Yada Yada April 25, 2009

My sister Kelly got me hooked on the books “Yada Yada Prayer Group.”  I think I read five of them in six days!  (Yes, I still did get my housework done.)  Josh asked me what the books were about, and I gave him a quick synopsis to which he replied sarcastically “Sounds thrilling.”  Well, he doesn’t understand.  He is a guy.  The books are not for him. 

Even though these books are fiction, they had an impact on me of a good non-fiction book.  They made me think.  They made me ponder my responses, my prayer life, my worship.  They have made me think about what I can do.  I would love to get more involved at a local shelter, find ways to help my community, and maybe even a jail ministry!  The ideas are endless, but not feasible possibilities at this time.  My kiddos are still at home with me, and there is no way, with Josh’s schedule what it is, that I could do anymore outside the house than I am right now.  In the past, this would have left me frustrated.  However, as I started asking God what I could do, he responded “Pray.”  As much as these various ministries need help, they need prayer even more.

Hopefully, one day, God will allow me to help even more.  But for now my job is to pray – and to pray more fervently than I ever have before.

Are you hyper? March 9, 2009

This morning I went to Valvoline to get the oil changed in Josh’s car.  I pulled up about 9:40, and was able to get in the garage at 9:50.  I pull in and turn off the car, and then the service man asked me to turn it on again, he checks my lights and such, and then says to turn it off.  I simply reply “Ok” to all of this, and then he asks

“Are you hyper?”

I said “What?”  He asked again, “Are you hyper?”  I said “No, I am just an energetic person.”  I then thought to myself, wow, do I really come across as hyper?  I didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary.  I wasn’t bouncing up and down in my seat, and I didn’t think that my “Ok” sounded overly chipper.  I haven’t heard that in a while.  After he is explaining to me what else really needs to be serviced, he looks at me and says

“Wow, you are really energetic.  It’s only 10:00 in the morning.”  I reply, “Yes, I am.”  He goes on to do his work, then comments that I am now being quiet.  Hmmm…I think to myself – I am just thinking.  To this point, I have only talked when answering his questions, so I haven’t been obsessively blabbing or anything.  He knows I’m married, because I mentioned having to let my husband know about all he mentioned.  Is my head nodding up and down in agreement overly energetic?  Do I answer to quickly?  Is it my fast-talking?  Hmmm…

He really was a nice service man.  He said when we come back to get the other stuff done to ask for him and he would give us a discount.  I pull away wondering, do I simply reek of energy, or hyperism?

 

Ok, now on another completely side note, I just saw this line in a puritan prayer and really liked it.

“Fill me with an over-flowing ocean of compassion, the reign of love my motive, the law of love my rule.”

Where’s Waldo (or Kitty)? March 6, 2009

That’s the Money March 4, 2009

Ok, so just a quick post.  We just got home from church, Caleb is sitting on the couch eating his KitKat from Kids4Truth, and all of a sudden he starts talking about something.  Josh starts laughing, and I can’t understand him.  Finally, I realize what he is saying:

“Mommy look, that’s the money you could be saving with Geico.”

I start laughing.  Josh askes if he is looking at anything, and Caleb says that he sees it in the kitchen.  So I look over at the counter, and there are two of Grace’s  bottles laying on the counter, and they look like the two eyes.  Oh my.  Josh told him that he was a cheeseball.

Man’s Great End March 1, 2009

Lord of all being,

There is one thing that deserves my greatest care,

               that calls forth my ardent desires,

That is, that I may answer the great end for which I am made-

     to glorfy thee who hast given me being,

     and to do all the good I can for my fellow men;

Verily life is not worth having

    if it be not improved for this noble purpose.

Yet, Lord, how little is this the thought of mankind!

Most men seem to live for themselves,

     without much or any regard for thy glory,

     or for the good of others;

They earnestly desire and eagerly pursue

     the riches, honours, pleasures of this life,

     as if they supposed that wealth, greatness, merriment,

     could make their immortal souls happy;

But, alas, what false delusive greams are these!

And how miserable ere long will those be that sleep in them,

     for all our happiness consists in loving thee,

     and being holy as thou art holy.

