We did it! My baby is two and I survived the day of festivities! When you are the kid having the birthday, you don't realize all of the crazy planning that goes into a day of fun. :-) This morning we went to the Children's Theatre. We went with some friends. It was really fun. Watching the kids enjoy the play was awesome. My baby princess was great for most of it. She had a couple of little bumps during the play, but it was way better than I thought it might be. She really is growing up.
I also made her cake and wrapped her gifts today. For dinner, we had friends over. I made salad, pasta, and garlic bread. Then the birthday girl unwrapped gifts. I had balloons with lights in them for the kids, so I blew them up. Then we did cake and ice cream. Between all of those activities the kids played and played. It was fabulous watching them play. :-) The house was definitely well played in tonight. It wasn't bad- within a half an hour my honey and I had it all cleaned up and the kids were in the bath. Anyway, there was a lot of planning and background stuff that went into today that my kids won't think about until they are older or have their own kids, as it should be.
Days like today make me so thankful for my parents. They did so many behind the scenes things that I am just thinking about now that I have kids. Thanks Daddy and Mommy for loving me well. Make sure to say thank you to the people in your life who have done and may still be doing behind the scenes work. Thanks for reading. :-)
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
I Do It
My baby girl turns two tomorrow. I can't believe it! I love playing with her, watching her learn, hearing her giggle, seeing her be able to do things that she couldn't before. She is independent. I like that. I am also independent. But, sometimes that can get both of us in trouble. Just today, she has tried to do at least three things that were, at least at that moment, giving her a little trouble. She was trying to take her jammies off, she wanted to unbuckle her car seat, and she wanted to take her socks off. Most times she can take her PJs off herself, but her arms were stuck funny, I asked if she wanted help and she said, "I do it, I do it." She wandered around the living room like a dog chasing her tail for a little while. I asked her a little while later if she wanted me to help her a little. At that point, she let me give her a little help with one arm, and then she could get it. Later, she wanted to unclick her car seat (no thank you). I explained unclicking her was only for Mommies and Daddies, so she couldn't do it. So it was dropped. And just this afternoon, she wanted to take off her socks by pulling on the front, which doesn't work as well as she would like. :-) I asked if she wanted help, again, "I do it. I do it." She tried again and finally asked if her brother would help. He did. Not only did he take them off for her, but he showed and explained to her the best way to take off your socks- by the ankle part at the top.
My baby girl and I are cut from the same cloth. There are problems in my life that I can't really do sometimes. It could be because that situation is a little different than other times I have faced that same problem (maybe my arms are stuck a little funny), or because it is a situation that I can't solve (I will not be able to get it, no matter how much I try, I am not strong enough), or I am trying do it the hard way (I need to take my socks off from the top, not the bottom). Each of these problems had a different solution. So when I look at my life, I can see how to solve a lot of problems I face. First, I could let God explain something to me about how He can help. He can just give me a little nudge. Secondly, it could be that I shouldn't be trying to solve the problem. Ouch! Only God can do it. It is a problem only for my Heavenly Daddy. Or thirdly, it could be that someone I care about could help me and teach me a better way.
So, while being independent is great, sometimes I need to take a step back and ask if I am just chasing my tail, trying to be God, or doing things a lot harder than I need to be and not listening to those around me. How about you? Do you let God and others help or do you just yell back, "I do it!!" and keep not getting anywhere? I am thankful for my kiddos that they teach me about my Heavenly Father and what He has for me. Thanks for reading. :-)
My baby girl and I are cut from the same cloth. There are problems in my life that I can't really do sometimes. It could be because that situation is a little different than other times I have faced that same problem (maybe my arms are stuck a little funny), or because it is a situation that I can't solve (I will not be able to get it, no matter how much I try, I am not strong enough), or I am trying do it the hard way (I need to take my socks off from the top, not the bottom). Each of these problems had a different solution. So when I look at my life, I can see how to solve a lot of problems I face. First, I could let God explain something to me about how He can help. He can just give me a little nudge. Secondly, it could be that I shouldn't be trying to solve the problem. Ouch! Only God can do it. It is a problem only for my Heavenly Daddy. Or thirdly, it could be that someone I care about could help me and teach me a better way.
So, while being independent is great, sometimes I need to take a step back and ask if I am just chasing my tail, trying to be God, or doing things a lot harder than I need to be and not listening to those around me. How about you? Do you let God and others help or do you just yell back, "I do it!!" and keep not getting anywhere? I am thankful for my kiddos that they teach me about my Heavenly Father and what He has for me. Thanks for reading. :-)
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Love is a Verb
Tonight my husband and I went out on a double date with some friends. It was really fun to get out with other grown ups and not be chasing kiddos for a little while. I am reading the Love Does book by Bob Goff. I know I have blogged about it before, but it is a great book. :-) I talked a little bit about it tonight at dinner. When we got home, my honey showed me love by taking the babysitter home. Not that taking the babysitter home is hard, but I like to be able to get in my PJs when I get home. :-) He knows that I like that, so he takes the babysitter home. He demonstrates his love for me by doing something for me. We need to do that for each other. Actually SHOW love to people, not just talk the talk. We need to actually do things. Sometimes we can show love by doing the dishes, or vacuuming, or watching a friend's kids, or by taking the babysitter home. How can you actively show love to the people around you today? Thanks for reading. :-)
Monday, January 28, 2013
Dancing
I just got home from an Off MOPS meeting. Our group meets once a month normally, but then sometimes we have a meeting in between our regular meetings. That is an Off MOPS meeting. Tonight was a movie night for moms and kids. We watched Tangled on the big projector screen at the church. It is such a cute movie (maybe a few scary parts for younger kiddos). One of my biggest take aways from the movie is that I need more spontaneous dancing in my life. Also, more singing. So, today's message is short. :-) Take time to dance and to sing today. Enjoy the moment. :-) Thanks for reading. :-)
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Opportunity Cost
The dictionary defines opportunity cost as "the opportunities forgone in the choice of one expenditure over others." It means that if you do one thing you can't do another. If you have $10 and you buy a Kindle book for $10, you cannot use that same $10 to buy two cups of coffee. So in that example, the opportunity cost of the Kindle book is two cups of coffee. This was one of the best concepts that I learned in economics. I also had a professor who helped me all through college and he talked about this idea a lot.
The idea works for time, not just money. Earlier today, my baby girl wanted to have a picnic on the living room floor. If I had a picnic on the floor with her, I could not write my blog then. So the opportunity cost of that picnic was blogging then. So I had the picnic then and I am blogging now. But now, since I am blogging, I cannot read a Kindle book with this same time. There is an opportunity cost for each choice I make. Just like you taking the time to read my blog- you are giving up anything else you could be doing with your time. So, thanks for making my blog a priority for you.
The opportunity cost of some things could be one's health. If one eats food that is not good for him all of the time, if he smokes, if he consistently doesn't get enough sleep, if he drinks too much, then the opportunity cost would be his health.
