Staring At Me...

If I could give out gold medals for blog comments all you guys would get gold for yesterdays. Seriously.

Two ideas spoke to me through your comments.

1. My heart wandering issue


2. My 3 year old's stubbornness is driving me crazy...I am God's 3 year old.

I'll tackle the first today and the second tomorrow.

It's the miracle that is...blogging. Journaling, with feedback. And your feedback got me thinking... a lot. Mama Belle (my bff whom I've never met who lives in/by the bayou where I've never been) said this to me, "You do know we all struggle with this, right?"And I said (not out loud) to myself, "Pfffff...of course I do Mama Belle." And the next thought that IMMEDIATELY followed was "but I'm sure my heart wanders away more quickly than theirs."

And there ya have it. Truth with a tiny lie attached to the end of it. I know it's a universal struggle for Christians...I've just believed that just maybe ya'll can keep your hearts from so easily being swayed from it's first love...Jesus. Where exactly this thought process came from, I have no idea...but yesterday I was made aware of it. The truth is, that I know first hand how easily my heart wanders...it may be the at the root of all of our struggles as Believer's...after all, the first commandment was to have no other gods.

Speaking of no other gods...yesterday I just happened to go to the post office, and there just happened to be a certain book there that I had ordered last week from Amazon. Yep. This book. I ordered it sort of on a whim, last week. Some bloggy friends had said they're reading it, and when I was on Amazon ordering something else, this little book popped up and I clicked on it.

Last night I opened it and read to about page 13 before I set it down and tried to devise a plan to somehow forget I'd ever seen it. It's that good :) I came up with no good plan. It keeps staring at me even as I type this.

I know the Holy Spirit wants to use this book to show me areas of my life that need to change. But change is hard...and frankly, I'm a tad lazy.

But here it is. The root of the issue...staring at me from my desk. God has taught me innumerable lessons (most of them multiple times) and there is one thing I know for sure. I can run from this...but God, in His infinite love for me, will out-run me. I can surrender now, or I can totally wear myself out first, but either way...He's gonna deal with this issue. I think I'll do it now :)

So...I'm off to begin confronting my modern day idols...and separate my kids so they don't kill each other...all in a days work ;)

Oh wait...it also makes me think of a song :)

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Adjusting...

Yesterday was the boys' second day of school and my three year old is having some trouble adjusting to his time at home with no brothers around.

What I mean is: He is getting himself into t-r-o-u-b-l-e.

The scenario all day long:

Me (calling up the stairs) "Jake, whatcha doing?"

Jake: Silence

All you moms know silence is bad news. Turns out he was bathing his tractors in this. Guess what? That doesn't come off so good...we have some well-greased tractors now.

Next scenario involved me calling up the stairs (again).

Jake's reply: "I saw-wee"

Also not a good sign, when the first thing they do is apologize. This one involved my make-up. *grrrrrr* Needless to say, I've got to get creative in keeping him busy with stuff he's actually supposed to be in :)

We're both adjusting. Yesterday I found myself hurrying around to accomplish stuff because I only had one child at home...as if I had JUST THIS DAY to do it all! It finally occurred to me that there will be more days. It also occurred to me how precious our weekends will be, with our whole family together all day long. I will look forward to them in a new and different way.

I'm also finding I have more quiet. In the new quietness I've realized how over the summer, in the chaos, I let myself forget how important the quiet time with God is. I didn't make room for enough quiet time with Him. My time with Him was most often interrupted by children (for lack of dragging myself out of bed before them).

He amazes me with all He is doing. His endless patience and love. No matter how many times I need to come before Him (and it is endless) confessing my failures at putting Him first, loving others more, dyeing to self...He never says "enough is enough" instead, He picks me back up, dusts me off, and like a loving father tells me to stop doing it on my own, and let Him help.

Why in the midst of busyness, is He the first one I shove to the side? Is it because I know his endless love and patience for me and I feel safe in doing it...much like my own children push the limits with me because they know as their momma my love is unconditional?

Pondering this question today, and examining my heart, so that I can stop pushing Him aside when life seems to demand my attention. Praying His Spirit helps me to carve out that precious quiet time no matter what. No matter what!!

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Go (light) Green...

The "Go Green" theme is everywhere, everywhere.

I've resisted...(even though I do heart the color green).

In my head, to Go Green, also meant buying into the whole global warming thing...which by the way...I do not.

The more I read on global warming, the more I'm convinced that its mostly a political agenda used to promote oneself. Back to my point...

Then, this week while at the grocery store, I decided to purchase this:


Because I thought to myself...

1. That would hold a lot of groceries
2. It's cuter than plastic bags
3. Go me.

I had a revelation in the grocery store.

