was so very valuable to her. Then, there's the parable of the lost son, which has always been fascinating to me. Here you have the quintessential rebel, who took his father's house for granted. The world was calling to him and he gladly answered. He partook in every kind of sin imaginable and much to his surprise found no meaning, no satisfaction in his new found lowly life. The sin that appeared so glamorous previously now left him with buyer's remorse. Ever been there? I have.
The son hit rock bottom when he found himself eating pig slop. He probably thought to himself, 'How did I land here'? Our former pastor used to quote, "Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you for longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay." Isn't that the truth?
You can be on one side of the line drawn in the sand and think you're pretty safe over there as a Christian. But the devil isn't happy about your stance for righteousness and continually brings opportunities to test your faith. It is imperative that we, as Christians, clothe ourselves for this battle. Ephesians 6:11-18 talks about putting on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against all the strategies and deceits of the devil.
I've been a Christian for 35 years and I think sometimes we have a tendency to get a little bored with stories or lessons we've heard a milliion times before. We can think we have a pretty good handle on things, etc. However, it bears noting that in this parable the rebel son "was in his father's house" prior to his fall into sin. Now, parables are wonderful things because we can speculate all sorts of possible meanings behind them. But, I believe this son was walking with the Lord, but he became comfortable in his Christianity and complacent with the blessings of God in his life. No matter how long you have been walking with the Lord, all of us must remain connected to the vine. (That's another parable for another time...) But, our very spiritual life source is the Word of God and prayer. When we disconnect from the power source, we become powerless. Lest we think we have the ability to overcome sin within ourselves, it behooves us to maintain a close connection with our Redeemer.
The Bible says in Isaiah 64:6 that "...our righteousness is as filthy rags." What does that mean? It means there's nothing redeeming about us. We cannot save ourselves. We have a sinful nature and there's nothing we can do about it on our own. That's why we needed a Savior and His name is Jesus! We can get this attitude that says we're doing okay by ourselves and maybe we can handle this thing called life on our own for a while. That is called pride (and deceit), which comes before a fall. (as we see here with the parable of the lost son)
I love Luke 15:17 when it says, "Then he came to himself...". I think you could also say, "When he finally listened to that still small voice within his aching soul." He was at the end of himself; he had no more answers. He returned to an exuberant father, who "was moved with pity and tenderness; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him." (verse 20) Can't you just picture this wayward son covered in pig slop, with profuse body odor, forlorn facial expression, practically dragging his sin racked body to his father's house? He knew that if he could just get there, he would have hope again, a reason to live again. Then, the father spots him and runs to him! Wow! That's the father's love for you and me! That son is you and he is me; it's all of us because the heart of the Father is to seek and save that which is lost. What a beautiful story of redemption! The Father's love! Psalm 136:1 says, "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving kindness endure forever."
The father doesn't just give the rebellious son an every day kind of meal. He serves him the best of everything he has, puts a ring on his finger, and restores their relationship! Incredible. Has the son done anything to deserve these blessings? Not a chance. It's a free gift from the heart of a loving father! When Christ redeems us, he doesn't just bless us with salvation and the hope of eternity spent with Him; He restores our soul. He brings us into right relationship with Him and heals our very being. God is in the restoration business still. He wants us to bring our broken lives, the emptiness, the unfulfilled dreams and desires, and lay them at His feet today. God wants to bring healing and wholeness to you. That's His desire for you. "He came to give us life and life more abundantly." (John 10:10)
Psalm 40 has always been a favorite of mine. It talks about God bringing us out of a horrible pit and setting our feet upon the rock. "He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise unto our God." (verse 3)
The value of an item is determined by how much one is willing to pay for it, right? You and I have such an immeasurable value to God that it cost Him everything He had, His only Son! I just wanted to remind you today, friend, that you have exceeding value to the heart of God. You are special and there is not another you. God made you the way you are for a purpose and a destiny. Sometimes the pressures and cares of this life can obscure the view of who we really are. Dig into the Scriptures and be reminded of who God says you are. When we have an accurate gauge of who we are in Christ, we can do amazing things for Him!
"You are more than a conqueror in Christ. You are a new creation; behold old things have passed away. You have the mind of Christ. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength! You are blessed in the city, blessed in the field; everything your hand touches is blessed! You are the lender and not the borrower."
Now, here's a challenge. Find the passages of the Scriptures I just quoted. :)
Have a blessed day!
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/15/2010 5:28:20 PM
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crazedmom
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Well, it's snowing again here! Hopefully it tapers off soon and isn't a problem for dh and his commute home this evening. It's been a sluggish day, but Mondays often are around here. It seems to take some time to shift back into gear for the week after being off for the weekend. The kids did their school work and were going to play in the snow, but decided against it.
We may go to the library tomorrow and get together with some fellow homeschoolers later this week. The kids will be glad to have park play days again when the weather warms up. They love to ride their bikes and roller blade.
I'm cooking some soup for dinner now. I think it will hit the spot on such a cold day like today. It's 33 degrees right now and has been fairly overcast all day. That just makes one sleepy! :)
Dh got home with the furniture last night and was quite a production carrying it inside following the narrow pathway of our sidewalk. On either side of the sidwalk are mounds of snow. I really like the small occasional table with a drop leaf on either side. That's what he was calling a secretary's desk. It could be a desk, but I think I'd like to use it in our living room in our new house. The Chippendale reproduction chair is dark cherry and very sturdy. I love it. The only change we may make to it sometime in the future is the upholstery covering the seat. It is a powder blue and we're just not blue people. Now, my sister would love it. That's her favorite color. We prefer more burgundy, tans, golds, etc. He also brought home the cutest little lamp that puts off amazing light for something of its size. Very cute. It has a brass base and almost like a mother of pearl lamp shade. Very unique and sits about a foot or so tall. I think he may go back and get an office desk they were also selling for $50. It's dark cherry also and is an executive desk. They were throwing in a credenza also for free. So, he'll have to rent a Uhaul to pick those items up. Unfortunately they won't fit in our SUV. My dh's job involves processing a lot of paperwork, so these items would be very useful. We gave his office desk and chair to a good friend of ours before we moved. There was no way we would have had room to bring them.
I told my dh that I hope our new house has adequate room for the office furniture, etc. I said well, if it doesn't fit, we could always sell it on Craigslist!
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/16/2010 11:08:14 AM
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crazedmom
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The Craigslist Furniture Saga Continues...
I had to laugh again when I received another email from the attorney, who we bought the foyer table, etc. from, proposing a package deal. She's offering a curio cabinet, the desk, credenza, two office chairs, a small stand, and a chest for $200. The trouble is we do not need all these things. It'd be great for her to sell it all in one fell swoop; but our house will start to look like a used furniture store. And, one of us will have to move out! ha ha ... I'll email her today saying we only need the desk. :) I'm just glad our first transaction involving Craigslist was a positive experience.
We did have a situation in the past where someone copied our ad on a rental website and posted the identical ad on Craigslist. They conveniently posted that we accepted cats and dogs and a lower price for the rent. That was so generous of them. Ahh, the joys of the internet and too much time on your hands...
Ds10 is not feeling so well this a.m., so we'll have a light day of school today. Dd12 is trudging along with pre-algebra and pre-geometry. She says she hates math; but she's actually pretty good at it. I think it's just the fact that new concepts are being introduced. She's a pretty smart cookie. (as are her brothers) Of course, yes, I'm biased as their mother.
Speaking of her brothers... Ds21 and I were texting yesterday as it was one of his days off. He is a police officer and works 12 hour shifts, two days on and two days off. He also works every other weekend, so I'm usually at a loss as to when I can call him without interrupting his sleep, etc. He's pretty good at keeping in touch, though. This is the first time he and his wife have lived so far from family. In previous conversations, he's mentioned how much he misses being near family. They did come to visit over Thanksgiving weekend, which was wonderful! His wife is planning on going back to school this summer to complete her degree in dental hygiene. I'm so proud of her! They both are very bright.
Ds typed at the end of his text message, "Love u". No sweeter words. :) We miss him terribly, but are super proud of him. Our fervent prayer for all of our children (& d-i-l) is that they will serve God every day of their lives and that the Lord will continue to bless them in all they do. That's my heart's cry. There's no greater joy for a parent than to know that our children are following Christ and maturing in the faith.
Today, my top prayers are for our youth pastor and his wife, who are both in the hospital; for my dh and his workload; and for our family. Lots of other prayers going up; those are just a few. I am so very thankful to God for our health, a stable job for dh, all the Lord's provisions, and for a God whose love never fails. His mercies are new everyday.
Today the high temp is 35. Brrr. The sun doesn't even want to come out, it's so cold. Seems like our mounds of snow will be with us for some time to come. My younger sister is coming for a visit & business trip in two weeks, and it will be good to see her. We haven't seen her since August. We'll have a real family reunion at the end of March with all of my siblings coming to visit. My dad will be so glad to see everyone too. It's always a busy time when we get together, but really nice to see everyone. There are four of us siblings and we all live in different states. Some want to visit the Holocaust museum and some want to visit Mount Vernon; so we'll see where we wind up. No matter what we choose, it'll be good, as always, to be together. I'm the "family photographer", so I'll have to charge up my camera batteries.
Enjoy today!
"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it"! Psalm 118:24
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/16/2010 7:49:52 PM
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crazedmom
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Fortunately ds10 had a quick recovery this morning and we wound up going to a new library and the thrift store. We had to apply for a new card since it is in a different county, but it's still close by. The kids found some books as well as educational and entertainment DVD's. I'm always glad to find the educational DVD's (mostly science) as they supplement our schooling nicely, and make it come alive. Ds10 is more of an audio/visual learner, so these are right up his alley. I found a number of books for myself also.