When I am trying to make a decision about what I should or what I should buy, I try to think about the opportunity cost. What am I giving up so that I can have _______? Is it worth that cost? Is it worth giving up that opportunity so I can have this? Sometimes when I ask myself, the answer is "yes, it is." But sometimes it is "no." If it isn't worth the cost, I need to figure out what is worth the cost. Then, I do that. :-) What are the opportunity costs of the decisions that you make with your time? Your money? Your health? Thanks for reading. :-)
The idea works for time, not just money. Earlier today, my baby girl wanted to have a picnic on the living room floor. If I had a picnic on the floor with her, I could not write my blog then. So the opportunity cost of that picnic was blogging then. So I had the picnic then and I am blogging now. But now, since I am blogging, I cannot read a Kindle book with this same time. There is an opportunity cost for each choice I make. Just like you taking the time to read my blog- you are giving up anything else you could be doing with your time. So, thanks for making my blog a priority for you.
The opportunity cost of some things could be one's health. If one eats food that is not good for him all of the time, if he smokes, if he consistently doesn't get enough sleep, if he drinks too much, then the opportunity cost would be his health.
When I am trying to make a decision about what I should or what I should buy, I try to think about the opportunity cost. What am I giving up so that I can have _______? Is it worth that cost? Is it worth giving up that opportunity so I can have this? Sometimes when I ask myself, the answer is "yes, it is." But sometimes it is "no." If it isn't worth the cost, I need to figure out what is worth the cost. Then, I do that. :-) What are the opportunity costs of the decisions that you make with your time? Your money? Your health? Thanks for reading. :-)
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Just Down the Hill
So, we finished the movies! They really are good. Better than I remembered. Long, but good. :-) In "The Return of the King," there is a part where Frodo (the main character) and Sam (his best traveling companion) are seemingly very close to where they need to be. But when they look, there is a ridiculously huge army of orcs (very bad, bad guys). Frodo doesn't see how they can get through all of them to get to where they need to go. He is overwhelmed by what lays ahead. Sam says, "Well right now we just need to get down this hill." And so that's what they did.
Life can be like that, overwhelming. I see- the distance I want to run. Planning for kindergarten and school for my kids. Saving money in our emergency fund and accomplishing other financial plans. The weight loss goal I want to achieve. And the list goes on and on and on... It seems like it can suffocate me sometimes. I look out at the long road that is years away. It's just too much. I don't know how I can do it and so I freeze. In those times, I try to remember to look at right now. When I am running and think I can't keep going, I tell myself, "Just one minute; think about this minute right now and run it. Don't focus on anything but running this minute. Not the miles. Right now." Then I can usually run the minute. Then I tell myself to think about the minute right now. And I keep running. I reach my goal. But often it is not by looking at the big overwhelming task I have before me.
I want to lose some weight. But when I think about how long it could take and that it means I shouldn't eat the yummy not so good for me foods that I like all the time (mind you, I do have some :-) )- I can't do it. I just want to give up. I want to sit down and eat a lot of chocolate. But really, that will not help me. So I have been trying to think about right now. For this meal, right now, I am making a healthy choice. For this movie, right now, I am eating an orange instead of chips. I, like Frodo, have to take one part of the journey at a time. Then, when I get to the bottom of the hill, I can think about the next part. Thanks for reading. :-)
Life can be like that, overwhelming. I see- the distance I want to run. Planning for kindergarten and school for my kids. Saving money in our emergency fund and accomplishing other financial plans. The weight loss goal I want to achieve. And the list goes on and on and on... It seems like it can suffocate me sometimes. I look out at the long road that is years away. It's just too much. I don't know how I can do it and so I freeze. In those times, I try to remember to look at right now. When I am running and think I can't keep going, I tell myself, "Just one minute; think about this minute right now and run it. Don't focus on anything but running this minute. Not the miles. Right now." Then I can usually run the minute. Then I tell myself to think about the minute right now. And I keep running. I reach my goal. But often it is not by looking at the big overwhelming task I have before me.
I want to lose some weight. But when I think about how long it could take and that it means I shouldn't eat the yummy not so good for me foods that I like all the time (mind you, I do have some :-) )- I can't do it. I just want to give up. I want to sit down and eat a lot of chocolate. But really, that will not help me. So I have been trying to think about right now. For this meal, right now, I am making a healthy choice. For this movie, right now, I am eating an orange instead of chips. I, like Frodo, have to take one part of the journey at a time. Then, when I get to the bottom of the hill, I can think about the next part. Thanks for reading. :-)
Friday, January 25, 2013
Who we Were...Who We Are
The honey and I just watched the first half of "The Return of the King." It was hard to stop watching, but I can't stay up as late as I would have to for us to finish the movie. Really good movies, everyone. Even if it takes a while to work for them, you should watch "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. In this part, one of the main characters talked about the kings of Men. In the world, there are men, hobbits, wizards, elves, dwarfs, orcs, tree people (ents), and other things. One of the Kingdoms of the men was being taken care of by a steward because the kings had walked away from the throne. Gandalf was telling one of the hobbits why the kingdom had become weaker. He said that the men continued to look back. They looked to who they were from instead of who their sons were. They sat up in towers and did not engage with their people. They got stuck in the past. In what had been. In why they had been great. In what those before them had done.
Isn't that true of all of us, not just kings? We look at what people have done before us. We try to ride on other people's coattails. We look back at the great stories that people tell. Now, I'm not saying that we should not honor our ancestors. But, we cannot simply look back. We have to look forward. See the things that God has for us. What He has us going for. What does the road ahead look like for us? Our children? Those people around us now? We don't want to lose touch with the people we should be impacting with our life. I don't want to sit up in a tower and give up the throne that should be mine. I want to be on the throne, in the trenches. I want to stay connected. I want to be engaged- with life, my husband, my kids, my friends, my neighbors, the people around me, with God. How about you? Where can you engage? Thanks for reading. :-)
Isn't that true of all of us, not just kings? We look at what people have done before us. We try to ride on other people's coattails. We look back at the great stories that people tell. Now, I'm not saying that we should not honor our ancestors. But, we cannot simply look back. We have to look forward. See the things that God has for us. What He has us going for. What does the road ahead look like for us? Our children? Those people around us now? We don't want to lose touch with the people we should be impacting with our life. I don't want to sit up in a tower and give up the throne that should be mine. I want to be on the throne, in the trenches. I want to stay connected. I want to be engaged- with life, my husband, my kids, my friends, my neighbors, the people around me, with God. How about you? Where can you engage? Thanks for reading. :-)
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Be Faithful
I am doing a weekly Bible Study at my church. It is called "The Interlude." Right now we are learning about the Kings of Israel after they entered the Promised Land. One of the take aways that I got from the first week was to be faithful in the little things even when other people don't see what you are doing. This was based on the events when Saul (first King of Israel) was chasing David (soon to be King of Israel). David knew that he was going to be the next king. Saul was after him because Saul knew that God was going to have David be the next king and that was threatening to Saul. As Saul was after David, David would hide in caves. Sometimes Saul would too. There are multiple times where David could have killed Saul and sped up the process of David becoming king. But he didn't. He was faithful to what God wanted, even when no one else was looking. Even when other people would have said he should kill Saul. He didn't. He followed God. He was faithful.
