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So glad you came to visit today! Here at my little corner of bloggy world I share a little bit about everything--family, parenting, goals, struggles, photography, recipes, n more! So curl up with a cup of hot tea {or not} and feel free to peruse around my site! Check out my sidebar for links. And come back again!

Friday, August 31, 2007

For moms with young daughters...

Proverbs31 at Bringing Good Home just started her own home business called Imperishable Beauty, and this is what it's all about: "Faith-based jewelry for little girls, mainly bracelets and necklaces. Each piece will represent a scripture verse that speaks to some quality or lesson that we want to teach our little girls as they grow into little women of God. Each piece will be adorned with a heart of some kind to serve as a reminder that what is beautiful and desirable to God comes from the heart. Nothing that we could put on the outside– jewelry, clothing, hair, even doing and saying the right things– will ever make us truly beautiful if we are not beautiful on the inside as well - that is, if we don’t love God and if we do not strive to imitate Christ. The idea is that they will be packaged as a gift to be given from mother to daughter."

Sounds like a really great idea and I would consider giving this as a gift to my daughter if I had a little girl, but I thought I'd pass it along to those of you who do. Check out the website, read what it's about, and take a look at the beautiful jewelry!

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Thankful Thursday

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

Hubby. On Tuesday he took Eli out for awhile so I could have some "me time" at home. I finished watching a movie, checked my email, wrote in my prayer journal, and worked on transferring my book notes from A Wife After God's Own Heart to a new notebook. I enjoyed my time and it was much appreciated!

Goals. Just this week I sat down and revised my long-term goal list. Now I'm feeling motivated with direction in my life.

New cleaning schedule. As part of my goal list, I created a weekly cleaning schedule and am going to follow it for 3 weeks. I've tried a cleaning schedule before but didn't keep to it for even a day. This time it's posted on the fridge so I check it daily, and it seems to be working out nicely so far. I feel more organized and motivated, and for cleaning, that's a very good thing!

Eli. This week we've been weaning him from the binky for sleep and he's been doing sooo good! The first day he cried for 30 minutes at each nap but the last two days it's only been 2-5 minutes of crying. He's such a trooper. And last night he had a tummy upset after he was in bed and I'm soo thankful I thought to peek in on him before we went to bed, just to do a sniff check, and sure enough he'd gotten sick. We gave him a bath and got him all cleaned up and he was fine the rest of the night. He didn't sleep great (and neither did I) but at least he didn't get sick. Ever since an episode on our Virginia vacation, I've been paranoid about him getting sick and then just laying in all night because I didn't know it had happened. He seems to be doing okay today, so I'm very thankful for that too.

Naps. I will be taking a nap today. Period.

Memory verses. I am so thankful for my weekly memory verses and the ladies who have been doing them with me. It has been such an encouragement to me throughout my days and helps me stay focused on living a Godly life. (Join me if you'd like! I post a new verse each Wednesday so it's not too late to hop on board for this week!)

For more Thankful Thursday participants head over to Sting My Heart. Have a great week!

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Weekly Memory Verse

Since there are a couple new memory verse goers now, this week I'm just going to choose one of the previous memory verses to do again.

This week's verse, one of my favorites:
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and
lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight.


Previous verses:

Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Psalm 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 10:24-25 Let us consider how may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together--as some are in the habit of doing--but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.

Joshua 1:8 Do not let the Word of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you will be careful to do everything in it; then you will be prosperous and successful.

Luke 10:27 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.

2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

If you'd like to join me this week in memorizing Proverbs 3:5-6, sign your name below! Have a blessed week!



Tackle It Tuesday


It's been awhile since I've done a tackle, so I'm getting back to it. This morning I revised my long-term goal list and today I'm going to work on one of those goals: create a cleaning schedule and follow it for 3 weeks. So today I'm going to make up a cleaning chart and post it on the fridge so I can check it each day. After I've followed it for 3 weeks, I can then decide if it needs tweaked.

Once I'm done, I'll post a picture of my cool chart!

UPDATED: Here's my weekly cleaning schedule...


