Thursday, September 20, 2012

How to enjoy the ride:


This made me smile...and laugh...and figure out when I can next get to an amusement park.  

Keep your Cheery Side Turned.  :D 




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Tuesday, September 18, 2012

To do:




I get a kick out of how type A Abbie is.  She has to have EVERYTHING planned to a "T".  When she wakes up each day, she has to know exactly what is going to happen in the day.   I worry, at times, that Isaac is going to struggle being a leader.  Abbie loves to lead.  As you can tell...she is not her mother's daughter.  lol


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Rain on a Pumpkin....




I can add this to the list of things that make me feel....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh.

I don't have a pumpkin outside, but it did rain a lovely, fall rain last night.  The world around me seems to be quietly whispering, "Fall is coming!"

Happy Happy!!!!
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Forgetfulness...


One really awesome thing about having an ADD like mind, you forget...A LOT!  You forget where you put your keys, you forget you have laundry in the wash, you forget that your favorite shoes are air drying outside when it starts to rain, you forget movies were due 10 days ago, you forget to get toilet paper at the grocery store, but best of all:  You forget unpleasant circumstances.

I have found myself forgetting what happened 12 months ago.  Forgetting the nastiness.  While this is certainly a blessing, it is also a sad thing.  With the nastiness, I am forgetting some lovely people and some wonderful gifts.  Isaac was telling me today, that he never liked the house that we lived in.  I reminded him that it was a gift from the Lord, even if there were some very sad things that happened there.  Abbie has mentioned that the people are so much nicer at our new church, but then I reminded her that there were some wonderful and amazing people from the old as well.  I find myself being in my kids shoes tonight.  Thinking of the unmentionable, horrible things of last fall...and not remembering the beautiful blessings.  Forgetting. 

So, instead, I must remember to think on those things lovely, as the Lord has commanded.

1.  Our last ministry was a stepping stone to our present ministry.
2.  We learned what it was like to live on a farm.
3.  I overcame my fear of working with teens...and now secretly pine for the days of loving on them again.
4.  Brian and I gained several new children (alright...they would die if they heard me call them that), who will be in our lives forever.
5.  We were able to make a lasting impact on a group of teens...and prayerfully, they will change their worlds.
6.  I made a few new dear friends.  Specifically my Nicki.  (And her family)
7.  Brian and I learned what it meant to be prudent.  Wise as serpents...harmless as doves. 
8.  I learned to keep a cleaner house.
9.  We had Gracie while we were there.
10.  Brian decided fishing was "ok".
11.  I learned, once again, that the Lord provides continually!  What men mean for evil...He turns to good.
12.  I got a collection of Shakamak t-shirts.  lol
13.  We discovered some great little towns, and lived closer to Indy...which was much needed!
14.  Abbie got involved in 4-H.
15.  My children learned some valuable lessons of how to deal with extreme hurt and pain caused by others.  Though they are young, and still have to be reminded to keep their emotions in check, they will always remember that you must admit where you were wrong, and not allow other people's sin to cause you to stray and sin.

Lord, help me not to be forgetful in the areas that matter most.  Help me remember the beautiful things...but also the lessons that we have learned along the way.  I definitely never want to have to learn them again! 

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Monday, September 10, 2012

Sometimes...I feel like this:



Today, I really don't like homeschooling.  I am so incredibly tired.  The battle of a certain daughter's attitude is waging like a 10 year war.  A lovely little one year old is enjoying making a mess of every room she enters.  The sound of my children's voices are no longer sweet...they are grating on my ears like a fork on a china plate. 

QUIET.  I would love just some quiet.  I wish I was the mom that drops her kids off at school, then goes and gets groceries and a cup of coffee while smiling dearly at the cashiers.  I would love to clean my kitchen and not have to worry that everyone else is ruining the other room I just picked up.  I would love to not hear "mom" for just 1 hour.  Just 1 hour.

A man at our parenting conference said this weekend, "My wife would love to homeschool, but I won't let her.  I want my wife when I come home from work, and I know that she will be a different person to be around if she homeschooled."  HOW TRUE!   I can not tell you how many women have said to me, "It must be nice to not have to do anything all day, every day."  I kinda wanna strap them to a highchair for 10 hours and make them watch a video of "A day in the life of Annie".  Yes, that would be nice.  And maddening.  lol

Ok, so now that my rant is over, I need to get up and get dinner ready and then take a certain young lady to her event tonight.  And, I need to start counting.  Some blessings that is.  After all, every day is not like this.  Many days, I find to be downright enjoyable.  But, today...it just isn't.  Today was the burnt corner of the brownie. 
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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

See...I did learn!


Brian comes home with some crushing news. The kind of news that just kicks all wind out of you and makes you ponder your calling in life.  My first thought was to get sick and then start crying.  My second thought was, really, what good is that going to do?  My third thought: what is the response that God wants from me?  My fourth thought:
Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
 My final thought: Go take your allergy medicine, spend some time in prayer.  Thank the Lord for the good things in your life.  Go to sleep.  

See---I did learn!!!
So, after praying...and not being able to sleep, I thought a little more on that verse.   I really love the part that says, "will guard your hearts and minds".  Do you know how much trouble our hearts and minds can get us into???  I mean, really.  We think some horrible things.  We allow some horrible things to fester in our hearts.  We can be pretty nasty.  But, when we allow Christ to envelope our hearts and minds...we are one with Him...which in return gives us peace.  Pretty deep thinking for 12:19 am, huh?  I think I might be able to sleep now.  
 
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Saturday, September 1, 2012

Ickies=Ickies


At first, I thought I would write about how horrible it is to have the flu/cold on Labor Day weekend.  Then, I realized that there has to be something of charm and grace in the ickies.  Right?

1.  You get to stay in PJ's and no one cares.

2.  You can take a nice long shower and not feel guilty that you are in longer for the normal 5 min.  Afterall, you are clearing your sinuses!!!

3.  You get caught up on all your favorite tv shows.

4.  You now know where everyone was on their weekend, b/c you spied on your friends on facebook all day long.

5.  Your hubby buys you taco bell for dinner.  (Forget about the fact that he didn't want to cook, and that Abbie ate your bean burrito on the way home...it was still nice.)

6.  You can't hear the kids as well as normal, b/c your ears are stopped up, so it kind of makes for a quieter weekend?

7.  You remember how much you love Puffs and hate the Dollar Store brand Kleenex.

8.  You get an awesome thrill out of finding clearance cold medicine that fits your symptoms. $2.16 for         2 packages.

9.  You can light 10 different smelling candles and not care that the scents don't match.  You can't smell them, and they look pretty!

10.  You can drink all the hot tea and sprite that you want, in the name of a sore throat! 

So, who wants me to come over and help you have this awesome of a weekend???  Really, it is lovely!!!
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