I want to be faithful when other people might not see. I want to be kind to my kiddos, even when I am tired. I want to make healthy choices for me, even when no one is around. I want to say thoughtful things to my husband, even when it's just the two of us (or when he's not in on the conversation). I want to think well of my friends. I want to be faithful to what God has for me. Be obedient in the little things. How about you? What are the ways that you can be faithful, even when other people won't see it? Thanks for reading. :-)
I want to be faithful when other people might not see. I want to be kind to my kiddos, even when I am tired. I want to make healthy choices for me, even when no one is around. I want to say thoughtful things to my husband, even when it's just the two of us (or when he's not in on the conversation). I want to think well of my friends. I want to be faithful to what God has for me. Be obedient in the little things. How about you? What are the ways that you can be faithful, even when other people won't see it? Thanks for reading. :-)
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Playing
One of my baby girl's favorite things to do right now is to play hide-and-seek/peek-a-boo. She loves to hide under a blanket, teddy bear, chair, her hands, whatever is close. :-) Her playful spirit is contagious. It makes me smile. She will hide under something and wait for us to say, "Where's baby girl?" Then she will crack up!! Even on crazy days (like today was), I love watching her play. She will engage anyone to play with her. So will my son. They are friendly. All. the. time. I want to remember to engage the people around me. Sometimes I can get wrapped into my own stuff. But, not my kiddos. If you are around, to them you are someone to play with. :-)
Today our Bible Study did outreach. It helps us remember to get outside of ourselves- to play well with others. Not to be so caught up in me that I lose perspective. Sometimes I do that. Forget that there are other people around that I can laugh, talk, walk, play, cry, listen with. I want to continue to remember that if there is someone else around, I can say, "Where's my friend?" and they will be there and we can crack up together. So next time your day seems crazy, call up a friend and be there to play. Thanks for reading. :-)
Today our Bible Study did outreach. It helps us remember to get outside of ourselves- to play well with others. Not to be so caught up in me that I lose perspective. Sometimes I do that. Forget that there are other people around that I can laugh, talk, walk, play, cry, listen with. I want to continue to remember that if there is someone else around, I can say, "Where's my friend?" and they will be there and we can crack up together. So next time your day seems crazy, call up a friend and be there to play. Thanks for reading. :-)
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Date Night
Tonight my honey and I had a date night. It is nice to get out and talk and hang out with my husband. Right after we had kids (ok, really for like 3 years), we didn't really go on date nights. It just seemed like a lot to try to find a baby sitter that we could trust. We don't have family that lives around us, so we just didn't really know who to have babysit. I didn't want to keep calling my friends and asking them to watch my son. So, we just didn't go out.
In the Fall of 2011, we went to a marriage class that met every week. There was no childcare provided, so we had to get a babysitter to take the class. At that same time, one of my closest friend's son started to babysit. I was a little nervous at first, but, I knew it was worth it to at least try it out. We had only left the kids with family or really close friends. It went really well. The first couple times, the kids and the babysitter had to adjust to each other. They did. (Now the kids look forward to the babysitters. :-) ) So my husband and I were basically going on a date every week for that class. It was nice.
Last year we set a goal to go on 2-3 dates a month. And we did it. Sometimes it took more planning and forethought than other months, but we did at least 2 a month. I really do think it is important for us to make time for each other. So, this year we set a date goal again. :-) I know that we will get those dates in because we have decided it is important. To anyone reading this thinking, "I cannot go out. I don't have time, money, or a babysitter." The dates we have gone on aren't all fancy or something. Some nights it is getting coffee and talking. It could be going to a park. Or maybe it is a lunchtime date. Really, the biggest thing is acknowledging that it is important to you. When you do that you will find a way to find one or two nights a month to make it work. Don't feel like I am saying you are bad if you have not been doing dates, my husband and I didn't really go on dates for THREE years, so please, feel no condemnation from me. I am just saying,we didn't think we could do it, but then when we decided it was important to us, we actually figured out a way that it could happen.
About the babysitter thing, if you know me personally, ask me. I have some great recommendations. :-) I hope that you are able to get some date time with your honey soon. Thanks for reading. :-)
In the Fall of 2011, we went to a marriage class that met every week. There was no childcare provided, so we had to get a babysitter to take the class. At that same time, one of my closest friend's son started to babysit. I was a little nervous at first, but, I knew it was worth it to at least try it out. We had only left the kids with family or really close friends. It went really well. The first couple times, the kids and the babysitter had to adjust to each other. They did. (Now the kids look forward to the babysitters. :-) ) So my husband and I were basically going on a date every week for that class. It was nice.
Last year we set a goal to go on 2-3 dates a month. And we did it. Sometimes it took more planning and forethought than other months, but we did at least 2 a month. I really do think it is important for us to make time for each other. So, this year we set a date goal again. :-) I know that we will get those dates in because we have decided it is important. To anyone reading this thinking, "I cannot go out. I don't have time, money, or a babysitter." The dates we have gone on aren't all fancy or something. Some nights it is getting coffee and talking. It could be going to a park. Or maybe it is a lunchtime date. Really, the biggest thing is acknowledging that it is important to you. When you do that you will find a way to find one or two nights a month to make it work. Don't feel like I am saying you are bad if you have not been doing dates, my husband and I didn't really go on dates for THREE years, so please, feel no condemnation from me. I am just saying,we didn't think we could do it, but then when we decided it was important to us, we actually figured out a way that it could happen.
About the babysitter thing, if you know me personally, ask me. I have some great recommendations. :-) I hope that you are able to get some date time with your honey soon. Thanks for reading. :-)
Monday, January 21, 2013
Your Cares
The Bible tells us, "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the
righteous fall" (Psalm 55:22). It's funny to me how easy that should be. Give my problems to my great big God who loves me. But do I give them to Him? Sometimes...but, sometimes not so much. Or I will give them to Him for a little while and pick them back up. Maybe I don't think He is acting fast enough or maybe things aren't going the way I think they should. All I know is that it is a lot harder for me to actually cast my cares upon Him and not try to reclaim them.