Sunday--CHURCH DAY, wash towels, evening meal planning
Monday--wash darks, post meal plan, grocery store, pay bills
Tuesday--wash whites, clean out fridge, clean mirrors
Wednesday--wash towel, dust, clean toilets & sinks, empty bath trash
Thursday--wash baby clothes, scrapbook, declutter and sweet dining room
Friday--wash darks, clean specific room
Saturday--wash sheets, FAMILY DAY

DAILY CHORES--vacuum, sweep/swiffer kitchen, wipe counter and sink, wash dishes, put shoes away

This is just a start. It seems like there is a lot I've left off. But there's plenty of room on the chart to add things as needed.

So that's my tackle for today! Happy Tuesday!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Menu Plan Monday - Aug. 27th

Last week I tried Makeover Greek Spaghetti and it turned out pretty good. Maybe a 7 on a scale of 10, and Eli loved it too. However it took me forever to make!! The recipe said 30 minutes prep, 25 minutes cook, but it took me a good hour of preparation! Cook the chicken, chop the chicken, cook the spaghetti noodles, chop the celery, onion, and green pepper, make the white sauce, throw everything together, THEN cook it! If I do this recipe again, I will definitely do some of the prep ahead of time like cooking and chopping the chicken, and chopping the vegetables. It also made a TON. I halved the recipe and still filled a 9x13 pan, though I admit I didn't really measure a lot of the ingredients, so that could be a factor too. But there you have it! A new recipe to try if you'd like!

Now this week we're going for simple and inexpensive...

Monday - turkey/rice soup
Tuesday - loaded baked potatoes
Wednesday- breakfast for dinner- Breakfast Casserole
Thursday - appetizer nite- Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Friday - spaghetti
Saturday - Panera Bread (for hubby)
Sunday - pork chops, tator tots, applesauce

Dessert of the week - Pecan Pie

For more meal ideas, head over to OrgJunkie. Have a great week, everyone!


It's Time...

...to wean Eli from his binky for sleep time. Lately he's been waking up super early in the morning (between 5 and 6:15am), tossing the binky right out of crib, and then wailing until I come in and get him. I know he can't sleep without it, so I have no choice but to go in. If he wakes in the night, he puts himself back to sleep, but that close to morning, there's not a chance. He's used the thing for every nap and every bedtime since Day 2 of his life, and here we are 13 months later. He's fully addicted and does not know how to sleep without it. Well, this week he's going to learn. I knew the time would eventually come, and I fear this week is The Week. Definitely want to get it over with before there's another baby in the house in six months. So here we go.

We're starting with nap times only and then once he does that well, we'll try the long stretch of bedtime. For now I think we can get by with using it during the day still, just during "those moments". Any binky parent knows. The amazing calming effect when he's tired and cranky, when he's bored in the car, when he has to just sit in the stroller, when he's getting hungry and fussy. Yup, those are the moments.

We have just made it through 30 minutes of on and off crying, and it now sounds quiet through the monitor... Good boy. My heart rate and blood pressure are returning to normal. And I can breathe a lot easier. Please, please, please let this be a good nap. Fortunately, we have nothing on our schedule this whole week. Nothing in which I panic saying "But he has to nap by X time." So we'll just go with the flow, do the best we can, and be consistent by not giving in. He will learn. And when he's up and awake, we'll give him all the lovins we can!

If you think of us this week, say a little prayer that this all goes well. For patience for momma, and comfort for Eli. This too shall pass.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 104

Praise the Lord, O my soul.
O Lord my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
He wraps himself in light as with a garment;
he stretches out the heavens like a tent
and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
He makes the clouds his chariot
and rides on the wings of the wind.
He makes winds his messengers,
flames of fire his servants.

He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.
You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
But at your rebuke the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned for them.
You set a boundary they cannot cross;
never again will they cover the earth.

He makes springs pour water into the ravines;
it flows between the mountains.
They give water to all the beasts of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
The birds of the air nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
He waters the moutains from his upper chambers;
the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
He makes grass grow for the cattle,
and plants for man to cultivate0--
bringing forth food from the earth:
wine that gladdens the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine,
and bread that sustains his heart.
The trees of the Lord are well watered,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
There the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the pine trees.
The high mountains belong to the wild goats;
the crags are a refuge for the coneys.

The moon marks off the season,
and the sun knows when to go down.
You bring darkness, it becomes night,
and all the beats of the forest prowl.
The lions roar for their prey
and seek their food from God.
The sun rises, and they steal away;
they return and lie down in teir dens.
Then man goes out to his work,
to his labor until evening.