I can do my part to not be completely wasteful. Being a little green does not have to mean I buy into global warming. The two do not have to go hand in hand. I do not think the life span of our earth depends upon humans being green. God created it, and He has said in His Word that He's coming again and there will be a new heaven and a new earth...I'm pretty sure He didn't mean that this was dependent on us mere mortals taking care of it. Pretty sure ;)

But I can respect what He has created while still glorifying the creator over the created. Which, for me, means I now have two of those cute little canvas bags AND I'm attempting to start recycling (more than just pop cans). I have to say, I'm not particularly enjoying the whole recycling thing...baby steps, baby steps.

So...I'm going green...a very light shade of green :)

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Thus Far...

My day thus far...(so KJV of me ;)

1. First day of school for first grader and kindergartner. Up and at 'em at 7AM with a breakfast of champions... bacon and toaster strudel. De-lish.


2. Take "first day of school pictures", take to school, take more pictures, finally leave school.


3. No crying...by anyone. Phew. It'll take a little while for reality to set in for me...in a week or 2 I'm sure I'll have a sobbish type post for you.


4. Went to grocery store with JUST 3 year old.


5. Came home and made 2nd pot of coffee at 10:05. Don't judge...it's a big day.

There. If all else fails and I can't think of anything to blog about I can bore you with my day's schedule. Aren't I lovely.

Oh wait. I do have something I was going to share. I've been working on cleaning closets for what seems like weeks. This weekend I tackled mine. I decided to buy a thingy to hang my necklaces on so I could see them better (in hopes of actually wearing them more frequently)

The finished product:

Notice a theme? It's called PLASTIC. I have a fondness for plastic jewelry. I can't help myself. I'm just classy like that ;)

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It's My Duty...

Had these for the FIRST time yesterday.




Have you had these?!?



Seriously...changed my life. They are delicious.



My jeans are now tight. And it's probably gonna get worse because I'm thinking I may need some more for my Olympic marathon watching. Nothing like watching track and field while stuffing my face with chocolaty bread. Precious.



Go get some. Maybe if we all eat them ALL the time, Pizza Hut will never take them away. Ever.



I love you sweet chocolaty Hershey bread stick thingys.



Happy Saturday!


*picture from google images*

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I May Be Asking For It...

I've noticed something interesting this week. People can be mean when they don't have to be accountable for it.

On several of the blogs I read, the bloggers have gotten what I consider, rude comments from anonymous commenters. And interestingly enough, it brings out the mama bear in me.

Got me thinking. It's one thing to disagree with the opinions presented, but it's a whole other arena to start making assumptions and attacks anonymously. I simply think that's cowardly and completely unnecessary. I think if one finds themselves writing something that is so harsh that they are unwilling to put their name behind it, ummm giant red flag.

One of the most freeing things for me, about blogging, is that people don't have to read what I write. If they like it, they come back. If they don't enjoy made up words and bad grammar, they're free to leave...quickly.

I'm not submitting my thoughts before the blog world for critique, but for the simple act of sharing. This is how I in return view other's blogs. I think it's a little thing that can be sung to the tune R-E-S-P-E-C-T...

I'm sure eventually all bloggers get to experience the joy of rude anonymous commenters. I've been blogging now for six months and amazingly enough have only received sweet comments. I know my time is coming. By the looks of it, it may be this week ;)

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Losing It...

I may be losing my mind.

For real. I told Ben yesterday that I'm probably going to end up with Alzheimer's and he's going to have to come visit me everyday and read me our love story and then occasionally, I'll remember...but it won't last long...and then one night he'll crawl into my hospital bed and the Lord will call us home together...at the exact same time. Sound like a movie?!? I need to watch The Notebook again...

Anyways...I joke. Sort of.

I have become a total space-case this week. I blame Michael Phelps and the USA gymnastics teams for keeping me up so late. Shame on them.

Earlier this week I drove to Wal-Mart. It takes about 20-25 minutes from tiny-town. My boys act like it takes days. Seriously. So we get to Wal-Mart, and before we get out of the van, I check my purse and realize that my billfold is in my other purse...hanging by the door at home. Nice. So we drive back to tiny-town.

On the way back home, I decide that I should get the boys swim stuff too since we'll go straight from (our 2nd) trip to Wal-Mart to swim lessons. Get home, run in and grab suits and towels, back to van and we get to the edge of tiny-town and I REMEMBER that I STILL did not grab my billfold. Back to house. Again.

By this time, my kids are seriously sick of me. I am apologizing/kicking myself and trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with me!!

That happened on Monday.

Yesterday, (Wednesday) Eli had his Kindergarten check-up (4 shots.) His older brother, Noah, who went through this routine last year has been graciously telling him how horrible it is going to be. Being the good mommy that I am, I bribed Eli with the wonderful idea of going to Wal-Mart and letting him choose a (cheap) toy after his shots. HOWEVER, we get to the clinic and low and behold, guess who's billfold is not in her purse?!? Yep. It's at home. Again. Meltdowns follow...by both Eli and myself.

Now you're thinking my Alzheimer's situation is a little more likely, aren't ya?!?

Told you.

So, my bloggy friends, whose minds are still in tact...what do I do?!? How do I get my mind back?!? :) Really. Help me.

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