Ugh

When I get stressed my shoulders and neck cramp and well....my whole body is even more uncomfortable than usual. There's not enough stretching in the freakin' world! This is the state of my body right now. Gee. Ya think something is going on? Uh yeah!

I have got to find some "me" time that is thoughtless! As in, I come home and there isn't a chaotic state of stuff going on that will take me to pick up after.

Feelin' the need to be pampered by my husband, but he doesn't know how to do it and when told it just sounds like work. Ugh.

That's why its so easy for him to let me go to the movies to relax, but gosh.....sometimes it takes more effort.

Okay. My rant is over. Need to pray.

Micah's 1st!

Micah had his first swim (or anything) class today and he did FANTASTIC!!! He went under, blew bubbles, made friends, played with Malachi (the only friend he likes he says), floated on his back, and obeyed his teacher! Watching Micah is quite entertaining. Unlike Ethan who would simply sit on the step while awaiting instructions, Micah chewed on a rubber duckie, played with his feet, and talked. He was in his own "Micah" world. I will have to remember my camera next time. I love how he wears his goggles right above his eyes if his eyes aren't going under. Just like a little olympic swimmer getting ready!

Oh and the boys were so excited that they were fully dressed and ready to go at 7:15am for the 9:30am start time!

I am a proud mama!

The Worst Thing

Bedtime just after prayer.

Blake: "Ethan, what do you think is the worst thing ever?"

Ethan: thinking.......... after a short time of deep thought "It would be too never know Jesus."

WoW!!!

The little things

So, this bag.

Has been on my mind, to say the least! I first saw this bag months ago at Costco. To look at it, it doesn't seem like anything, but what you can't see is how freakin' big it is and the fact that it is insulated. Oh and it only costs $8 + change. So, I saw it and thought hey this would be nice, but its not that cute. That thing could get me to the pool with the kids with only ONE BAG in tow. What a glorious thought! Then I thought..... "I have a budget, I like cute bags and if I found this there is bound to be one that I 'loved' and not just liked...blah, blah."

Time passes and we go to the pool often with and without friends. And always with my 2-3 bags with stuff spilling out of them. Sure enough one friend brought that bag with them to our pool playdate and immediately I saw firsthand how much stuff I could cram into it. I had to have one. Who cares what it looked like. The practicallity of it far outweighed my need to "love" it. Sure enough, mid summer is here and Costco is doing away with last season's "stuff" and bringing in the new "seasonal" stuff. After talkin this bag up to Blake and my need to have it, it is nowhere to be found. I knew it. Allowing a great deal to slip through my hands is not something that I am used to doing. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! I would have to wait. Surely, they will be back next Spring! Right?

So, it turns out that this last weekend my cousins are in town and the plan is to go to Clovis Lakes. I didn't think too much of it b/c we don't have the cash so we weren't gonna go. It turns that my mom got an amazing deal and treated us! Yay! and Oh, I am tired already just by thinking all of the stuff we need to pack. Yeah, we bring it ALL. We buy N O T H I N G!

I decide that Saturday morning (before Lakes opens) I will make one last search for the bag while running my errands. At 9:30am on the dot I call the Costco in Clovis to ask if it is in their inventory twice. Neither time does anyone answer. "God, do I make the drive and sacrifice the time and gas?" I head out, get there and I was like a woman possessed inside. I searched the middle b/c that is where they once were. nothing. glimpsed to the non food side and saw the "left over" seasonal stuff and I was renewed. Then, I couldn't believe it! There it was all by its lonesome on top of a cooler in a blue hawiian type, flowery print! I pick it up not even believing it! I took some time to walk around to find their actual place and found nothing. It must have been the last one.