 

O may I never fall into the tempers and vanities,

     the sensuality and folly of the present world!

It is a place of inexpressible sorrow, a vast empty nothingness;

Time is a moment, a vapour,

     and all its enjoyments are empty bubbles,

     fleeting blasts of wind,

     from which nothing satisfactory can be derived;

Give me grace always to keep in covenant with thee,

     and to reject as delusion a great name here or hereafter,

     together with all sinful pleasures or profits.

Help me to know continually

     that there can be no tru happiness,

     no fulfilling of thy purpose for me,

     apart from a life lived in and for the Son of thy love.

 

Taken from Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan Prayers.

 

It is amazing to me, as I read the words of this prayer, that they would so accurately describe how easily the world tries to affect us with their desires, considering that this was written so long ago.  If they saw the world today, they would probably be in complete shock.  All I can do is have the heart that this prayer is referring to, and realize, and REMEMBER that I can do nothing apart from Christ.  All that I do is to glorify Him, and Him alone.

More Shoes? October 1, 2008

Another Caleb story.  This took place on Sunday after he was told to obey.

Caleb:  Mommy, I’m sad.

Me:  Why are you sad?  Because you did not obey?

Caleb:  Yes.

Me:  Well, Caleb you have to obey.

Caleb:  But I don’t want to obey.

Me:  Then you will have issues.

Caleb:  I will have more shoes?

Me:  Um, no, Caleb, you will not have more shoes.

OxyClean September 26, 2008

Earlier today I was dusting the bookshelves and rearranging the stuff on them.  While I dusted the last shelf, Caleb came over and this was our conversation:

Caleb:  Don’t just clean it.

Me:  But I have to clean it.

Caleb:  OxyClean it.

I just started laughing.  Obviously he has seen that commercial a few times.

Devotion September 22, 2008

I mentioned before that I was going to write about some things that stood out to me from our ladies retreat.  Diane Olson was our speaker, her husband is the president of Northland Baptist Bible College, where I went to school.  Here is my first quote from her, and my thoughts about it since.

“Devotions is not an action, it is an attitude.”

How often do we here someone say “I need to have my devotions this morning,” or “I never have time for daily devotions.”  Too often.  Shouldn’t the thought be “I need to be devoted to Christ” or “I have become devoted to other things, rather than God.”  See, I view it as either being focused on me, or being focused on God.  When I am thinking about having my “devotions,”  I am focusing on what I can get out of it.  When I am thinking about being truly devoted, I am focusing on God and what should be done for Him.  Am I so devoted that I place Him first in everything:  my sleep, my projects, my music, my family?  Or, am I selfish that I say I need to have “devotions” so my day will be better.  Yes, my day usually goes better when I read my Bible and pray, but that is selfish motivation, and I am realizing just how selfish I really am.  Instead, I need to have complete devotion to Him – a willingness to follow Him no matter what, whether it means I have to get up earlier, or move to Alaska in a cabin without electricity where you only see people every 3-4 months.  (Josh and I were talking about that, after watching Tougher in Alaska, so it is on my mind.)  As you have previously read in my blog about family music, we listen to oldies.  A song just came to mind by Olivia Newton-John, “Hopelessly devoted to you.”  That song is about a relationship, often fleeting.  Can I say that I am hopelessly devoted to Christ?  That, no matter what, there is no hope that it would go away?

Lord, thank you for being an example of complete devotion, so much that you were willing to lay down your life, for mine.  I pray for that devotion – guide me to it.  Enlarge me so that it grows within.  I love you, and am eternally grateful for your gift.

My New Lights September 12, 2008

Ok, so I know that I have only been posting recently pictures…I promise I will write a real post this evening!!  I have been contemplating some thoughts from the retreat last weekend.  Anyway, here are pictures of my light finally installed in my kitchen, and my new floor lamp from craig’s list.

Oh, and here are a couple pictures of Caleb.

Dining Set August 31, 2008

Here are pictures of  my newly refinished dining set.  I am so excited, and I love it so much!!  There is a before picture of the chair, and an after, and then a picture of the whole set.