One of those books is "The Old Farmer's Almanac Book of Everyday Advice". I had to laugh (as you'll learn this is something I do often!) at some of the advice in this book. One line read,
"Brush the hair at least twice weekly and shampoo once a month." -1914
I'm not sure how many friends one would have. I'd hate to hear the advice on bathing... Yes, we've come a long way since then!
I also got some Christian fiction books and a couple of books on ways to save money. I'm always interested in new ideas in this regard.
Our trip to the thrift store was fairly productive. I scanned through all the books they had, which were quite a few. They mostly have novels that I am not interested in; but I did find "Bartlett's Familiar Quotations" for $3.83. This is a large, fairly thick hardback book; and I'm always intrigued by quotes. I figured it was worth the asking price. When I got home, I checked on Amazon to see if they carried it. They do, for $31.50! It will be a very satisfying, welcome addition to my library indeed. :) My dh will be proud.
I bought a backpack for a little over $2 for dd12's good friend who needed one. We found a nice baseball glove to give to ds10's friend for his birthday. The tag from Kmart read $16.50; whereas the thrift store price was $4.00. Sounds good to me. We found a couple of plates for a little over $1 each and dd12 found some headbands with the long scarves attached for $4. When she opened up the bag in the car, there were 10 headbands! Wow. I thought we might find some more nice long sleeved shirts for ds10, but it seems even the thrift stores rotate their merchandise and are preparing for spring. They even have their rack of bathing suits out and ready to go.
I like this particular thrift store because they have such a wide variety of items and always a good supply. The kids have fun looking around and I do too. It's not in the greatest area, but that's the price I have to pay for going there. It's a little sad when even the thrift store has to hire a security guard. I've noticed that a number of places have security guards now, even the library! Where do I live? :) Not in Kansas, I can tell you that.
We have to return the entertainment DVD's in a few days, and we'll pair that trip with a visit to a different thrift store. I told dd12 that if she didn't find any clothes at the other thrift store, we'd try the other one. She's into high fashion these days, so I figure this is a very economical way to expand her wardrobe.
The side street that leads to the library was in terrible shape with very thick patches of ice. It was a very bumpy ride through there. On our way home, we passed by several front loaders trying to clean up more snow mounds that block portions of lanes on the road and turn lanes. A week after the last blizzard and some roads are still treacherous. We passed by a car dealership that was selling snow plow attachments. I bet they'll get a few takers. After each time it snows, so many people go door to door asking if they want their driveway and sidewalk shoveled. It's big business for a lot of people. After the first blizzard a girl came around and asked my dad if he needed help with shoveling. That was when we got somewhere around 18 inches or so. He was delighted that she agreed to do it for only $20. For that much snow, most would have probably charged at least $30, which is a lot but that's how it is around here. We would've done it for him but the roads weren't clear enough to get over there.
Be blessed.
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Psalm 23:1-3
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/17/2010 11:00:42 AM
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crazedmom
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I heard one of my favorite songs on the radio the other day and thought I'd share it. It's called "Knowing You".
All I once held dear built my life upon
All this world reveres and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now compared to this
Knowing You Jesus, knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all You're the best
You're my joy my righteousness
And I love You Lord
Now my heart's desire is to know You more
To be found in You and known as Yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All surpassing gift of righteousness
...There's so much depth behind the words of this song. One of my favorite lines is, "To possess by faith what I could not earn..." Salvation is a gift, not something we work towards. I love the fact that we cannot do anything to make God love us more; and, equally, we cannot do anything to make God love us less! That is a very freeing thought.
Of course, that's not to say, that we trample such grace under foot and behave just any way. But, simply that we serve a loving Father, who loves us as His treasured creation not for what we do or don't do. Grace is an amazing thing! (see Romans 5 & 6)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Another homeschooling family is coming over to visit tomorrow, so that will be fun! The girls may do some arts and crafts and will have fun listening to dd12's i-Pod together. The boys will likely play Legos and video games. Cabin fever has been running rampant here!
Dh and I decided against purchasing that office desk afterall. For one thing, we really don't have the space to store it and for another, it's not as much of a steal when factoring in the Uhaul rental cost. So, we will delay that purchase until we move, which I think will work out best. Then, we don't have to move it twice. I emailed that attorney to thank her for the offer and to let her know our decision.
Today will be busy with school work, cleaning up a little, giving ds10 a much-needed hair cut, and relaxing with some of my library finds. It's been a while since I've had anything interesting to read for fun. I am a big fan of the library! The price is definitely right!
The kids want to expand their snow fort they've been working on today. It's 33 right now and the weather says it feels like 25. Brrr. We're supposed to get a few flurries today and tomorrow, but probably won't accumulate. I'm making a beef and vegetable stew with dinner rolls tonight. I'll go through the kitchen cabinets and freezer later and make my grocery list based on the gaps. I want to try this discount grocery store not too far from here. I'll definitely rely on the Garmin (GPS) to get me there. I've only looked it up online and am not familiar with the area it's in.
Another goal for today is to print our family budget and see if our spending is lining up with our plans. I am a woman on a mission to cut expenses! I was thinking if only I'd had this mindset a while back, we could've saved a ton. But, hindsight is usually 20/20, isn't it? Gotta move forward from here. With our goal of purchasing a house soon in the forefront of our minds, it gives great incentive to be frugal. It will be such a joy to reach our goal!
My dh and I were just agreeing last night how much God has blessed us. He truly has. We have everything we need. We may have wants; but we certainly have adequate shelter, our health, food and clothing. We are blessed.
Dh was sitting in a parking lot yesterday making some customer phone calls when an older lady hit his bumper. Fortunately, it was very minor and no one was hurt. However, he did have to take her insurance information, etc. to file a claim. Interestingly, the lady's friend said to my dh, "You should be ashamed of yourself. Taking the insurance information from a senior citizen"! I thought that was rude. Thankfully it was minor; however it does not excuse any and all damage. It is a company car and it is not up to my dh whether he files a claim or not. It is company guidelines that he must comply with. One's age should not excuse one's responsibility when stepping behind the wheel of a vehicle. Perhaps she should not be driving at all if she cannot accept such responsibility and liability. My dh reminded the lady's friend that he had been parked. She was the one who hit him. Why do people want to blame extenuating circumstances or facts when the blame falls squarely on their shoulders?
That reminds me of the interesting laws Florida has, like the one that allows drivers to renew their licenses through the mail. My dh once dealt with a customer who was 90 yrs. old and her license didn't expire for another ten years! (at which time, she could apply for another one through the mail) Florida is not about to change that law any time soon, I'm sure. It has to cater to those who flock there in droves.
Now, I love seniors, don't get me wrong. Love them. My family and I cared for my grandmother, who couldn't walk the last twelve years of her life, when I was growing up. We bathed, fed, clothed, etc. her with loving compassion. She was a sweetheart, who loved the Lord with all of her heart. An inspiration for all of us, despite her inability to be mobile.
Two other laws the state of Florida has that are a little strange to me are their motorcycle helmet and open records laws. It is not state law that you have to wear a helmet if you ride a motocycle. I'm not a cyclist, but I think certainly helmets do save lives. All records (such as property transfers, property taxes, mortgage info, etc.) are available for all to see online. We could easily look online to see what our neighbor owes on their mortgage and vice versa. Or if they recently took out a home equity line of credit, etc. We come from a state with closed records, so this seems like such a violation of privacy to us!
Now, Florida does boast some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen! There are some redeeming facets of residing there, of course. Sunsets on the beach are breathtaking! Dinner on the beach at sunset even better! :)
...Ds10 counted his Lego men (characters) last night and you wouldn't believe how many he has! 113! He has been collecting Legos for quite a few years now. He likes the Indiana Jones and Star Wars Lego sets and can put them together in record time. Now, if he'd just keep them put together; that'd be great!
Dd12's passion is singing. She loves to sing along with her i-Pod, preferrably at the top of her lungs! :) Really. She enjoys drawing pictures too. Last week she drew a really good one of Charlie Brown and one of a fish and coral. She'll be 13 in November, but it feels like she's been a teenager for a while now. I remember what it was like to try to become more independent and when music was my world, etc. Now, she's walking that path. I pray that the Lord will help her as she goes through the changes these years bring. I used to think it was challenging dealing with ds21 going through his set of changes as a teenager, but I think I'm in for a run for my money with dd12. :) She is precious. But, oh, is she strong willed. Grace, that's what I need. The unmerited favor of God.
Have a joyful day, all!
"I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/17/2010 7:06:52 PM
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crazedmom
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Today certainly was non-stop. The kids and I got our school work done and they played in the snow for a long time. I sorted and shredded a bunch of paperwork. Now, the next step is actually doing the filing. I've found I tend to keep fewer and fewer pieces of paper these days. It's just more to move. :) I read one of my library books on saving money. There weren't any ideas that were new to me, but it was an interesting read. It encouraged me to do what I already had in the back of my head, and that is to start looking online for coupons. I've never been a big coupon person, but I'm going to try to change that.