There are some areas that I am getting better (sometimes :-) ), but then other areas that I keep picking up. There was a sermon illustration from a pastor in Michigan that I will never forget when it comes to this idea and it still helps me when I am struggling to actually cast my cares on Jesus. The pastor came walking into the sanctuary at the beginning of the sermon with a suitcase tied around his waist, a huge backpack, and dragging other huge suitcases. It looked ridiculous! He was talking about if we do that with our cares. Do we tie them on us and not want to let them go? How can you effectivly travel like that? You can't. You have to drop off the luggage. So, the next time you are tempted to pick up one of your cares again or not give it to God in the first place, ask yourself, "Can I travel on the journey that God has for me? Or I am too loaded down?" Thanks for reading. :-)
There are some areas that I am getting better (sometimes :-) ), but then other areas that I keep picking up. There was a sermon illustration from a pastor in Michigan that I will never forget when it comes to this idea and it still helps me when I am struggling to actually cast my cares on Jesus. The pastor came walking into the sanctuary at the beginning of the sermon with a suitcase tied around his waist, a huge backpack, and dragging other huge suitcases. It looked ridiculous! He was talking about if we do that with our cares. Do we tie them on us and not want to let them go? How can you effectivly travel like that? You can't. You have to drop off the luggage. So, the next time you are tempted to pick up one of your cares again or not give it to God in the first place, ask yourself, "Can I travel on the journey that God has for me? Or I am too loaded down?" Thanks for reading. :-)
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Real People
I love to read the Bible. There are some parts that draw me in more than others and are easier to read than other parts. Genealogies are rough to get through, at least for me. But the other day, I was reading through a genealogy and it said, "The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs in the desert while he was grazing the donkeys of his father Zibeon" (Gen 36:24). I know that this verse seems like an odd verse to have stuck out to me, but it did. As I was reading through the all of the sons of the sons of the sons, I couldn't get this verse out of my head. It reminded me that all of these names that I was reading were real people. I mean, I obviously know that in my head, but sometimes, I forget it in my heart.
This verse reminded me that the people I was reading about did things, like took care of donkeys and found hot springs. There is so much more to Anah than that. So much about his life that we don't know. But he lived and had 24 hours a day that he filled. What did his life look like? As I am reading the Bible, I try to think about that- these real people who had real lives. I am reminding myself about that as I read through the Bible, even the genealogies. These people were real, as I read about Moses, what was it like to travel through the dessert with his wife and kids to Egypt? I want to try to experience in my mind what their journey could have been like. I want to walk through the Bible with these real people. I am excited about this journey, these people. Would you join me? Thanks for reading. :-)
This verse reminded me that the people I was reading about did things, like took care of donkeys and found hot springs. There is so much more to Anah than that. So much about his life that we don't know. But he lived and had 24 hours a day that he filled. What did his life look like? As I am reading the Bible, I try to think about that- these real people who had real lives. I am reminding myself about that as I read through the Bible, even the genealogies. These people were real, as I read about Moses, what was it like to travel through the dessert with his wife and kids to Egypt? I want to try to experience in my mind what their journey could have been like. I want to walk through the Bible with these real people. I am excited about this journey, these people. Would you join me? Thanks for reading. :-)
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Habits
So, I don't really know what to blog about today. As I was thinking trying to figure out what to write about- my great relaxing Saturday with my family, one of the fabulous Bible verses I read today, a funny story about my kids...lots of things I could write about. But none of them seemed to stick when I was thinking about it. I decided to write about why I am blogging when I can't think of what to blog about- because I want to keep the habit up. It's 19 days into the year and I want to continue to work toward my goals. One of my goals is to blog this year. I know that if I don't blog when I am drawing a blank or when I don't feel like it, it will be harder to blog the next day. So, here I am. I am blogging. I want to keep up on my goals for the year.
I want to keep remembering why I made the goals that I made. When I am tempted to not do something, I am trying to remember WHY I thought that would be a good goal in the first place. If it seems like something I do actually care about, then I will keep it up. If I think it isn't something I want to do, then I will stop. So, how about you? How are your goals going for the year? If there are things you wanted to do, but you are not doing them still or yet, today is a great day to start. You can do it. Keep walking on your journey. Even if sometimes that means blogging when you don't know what to blog about. :-) Thanks for reading. :-)
I want to keep remembering why I made the goals that I made. When I am tempted to not do something, I am trying to remember WHY I thought that would be a good goal in the first place. If it seems like something I do actually care about, then I will keep it up. If I think it isn't something I want to do, then I will stop. So, how about you? How are your goals going for the year? If there are things you wanted to do, but you are not doing them still or yet, today is a great day to start. You can do it. Keep walking on your journey. Even if sometimes that means blogging when you don't know what to blog about. :-) Thanks for reading. :-)
Friday, January 18, 2013
Those Were The Stories...
Tonight was part two of "The Two Towers" movie (we have to watch them in pieces because the extended versions are so long). Lots of scary, bad fighting. But good stuff too. :-) One of the scenes Frodo and Sam, two hobbits and main characters, have just had a crazy adventurous part of their trip. Frodo is trying to get the ring back to Mordor (very, scary bad place) to destroy it. He is the only one who can do this. It has to be him. Sam is Frodo's friend who is always with him. Frodo has just had a moment of weakness.
Frodo: I can't do this Sam.
Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights, we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end...because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it was only a passing thing...this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you...that meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories...had lots of chances of turning back, only the didn't. They kept going...because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam?
Sam: There is some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for.
Isn't that life? We are called to do something. We can go for a while, but then something happens and we fail. We know that we cannot keep going. But our merciful Father has put people in our lives to tell us that we can keep going. We can do it. It isn't going to be easy to fulfill our calling, but it is going to be worth it. He is there to strengthen us, to be our guide.
Who are your Sams? Find those people who are with you through the journey. Cling to them. Encourage one another. Thank our loving Father that He has given us those people. And that He gave us Himself. Thanks for reading. :-)
Frodo: I can't do this Sam.
Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights, we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end...because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it was only a passing thing...this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you...that meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories...had lots of chances of turning back, only the didn't. They kept going...because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam?
Sam: There is some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for.
Isn't that life? We are called to do something. We can go for a while, but then something happens and we fail. We know that we cannot keep going. But our merciful Father has put people in our lives to tell us that we can keep going. We can do it. It isn't going to be easy to fulfill our calling, but it is going to be worth it. He is there to strengthen us, to be our guide.
Who are your Sams? Find those people who are with you through the journey. Cling to them. Encourage one another. Thank our loving Father that He has given us those people. And that He gave us Himself. Thanks for reading. :-)
Thursday, January 17, 2013
My New Planner
I bought a new planner before the year started. I LOVE it! It is from The Confident Mom. She is a blogger. The planner has daily household tasks to do. There are some things that are for everyday, like wiping the counters off, changing the kitchen towel, taking vitamins. There are little places to check those things off. Also, a place to check off the 8 glasses of water you should drink each day. Also, daily household tasks are divided up for each day. Jobs like washing the sheets, changing the towels in bathrooms, wiping the microwave off. Ok, ok, I know some of you reading this are thinking, "Who has time to clean the microwave? I am stuggling to get me and the kids dressed, fed, and out the door." I have days like that too. But using this planner has helped me feel like I can handle the little weird jobs that I don't get around to.