How many are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number--
livings things both large and small.
There the ships go to and fro,
and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

These all look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your ha nd,
they are satisfied with good things.
When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.
When you send your Spirit,
they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works--
he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May the meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the Lord.
But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Nice Matters

The "Nice Matters Award" is given to those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you’ve been awarded please pass it on to others who you feel are deserving of this award.

This week I was so honored to be given this award by Java Mama! Wow, what an encouragement and blessing to my day to know that someone else values me as a fellow blogger!

I now have the privilege of passing this award on to other deserving bloggy friends! Congratulations to...

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Thankful Thursday

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

This week I am thankful for...

* Good health. Last week's flu lasted only one day, plus a day of recooping, and then I was back on my feet again. And even with Eli and me sick, Kevin did not catch anything and remains healthy!

* New baby. I am so thankful to have our baby news out so our friends and church and everyone can join with us in praying for this pregnancy. This baby is already such a joy and blessing, and we pray for everything to go smoothly!

* Gifts. My parents-in-law have offered to buy us a new washer and dryer as an early Christmas present. We have several issues with our current used ones but were avoiding the situation and just hoping to make them work for one more year until we moved. But they've offered this wonderful gift to us, and I'm so excited for our new washer and dryer to come this morning!!

* Good days. This week started out with some really rough days with Eli as he's turning more into a toddler. But yesterday and the start of today have been MUCH better, and I am so thankful!!

* Wisdom. Yesterday we finally got a savings account set up for our 1-yr old, and I'm so excited about that! This will make it so much easier to actually set aside money each month for his future, instead of us always just saying that we're going to do that.

* Fall weather. It may not actually be Fall yet, but we sure are getting Fall weather here in Connecticut. And I love that we can turn the air off and open the windows again! It feels so refreshing!

* My hubby. He was really great yesterday about watching Eli for what seemed like forever while I was cooking dinner. He was able to get out of work for a little while today so he could be here when the washer and dryer comes. He's always there when I need him!

Head on over to Sting My Heart for more Thankful Thursday participants. Have a blessed Thursday!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Weekly Memory Verse

This week's new verse (I had just been thinking of this verse lately and then I saw it posted on Java Mama's page, so I thought we'd do it this week) What a great prayer!!

Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Previous memory verses:

Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Psalm 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Hebrews 10:24-25 Let us consider how may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together--as some are in the habit of doing--but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.

Joshua 1:8 Do not let the Word of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you will be careful to do everything in it; then you will be prosperous and successful.

Luke 10:27 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.

2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

I'd love for you to join me in memorizing Psalm 19:14 this week! Sign your name below and let us encourage one another throughout the week!



Monday, August 20, 2007

14 weeks... or something like that

Here's the little bump. Looks bigger in the picture than it actually is. Maybe because of posture, who knows. Anyway, I gave up trying to get the perfect shot so we're going with this one...
It's crazy how much different pregnancy is this time around. Last time I knew exactly how far along I was every week, and now this time it's sort of just a guess. Last time life revolved around pregnancy, this time it's very much still busy now that we have a toddler. Last time I made sure I ate all the right foods, this time I'm happy to just get a regular meal. Last time I worried about sleeping on my tummy or back, and this time I'm enjoying regular sleep as long as I can (while I'm not really showing). Last time I didn't show until the end of the fourth month really, and this time I can already tell a slight change. We are equally excited for this baby. It's just different. And I aint gonna lie to you, there are many days when I sigh and think, "HOW am I going to do this? One child is handful enough!" But every child is such a blessing and it's going to be such a joy to see the family grow and watch as Eli becomes big brother. We just can't wait!!

Menu Plan Monday - Aug. 20th

It feels like it's been forever since I've done MPM since we were on vacation last week and just had easy meals the few days before that. And the week before that I did NOT feel like cooking since we had just had family visiting for two weeks! So now we're finally getting back into the swing of things, and boy, let me tell you, it wasn't easy coming up with a menu this week, but here she is!

Monday - (SB game at 6:00) sandwiches or something from the freezer section

Tuesday - chicken chow mein

Wednesday - Makeover Greek Spaghetti (new recipe)

Thursday - appetizer nite- tacos on fritos

Friday - turkey and gravy, steamed veggies, mashed potatoes

Saturday - end of season softball party!

Sunday - turkey/rice soup, apples

For more great menu ideas head over to OrgJunkie! Have a great week, everyone!