The kids helped add some items to the grocery list. We definitely have to go to the store soon. Dd12 is having company over on the weekend, and they want to have pizza and brownies. Fun. Fun. Tomorrow's company will be a nice break from our normal routine. They are a nice Christian family and we always have a lot of fun together. My friend is a hot tea drinker, so I'll be sure to have my wooden box of various teas out to offer her some. I found this boxed set of teas on clearance after Christmas for half price for $9.99. Since we've always done a lot of entertaining, I thought it'd be perfect to have on hand. My dh and I are more coffee drinkers than hot tea, but with this extremely cold weather, I have found myself drifting over to "the other side". I picked up a box of Twinings Green Tea the last time I was at the store and plan to make that a habit. I prefer tea with honey and a little milk, but my good friend drinks it plain. I'll have to get a kettle if I stay on this path for long. :)
I have the beef stew, jasmine rice and collard greens cooking now. It sure smells good.
I read this passage in I Corinthians 13:4-13 (The Message Version) today and wanted to share it:
"Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut.
Doesn't have a swelled head.
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always 'me first',
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies...We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation:
-Trust steadily in God.
-Hope unswervingly
-Love extravagantly.
And the best of the three is love."
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/18/2010 7:42:06 PM
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crazedmom
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The morning was busy with cleaning a bathroom, laundry, loading the dishwasher, etc. We enjoyed our visit with our good friends this afternoon. The girls helped dd clean out her fish tank, which I'm sure she appreciated. Dd finished cleaning up her room with the added incentive of company coming, thankfully. The boys had a good time playing too. My friend and I chatted about just about every topic under the sun as usual. We're both just so happy to have found a friend, since we're both new to the area. (Technically, I'm not new since I'm from here; but new again, let's just say...after a decade long absence.) Our conversation is always filled with much laughter, and it really does "do good like a medicine" for both of us. Good stress reliever.
Today was a beautiful, sunny day with high temps around 48! Whew, a heat wave! :) It was refreshing to see that glowing ball, we call the sun, shining so brightly today! Living in FL for so long, you get used to having it around every day. I actually could see part of the lawn peeking through the neighbor's yard across the street today! It may be several more weeks until we see grass on our side of the street, though.
The two and a half foot long, thick icicle that has been hanging from the corner of our roof line finally dropped. I'm glad, too, so the heavy snow on the roof can drain off more easily. I keep hearing about roofs caving in and pray that ours stays strong.
We're having DiGiorno pizza for dinner tonight. I also have baked chicken in the oven for dh since he may not want pizza. I'm also cooking more collard greens as they are a favorite of dh and mine.
I just got this email from CVS (Pharmacy) with a coupon to save $5 off a purchase of $20 or more on health items (i.e. Tylenol, vitamins, etc.). Perfect timing, isn't it? I gathered my other coupons so I'm hoping my new ambition pays off and really saves me money. Probably one of the reasons I haven't used coupons too much previously is because the ones you get in the Sunday paper haven't been for products I use. I just received some Target coupons in a booklet in the mail and came across those again the other day. Fortunately the library is close to the Target, so it will be worth the trip to use some of those. So often it seems, you have to spend more money (and effort) in order to save a small amount. I guess this has been my argument in the past. I'll experiment with my new venture and see if it yields the desired results.
I shared some coupons, I knew I wouldn't use, with my friend who visited today. I also gave her some yarn as she also crochets, as well as one of her girls.
After analyzing our monthly budget yesterday, it became readily apparent that, as of the 17th of the month, we are not going to meet our monthly budget goals for February. We had a mini-business meeting last night and agreed to not spend any money outside of groceries (& my trip to CVS) for the rest of the month. (Well, and our dinner out with dad...) We're all on board to reducing expenses and striving toward our goal to buy a house soon. This has been an excellent teaching tool for the kids. They are much more mindful now about turning lights off, etc. to save money.
I printed off a picture of a house and put it on our refrigerator as a visual reminder for our savings goal.
Without deliberate plans, we cannot accomplish much. This quote comes to mind:
"If you aim at nothing; you will hit it every time". Zig Ziglar
Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit whatever you do to the Lord, and your plans will succeed." (NIV)
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/19/2010 9:04:56 AM
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crazedmom
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Good morning, all. I got up even earlier this a.m. as this seems to be my new trend. My birthday is next week, so maybe this is just part of the process. I love early mornings before everyone else gets up and needs me. I can spend a little quiet time, gathering my thoughts, praying and just enjoying the stillness of the morning. It doesn't appear that it will be a sunny day, but at least it will be in the 40's again. The pile of snow on our deck is still well over a foot deep. But, it seems to be melting a little at a time. It may snow again on Monday, I just heard. Very unusual year for sure, in terms of record snowfall and colder than average temps.
We all have things on our prayer list, don't we? The cares of this world can become overbearing at times.
That old hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus", says it this way:
"What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."
That song says it all. It is indeed a privilege to be able to take our needs to our loving Heavenly Father, who cares for us, and who is in a position to work in our lives. Not only is there peace in that, but also knowing that Jesus, our High Priest, is daily making intercession for us! Jesus is praying for you and for me today, my friend! So, even when no one on this earth may be praying for us, we are not without prayers going before the throne of God on our behalf. (Romans 8:34) What a comforting thought!
I heard an interesting analogy - "Worry is like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but gets you no where." True, huh? Then, why do we do it? That is the question. Worry is the act of mulling something over and over again, right? Joyce Meyer says that if you know how to worry; you know how to meditate on the Word of God. One is the direct opposite of the other. Worry takes matters into our own hands and frets because things are often beyond our control. Meditating on the Word of God is deliberate focus on the Scriptures and letting them take root in our soul, which then yields greater faith. Faith is what will ultimately help us escape the cycle of worry.
It's also been said, "When worry walks in; faith walks out." Worry happens when we continually ask ourselves the "what if's" about situations and when we magnify the circumstances in our lives. If I sound like I know what I'm talking about; it's because I do wrestle with worry. I guess we all do at times. As a mother, I can become so concerned about particular areas in my children's lives, that I start to worry. As a wife, my husband's work concerns, etc. can easily add to my "worry load". Perhaps if worry set off a loud alarm, I'd quickly convert it to a prayer instead. However, worry tends to enter the scene very quietly and increase gradually, doesn't it?
Christ desires for us to live life more abundantly; or as the NIV puts it, "live life to the full". (John 10:10) We must maintain our gaze on the Lover of our souls, the Redeemer of our lives, and our High Priest.
Romans 12:2 talks about "renewing our minds by the washing of the Word of God". Not only is this referring to keeping ourselves pure and having the right attitude, but by delving into the Word, we can put the circumstances of our lives into proper focus.
I can definitely tell a difference between the times of my life when I am being a faithful student of the Word and when I allow the "busy-ness" of life to stifle my time with the Lord through reading the Word and prayer! It's like trying to drive a car on fumes. It doesn't work. We have to constantly be students of the Word because that is where our strength lies. That is our source of power as believers. If we want to be vibrant plantings of the Lord we need to apply the following passage:
"But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, instructions & teachings of God) he habitually meditates (studies and ponders) by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted (& tended) by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper (and come to maturity)." Psalm 1:2-3 (Amplified)
Those Scriptures just encourage me to dig even deeper into the Word of God. I want to be a like a tree planted by the rivers of living water. I want to lead a fruitful life, one who is able to give to others out of the abundant blessings of God in my life. I desire my spirit not to faint or weak and anemic; but that my spiritual "leaves" will be green and vibrant because of the life giving nutrients of the Word of God at work in my life. Basically, this passage in Psalm 1 says that when we delight in Him and His Word, our lives will reflect that.
So, today I will reflect on Scriptures that build my faith. I will choose to focus on the greatness of our God rather than the temporal trials of this world. I encourage you even if you only have a few moments to read the Word to do it and see if you don't notice your faith growing. Before long, you might even worry less and trust God more. It's a habit that has far reaching benefits.
Psalm 18:2 says, "The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my Salvation, my High Tower."
Psalm 31:3 says, "Yes, You are my Rock and my Fortress; therefore for Your name's sake lead and guide me."
A favorite Scripture of mine is Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart..."
The Word tells us to "Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness". (Isaiah 61:3)
The NIV says it this way:
"and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor."
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/20/2010 10:11:21 AM
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crazedmom
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Good morning, everyone! The house is fairly quiet with only one of the dd's friends awake. She had two friends stay over last night. They made brownies and had a lot of fun. Dd12 decided to jump up as she was standing on the last step that leads into the basement and hit her head on the ceiling pretty hard. She's just about as tall as I am now. She held ice on it for a while and laid down, but that was a temporary damper on their fun. The girls felt so bad for her and brought her a brownie when they were finished baking. So sweet. Dd12 bounced back and is fine now. Even ds10 had such compassion on her and prayed for her at bedtime. See, they really do love each other. It's so refreshing to see that every now and then. My favorite is after they've been arguing, one will say to the other, "Truce?" And the other usually agrees. I'm convinced they'll be the best of friends as adults. :)
Dd12's friends are the most well behaved girls I've ever seen! What a blessing! Even their siblings are too. Good parenting and great dispositions. Ds10 and one of the girls are having breakfast now.
Dh has to take the vehicles for the emissions testing today. He'll take one vehicle and then I'll meet him with the other vehicle. It'll be good to get that out of the way. The girls will go home later this afternoon.
Yesterday was a very productive day with many errands. I was able to use all of my coupons and was happy to see that the products I had coupons for at Target were also on sale. It was an excellent start to my coupon quest. Also my $5 off a $20 purchase at CVS was a real deal as I bought their brand of ibuprofen and ointment, which also happened to be on sale. So, I walked out of there with my two items for $15. I'm sure they are banking on people spending more money once you get in the store, but I was a woman on a mission.
