some good stuff…
Wondering why life isn’t easier?
Read this blog post on one of my favorite blogs.
It’s funny and thought-provoking. Just plain good stuff.
TTAH Tuesday – Have an Extra in the Car
Wow, when I wrote that title, so many things came to mind that I could write about today. As a mom, you know what I mean – everything from extra snacks, extra wipes, extra clothes (in case someone decides to throw up), extra diapers. Even here in snowy NY I’ve put candles, matches, and extra hats, gloves, scarves, and blankets in the car in case of a blizzard.
OK, OK, back to my point. I do have one, really.
My tip for you today is to keep an extra Bible in the car. I’ve had one in my van and I’ll never go anywhere without one again.
I spend a lot of time in the car (no, I’m not suggesting reading while you drive!). Mostly when I’m picking kids up from school. It’s a perfect time for me to absorb some more of God’s word. I’ve also taken my “extra” Bible into doctor’s offices, etc., to read while waiting. It really works out perfectly for me because I don’t have to “remember” it, it’s always in the car.
I firmly believe that we need to be reading God’s word regularly in order to have a close relationship with him, and that the Bible is God’s divine way of speaking to me. If you’re not sure about that, check out Psalm 119.
So put an extra Bible in your car and use it. See what God wants to teach you!
Survival Mode
I just found a brilliant article at the MOPS website. And in reading it, I realized that I am in mommy survival mode. All. The. Time.
In other words, I tend to do what I can just to make it through the day. Not really enjoying it, but just surviving. Are you stuck in this mode, too? I think when it comes down to it, it’s not really my circumstances, it’s just my attitude.
If that’s where you’re at, read this article.
Then pick one of those things that you’ll do this week in order to enjoy life instead of surviving it.
Last night our kids were watching Veggie Tales “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything”. One of the characters asked the other, “You have a good life, don’t you?” and the other character replied, “Yes, it was good on that one day from about 2 to 2:30.”
I don’t want to live like this. I want to enjoy what God has blessed me with. And I’m starting today!
The Answers God Gives
It’s so amazing how God answers prayer. Last week I posted about my desire for contentment and my struggle with the urge to buy more, more, and more. (You can read the full post here.) I wrote in that post, “Today I’m thinking about how I can store up treasure for myself in heaven – how I can focus my energy on the eternal rather than the temporal. How I can re-train myself to focus on glorifying God rather than feeding my own selfishness.”
I was trying to brainstorm specific things I could do to become more content with what I have and to fill myself up with the things of God rather than the things of this world. I prayed that God would help me figure it out.
Two nights ago in my Bible reading I read these verses:
1 Timothy 6:17-19
“Command those who are rich with things of this world not to be proud. Tell them to hope in God, not in their uncertain riches. God richly gives us everything to enjoy. Tell the rich people to do good, to be rich in doing good deeds, to be generous and ready to share. By doing that, they will be saving a treasure for themselves as a strong foundation for the future. Then they will be able to have the life that is true life.”
The fact is, we in America are rich. And God answered my prayer by giving me a specific checklist to follow:
Am I doing good?
Am I rich in doing good deeds?
Am I generous?
Am I ready to share?
These are the ways I will store up treasures in heaven. This is how I want to live.
Thank you God for such a specific answer to prayer! How has God answered your prayers this week?
A Very Important Decision
The upcoming election has been weighing heavily on my mind lately. I feel, as a lot of people do, I think, that the decision we make as a country will have a huge impact on the direction of our policies and our future.
I just got the following letter in my e-mail inbox. It’s worth taking the time to read. It is written by Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family. If you don’t know who he is, click on the Focus on the Family link to the right to learn more. Bottom line is that I respect him, his opinions, and I agree wholeheartedly with the content of this letter. I’ve been wanting to share my opinions on the upcoming election in this blog, but I think the letter says it all.
Please read this carefully and consider carefully your decision in this election.
Dr. Dobson’s October 2008 Newsletter
God Bless America!
i love the first snow of the year!
Warning: This is going to be an interactive blog. You MUST comment or I’ll wish for more snow. 