I am willing to bet that if someone had picked up one of my calls they wouldn't have found it and I never would have gone to that Costco at all. God is in the little things. I cannot type how much that bag has been on my mind. And the next time that I would have seen my friend with all of her stuff in it.... well... I just can't remember something that I have coveted as much as this. Lame I know. To top it all off... It is the color and print I would love for it to be! YaY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One last load

I despise laundry, but feel so accomplished when it is done. Some do a load or 2 a day. I have one day where I wipe it all out. No, we do not have a ton of clothes.... we have tops and some bottoms. Bottoms are to be worn OUT... KWIM? By the end of laundry day my whole house is in a better condition because I have to go around picking up the various things left around the house. Gotta admit that MOST of it does hit a hamper. Actually, it is my husband's stuff that lays around the house.

So, I actually had "laundry night" last night and got it all done, but noticed something odd. I did not have one article of clothing in any of it. NOT A ONE! Where was it all? And yet the 4 or 5 loads seemed like the "usual" amount. This morning it occurred to me. I did not empty what is "supposed" to be mine and Blake's hamper out. And there you have it, all of my clothing right where it is supposed to be. Today, I got irritated. It had been a while sense I made a hissy over Blake's scattered clothing. I have just gotten used to all of the usual spots and picking them up. Oh, but today it meant that I had just one last load.

Oh sure it wasn't really his fault that I didn't get to our hamper, but ugh. The amount of time I spend.... done.

All better.

Romans 1:8-12

Scripture

Romans 1:8-12

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.

9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you,

10 always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.

11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;

12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine.

Observation

Paul starts with encouragements by way of showing his thankfulness for other's faith. He is not simply thankful in the moment of writing, but expresses that is has been "unceasingly." And the thankfulness is not just an attitude, but it comes up consistently in prayer. Paul's desire to meet in person seems to grow and knows what good can come from the fellowship with each other.

Positives to meeting in person.

vs. 11. One of his own spiritual gifts may help establish their..... faith? church? community?

vs. 12. further explanation... ("that is") To encourage each other by each other's faith.

To not be alone... To share good news... new news....share burdens....worship.

Out of love springs.....action.

Application

I am not to forsake being thankful, praying, meeting, and encouraging other Christians. These are all disciplines that I live as though they will just happen and sometimes they do just happen. That is, in my prayers, sometimes someone just comes to me and I will pray for them, but too many times I let life move on by without me really taking inventory. I have so many to be actively and unceasingly thankful for. There are relationships that I need to step up in and get proactive rather than each of us "remind" ourselves that, "oh yeah.... we are friends." Or to make excuses like... "she knows that I love her."

I must act..... or more likely, be proactive.

My prayers should be full of being thankful and seeking the ability to further grow in my relationships with others in the faith.

I am going to write a letter to a dear lady that is far over due.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for all of the loved ones that you have placed in my life throughout my life. Please impress upon my heart to never forsake them, but to lift them in whatever means I have and especially in prayer to you, dear Lord. Allow me to love on them greatly in a way that would be encouraging to both parties. Thank you, Lord.

$3 and change

I love a great deal and today I got a few of them.

1. Free family movie. (We got through most of it! Rose is just too young and loves to talk too much)

2. Paid $2.18 for 2 slices of pizza a Me n Ed's with a coupon.

3. Bought a new canvas tote at World Market for $1.

4. Because I made a purchase at World Market today, I got a coupon code for a free movie ticket from fandango! Not bad. And yes, I knew about that perk before stepping foot into that store with all 3 kiddos!

Satisfaction!

Romans 1:1-7

Scripture

Romans 1:1-7

1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,

3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh,

4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,

5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His nam's sake,

6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as Saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Observation

How I long to be able to speak/write in a concise way that matters. These 7 verses MATTER! Verse 1, Paul's confidence in who he is and what his purpose in life is tremendous. He owns it in a very honest way. I long to wear my faith so boldly. So often I choose another "outfit" so to speak.

After is perfect intro of himself he makes it clear what it is he means when he writes, "the gospel of God." Talk about something that "matters." In others words, if you don't get this detail, do not move on. Paul is saying, "Get this!" This is the Christ, this is what He did, and this how it effects you.... all of you! Which of course, Paul is conveying during the entire book.