The kids and I went to that discount grocery store, which I found without too much trouble. I took the right exit but then the exit split and I should have taken the split to the right, but I went left. So, with a quick turn around, I was back on track. It was a little crowded, but not too much. Some guy was giving a cashier a hard time about a lady being in line in front of him, but aside from that little sideshow, it wasn't bad. My kids were just looking at him, probably wondering what was wrong with him. (I reminded them not to stare.) I couldn't help but think if we could all grow up and take turns like adults, we could all get along great! Anyway, the deals were incredible, especially compared to the regular grocery stores. I stocked up quite a bit, but will go to another store to buy meat and other produce. I did get some really fresh Gala apples, celery and carrots. My sister has the same discount chain nearby and I think the next time I visit her in PA, I'll stock up on things there.
We also went to the library, post office, bank, and got gas on top of going to Target, CVS and grocery store. No wonder I was exhausted by the time we got home! Good thing I remembered to take my vitamin! I really notice a difference when I take it, lots more energy. (and I need all of that I can get!) Thank God, the kids were here to help bring the bags inside and unload. Dd12 quickly got the spaghetti and meatballs dinner started, which was great. Then, her friends arrived around 7p.m.
Target had some pretty good deals on clearance. In the back of the store, they have a variety of items marked down. So, I like to browse, but it's usually not a deep enough of a price cut to motivate me to actually buying it. It's kind of like treasure hunting, I guess. They had a 20 pack Dial soap marked down to $6.53. I thought this was an amazing deal and I really like the scent. They also had a 6 pack of packing tape for $5.88. That wasn't outstanding, but a fair price. With our upcoming move, it'll come in handy. It seems when you really need something, it's rarely on sale. So, when I see good deals, I like to grab them.
Last night, I was reading one of the threads on CW about using coupons. Well, as if I needed more inspiration...They were talking about various websites to find good coupons, etc. So, I signed up for a few. Now, I'm on the hunt for coupons on items I regularly purchase (& pay FULL price for!). I'm thinking, why pay full price? Many coupons are available to simply print out using your home computer. I printed out a coupon for deodorant for $2 off, which will bring the actual cost to a little over $1. I'm thinking that's a fair price. I also printed a $2 off coupon for Theraflu for my dad as he uses that.
I may never get $150 worth of groceries for $2 like some amazing women have done; but if I can save a little here and there, why not?! A little saved here means we can spend it toward things we really want -- like retirement, ministry, travel, etc. Why not re-direct your money to go where YOU want it to go? (instead of one so many disposable items, like food, household goods, etc.) I love Dave Ramsey and he is another great inspiration in our lives. He talks about this concept a lot. His motto is (& you may be familiar with it) -- "Live like no one else, so that later you can live like no one else". In other words, make some sacrifices today, so that tomorrow you can enjoy life. Makes sense to me. So, that's our goal.
We just received our Lands' End order last night. I ordered some tennis shoes for ds10, who had grown out of his other pair. He's been wearing boots this winter, but will need other shoes come spring and summer. We gave two pairs of his old tennis shoes to a friend for her son. They both were still in great shape. He seems to grow faster than his clothes and shoes wear out! I think ds10 is going to be pretty tall. Already, he is wearing a men's size 8. He started life out pretty large, so he has no where to go but up. He was 9lbs. 10 oz. and 22 1/2 inches long. He looked like he was two months old at birth! :)
...back to the Land's End order... I also ordered a thermal light jacket for dh and dd12, which were on clearance. Ds10's tennis shoes were also on clearance for $19.99. I'm thinking for men's tennis shoes, that's unbeatable around here anyway. I love Land's End, as their products last forever and are so classic. I read a testimonial the other day online, that this lady had one of their t-shirts that is 20 years old and is still ticking. Wow. That's quality.
We've always passed on the kid's clothing to friends or charity, and it's such a blessing to be able to give items you know they'll be able to use for a while. At the end of this season, I'll filter through the kid's clothes and see what they've outgrown. This is why I'm so thankful for the things we've been able to find at the thrift store. At prices like $1 or $2, it isn't such a waste if they only wear them for one season. I think God honors good stewardship, and that's our goal here.
My dh just looks at me and smiles as I'm excitedly sharing with him about my coupon deals, etc. His look says it all. I told him, "You know you're cracking up when you get excited about coupons!" And, he quickly discounted my statement. He is thrilled, needless to say, about my newfound obsession with saving money; and he wants to fuel my passion for it. It's not as if I've thrown boo-coo money away in the past; it's just my idea of a good deal has been shopping at Walmart or Target. I've enjoyed some online shopping, etc., etc. I tell you, pain is a great motivator. We all are so anxious to move that we are willing to pay the price (save money at any cost!) in order to reach that end. We do not want to pay rent any longer than is necessary, so we are highly motivated.
Dd12 and her other friend have arisen from their slumber and are eating a highly nutritious breakfast. Brownies. Ordinarily this would not fly, but today, why not? They're having milk too, so it's half way nutritious. :) They're going to play in the snow after "breakfast". Dd12 enjoys eating leftovers for breakfast, so she's having spaghetti now. She has a hearty stomach! :) That would not be my choice. I think I'll have oatmeal with raisins.
The sun is shining brightly and is such a welcome sight! My grandmother used to exclaim as she sat next to the living room window, "That sun coming in that window, makes me feel so good!" I'm sure it did. She was a sweet soul.
Hope you all enjoy the day!
"Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him." Psalm 37:7 - Amplified
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/20/2010 3:26:28 PM
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crazedmom
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Ever have one of those days where the best of intentions didn't equal getting much of anything accomplished?? ...
Yes, there's a story that follows that question.
Dh took the SUV to get the emissions tested and realized he didn't have the registration. I had it in my wallet (as I'm usually the only one who drives it). So, I offered to meet him. He calls me right back and tells me we had the wrong license plate on the SUV apparently. We'd inadvertently put the plates from our convertible on the SUV and vice versa. So, I unscrewed the plates from the convertible, which is housed safe and sound in the garage, grabbed my purse and my ds10 and ran out the door to meet him. The place closes in 45 minutes...
As I'm more than half way there in dh's company car, I happened to look at the dash and noticed the gas light was on. Oh, okay, nothing new here. But, then what really alarmed me was the fact that it said "0" miles to E. Lovely. I pulled over at the nearest gas station and called dh. I told him he better meet me there, collect the tags & registration and run before they close. To which he calls me back a few minutes later to inform me that traffic is horendous and he'll have to reschedule. There's no way he could make it back there in time. As I'm getting ready to pull up to the gas pump, I searched through my purse and coat pockets for my debit card to no avail. It was in my brown coat so conveniently located at home because I decided to wear my black wool pea coat instead... Dh meets me at the gas station and then says, "Where's my wallet?" At this point, not a whole lot is funny. :) He was pulling my leg; he had it. But we would've been up a creek without a paddle if he didn't have it. He put the correct license plates on the SUV while we were there.
What a rigamarole!! I'm just thankful that I didn't get pulled over and have to explain to the officer why I had convertible tags on my SUV. I thought I double-checked the tag before I had ds10 help me put them on the SUV back in October! Dh was away for almost a month in training at that time for his new job. I told my dh that if I would've gotten pulled over that I merely would have explained my complicated story and the officer would have felt sorry for me! ha ha Not! :)
So, all that running around today and we got nothing accomplished! Well, according to my dh we got three things done:
1.) He now knows where the emissions testing station is located.
2.) We have the correct tags on our vehicles.
3.) He'll be ready to start the work week with a full tank of gas.
...That's one way to look at it! Sometimes ya just gotta laugh. We are late getting the emissions testing done, which is going to cost us $15 late fee per vehicle. I asked my dh to see if they'd be willing to offer any grace period since we had the back to back blizzards, but no such luck. Oh well. Next year we'll be ready for this hoop we have to jump through. We were spoiled in FL with no emissions testing. Ya just gotta laugh...
Somebody told me there'd be days likes these...
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/20/2010 8:40:15 PM
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crazedmom
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We headed downtown into D.C. late this afternoon and had a fantastic time!! Yes, it was cold -- in the low 30's, but at least it wasn't windy. We all had layers on and gloves, so it was manageable. We found street parking by the Washington Monument and walked the length of The Mall all the way down to the U.S. Capitol! The kids were moaning by the time we turned around to come all the way back to the Monument. It is 1.2 miles each way ... I just Googled it. It felt like four times that long, but we won't get into all of that right now.
We stopped in the Smithsonian Museum of American History and enjoyed looking around in there for a while until they closed at 5:30p.m. It houses a collection of First Ladies Gowns among other neat things. They have some examples of early currency too. It remains under construction (which I think has been the case for a couple of years now). I have to say, I like the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History much better. It's laid out better with more interesting displays, in my opinion. The best thing about all of the Smithsonian Museums is the fact that they are free! This makes it very family friendly too. There were definitely a lot of other people out and about on The Mall today. I overheard many international accents as D.C. remains one of the most visited places on the east coast. Of course, for all I know, they're my next door neighbor. The D.C. area is a great melting pot, for sure, of many cultures, which is what makes it such a neat place. We saw lots of high school and college students walking along also. I think, in general, everyone was just happy to get out of the house and take in the sights! I know we were!
We continued our walk towards the Capitol after we left the museum, noting many other museums to visit on future trips. There was the Gallery of Art, the Museum of the American Indian, and many others. We also want to visit the Postal Museum and The National Archives, probably in the spring. We passed by various rose gardens and pointed out the cherry blossom trees to the kids, which will be budding before long. Spring is a beautiful time of year to visit D.C. with the trees in bloom as well as the many tulips and daffodils around town.