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Sunday Psalm


Psalm 1

Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.


Thursday, August 16, 2007

Thankful Thursday: Back from vacation

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16

This past week we've been on vacation in Virginia visiting our church family and friends from when we used to live there. And we just returned home last evening. It was a great week but also challenging as we got hit with sickness at the end of the week.

This week I am thankful for...

* My husband. He surprised me by setting up a spa appointment for a massage and pedicure for me. I've never had this before and it was a really amazing morning getting pampered like that! Very relaxing and a nice retreat! What a thoughtful man!

* Eli's sickness. That it was toward the end of the trip and it gave me a new sense of patience with his fussiness. Once I knew he was not feeling well, I was more sensitive and loving toward him when I had been very frustrated before.

* My husband. He took care of all the cleanup after Eli was sick. I am so glad that he was there. If we had been home and Kevin at work, I don't know how I could have taken care of Eli AND get everything cleaning up at the same time. I am so thankful Kevin was there to help out!

* My sickness. That it was at the very end of the trip. And thank goodness for garbage bags. Enough said.

* Eli. There were a lot of new things for him during the trip. The 10-hour drive, new room, off schedule, out all the time, new boundaries and things he wasn't allowed to touch. But through it all he did very well, and I am so thankful for him!

* Our friends. It was so great to see everyone! We still miss them!

*Our friend Ken. For letting us stay at his house. It saved a great expense and made the trip affordable! He was a real trooper about us taking over with baby stuff everywhere. We really appreciate his hospitality throughout the week!

* Safe travels. We're home. And it's good to be home.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Weekly Memory Verse


After I posted last week's new verse, I actually sat down and made new slips of paper for practicing my verses throughout the week. Now this week I need to back in gear with actually practicing them! Any fun ideas that you do? How do you practice your verse throughout the week?

This week's memory verse:

1 John 3: 18
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.


This will be a really great verse for me this week. I've really been losing my patience a lot lately and I can clearly see how it affects the others in the house. I need to focus on my actions and what example I'm offering to my son. Love is so much more than just the words we say. it's about how we live.

Previous memory verses:

Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Psalm 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Hebrews 10:24-25 Let us consider how may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together--as some are in the habit of doing--but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.

Joshua 1:8 Do not let the Word of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you will be careful to do everything in it; then you will be prosperous and successful.

Luke 10:27 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.

2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

If you'd like to join me this week in memorizing 1 John 3:18, sign your name below (even if you don't have a blog).




Sunday, August 12, 2007

Sunday Psalm


PSALM 103

Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits--
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed
like the eagle's.

The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him:
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the lord has compassion on whose who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children--
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.


Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Husband Encouragement Challenge--Vacation Style

Alright, it has been soo long since I’ve even thought about the ongoing challenge of being encouraging to my husband. I’ve forgotten my goals, and I haven’t been making much of an effort at all to hold my tongue and choose my words wisely.

It’s a rainy day today, I’ve got music playing, and I’m feeling contemplative. We have vacation coming up TOMORROW and since this can sort of be a stressful time for me (since I'm such a planner), I thought I would come up with a few things I can specifically work on so I’m encouraging to my husband throughout this trip.

1. Really hold my tongue about making any driving comments. Even though Kevin doesn’t drive the same way I do, he is still a safe driver, and I trust him. AND I really appreciate him driving so much because I get sleepy after just an hour or so!
2. Work on not getting stressed about keeping schedules.
3. Thank Kevin when he pumps the gas, and even offer to do it a couple times so he can just enjoy the break when we stop for a few minutes since he’s the one who drives the majority of the time.
4. Offer to get drinks for us when we stop and then get a sweet treat Kevin would enjoy.
5. Bring some of my own entertainment (books, email, Sudoku, etc) so that Kevin can enjoy some computer gaming time with his friend Ken without me complaining about what I might do while he’s playing.

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Weekly Memory Verse

I've been really unmotivated about memorizing my verses lately. So we're going to do the same verse again this week.

1 Thessalonians 5:16
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all
circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.


Previous memory verses:

Psalm 119:9-11
Proverbs 3:5-6
Psalm 86:11
Joshua 1:8
Luke 10:27
Romans 15:13
2 Corinthians 3:5
Romans 12:2
Colossians 2:6-7
Colossians 3:16
Colossians 4:6
Hebrews 10:24-25

A little someone has completely crumpled/ripped my little memory verse slips, so I'm going to rewrite them tonight in preparation for some good review this week.