There is a place to check off doing the laundry each day. Some days I fold it and sometimes I don't. But then the next day, I might actually fold it. :-) I feel like because I want to check it off each day, I actually work on it a little bit, even the times that I might not have before using this. I am not saying that this is a planner for everyone. But, I am saying that it is something that has helped me. This might not be the thing for you, but maybe think about an area that you will like to have be a little better and then look for something to help with that area. You might try it and it doesn't work. That's ok. Try something else. I just read in "The Do What You Can Plan" by Holley Gerth that trying a new strategy to reach a goal isn't failure, that it is growth. So, if you are trying to accomplish a goal (like having a more clean and organized house), then try different things until you find something that works. Thanks for reading. :-)
There is a place to check off doing the laundry each day. Some days I fold it and sometimes I don't. But then the next day, I might actually fold it. :-) I feel like because I want to check it off each day, I actually work on it a little bit, even the times that I might not have before using this. I am not saying that this is a planner for everyone. But, I am saying that it is something that has helped me. This might not be the thing for you, but maybe think about an area that you will like to have be a little better and then look for something to help with that area. You might try it and it doesn't work. That's ok. Try something else. I just read in "The Do What You Can Plan" by Holley Gerth that trying a new strategy to reach a goal isn't failure, that it is growth. So, if you are trying to accomplish a goal (like having a more clean and organized house), then try different things until you find something that works. Thanks for reading. :-)
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Potential
Warning: This post is quite nerdy, but welcome to my life. :-) My honey and I are now watching "The Two Towers." In one of the scenes of the movie, Gandalf (a fabulously great good guy) says to Aragorn, a human who is the heir to the human throne, "He is afraid of what you could become." Or something really close to that. He, meaning one of the super duper bad guys. So Gandalf knows the super bad guy is going to go to war with the humans to hopefully stop the potential that Aragorn has.
Isn't that how our Enemy operates too? He knows the potential that we have, but he wants to stop it. No matter the cost. Aragorn keeps fighting the good fight. I don't even know if at this point in the movie he really believes in all the potential that he has. I can't remember how it ends, but I am guessing he has a ton of wonderful things he will do. Isn't that like us though? God tells us He has a plan for us. A crazy, awesome, wonderful, fabulous plan and we don't believe it because we can't see everything. We don't really know what potential we have. It seems ludicrous that God wants us to do ______. And the catch is, we can't do it alone. We have to have God, but he is with us. He will not leave us. He is with us on this incredible journey He has for us.
Do not let your potential be squashed by anyone. Ask God what He has for you. Go after it. Trust in the potential that God says you have, not what you can see for yourself. Our enemy is afraid of what you could become. Thanks for reading. :-)
Isn't that how our Enemy operates too? He knows the potential that we have, but he wants to stop it. No matter the cost. Aragorn keeps fighting the good fight. I don't even know if at this point in the movie he really believes in all the potential that he has. I can't remember how it ends, but I am guessing he has a ton of wonderful things he will do. Isn't that like us though? God tells us He has a plan for us. A crazy, awesome, wonderful, fabulous plan and we don't believe it because we can't see everything. We don't really know what potential we have. It seems ludicrous that God wants us to do ______. And the catch is, we can't do it alone. We have to have God, but he is with us. He will not leave us. He is with us on this incredible journey He has for us.
Do not let your potential be squashed by anyone. Ask God what He has for you. Go after it. Trust in the potential that God says you have, not what you can see for yourself. Our enemy is afraid of what you could become. Thanks for reading. :-)
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
God Knows Best?
This is related to the post I did two days ago. Just like I have a hard time listening to other people sometimes, I also have a hard time listening to God. Yuck. It doesn't sound great to say that. I know in my head that God knows best, but sometimes my heart doesn't trust. Why is that? When I am clearly thinking, it seems crazy to not trust Him. But it's there. And I think most of the time it's because I don't know that He actually knows best. (Again crazy, I know.) I think that I may know better or more. But seriously, I. do. not.
My mother-in-love shared this thought from a conference that she went to recently, "You don't know what you don't know." I think that I have all the info. That I "know" the quickest route, but I just don't know that I don't know about the construction up ahead. I am sure that I "know" WHY someone did something or said something, but I just don't know that she really meant __________. I am sure I can see the great big picture for my life, but I just don't know what's around the bend. So, this isn't really a post to tell you how to fix that attitude. Rather, it's to let you know that I know how you feel too. Join me in the "I don't know everything" club. That one I will keep my membership card to, but the "sometimes I don't trust my Heavenly Daddy" club, I am tearing up my membership card. I don't want to be in that one. I do KNOW that He wants what is best for me and He is worthy of my trust. I love Him and He loves me more than I can imagine. Here it goes. Each day is remembering that God does know best. Thanks for reading. :-)
My mother-in-love shared this thought from a conference that she went to recently, "You don't know what you don't know." I think that I have all the info. That I "know" the quickest route, but I just don't know that I don't know about the construction up ahead. I am sure that I "know" WHY someone did something or said something, but I just don't know that she really meant __________. I am sure I can see the great big picture for my life, but I just don't know what's around the bend. So, this isn't really a post to tell you how to fix that attitude. Rather, it's to let you know that I know how you feel too. Join me in the "I don't know everything" club. That one I will keep my membership card to, but the "sometimes I don't trust my Heavenly Daddy" club, I am tearing up my membership card. I don't want to be in that one. I do KNOW that He wants what is best for me and He is worthy of my trust. I love Him and He loves me more than I can imagine. Here it goes. Each day is remembering that God does know best. Thanks for reading. :-)
Monday, January 14, 2013
MOPS
I just got home from our monthly MOPS meeting. MOPS stands for Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers. It is for moms who have kiddos birth through kindergarten. I love it! I get to be around other women who understand the things I am going through. We can be real with each other and build relationship. I have met almost all of my close friends through MOPS (not all, so don't lose heart if I didn't meet you at MOPS ;-) ). Tonight we had a huge birthday party. There were games, cupcakes, treat bags, and lots of laughter. If you are a mom who has a kid birth to kindergarten, check out MOPS.org to find a MOPS group close to you. When I first had my first baby, I was not getting out a lot and MOPS gave me a place to hear about what other moms were going through and had experienced. I knew that I was not alone in the crazy land of mothering. I love MOPS!!! Thanks for reading. :-)
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Other People Know Best?
Ok, confession time again...Sometimes I don't know everything. I know. It's shocking really. But I thought I would let you all in on my little secret. I wish I did, but I don't. For example, sometimes I have fashion issues. But I have a great group of girls who help guide me. One of them recently told me that I could wear brown boots with GRAY. This seemed crazy to me. She said I could wear brown with anything. I think this is weird, but I do trust that she does not want me to look crazy, so she wouldn't make it up. This same friend went shopping with me to get some new shirts. One of the shirts she said I should get has a SEAM running down the front of it. I think that this is a way for the company to reuse scraps of fabric from another product. She assures me such is not the case; rather, this seem down the front is fashionable. Another friend continues to tell me (but I don't listen sometimes, I actually listen more than she probably thinks) that I shouldn't wear black socks with certain shoes. One time, these girls stopped at a shoe store to buy me flip-flops because my shoes choice was off. They love me and don't want me to look like a clown. I appreciate that. But, I don't understand WHY the things they say are right, so sometimes I doubt a little.