As I gazed toward the Capitol, I said a prayer for all of our elected officials for wisdom and guidance from Above. That is a prayer I should pray more often.
We took quite a few pictures. On our walk back to the car, we spotted the outdoor ice skating rink with many skaters out. There are white lights strung around poles that make it look like such a quaint skating spot. They had a variety of music playing as the skaters enjoyed the brisk night. What a neat place to see at Christmas time, I bet. The kids were just happy to spot some park benches nearby, so we paused for a break for a moment.
All in all, it was a wonderful day! Looking forward to many more like this! Sometimes the best outings are the spontaneous ones, and this was no exception.
I couldn't help but think, as we walked along, here I am strolling the streets of the city of my birth after being away for so long. After living in Florida for almost 11 years, I never thought we'd move back; but I am so very grateful that my unspoken prayer was answered. So good to be home! This is where I belong. You can move the girl out of the city, but you can't move the city out of the girl! Yea, the people can be kind of quirky and rude; but people can also be loving and kind. You take the bad with the good anywhere you go. It just so happens it was our appointed season to return. God is up to something good here...
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/21/2010 7:46:53 PM
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crazedmom
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Pastor preached out of John 11 this morning about when Jesus called Lazarus forth from the grave. An interesting take on the old story, I thought. He was talking about how after Jesus told them to remove the stone in front of the tomb, He called Lazarus out and then instructed them to remove the grave clothes. He wouldn't be needing those any longer, as he was now among the living. Our pastor was admonishing us to remove the grave clothes or the shackles in our lives; and it is then that Christ is able to move and work in our hearts and in our lives.
He said that just as athletes in the Olympics give themselves fully to the race in order to win the prize, so should we, as Christians. We need to give an all out effort to run the race with diligence.
He was talking about sometimes we make excuses for not removing our grave clothes or shackles. We blame our past, our failures or our circumsances and use them as crutches as to why we cannot change or move forward. If we can just set aside the things that bind us, we allow Christ room to move in our lives. So true.
I like this statement: "Sometimes failure is part of God's success plans."
It's not so much that God intends us to fail because that's not His desire. Failure is a reality and when it is; it does not mean "the end". It is just a comma, not a period. That's not where our lives end. It may feel that way; but God's redemptive power causes it to be a building block.
So, just as Jesus called to Lazarus to come forth and shed his grave clothes (shackles), He's calling to you and me today. He's telling us to "Lay aside every weight, every care that so easily besets us." (or causes us to get off track in our walk with Him.)
Good message to cause us to examine our hearts, our motives, our habits, and our commitment level and lay them before the altar. May God help each of us to run the race that is set before us with diligence and with all of our hearts.
The prize will be hearing, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy that is set before you."
That's what I'm living for!
We sang the song, "I Need You Jesus" made popular by Newsong, this morning during praise and worship. The lyrics go like this:
"I need you Jesus to come to my rescue. Where else could I go? There's no other name by which I am saved. Capture me with grace. I will follow you..."
Then it leads into the chorus that says, "This world has nothing for me. This world has nothing for me..."
It's so true. The things that this world offers to fill our appetites do not satisfy.
They may for a season, but not for eternity.
"We press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/22/2010 10:54:51 AM
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crazedmom
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Speaking of pastors... Our former pastor in Florida called yesterday to see how we were doing. They (he & his wife)not only were our pastors, but also special friends of ours. It's always nice to hear from him and to know he's still keeping us in his prayers. What a blessing it is to know somebody is praying for you, isn't it?
He was sharing with us about the progress on the church building program and how it should be completed in a few months. That is awesome! We would like to go down for the dedication service, but we'll have to see if that works out.
We were very involved in our church there, so we are a little like fish out of water at the moment. We have found an incredible church here, but are just drinking in the ministry from the Lord right now. In due time, we will find our niche and put our hands to the plow again in ministry. There is a season for everything.
I think we're going to start attending the mid week Bible study classes at our church again. It'll be good for all of us, especially the kids. It's a little bit of a hastle with the traffic, but it'll be worth the inconvenience. We're still adjusting to the frenzied pace and unfamiliar roads. The population in the D.C. Metropolitan area (DC/MD/VA) is
5.3 million. Wow.
Spring seems to be in the air with recent temps in the mid 40's some days. Of course, they're saying we'll get some snow showers, but it probably won't accumulate. At least I'm hoping it won't at this point. Let's save the rest of the snow for next year, okay? We've had enough for this season, I think. When temps get into the 50's it will seem like a heat wave! That will be wonderful.
Yesterday I spoke with my ds21 on the phone and we had a nice talk. He's doing well with his work, etc. I had him talk to his sister after we finished. I'm a firm believer that siblings can have a very positive effect on one another. I always tell him that his sister "needs" him. She needs his guidance and advice in her life. Sometimes children take it far better coming from someone closer to their age versus a parent. And, she does really look up to her big brother. Plus, I always say siblings are the great equalizer. They tell you who you are and who you aren't. They tell it like it is, whether you want to hear it or not. You learn to share because of them. You learn that the world does not revolve around just you. Countless lessons we learn from our siblings.
I can recall really admiring my older sister and thinking if I could just reach the ripe age of 18 like her, I will have arrived. :) Now, her daughter is turning 17 soon! Yea, that was a few years ago... I still look up to her after all these years for her thoughtful advice when solicited and her wisdom. Afterall, she had a headstart on me by eight years, so I have a lot to learn from her. The thing I admire the most about her is how she can so easily view things from an alternative perspective. She's a pretty abstract, analytical and independent thinker. I am always blessed to be in her company. She'll be visiting in a few days and I'm so excited about our time together!
She remains my best friend.
Today I am thankful for my family, good health, hope of eternity spent with God, and His many provisions in my life!
Thought for today: "God can do anything but fail".
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/22/2010 8:06:50 PM
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crazedmom
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I spoke with my younger sister this morning on the phone and we had a nice chat. She'll be visiting next week and we'll all be very glad to see her! We haven't seen her since late summer and miss her tons! We used to be able to ride our bikes to her house. We'll go out to dinner along with my dad while she's here. If she has time, maybe we'll go to a museum or two. The kids are super excited about seeing her, as she's like a second mother to them.
This will be a month of family visits for sure. My older sister is coming to visit this weekend and will leave on Sunday. At the end of the month, my brother and his boys are coming from California for a visit. Now, I just need my ds21 and his wife to come and my world will be complete! :) That probably won't be happening anytime soon since ds21 started a new job not too long ago.
Dd12 did her school work very efficiently this morning! What an awesome school day with her. Praise God! Now if every day could be like this, it'd be great. Ds10 was another story today. He woke up before me, which is unusual, and was off to playing video games. This always makes for a bad start to the day as he has a difficult time transitioning from "play mode" to school time. Earlier he watched a few "The Way Things Work" DVD's we borrowed from the library, which were pretty neat. We did some other work earlier. He's working on science now and then has some math to do.
Dd12 made hamburgers for their lunch and deviled eggs, which were very good. They are everybody's favorite around here. I think I'll make more beef stew for dinner tonight.
When I was talking to my sister this a.m., she asked how I felt about turning another year older. I told her I was fine with it. Age is just a number.
I heard this a while back and I think I've adopted it as my new philosophy - "Age only matters if you're cheese".
I love that! I told her that I'm feeling a bit older but that's par for the course, I suppose. I told her that I foresee eyeglasses in my future at some point more than likely. I've noticed myself holding a piece of paper a little further away so I can focus on the print. Ahh, things didn't used to be this way! :) I'm the only one of the four (siblings) that doesn't wear glasses, so I guess my turn is next. My younger sister has had Lasix surgery, but I'd never go through that. It has been great for her, though.
The main thing is to keep your mind engaged and physically active. I am an avid reader, although since our recent move, I haven't read a whole lot. I plan on changing that very soon.
I should be pretty smart after all three of my children graduate from high school.
I will have gone through every grade four times -- once myself and once with each of the kids! 
One of my main goals for this year is to exercise several times a week. With all of the snow, I have gotten a good bit just shoveling, and unburying cars, etc. I'm going to make another goal to park further away when I go shopping. I'll get more walking in that way. I think I'll be more motivated to exercise once the weather warms up. With this being the first winter we've experienced in about 11 years, it has just about paralyzed me. (especially with us cutting back on the heat with our astronomical electric bill!) It's so cold, I don't even like washing dishes, etc. We'll start warming up sometime in March, I'm sure.
I did two loads of laundry earlier and plan on putting in at least one more this evening. I wasn't able to get to it this weekend as it was pretty busy with dd12's sleepover, etc. How I thank God for modern technology and for washing machines. My grandmother used a wash board for many years of her life and later moved up to a machine. I love our front loaders! They make it so easy, plus we save water because of how little the washer uses. The dryer has an automatic sensor, which will turn the dryer off if the load is dry before the cycle is set to finish. So, they really do pay for themselves over time.
I'm working on a list (because I love lists so much & because I'm so Type A!) of some of the money saving ideas we implement in our house. For now, here are a few:
1) Rarely pay full price.
2) Home hair cuts (for everyone except me, but I'm going to try a beauty school to get a cheaper cut/color).
3) Limit fast food.
4) When making large purchases, opt for used items (i.e. furniture, tools, vehicles, etc.)
5) Use less, make it last longer, delay purchases for as long as possible - life mottos
6) Ask yourself if a particular purchase is a "need" or a "want".