My tradition is to pull out some Christmas music and play it the first time it snows. So we did that last night.
My top three favorite Christmas songs…
- I’ll Have a Blue Christmas – Elvis
- O Holy Night – John Denver
- Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee
OK, here’s the interactive part… What are your top three Christmas songs (please include the artist, too)?
TTAH Tuesday – Try Something New
A few weeks ago I tried something new. I made REAL jam. Not the easy freezer jam, but real jam.
I had always been intimidated by the thought of all that is involved. The directions on the Sure-Jell make it sound so difficult!
But I had a lot of blackberries from our backyard, as well as a whole bunch of pears that a friend gave me. And I was determined to make good use of them.
My mom gave me some tips – she is a pro – and the tips made the whole process much simpler. And I did it! I made some delicious blackberry jam and peach jam.
The point of this story is that trying something new can give you a great sense of accomplishment, confidence in your own abilities, and self-worth. As moms, sometimes we get lost in the maze of household tasks that are so repetitious – changing diapers, doing laundry, cleaning the countertop, washing the dishes, mopping the floor. Things that are repeated over and over again – sometimes several times a day! We get into a rut and sometimes it’s hard to get out. We feel overwhelmed. We don’t try anything new because we feel like we hardly have time to get the basics done.
But I encourage you to take a deep breath, set aside some of those daily routines, and try something new.
Trying something new gets you out of that rut. It helps you feel like you actually got something done. It opens your mind to the possibilities of what you can accomplish! I think what it can do for your soul is amazing.
For me, I know I can often lack confidence in my own mothering ability. I second-guess my decisions and it’s easy to start feeling like I’m not doing anything right. Trying something new and succeeding at it goes a long way toward counteracting those feelings.
So try something new at home this week. Try something you’ve always wanted to do but you keep putting it off. (And if you want some tips on making jam, call me!) Then come back and share your success story!
My $70 Sweater
When I was in high school, I pined after a $70 sweater I saw at the mall. I had to have that sweater.
I had a job, so I saved my money and after a while I bought it. You know, at Barbara Moss or some store like that. (I’m dating myself, aren’t I?)
(As an aside, believe me that my now Salvation Army thrift-store-loving-self is appalled that I actually spent that much on a sweater. What was I thinking?)
OK, back to the story… After I wore it a few times, the threads started to unravel. The colors started to dull after several washings. After a while, the sweater was no longer “in-style”. My $70 sweater was replaced with another “$70 sweater” that I couldn’t live without.
Don’t we all have “$70 sweaters”? Things we desire deeply and then when we get them we realize they don’t fully satisfy our desire?
These days my “$70 sweater” is more like a $400 patio set. I really, really, really want it. It’s even on clearance right now. But I know if I buy it I’ll feel guilty about spending that money on something I don’t really NEED. And I know, deep down, that once I get it, there will be something else I really, really, really want.
So I’m resisting the urge to buy. In the bible in Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
I’m resisting the urge to store up treasure for myself here on earth. Resisting the urge to set my heart on things that break, that go out of style, that are temporal. It’s not easy to do in today’s culture.
Today I’m thinking about how I can store up treasure for myself in heaven – how I can focus my energy on the eternal rather than the temporal. How I can re-train myself to focus on glorifying God rather than feeding my own selfishness.
What’s your “$70 sweater” story?
p.s. – Sorry I didn’t post a try-this-at-home-Tuesday tip this week! I’ll be back to it next week!
I Hate Snakes
Yes, I said it. HATE. With capital letters.
Today I found a snake (the third so far) inside my back enclosed porch. They have all been little ones, but to me, a snake is a snake no matter the size.
So now I feel like I’m going to vomit. On top of the usual MOPS-day jitters and general nervousness (is that a word?), I have a snake to deal with.
Does anyone want to come over to my house and kill it for me since my DH is currently out of the country? Pretty please with sugar on top?
a beautiful day
Have I told you all how much I love my backyard? (and my little cuties, of course!)
Japanese Maple
The Kids
Backyard View
Fall Leaves
and what’s not to love about autumn?