My baby girl has been throwing up the last couple days. It was really bad two nights ago, so then when she threw up again yesterday morning after taking a few bits of bagel, I called the nurse line. The nurse that I talked to yesterday morning told me I had to wait EIGHT hours from the time she threw up to give my baby any food. This is a challenge because she eats. All. the. time. We made it though, but it was a challenge. Also, I could only give her 2-3 Tbsp of Pedialite every five minutes. The nurse told me this was to rest her tummy because she thought she might have viral gastritis. My baby princess kept saying "eat?" and "Hungry." She even put her own bib on and went over to her seat that she eats at. It was hard to not feed her. I listened to the instructions and my baby girl didn't throw up at all again yesterday.
I thought we were through the woods, but then she threw up an hour before bedtime tonight. So I knew that meant I should not give her more food tonight. But she asked for something and I gave her some plain white bread. A little while later she was sick again. :-( So no more food the rest of the night. I will listen. It is better for her, even though she wanted goldfish as a bedtime snack. I was strong and listened to those who know better than me.
I want to remember to listen to people who do actually know more. I want to increase my knowledge. I want to share what I know with others. I need to remember that, yes, sometimes other people know best. Thanks for reading. :-)
My baby girl has been throwing up the last couple days. It was really bad two nights ago, so then when she threw up again yesterday morning after taking a few bits of bagel, I called the nurse line. The nurse that I talked to yesterday morning told me I had to wait EIGHT hours from the time she threw up to give my baby any food. This is a challenge because she eats. All. the. time. We made it though, but it was a challenge. Also, I could only give her 2-3 Tbsp of Pedialite every five minutes. The nurse told me this was to rest her tummy because she thought she might have viral gastritis. My baby princess kept saying "eat?" and "Hungry." She even put her own bib on and went over to her seat that she eats at. It was hard to not feed her. I listened to the instructions and my baby girl didn't throw up at all again yesterday.
I thought we were through the woods, but then she threw up an hour before bedtime tonight. So I knew that meant I should not give her more food tonight. But she asked for something and I gave her some plain white bread. A little while later she was sick again. :-( So no more food the rest of the night. I will listen. It is better for her, even though she wanted goldfish as a bedtime snack. I was strong and listened to those who know better than me.
I want to remember to listen to people who do actually know more. I want to increase my knowledge. I want to share what I know with others. I need to remember that, yes, sometimes other people know best. Thanks for reading. :-)
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Differences Or Not So Differences
I know people tell you that your kids will each be different. And really I knew that. It just makes sense- no two people are alike. I think what I didn't understand was HOW different two of my own children could be. As we sat in my baby girl's room, my son (4 1/2) was sitting on my lap or laying all over me playing his LeapPad (learning video game thing). He loves to play it and at this moment he was playing a logic game where he had to move trucks in a certain order to be able to get a cement mixer out of a construction site. He is quite good at the game, but he loves for me to just watch him play it over and over and over (and help if he asks for the help) as he sits on my lap. While I am watching my son, my little baby girl (almost 2) is laying out food for a picnic for us all. I look up and crack up. In just minutes, she has created an elaborate spread for us. She has a place for each of us and tells me which plate is mine, hers, and her brother's. Earlier this afternoon, my son and I played video games while little princess was napping and now that she is up she wants to color with me. I know some of that is each of their ages, so we will see what they like as the years go on. Regardless, they each have their own preferences.
While my kiddos can be different, maybe they aren't that different after all. Both want ME. They like to hear me say nice things or make them food (my kids LOVE to eat), but what they want most is ME. Not the things I can do for them or buy for them, just me. Wow. I want to be like that with my Heavenly Daddy. To just want Him. Not His answers to my prayers, not the things I think I should get, just Him. I am trying to let all the other stuff go. I have better days than other days. And I think it's ok that I do other things than just sit and pray and read my Bible all day, but it's about my attitude. When I am going about my day, what do I WANT the most? At any moment am I ready to play with God? To give Him my time? I want that answer to always be "yes." So, I know that while my kids' preference for ME may come out in different ways, really the desire that it comes from isn't that different after all. What are you doing to really want God the most? Thanks for reading. :-)
While my kiddos can be different, maybe they aren't that different after all. Both want ME. They like to hear me say nice things or make them food (my kids LOVE to eat), but what they want most is ME. Not the things I can do for them or buy for them, just me. Wow. I want to be like that with my Heavenly Daddy. To just want Him. Not His answers to my prayers, not the things I think I should get, just Him. I am trying to let all the other stuff go. I have better days than other days. And I think it's ok that I do other things than just sit and pray and read my Bible all day, but it's about my attitude. When I am going about my day, what do I WANT the most? At any moment am I ready to play with God? To give Him my time? I want that answer to always be "yes." So, I know that while my kids' preference for ME may come out in different ways, really the desire that it comes from isn't that different after all. What are you doing to really want God the most? Thanks for reading. :-)
Friday, January 11, 2013
Behind the Beds
Today I vacuumed behind the kids' beds. I don't do this nearly as often as I should. It is kinda disturbing. My kids get to have snacks in their beds at night, so there were some "crumbs." Ok, lots of goldfish and Cheerios. It isn't really that it is hard to move their beds and get the crumbs, I just don't think to do it as often as I should.
I was thinking about how there are areas of my life, emotionally and spiritually, that I should check for crumbs in more often too. Is there any unforgiveness I need to deal with? Are there things I know God wants me to go do that I am not? Or things that I should not be doing that I still am? Am I being Jesus to everyone? These things don't have to be hard, necessarily. But when I let them build up, they can get grosser than they should. If I just vacuum out these areas when it doesn't really look like much, it will make life a whole lot easier. So, what are your "behind the bed" areas of your life? Thanks for reading. :-)
I was thinking about how there are areas of my life, emotionally and spiritually, that I should check for crumbs in more often too. Is there any unforgiveness I need to deal with? Are there things I know God wants me to go do that I am not? Or things that I should not be doing that I still am? Am I being Jesus to everyone? These things don't have to be hard, necessarily. But when I let them build up, they can get grosser than they should. If I just vacuum out these areas when it doesn't really look like much, it will make life a whole lot easier. So, what are your "behind the bed" areas of your life? Thanks for reading. :-)
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Giggles
I love to watch my kiddos and my husband play together. Tonight before dinner they were playing "Blanket Monster." In this game (usually my husband, but sometimes one of the kids) puts the blanket over themselves and pretends that he or she is a monster. It's not a deep game, but man, the kids crack up. The laughter that I hear coming from the house and the running of their little feet is one of my favorite things. I am trying to more and more enjoy all the giggling moments and do things to make them happen. I don't want to forget how fabulous this time is right now. And I want to appreciate it while I am in it. I love this giggly life I have. What is a sound that you love to hear? How can you make sure your home has more of that? Thanks for reading. :-)
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Crazy Great Plans
I love living in community with people. Being there for each other in all areas of life. One of my favorite parts is watching other people doing what God has called them to do. Seeing their eyes light up when they talk about where God is taking them or has them. Maybe they have just gotten a glimpse from God about what He has for them. Maybe she is trying to figure out how God wants her to get from where she is to this crazy big dream. Perhaps she is in the middle of it and things are going GREAT!! Or she is in the middle of it and she doesn't think things are going the way they should. She could be celebrating because she just finished the dream that God gave her years ago that back then she thought was ridiculous. We need to be there for each other in all of these stages of our journey.