7) Drink coffee at home.
8) Try more store brands.
9) Track purchases for each month.
10) Bundle services (i.e. phone/cable/internet) if possible & Comparison shop on services.
11) Read books on money (frugal living/investing/etc.). Knowledge is power. Arm yourself.
12) Write down your financial goals. "Without a vision, my people perish." This is true for finances too.
13) Eat healthy. You'll save thousands on health care & prescriptions down the road! (& you'll be able to enjoy life)
14) Women - Get your emotional needs filled w/friendships vs. retail therapy...
15) Pack snacks/water when running errands to avoid the drive thru.
16) Max out the use of the local library - our tax dollars at work!
17) Do-it-yourself vs. hiring someone where possible.
18) Combine errands to save gas.
19) Thrift stores can be gold mines...
20) Coupons.
21) Ask for a discount, learn the art of negotiation.
22) Once a year, comparison shop for insurance needs.
23) Look online for cheapest gas stations in your area.
24) Use the "put out the word" strategy when you need something. Maybe someone has an extra one.
25) Count your blessings! ... You'll "want" less.
26) Clean out your closets. You might just find things you thought you needed to buy. Donate unwanted items.
27) Limit dry clean only items in your wardrobe.
28) Buy in bulk. (check prices, more often than not, it does save)
29) Pay bills on time to avoid late fees.
30) Shop yard sales, flea markets, Craigslist.
31) Change your oil on time. New engines & other parts cost a small fortune.
32) Live below your means.
33) Order online w/free shipping when possible.
34) Use up left-overs to avoid waste.
35) Pack your lunch. (dh does this every day...well, I pack it; he eats it) :)
...Those are just a few that we try to put into practice around here. Certainly there are more ways we could reduce expenses and we are always on the look out for those. I am a highly competitive person (& so is my dh), so when we set our minds to a task, we are all over it! Saving money obviously means different things to different people.
We all have varying comfort and preference levels.
"...There is success in the abundance of counselors". Proverbs 11:14
Seek out wise counsel and you will be wise.
"The wise also will hear and increase in learning, and the person of understanding will acquire skill and attain to sound counsel (so that he may be able to steer his course rightly)." Proverbs 1:5 Amplified
No matter our financial goals, it is our desire to be wise stewards of the blessings God has given to us.
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/23/2010 9:05:13 AM
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crazedmom
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We have this crepe myrtle tree out front, which boasted beautiful red flowering blooms when we moved in five months ago. The limbs are bare now, of course, with winter upon us. With our back to back blizzards, the tree was bowed over to one side with most of its limbs frozen in the mounds of snow. We almost thought the tree would surely die, actually. It looked very sickly and seemed the limbs would never be able to regain their upright position. The limbs were so heavy with the frozen snow that had accumulated on their branches. It just looked sad.
The Lord brought this analogy to mind. Sometimes we, as Christians, can be just like that crepe myrtle tree bowed over with the weight of this world. What causes us to bogged down? Sin, worry, complacency, habits, etc. And, sometimes it seems like we will be in that state forever, just like it seemed my tree would be. Sometimes it seems there's no way out. A few verses come to mind:
I Corinthians 10:13 -
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (NIV)
Proverbs 24:16 -
"For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again,
but the wicked are brought down by calamity." (NIV)
Sometimes the weight on our branches can be financial strain, job loss, foreclosure, bankruptcy, sickness, loss of a loved one, or other circumstances that may be beyond our control. In this day and age, we can control many facets of our lives. However, when things arise that we cannot change, we have a choice to make. The choice is to make lemonade out of life's lemons or to suck on our sour lemons and become bitter.
It can seem that our trials and tests last far beyond their allotted season. They become like a guest who has overstayed their visit. We can grow impatient and so very weary.
I heard this song called "Praise You in The Storm" by Casting Crowns, which has powerful lyrics. It talks about this very subject, the storms of life.
There's another song called "While I'm Waiting" by John Waller. It was in the movie, "Fireproof" - powerful song:
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait
I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord...
This song talks about even during those periods of our lives that we are waiting for a breakthrough, we can still worship God; we can still serve Him, even as we wait. Sometimes I think we can get this "deer in the headlights" stance while we're waiting for God to move in our lives. And, we will remain in the position until God moves heaven and earth to change our situation. Maybe God is waiting on us to praise Him, despite the heaviness, despite the pain.
It is praise that invites the presence of God in our lives. Praise stills the enemy of our soul.
Praise focuses on the Creator, not the creation.
Praise enables us to reaffirm our faith and trust in the Lover of our soul.
It should not surprise us that we go through tests and trials in this life. Jesus said in John 16:33, "In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; for I have overcome the world."
The Amplified Bible says it this way:
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have (perfect) peace and confidence. In the world you will have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer (take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted)! For I have overcome the world. (I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.)
I like that! Jesus said, "And that same power which raised Christ Jesus from the dead, lives in you."
Resurrection Power! There is resurrection power not only for salvation in our lives, but for anything that binds us and causes us to bowed low today, my friend. Jesus came to set the captives free, to set at liberty those who are bound!
Isaiah 61:1 -
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the (physical and spiritual) captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound." (Amplified)
Prayer for today -
"Lord, I give to you the burdens of my soul. I ask that you will take these ashes and give me the oil of joy. I give you praise in advance for all that you are doing in my life. Teach me your ways. Give me wisdom, guidance and strength I pray in Jesus' name. Amen."
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/24/2010 9:15:32 AM
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crazedmom
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It's a sunny morning here with snow on the way later on. The last forecast I read was for up to five inches of snow between tonight and tomorrow. Unbelievable. I was just about to pull my capris out of the closet! :) Soon.
I received two birthday cards yesterday - one from my ds21 and ddil and one from my younger sister. That was very thoughtful. My sister also sent a gift card, which I will put to good use. My brother already wished me a Happy Birthday when we spoke the other day. He has a hard time remembering anyway. He rarely keeps up with how old my younger sister and I are. He had talked to my Dad prior to us talking, so I'm sure he reminded him. :)
I had a great aunt who I corresponded with growing up and that's how I developed my letter writing skills. As she got older, she'd repeat some of her sentences; but I didn't mind. She always remembered everyone's birthdays with a card, which I thought was sweet. She had no children of her own, so we were like grandchildren to her. One year toward the end of her life, she sent a Christmas card to me and forgot to sign it. She did put the return address on the envelope, so fortunately I knew it was from her. I signed it for her. :) She's been gone for over a decade, but never forgotten.
This past Christmas I received two Christmas cards from a special cousin of mine. She must have forgotten she sent the first one because they were spaced a couple of weeks apart. At least she wanted to be sure she remembered me with a card! Another card I received last Christmas was from a dear friend in Florida who wrote at the bottom of the card:
"Praying you'll have a great year in 2012!"
Well, I hope I do too. And in 2010, and 2011 too. :)
So, if I ever send you a duplicate card or forget to sign my name, just know I'm carrying on a tradition! :)
My birthday is not until tomorrow and we'll celebrate on Saturday with dinner out with family, which we're all looking forward to very much. Naturally, on the day of my birth, my thoughts turn toward the one who gave birth to me, my mother. She died almost 17 years ago (from cancer) and she is missed more than words could ever tell!
She was only 53, so young. I am so thankful that we have a great hope of spending eternity with her. She was a wonderful Christian example to us. Through her loving example, I learned how to be a good mother. Through her compassion, I learned the joys of giving to others. Through her devotion to God, I learned how to be a Christian. Through her passing, I learned what a precious gift I had been given.
After she died, one of her unsaved co-workers sent us a card that read:
"She loved her family and her God. I knew you all through her eyes."
She was faithful in church attendance, volunteering, singing in the choir, missions work, etc. She had a heart of gold for those in need. She definitely left a huge void in the hearts of those who loved her so very much.
My oldest son was only five when she died and he has some vague memories of her. But, my younger two never got to meet their grandma. I often talk about her and my grandmother, which would be their great-grandmother. I've certainly passed down a lot of memories to them. My ds10 said, "I miss grandma, even though I never got to meet her." I thought that was sweet.
At different churches we've been a part of, there have been grandma's and grandpa's that help to fill in that gap. (which is what is so awesome about the family of God!) :) We still keep in touch with one of those grandma's and the kids remember her and her kindnesses to them.
Today I'm thankful for my mother who modeled before us what it meant to be a godly woman.
She didn't tell us; she showed us. She didn't say do as I say. She said do as I do.
That's one of the greatest challenges before us today, isn't it? To be who we say we are. That it may be a legacy we pass down to our children, to our children's children, and to a world who's watching.
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/24/2010 5:34:48 PM
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crazedmom
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The kids and I hit the mother lode of amazing deals at two thrift stores today!! Oh my goodness! I can hardly believe it. We got two kitchen trash bags (that's what they bag them in at the check out) full of name brand sweaters and polo shirts (most Aeropostale) -- all for $28! One of the sweaters was a Lands' End baby blue cardigan - $2! Looks brand new. My daughter even found a turquoise cardigan for $1.50. I didn't know it, but Wednesdays are half price day! I made an indelible mental note on that tidbit of info. though. Even if I would have paid twice that, it still would have been a deal; but all of that for under $30 - all I can say is wow!
That's what I have missed about living around such great thrift stores. Where we lived in Florida, they weren't worth the trip. It was mostly junk and clothes you wouldn't want to wear (and way overpriced). My kids even get excited that they are able to select nice things and obviously are able to buy more than at a regular retail store. They're learning early.
