Saturday, June 21, 2008

A Little Secret...

I'm not quite sure why I even put a post out on Saturdays...because technically I think I may be one of the only people that reads blogs on a Saturday. It's also interesting that on some Saturday's when I don't do a post, I get just as many readers...hmmm.

So, for you lovely ladies who also read blogs on Saturday, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret...oh alright, it's not really a secret but I'm just so stinkin excited about it that I can't wait till Monday to tell you!

Next week, Tuesday-Friday, I get to go on a little vacation, with my husband, and NO KIDS!!!! WOO HOO!! Oh, I love those little rascals, but this will be the first time that Ben and I have gotten away together (alone) for more than a night or two. It also happens that our 10 year anniversary is on Friday :) The boys get to stay at Grandma and Grandpa's on the farm, so they may not even know we're gone.

It's our church associations national conference, so our little church is sending us away for 4 days, 3 nights!! And it happens to be in my favorite city in our state, home to my favorite mall in our state, and we're staying in a super cute hotel. Oh...it gets better...it's an executive suite, which means desk and high speed access right from our room, so you, my dear bloggy friends,get to come along and see tiny-town Sarah in the big city. We are going to have some fun.

Being spiritually fed & refreshed, time alone with my guy and shopping...ahhhh...perfect.

After the past few weeks of tornadoes and floods, I'm so looking forward to taking a break, and renewing my my mind, so that we can come back to tiny-town and continue on in what God is doing!
Happy Weekend!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Too Much Information...

Another update: I have a new water heater and HOT water!! I no longer am crusty...phew! Wednesday evening I could be heard exclaiming to everyone "I've got gas!!!" ...no not that kind...but the kind that lights my stove!!! Seriously, never been so excited about gas...except maybe that one time when I was in college and I got "the gift of gas" for Christmas...for my 1982 Cutlass Supreme :)Gas...endless comic opportunities. It is now blatantly obvious that I am surrounded by too many males in this family...and the testosterone has not even kicked in full force...Lord, help me!



OK, I've been tagged, by Blessedwith5, and it seems like the perfect opportunity to make you read more super, super interesting info about myself *cough*






Favorite person: I'm gonna say my husband Ben...who else could so lovingly put up with me?!?

Favorite food: French fries, Steak Burrito from Pancheros, more french fries.

Quirks about me: I like driving my mini-van...if that's not quirky, what is?

How would the person who loves you the most describe you in ten words or less? So I called Ben and asked him and he did this...*umm* *laughed* *said I love you* and then claimed he had to go...interesting...in-ter-est-ing. update: Ben called back a couple minutes later with his list, ahem...kind, compassionate, spunky, generous, intuitive, discerning, intelligent, loyal, hot, supermom. (obviously after 10 years of marriage he's learned to choose his words carefully;)

Any regrets in life? plenty...but forgiven...phew!

What can you NOT live without: My Jesus, family, friends, cute shoes & caffeine.

Favorite blog: Any on my blogroll, they each are unique.

Something you can't get enough of: French fries and coffee (but not together)

Worst job you ever had: Apartment caretaker: cleaning apt's after they moved out. Yuck.

What job would you pay not to have? Nursing home worker and Dentist. *shiver*

If you could be a fly on the wall anywhere, where would it be? The FEMA bus so I could know what's going on and relay information :)

Favorite Bible Verse: I don't have 1 all time fav, but Psalms 119:37 has been speaking to me, "Turn me away from wanting any other plan than yours. Revive my heart toward you."

Guilty pleasure: Starbucks, Aveda Salon to get my hair cut
Got any confessions: hmmm....I'm gonna say no.
If you had $1000 to spend on YOURSELF, what would you spend it on? *duh*
Shoes.
Favorite thing about your house: Mud room. Location. Coziness.


Least favorite thing: Gold carpet upstairs.


One thing you are bad at: Confrontation.

If you could change one thing about your current circumstances, what would it be? No debt. Tiny-town restored...ok, that's two things...I'm a rule breaker;)

Who would you like to meet someday? John the Baptist...the clothes and the boldness, he's gotta be fun! And Peter...I relate to Peter.


What makes you feel sexy? My husband.

Who is your real life hero? Anyone serving our country to keep it safe.


What is the hardest part of your job? The fact that it NEVER ends.

When are you most relaxed? When I'm running.

What stresses you out? Messiness.


Favorite quote: I can NEVER remember quotes.

Why do you blog? It's SO much fun! I love to share real life with others.



If you wanna play (i.e. need a post) consider yourself tagged.


Happy Friday Friends!!!

I Tried...

I tried. I really did. I tried to come up with something other than tiny-town to blog about...but I just can't. It's weighing so heavily on my heart today...


Ya'll know I love tiny town... I can't explain it, but I do.


After this post, I've been feeling really, really good about what God's gonna do. Even after some set backs, I've still found hope. And then, last night, someone mentioned that maybe FEMA would decide to declare tiny-town, "not a town." And at just the mention of it, my balloon of hope was popped.


And I realized that I was allowing the fear of man to overcome my hope and trust in what God is doing. Note to self: Quit forgetting that FEMA is NOT bigger than my God.


This morning my mom called and shared this article about tiny-town from the newspaper. I read it, and again, that sick feeling overwhelmed me...which brought me to my knees...to the only one who has any control over anything. I want His will. I want to trust Him, even when all the circumstances around me seem to go in another direction. I need His wisdom, comfort, and peace that passes all understanding. I want that unfailing faith, that even when absolutely everything indicates hopelessness, it's the faith that holds steady, unwavering.