One of my biggest passions is helping people figure out what their goals and God's goals for them are. I love watching people come alive when they realize what they actually want. Then, talking to them and helping them to believe that they can actually DO their dreams. It is awesome. Pray about what God wants for your life. Think about what you want for your life. Really take time to pray and dream. Find people who you can share that with. Who would help you in your journey? Who can encourage you? Pray for you? Dream with you? Problem solve with you? Find someone that you trust and will be a good sounding board. Then ask that person what her dream is. Watching each other go through the journey of life is awesome. God has a plan for your life- a fabulous, wonderful, crazy great plan and a different, but still fabulous, wonderful, crazy great plan for your encouragement buddy. Find a friend and the two of you (along with loads of other people in the community) go get your crazy great plans that God has for you!! Thanks for reading! :-)
One of my biggest passions is helping people figure out what their goals and God's goals for them are. I love watching people come alive when they realize what they actually want. Then, talking to them and helping them to believe that they can actually DO their dreams. It is awesome. Pray about what God wants for your life. Think about what you want for your life. Really take time to pray and dream. Find people who you can share that with. Who would help you in your journey? Who can encourage you? Pray for you? Dream with you? Problem solve with you? Find someone that you trust and will be a good sounding board. Then ask that person what her dream is. Watching each other go through the journey of life is awesome. God has a plan for your life- a fabulous, wonderful, crazy great plan and a different, but still fabulous, wonderful, crazy great plan for your encouragement buddy. Find a friend and the two of you (along with loads of other people in the community) go get your crazy great plans that God has for you!! Thanks for reading! :-)
Consistency
Ugh. Consistency, which I am going to define as actually following through with the things you want to do for long term, can be tough. The first day or second day of something usually isn't that hard. The eighth day though can be harder. By the time you get to the fifteenth, the fortieth, the thousandth? Those can be harder still (sometimes it may get easier, but that is another blog post). I really like the results that working out gets me, but to do it over and over and over. Wouldn't it be great if you could work out for one big huge chunk and be covered for the month? I would love it. But, it doesn't work like that. You have to do it multiple times a week, every week to stay healthy and fit. And so it goes for anything that you want to see a change with. You know you want the result, but to do it every day? You need to actually do little changes over and over to see the change you want to.
Or if I could brush my teeth for a really long time and not worry about it for a while. It would take one more thing off of my daily to-do list. But, that would be gross. My teeth would get all nasty and rotting. That's how our finances would get if we did a budget once a year and then thought that would get us through. Nope. We have a different budget for every month because every month is different. I don't want to have yucky teeth and I don't want to have yucky finances. Consistency. Actually following through with the plan that we make. That's how we got out of debt. It was hard sometimes, for sure, but now I am glad we did stay consistent.
I know if I actually put my baby girl on the potty every two hours, consistently, we would have almost no Pull-Up accidents. I don't though. I don't follow through. I get busy, distracted. That's how other areas of life are. I want to do a Beth Moore Bible Study lesson every day right now, but I don't. And sometimes that leads to spiritual "accidents." I don't have the patience that I should with my kids; I don't love that person the way I should; I do not show God's joy to everyone around me. I am studying the Fruit of the Spirit, so I know that God is using the study to give me more of Him and His Fruit. But I have to put in the work. If we are supposed to be doing something consistently, then we need to do it or we might not get the results we want. Consistency. It seems like the word shouldn't hold so much power, but it does. If we can see consistency in our lives heading toward our goals, we will accomplish them. If we see that we are consistently NOT going toward our goals, we will not accomplish them.
When I am having a hard time being consistent with something, lately I have been asking myself, "Why?" Do I REALLY want _____? If not, then let it go. If I do, though, I am trying to figure out ways to work in consistency in my life. Join me. Figure out the things you REALLY want and then try to build ways into your day to make them happen. Thanks for reading. :-)
Or if I could brush my teeth for a really long time and not worry about it for a while. It would take one more thing off of my daily to-do list. But, that would be gross. My teeth would get all nasty and rotting. That's how our finances would get if we did a budget once a year and then thought that would get us through. Nope. We have a different budget for every month because every month is different. I don't want to have yucky teeth and I don't want to have yucky finances. Consistency. Actually following through with the plan that we make. That's how we got out of debt. It was hard sometimes, for sure, but now I am glad we did stay consistent.
I know if I actually put my baby girl on the potty every two hours, consistently, we would have almost no Pull-Up accidents. I don't though. I don't follow through. I get busy, distracted. That's how other areas of life are. I want to do a Beth Moore Bible Study lesson every day right now, but I don't. And sometimes that leads to spiritual "accidents." I don't have the patience that I should with my kids; I don't love that person the way I should; I do not show God's joy to everyone around me. I am studying the Fruit of the Spirit, so I know that God is using the study to give me more of Him and His Fruit. But I have to put in the work. If we are supposed to be doing something consistently, then we need to do it or we might not get the results we want. Consistency. It seems like the word shouldn't hold so much power, but it does. If we can see consistency in our lives heading toward our goals, we will accomplish them. If we see that we are consistently NOT going toward our goals, we will not accomplish them.
When I am having a hard time being consistent with something, lately I have been asking myself, "Why?" Do I REALLY want _____? If not, then let it go. If I do, though, I am trying to figure out ways to work in consistency in my life. Join me. Figure out the things you REALLY want and then try to build ways into your day to make them happen. Thanks for reading. :-)
Monday, January 7, 2013
Love In Action
I am reading a book called Love Does by Bob Goff. It is a fun read. He talks about the adventures from his life from the idea that love actually makes things happen. It is making me think more and more about what love actually doing things would look like in my life. Sometimes love looks like playing a matching game with my fabulous son for the tenth time that day because quality time is a major love language for him or singing him a song at night when I just want me time. It means playing kitchen or puzzles with my baby princess. It means helping a friend with her kiddos or listening to her talk while having coffee.