Verse 2- fullfillment of prophecy

Verse 3- His lineage

Verse 4- His declaration as the Son of God/ressurrection

Verse 5/6- Gifts/purposes that all Gentiles received as a result. A new identity, as well.

Verse 7- Paul greets the "beloved" Romans as the title that God has given them, "saints," probably as a reminder and probably because Paul had that same outlook on them as God does.

Application

What would my life look like if I never forgot who I truly am in God? What if I took on my title and lived it out? How would I treat others in Christ if regarded them as God does? My marriage, parenting skills, friends, ministry and so on????

Too often I take the title of sinner vs. the title of one who is redeemed. It is so easy to do nothing living as an "owned up" sinner. Of course, I would expect nothing of me and it is easy to talk myself into believing that God doesn't either. "He wants me to shape up before...."

I have got to allow myself to be lifted up higher than where I place myself because it is Christ Himself that put me there. Who am I to live a life in utter rejection of His work? I have got to get past living a fine life and into living a dangerously righteous life that is set apart for the gospel of God.

How to do that? I am a stay at home mom of 3 small ones.... Prayer. I believe that my prayer life needs to step it up. Do I dare pray in a radical manner? I think that I should. Is my heart ready to be open for whatever it is that may come of this? Oh man.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Break me out of my life and set me into the one that You have for me. Give me the opportunities to be used in a manner that would shine the light on You. Puncture my heart with a love that is so great for those in this world that I cannot ignore, but must act for them, in Your holy name.

Color me green

I hate this template and all the rest of the "free" ones. My darling husband needs to stop watching Lost and help me get something on here that I enjoy!!!! I am growing so envious over other's blogs that I feel like I am back in high school! (Good Lord, never again!!!) This is so not helping me.

For complaining's sake, I am going to come up with a different name. I googled, "Please excuse my mess" and found too many versions of that for other's blogs. hmmmm.....

This is not helping sanity or sanctification thus far.

For Sanity's Sake

It occurred to me that I need to journal again for my sanity's sake. I found the journal that I left off on and I just couldn't get myself to start writing in it because too much time has passed. My whole self feels different than the person that wrote the last sentence months ago.

As I look for my other journal insert to place in my nice, leather....thing...I slowly realize that it is NOT where I thought that I put it, in order not to lose it. I cannot find it and it is making me nuts! I do not want to order another insert off of the internet. I want it now! Besides I shouldn't have to. I just know that I put it somewhere that I wouldn't lose it. I just know it!!!!! It is NOT LOST.

Finally, accepting that it is gone, I have been on the search for a new one. No, not a nice leather one like the one I got last time (no $$$). Oh and I do love it! It is red. Anyways, I just wanted the "right" one. One that expressed me and was worthy of my thoughts. Yes, I am vain. It must look chic w/o trying too hard, not too thick, not too thin, hmmmm lined or not...depends on my mood, not too tall/wide, and it must close nicely. Oh and I can't forget the price. Sounds easy to find, huh? Well, its not for me. I don't know why I make such a deal out of the committment I make to a journal when I purchase it, but I do. Shoot me.

Anyways, after wandering a handful of stores and still unable to pull the trigger it occurred to me that maybe it would make more sense to blog. Uh. Yeah Right! So, that everyone could read this? That is not the kind of person I am. Who would read this? Would I be true to a blog? Hmmm... Well, I guess I will find out. To make it easier on MYSELF I have decided not to tell anyone that I have this blog. If people find it...so be it. That way, if I tell myself that no one is reading it then I might feel more comfortable writing. Gotta say that I do admire those that lay it all out there and makes it known that its out there. I have learned and have been encouraged by them. Maybe I could tell people someday......just not today....for my sanity's sake!

(And don't even get me started with this layout thing. I hate it. I want a nice personal one, but I don't do this whole techy thing. We all gotta start somewhere I guess.)