At the other thrift store... I got a Scrabble Deluxe game with the turntable. This was taped shut, so I risked purchasing it; but for $3.42, I thought I'd take my chances. I figured I could go online and order new letter tiles if some were missing or other pieces. When we got home, my dd12 and I counted out the letter tiles; and amazingly enough, all 100 pieces were there! The whole game, pieces, and the box are in mint condition! This is my favorite game of all time and I've delayed purchasing the deluxe version; but what a nice birthday gift today! Thank you, Lord! My dd12 can't wait to play it with me. New, they're usually about $50; although I'm not sure why it's on Amazon right now for $159! (maybe because they're not making this version anymore?)
I also got a couple of Tupperware pieces that were a fraction of the regular cost. I used to sell Tupperware for a brief period, so I generally know the values. One container was the divided Rock N Serve dish for $2.42. I saw it on ebay for $18. The other container was the ice cream keeper (clear bottom w/pink lid) for $1.61. Ebay had it for about $5 or so. It's rewarding to know how much money you saved.
I got a pair of pajama pants in new condition for $1.00 (Croft & Barrow). I got a few books, a cute wire Easter basket w/beads on it for dd12 for less than $3, bag of Easter eggs for .80, cute Easter decoration for $1.61, a paint-by-number set for dd12 for $1.41, a nice long sleeve shirt for ds10 for $1.95 and 11 videos/dvd's for $23.
Ds10 quickly scooped up his Star Wars video when we got home and is watching it now. He loves Star Wars! He has this particular video already but it is probably packed away in a box somewhere since the move. For $1.81, I let him buy it today. Since we don't have cable or watch regular t.v. at the moment, these movies are very timely and will fill in some entertainment gaps for all of us. One of the movies I got was "The Preacher's Wife". I love that movie. It's been a while since I've seen it, so I'd be willing to watch it again. Normally, I detest watching something twice. It bores me if I know what's going to happen!
I also got the movie, "Joni". I remember reading the book as a teenager and the impact it had on me. It was a tragic accident, but is a very inspiring story of how she took an incredibly painful and unfortunate situation and was determined to have something good come out of it. I think my dd12 will like it. In fact, when her cousin (17) is visiting this weekend; they may like to watch it together.
We'll probably watch "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" later on, which is another movie we were blessed to find today. We also got "Christmas Vacation" with Chevy Chase. Some movies we may have to preview first but most are without question suitable.
I felt like it was Christmas today with all of my "treasures"! I just had to share all of my amazing deals with you all. Not to brag, but hopefully inspire you! I am a huge fan of second hand!! I love new too; but why not let someone else pay full price and you reap the benefits??
I'm looking forward to trapsing through countless flea markets in PA with my sister this spring! They have huge flea markets with many homemade items, etc. This is the kind of shopping my dh approves of -- saving money!! :)
Dd12 is beckoning me to come watch a movie with her now...
Tilapia, broccoli and rice for dinner tonight. Have a wonderful evening, all!
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/25/2010 9:49:37 AM
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crazedmom
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We wound up watching the movie, "The Preacher's Wife", last night and enjoyed it very much! It actually has an inspirational message that no matter how bad things are going, we have hope and love. Pretty good for a mainstream movie. Of course, this was a re-make of the 1947 movie, "The Bishop's Wife". Maybe I'll watch that one soon and compare the two.
Dd12 watched Joni after dinner and said she liked it. I'm sure we'll discuss it today. It was pretty intense in some spots I know. The repeating thread throughout her story is of her deep faith and trust in God, a wonderful reinforcement of faith for teenagers and adults.
Well, I never thought I'd be excited to receive a $390.00 electric bill in the mail; but I was yesterday! The prior month was $572! This month's bill is an estimated reading, which means they don't actually come out to read the meter this month. So, I'm hoping our savings will be even greater when they do come out next month to read it, considering we've made major changes to our daily habits to conserve electricity. Namely, we've been freezing! You know when you start almost drooling over sweaters at the thrift store, you're cold! (If the actual reading is less than the estimated, they give you a credit.) In any case, thankfully, winter is almost over!
While we were out yesterday, we drove past a house that we saw for sale online. The kids got so excited at the thought of moving to a newer home. We didn't get out, but it was a beautiful home with a fenced in backyard in a very nice subdivision. It's on the possibility list, but we have a lot of exploring to do before making a decision.
Lots to do today. I'm going to wash our thrift store purchases. Dd12 wants to wear one of the cardigans to church on Sunday. I actually found a turquoise cardigan also and I was teasing her about us wearing them on the same day so we could be twins. She wasn't amused. :) You know how pre-teens are...They want to be their own person and all grown up. It's a natural process and one I'm thankful for because there comes a point in time that you do want your kids to become responsible adults. But, the molding and shaping process is sometimes difficult, especially with strong-willed children. She has a good heart underneath it all. She loves God and strives to do what's right. It's just sometimes things don't always work out that way. I can see she's trying harder to please me, which is a very good sign that she's actually taking to heart what I say.
She has been heavily influenced by the Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, etc., etc...Disney channel in general. She wants to be so grown up, way too fast. I told her the other day that she needs to change the way she's dressing. Her selections in tops and shirts were not very modest and we had a talk about how this reflects on her as a young Christian girl and how guys react to her dress. I see the way guys look at her when we go out and she's way too young for any guy to even glance at! 12, come on! Of course, she looks older. For one thing, she's just about as tall as I am. She spilled sauce of some sort on her shirt the other day and ran in my room to throw on a polo shirt of mine. It was slightly too large but I told her that style looked good on her. She didn't buy it at first, but I think she took it to heart later. I told her that's what her new spring and summer uniform is going to be -- polo shirts. I was half kidding, but half serious too. (She's "Miss Fashion Queen") No more was said about it after that. So, I was delighted when I saw her selections at the thrift store! She picked out about 5 or 6 cute polo shirts! Believe you me, I'm going to wash those right up so she can start wearing them soon.
Even when we think they're not listening, they are. Funny how that works. More importantly, I model modesty before her. I don't wear floor length skirts or button shirts up to my ears or anything; but moderation here. I don't believe it gives a great testimony to others if there's not a whole lot left to guess about our anatomy. Modesty seems to be a lost art in many circles, but I believe Jesus does not want us to be stumbling blocks to others in their walk with the Lord. Some of our parts are not to be known by anyone other than our spouse, so why do many feel the need to expose themselves? Is that not enough for some? Are we flirting with the world?
We run the risk of conforming to the ways of this world when we act the same way those without Christ act. If someone looks at us, what is the difference they see? People don't like to talk about this, maybe because it hits a sensitive nerve. Maybe they don't want to hurt someone's feelings; but Jesus didn't come to appease others in their sin. He came to bring life, but also to call people out of their old ways to follow Him. So maybe we need to step away from our old behavior and model Christ's character for the world to see. Others are watching. Even, and especially, little 12 year old girls.
Well, I enter a new decade today! Yipee! We have the day off from school because the teacher said so! :) We'll spend some time with another homeschooling family today. That will be fun. Normally, we might get carry out for my birthday, but since we're going out this weekend, I'll cook tonight. Dd12 usually likes to help too. I'm glad she's really into cooking. I'm a firm believer in kids growing up with certain life skills.
As a teenager, my ds21 knew how to cook, sew on a button, lay wood flooring, mow & trim lawns, care for babies (the whole 9 yards - with 2 younger siblings!), type, manage a checking account, comparison shop, and was dual-enrolled in college at age 16, etc., etc. He started out as a bagger at a grocery store and worked his way up to cashier. He also acted as an assistant to the manager. This was all when he was in high school. We had a lot of expectations of him (especially being the oldest); but he was most always very responsible. He still is and we couldn't be more proud of him. He is a police officer now and I think this field suits him perfectly. He is very level headed and calm; yet always mentally engaged. Very wise young man.
Can you tell I'm a proud mother at all? Like I told him a while back, you will find in this life only a handful of people are usually there for you when life hits you in the face. Cherish your family. We need more cheerleaders in this life, and that's one of a mother's greatest roles, even as those children become adults. I have found great solace in some of my conversations with my dad recently. He is an inspiration to me to keep going on some days, just by the fact that he's still going. That's the positive effect family can have. My ds21 still needs me even at his age; he just doesn't need me on an hour to hour basis like he did as an infant. He needs to hear me say, "I love you and I'm proud of you" every chance I get. He needs to know I care what's happening in his life and his marriage. He needs to know he's missed. So, my role as a mother is ever changing; but just as vital. He's the reason I upgraded my text messaging on my cell phone - so I can stay in touch with him more easily (& talk his tech language!). It costs me something, but it's a price I'm willing to pay for my son. He's worth it. That's my boy. At 17, I thought my world was crashing down all around me when I was pregnant with him. It felt like my world had ended. But, God took an unfortunate situation and gave me such a blessing that I cannot imagine my life without my #1 son! God was with me every step of the way through that difficult process and has truly blessed me with a real treasure in my son.
Have a blessed day, all! Enjoy it! It's the only one we've been given. Yesterday is gone; tomorrow may never be; today is it!
Psalm 103:
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
Amen.
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/26/2010 9:30:54 AM
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crazedmom
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"THIS is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it"! (Psalm 118:24)
It's fairly overcast here this morning, but hopefully the sun will come out later. We've had some fierce winds whipping around the last day or so. I think they said up to 55 mph winds. We didn't get the snow they'd predicted; but NY and PA got it.