Why memorize scripture? (Taken from THIS WEBSITE)
  1. His word is truth God has given us his word so we can learn to identify truth from error. Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 2:14-17, Psalm 12:6
  2. His word is a delight to my soul. The entire 119th Psalm is dedicated to the praise of the Word of God. Read it several times and you will see how David, Israel's King, finds special delight and freedom in knowing and following God's Commandments. Psalm 119:35, Psalm 119:32, Psalm 119:45-47
  3. His word is nourishment for my soul. Each day my body needs air, food, water and sleep. These things keep my body healthy. It is important to learn to care for yourself. If you fail to do so, after an extended time, you will start to loose your health. The human soul and spirit are no different. We need to feed on the word of God on a regular basis. Psalm 19:7-8, Matthew 4:4 You have head the expression, 'you are what you eat'. It equally true to say 'you are (and are becoming) what you think about'. Exposure to the word of God can purify your mind and your heart.. Luke 6:45, Matthew 15:18, Matthew 7:20-23, Proverbs 27:19, Proverbs 4:23
  4. God instructs us to keep his word close to our heart! This makes sure that we do not stray from Him. Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Deuteronomy 11:18-21, Joshua 1:7-8, Colossians 3:16, Psalm 119:148
Click here for info on how to memorize scripture.



Sunday, August 5, 2007

Sunday Psalm


Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strenght.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightening.
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.

What an all powerful God we have!
May all praise be to His Glory!

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Our new deck!

While Kevin's family was here and his dad was here to help he got the new deck put at our place. It's nothing extravagant because it's just a townhouse and a small area, but it still takes a lot of planning and hard work. So I'm very proud of my husband and what he's accomplished! I think it looks great and wanted to show it off!

Before

In progress

The end!

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Thankful Thursday

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16

I know it's late in the day for this post, but I'm finally getting some free time, and hey, it's still Thursday, right? =)

This week I'm thankful for...

1. Family. We've just had two wonderful weeks of family visits, first being my parents and second being the in-laws. And it was sooo great having them here! Being in the military, we live a thousand miles away from family and flying home is more like a once-a-year thing, so I'm so grateful that they are able to travel here to see us sometimes! The in-laws just left yesterday and are still in route, so pray for a safe trip!

2. Tylenol. We're going through another bout of teething with Eli. He usually sleeps very well at night and we don't hear from him until morning. But last night he cried out 3 times before 10pm, the third time being quite a fit in which I had to intervene with a dose of Tylenol and lovins. After that he was good to go for the night and slept soundly.

3. Timely phone calls. Eli just turned one and every week is also turning more into a toddler. I was having a very frustrating day today and was losing it when I got a call from my friend Angie who is dealing with many similar frustrations with her little one. It made me feel a lot better just knowing I'm not the only one this week!

4. Our new deck. It's nothing fancy, just a platform really to cover the small ugly cement slab that was there. My wonderful husband worked so hard on it while his dad was here to help, and I think it turned out really great! And the best part is that our landlord is paying for it!

5. Quiet evenings. Hubby is back to working nights the rest of this week. And as much as I miss hanging out with him in the evenings, I really appreciate the quiet time. It's not very often that I get actual "me time" without feeling like I should be doing something else. So this is good for me, especially after such a busy last two weeks.

6. My Hubby. I can't have a thankful list without mentioning him! He's so amazing! These past two days when I've been super frazzled with Eli, he's been really great about taking turns, and helping me stay calm when we have to let Eli cry for a little while. He's flexible about dinner plans when I'm too exhausted to cook. He's great at helping get the house back in order after a week of company. And he's sweet and loving to me!

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Fruit of the Spirit Blog

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I have been nominated to display this Fruit of the Spirit graphic on my blog. The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) It is my prayer to live out these virtues in my life, and apparently someone else thinks I display these qualities through my posts and offer a glimpse of the fruit in my life.

As you can see on my sidebar, the goal of my blog is to "learn from others, encourage others, and share my journey as I seek God's will for my life." And I'm so pleased that I have been encouraging to others, and as I continue to display this graphic on my blog, I will remember to keep that as my focus of my writing.

I'm in the process of getting the Fruit of the Spirit blogroll added to my sidebar. So check back later for a list of other blogs displaying the fruits of the spirit.