I am still believing that He has mighty plans for tiny-town and for our little church...I feel it deep inside my spirit. But doubt so easily wants to creep in...it is a constant battle to replace the doubt with truth.


Today, again, I'm remembering where my help comes from...and praying for the opportunity to share with those in tiny-town who may not have that same hope...I so want them to know that they have a heavenly Father who wants to carry this huge burden for them, that they're not alone...

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Dumbness

I embarked on a series of dumb moves yesterday, regarding my blog. I got the wild idea to get a new free layout. Which is a fantastic idea, if you actually have the skills to accomplish it...I however, do not, and it ended up costing me hours of my life, just to get back my widgets (techi blog term) and same layout. In the process, I also deleted my cute header...but Shell saved the day (again)!



Since I had wasted so much time getting my old stuff back, I also decided to add some new stuff too...which I frankly have no idea how it works, but is doing a fantastic job of junkin' up my page ;) From now on, I'm leaving the blog layouts to the professionals. So, if you hear of any free blog layout giveaways, let me know...I'll totally register!

Oh yeah...this is what my 3 year old was cooking-up while his mommy was on the computer...
Gotta remember to hide that (tampon) box...it's not the first time he's opened them all up...you can bet I'm saving this one for just the right girl someday :)


My blog fiasco yesterday caused me to drink an (extra) excessive amount of caffeine. Last night I laid in bed (forever) trying to come up with some good post ideas...nothing. NOTHING?!? But I did start making a mental list of words that I overuse on my blog & comments...

  • totally
  • cute
  • LOVE
  • so
  • adorable
  • fantastic
  • great
  • ...
  • :)

I think that about covers it. I know it's bad when I start to annoy myself with those words. My vocabulary standard is very, very low...and I'm still annoyed. I need some new phrases...new words of encouragement to share. I've got nothing.

I need your help. Need some new words. Help me.

In real life...I overuse words too. I say Good Grief! all the time...for everything. I'm also notorious for the phrases "It'll be fine" "It'll work out" "Good enough."

The phrases I use with my kids should be a post of its own...the last few days is has been

  • turn the hose OFF!!!!
  • go to your bed until I tell you to come down.
  • stop touching each other...don't even look at each other.
  • no you can't have a snack, you just ATE.
  • Jake, you go get the diaper and leave Odie alone.

Can you tell we're adjusting to summer vacation!?! *smiles* OK, let me have it...what are you saying?

Monday, June 16, 2008

The One Thing...

First: I am still alive. Running last night did not kill me...felt like it was...but I am still here. You should know, that after only a 1/2 mile, my lungs felt like they were actually on fire in my chest. How is it that my body can forget that it can run, so quickly!?! It really did feel good to get back out there though.


Also: I'm trying a new blogroll thing-a-ma-jig(that's the techi word for it). I tried to get everyone that was on my old blogroll onto this new one, if for some reason (not purposely) you didn't get on there please let me know so I can fix it.

On to the good stuff...

I have learned so, so much the past few weeks, but it all boils down to one concept.

Drum roll please.... The only thing in my life that NEVER changes is God.

Everything and everyone else is always changing. Nothing is a guarantee...only Him. It's something I have known for some time...but now...I get it...I so get it. And I'm so thankful for the peace that brings me...indescribable. And...I just so happen to have a song about it...imagine that :) It's been ministering to me in a new way... Enjoy!





It happens to be in karaoke style...so I expect ya'll to grab a hairbrush-microphone and sing your hearts out :) I know my friend Shell will... *wink*












Malachi 3:6 "I the Lord do not change..."

Psalm 136 (really ya gotta read the whole thing, but here's a start :)
v1 " Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, His love endures forever...


PS - Mama Belle told me what people say about ladies who wear red shoes *smiles* I was gonna post it, until my hubby got all pastoral and told me it may be inappropriate...so I'm gonna practice me some submission and just tell you if you email me *wink, wink*

I can assure you though, that what they say...so not true for me...I happen to like me some!

Ummm

It's most definitely a random updates kinda day.



  • We are at home with electricity and air conditioning, but there is still no gas in tiny-town, which for us means no stove/oven (let's face it I don't use the oven all that much anyways, except I do miss the frozen pizzas...) or warm water. Even when the gas is turned back on...I'm not sure our water heater is gonna wanna work after being submerged in 3 feet of water, but what do I know ;)

  • The church, however, has an electric water heater, so this morning, I went over and washed my hair in the sink...all the while adding it to Pastors' wives list...more on that tomorrow.

  • Basement: 1/2 dry, other half is 4 inches deep...not quite level down there :) We can't do all the fun bleach clean up until the water level goes down enough for it to stop seeping in through the walls...a fantastic bleach party is in the works though :)

  • Thankfully, due to the the dehumidifier and 20 gallons of febreeze, my house is not too smelly...wish I could say the same for tiny-town.

  • Tonight my friend Billie and I are going to start running again...we've taken a 3 week break due to tornado/flooding...I think I will die...if I do not post tomorrow, it is because I died on her gravel road from a heart attack.

  • I always thought my house would stay cleaner if we just weren't in it so much...that was wrong...it's a total disaster.

  • Better get cleaning...

  • Oh, one last thing...yesterday, Noah was reading a Father's day card (he's just learning to read) anyways, he got to the word "FATHER" and sounded it out FAT-HER...that amused me for hours :)

Happy Monday Bloggy Friends!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

I Mean It...

I could go on and on about him...but ya'll, some of that stuff is private :) so I'm gonna sum it up in one statement:


I want our boys to grow up to be just like him.


He is one of the greatest blessings God has given me.


Happy Father's Day!
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