Well, the weekend is upon us and I'm glad for the break from school work. It's nice to have dh around too. If my sister is able to come down for the weekend, I'll be able to spend some time with her tomorrow. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate.
We went over a friend's house yesterday and she baked brownies for my birthday. That was so sweet of her. Her dd insisted on putting candles on the brownies. I told her we didn't have to. At my age, we might start a fire. :) ha ha She didn't have enough candles (big surprise there), so she put one representing every decade. Kids love candles, don't they? I made a wish and blew out the candles. My good friend made a peanut butter icing and put on the brownies. It was all very good, but very sweet.
Both of the kids made birthday cards for me, which was sweet. I also received a card from my dad in the mail yesterday, so that was nice. My kids were asking if we were going to buy a cake because THEY wanted some! I told them we're celebrating this weekend. So hard for them to wait.
I cooked dinner and it seemed like the kitchen exploded with dishes, pans, and a mess everywhere I looked. Argh. This kitchen is so small and when it's messy; it's very messy! There isn't enough cabinet space and there is no pantry; so often our kitchen table becomes the pantry. (which I really don't like) But, as my dh was helping me wash some pans last night he said, "Don't worry; we don't have much longer here." That is what I'm hanging my hope on. Prayerfully by this summer we'll find a house to buy.
We have been super duper blessed in the past to live in new houses, so transitioning to a home that is over 30 years old and in desperate need of tlc, has been a real stretch for us. The kids often say how much they dislike this house and I try to maintain a positive spin on things. I've given the spiel about being thankful for a home many times; but sometimes it gets old. I guess more than anything, we all have a need to be settled and that's the main thing. We haven't hung much of anything on the walls. I don't want to put any holes in the walls that we'll have to repair later. And, since we'll be here less than a year, it's not even worth it. I don't want anything to hinder us receiving our security deposit back at the end of the lease. It's our goal to leave this house in better shape than we found it.
Most of our belongings are in boxes, some in the basement and some in the garage. When I do open the boxes, it truly will be like Christmas because we haven't seen our things in so long! It makes you have a greater appreciation for things, for sure. Ahh, transition... I don't like that word right now. It requires waiting, and sometimes that's hard.
Our next move will be #8 in a matter of 11 years. We are not military either. The chess game is getting old and we just want to be settled in. I want houseplants, maybe a small garden, to paint the interior, decorate, etc. In other words, I want to put our personal touches on a home and be done with it. I could write a book on moving, for sure. With each move, I've gotten even more organized. Equally, with each move, I've become even more bent on getting rid of things we don't need or use. The Salvation Army should love us after our last move. They had a big pick-up at our house.
If it were only a matter of moving things, moving wouldn't be such a hardship. But, moving is such a mental and emotional thing too. It brings with it a lot of upheaval, which causes stress. They say moving is among the top 4 of life's greatest stressors, and I certainly agree! (Life's top 4 stressors are: moving, divorce, death, and changing jobs.)
Fortunately, most of those moves have been local ones, where friendships were easily maintained, we stayed in the same church, and everything else pretty much remained the same. Emotionally, most of those moves were less taxing than our initial move to FL ten years ago, and now, our move back up north. Of course, many of our friends will be lifelong friends; but it's a little different long distance than seeing them weekly. So, the chore of establishing new friendships is a little difficult. I think that's why my good friend (We'll call her Sydney) and I have connected so quickly because they, too, have moved a lot. (Only their moves have been tougher, moving from state to state.)
We plan on getting more involved in our church, which will help us meet people. With dh's work schedule, attending extra services or Bible study groups hasn't worked out so far, unfortunately. Hopefully, that will change. I haven't wanted to attend by myself, but I may be forced to. As outgoing as I can be, being "new" has thrown me off my base a little here. Part of this is because of the size of our current church. Our last church in Florida had roughly 200 people. Our new church has maybe 1,000 or more. I don't know. I'm really bad at guessing numbers. Just out of curiosity, I plan on asking the church secretary. At any rate, the sheer size of our church puts one at a disadvantage of making any real personal connections, outside of small groups.
I grew up in a church with over 3,000 people, so large churches are not strange to me. But, the difference there was, our family started attending that church when there were only 60 members and it gradually grew. Growing up, our family was highly involved in the church and so we got to know families as they were added to the church. Everyone knew us and we knew everyone. So, it didn't feel so strangely large to me then. It was more like a big family with a lot of love to go around.
So now, I have a new appreciation for "new" people at church, a new sensitivity, you could say. I love people. I am definitely a people-person. I thrive on social interaction. My dh is the same way, although he is way more outgoing than I am. He put the E in Extrovert.
My dh and I always reached out to newcomers at our church and helped them get connected to the church and to ministry. We went out of our way to reach out and invested a lot of time and energy into our fellow parishoners. On that level, it's such a contrast to our current position also. My dh was on the pastor's council and building committee. I was involved in the leadership of the ladies' ministry, organized outreach opportunities, and volunteered on countless activities. We were a core facet of our church, so this transition period is really foreign to us. On the one hand, it's been refreshing to sit back and drink in the Word of God and the explosive worship on Sunday mornings. Wonderful and really quenching to our dry and thirsty souls! On the other hand, we can't wait to get back to work for the Lord! That's our life's mission to work for the Lord, to bring others into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, to encourage fellow believers, and help out in any way we can. That's just who we are.
Because we invested so much of ourselves into ministry at our former church, so much of our hearts remain with the people there. We miss them very much but believe that God will continue to work in the hearts and lives of the people and the church. The cost is always worth it to work for the Lord, and the returns are out of this world, aren't they?
When we left Florida, we were stunned by the outpouring of love from the people. We will never forget their kindnesses and thoughtfulness. People made comments about the impact we'd had on their lives and we would have never guessed it would have been to that degree. It was truly humbling. Our desire is never to bring attention to us, but to lead others into a closer walk with God. He deserves all of the glory! There is nothing good in any of us, apart from Him!
It made me think of what heaven will be like for many. Sometimes we have no idea of the influence we have on those around us. It makes me think of that song, "Thank You", by Ray Boltz. It talks about those whose lives we touched and impacted for the Lord. It's all for Him! The Bible talks about us laying our crowns before Him. That's what we're living for.
I firmly believe - The BEST is yet to come! "Eye has not seen, nor ear has heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man all that God has prepared for those who love him." I Corinthians 2:9
This world is not our final destination, folks! Sometimes we live like it is. But, in truth, we're just passing through. We've got a more glorious home than this world could ever offer!
My ds10 asked the other day if there'd be any cancer in heaven. I told him that there'd be no sickness, no pain, no sin. There will be only peace and joy forevermore! What an exciting and comforting thought!
And, I want to bring as many with me to our final destination! It's a trip you don't want to miss!
And, it's what I'm livin' for!
< Message edited by crazedmom -- 2/26/2010 9:37:28 AM >
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RE: A Bird's Eye View - 2/27/2010 11:26:29 AM
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crazedmom
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Good morning, all! I'm sitting here listening to CeCe Winans sing "How Great Thou Art" on Youtube. What a beautiful rendition and it is one of my all time favorite classics. Sometimes we just need to focus on the "bigness" and the greatness of our God, and reflect on His character, His attributes. How easy it is to fall into the rut of dwelling on our own problems and situations. But, when we think about how awesome and huge our God is, all of that pales in comparison!
Now, I'm listening to her sing "Great is Thy Faithfulness", which is another favorite. How many favorites can I have? I don't know; but I guess I have many. I classify songs as favorites based on the way the lyrics speak to my soul and bear witness to God's goodness.
I love the dialogue between Job and God in Job 38. Whenever we put God in a box, think we've figured God out, or think we've arrived spiritually...Job 38 puts it all in perspective. "Where were you, Job, when I laid the foundations of the earth"? Whenever we fault God for not moving in a particular situation in our lives in a timely manner or are mad at God for the death of a loved one or sickness, etc., etc... Consider the depth and the vastness of who God is in the book of Job.
Ayiesha Woods sings this song called "Big Enough" that speaks to this. Our finite minds cannot adequately wrap our heads around the depth of who God truly is. I think often times we do put God in our little "God box" and put our natural limitations on Him and His power to work in our lives.
"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I Corinthians 13:12
Our faith and understanding of God's character increases when we read His Word. It reveals His personality.
When we ask God to speak to us through His Word, He is faithful to do just that. Reading the Word is like reading no other book. It is a living book. It is alive. It is a vehicle that cuts and divides us to the core. It convicts us when we're wrong; and it soothes us when we're hurting.
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 NIV
I am thankful today that God has not left us to flail around in our salvation, but has given us an instruction book.
It lights our path. It shows us which way to go. It gives us direction, wisdom, strength. It contains everything we need for the journey.
When we buy a bookshelf or an entertainment center, we consult the instruction booklet, right? In this thing called life, who or what do we consult? Do we seek advice solely from friends? Are we influenced more by movies and television than by God? We only get one shot at this thing called life and the Bible says our lives are a mere vapor. You see them one moment and then they're gone. When you're young, you think life is so long. The older you get, you can see more clearly how brief our days really are. Value this moment. Make the most of today. Invest in your spiritual life and it will yield tremendous returns.
"Thy word I have hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:11
When we have God's Word in the depths of our souls, and when troubles come...we will be in a far stronger position to make it through victoriously. Reinforce your faith today so that you will be able to stand tomorrow.
"And having done all to stand, stand therefore, having your loins gird about with Truth..." Ephesians 6:13
Have a blessed and victorious day, everyone! I plan on having a great day with family!
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