But sometimes it can mean unexpected things. I want to leave room in my life for the times that love means doing something that I wasn't planning on doing, for a stanger, my friend, my kids, or my husband. Things I might not want to do, but will be fun and meaningful in the long run. I want to be able to show love to people. I recommend reading Love Does. I am not done with it, but so far it is awesome. On that note I am going to watch the first Lord of the Rings movie with my honey (which is for sure showing love because I have already seen it a couple of times and it is CRAZY long, but he wants to watch it again). Thanks for reading. :-)
But sometimes it can mean unexpected things. I want to leave room in my life for the times that love means doing something that I wasn't planning on doing, for a stanger, my friend, my kids, or my husband. Things I might not want to do, but will be fun and meaningful in the long run. I want to be able to show love to people. I recommend reading Love Does. I am not done with it, but so far it is awesome. On that note I am going to watch the first Lord of the Rings movie with my honey (which is for sure showing love because I have already seen it a couple of times and it is CRAZY long, but he wants to watch it again). Thanks for reading. :-)
Sunday, January 6, 2013
The Easy Road
Ok, I admit it, sometimes I like the easy road. I want to be able to be fit, but do I really WANT to do the work I have to do to get there. Theoretically, yes, but practically, my abs and muscles yell at me when I work them. I want to have a continuously growing relationship with God, but other things want to crowd in on my time. I want to do more art projects with my kiddos, but it's messy and takes lots of time and patience (we will ignore the fact that some would say it also takes skill, which I may be lacking, but can make up for in enthusiasm). I want to continue to grow more in love with my husband, but it takes time and effort. I want the end result of all of these things- a fit bod, a rockin' and growing relationship with God, great memories with my kids and the cool stuff we made, a marriage that continues to get more and more fabulous.
But, sometimes the work that it takes, the every day little choices, are not as easy as I think they should be. I know that choices are good and important and I WANT what they will bring. I have to remember that it is worth it to keep growing my life, even when it seems easier to go on auto pilot. I know that I feel better when I make the decisions that lead to life and growth instead of stagnation. I just need to remind myself of that when I don't want to do the little bit of stretching that I need to do to get to the next level. But staying the same isn't good and I know that. So really, it's in the moment that I want the easy road, but in the long run- I want the crazy adventurous road full of memories. I want a road with a view, and to get there, sometimes you have to climb. :-) Thanks for reading. :-)
But, sometimes the work that it takes, the every day little choices, are not as easy as I think they should be. I know that choices are good and important and I WANT what they will bring. I have to remember that it is worth it to keep growing my life, even when it seems easier to go on auto pilot. I know that I feel better when I make the decisions that lead to life and growth instead of stagnation. I just need to remind myself of that when I don't want to do the little bit of stretching that I need to do to get to the next level. But staying the same isn't good and I know that. So really, it's in the moment that I want the easy road, but in the long run- I want the crazy adventurous road full of memories. I want a road with a view, and to get there, sometimes you have to climb. :-) Thanks for reading. :-)
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Do It Now
There are lots of times that the amount of time I spend thinking about doing something and figuring out how to not have to do it right then is greater than the amount of time the action actually takes. I build it up to be a huge deal but it's not. Some examples- unloading the dishwasher. Amount of time I feel like it takes- 15 minutes. Amount of time it actually takes-5 minutes (that is without "help" from my baby girl, but you get the idea). Folding a single load of laundry and putting it away. Amount of time I think it takes- 30 minutes. Amount of time it actually takes 5-15 minutes depending on the type of laundry. The problem starts when I think it is going to take a really long time, so I don't want to do it, like folding and putting away the laundry. But then I end up with three or four or eight loads of laundry to fold. And that does take a while. But if I would just do it when the dryer beeps-it really isn't bad.
I didn't realize that those daily activities didn't take as long as I thought until I found FlyLady a few years ago. She talks a lot about setting a timer for 15 minutes and doing a task. Then tell yourself you will take a break. I started doing that with the dishes and I would finish putting the dishes away and still have 7-11 minutes left on the timer. I was shocked. I have to remind myself often that these things don't take that long. When I am thinking about it I need to "Do it now" instead of just thinking about it and dreading it. Try it. Set your timer for the things that you are dreading doing and see how much you can actually get done in 15 minutes. It really is surprising. Thanks for reading. :-)
I didn't realize that those daily activities didn't take as long as I thought until I found FlyLady a few years ago. She talks a lot about setting a timer for 15 minutes and doing a task. Then tell yourself you will take a break. I started doing that with the dishes and I would finish putting the dishes away and still have 7-11 minutes left on the timer. I was shocked. I have to remind myself often that these things don't take that long. When I am thinking about it I need to "Do it now" instead of just thinking about it and dreading it. Try it. Set your timer for the things that you are dreading doing and see how much you can actually get done in 15 minutes. It really is surprising. Thanks for reading. :-)
Friday, January 4, 2013
Friends
I love my friends. I love that I have friends that we can talk about anything that we want. I can let down my guard completely. I don't have to "be" someone else. I don't have to say just the right thing. I can be me. I have been thinking about how to write a post to describe the awesome of my friends. I don't really think I can. You know who you are, my fabulous friends, so thank you so much for letting me really be who I am. Thank you to all of those people who have let me grow and learn and have helped me see the things that God has for me. I love you!
I know there are people who have a hard time making close friends, if that is the case for you. Please find someone who you think you have one thing, just one thing in common with and start to get to know them more. It could be the stage of life you are in, it could be your faith, it could be your hobby, it could be your work. Look for someone that you think, "I could probably manage a 5 minute conversation with them." Then go have that conversation. The other person could be feeling the same way you are- in need of a friend and you will both be glad you took the chance. It might be weird at first, but that's ok. It is worth it. Your conversation starter most likely will not be weirder than any I have used. A couple of examples, "If you could be any kind of fruit, what would you be and why?" and "I think we should be friends. Here's my phone number." Yes, I actually said both of those to people that I did not know. But they both worked out really well for me. :-) So, even things that seem a little crazy may make you wonderful friends! Go and try it. Thanks for reading. :-)
I know there are people who have a hard time making close friends, if that is the case for you. Please find someone who you think you have one thing, just one thing in common with and start to get to know them more. It could be the stage of life you are in, it could be your faith, it could be your hobby, it could be your work. Look for someone that you think, "I could probably manage a 5 minute conversation with them." Then go have that conversation. The other person could be feeling the same way you are- in need of a friend and you will both be glad you took the chance. It might be weird at first, but that's ok. It is worth it. Your conversation starter most likely will not be weirder than any I have used. A couple of examples, "If you could be any kind of fruit, what would you be and why?" and "I think we should be friends. Here's my phone number." Yes, I actually said both of those to people that I did not know. But they both worked out really well for me. :-) So, even things that seem a little crazy may make you wonderful friends! Go and try it. Thanks for reading. :-)
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Levels
My son LOVES to make "levels." This word and idea comes from playing video games and watching his Daddy play video games and the two of them playing together. So now when he is playing in his room or the living room, he makes levels, a lot. Every day we have at least one group of levels. There is not just one level. You have to beat the first level to get to the second, and so on. This could go on forever. When I am playing a level with him, at some point I have to tell him, there are no more levels after this one or that the boss (the biggest bad guy) needs to be next.
I love watching him play, but what is awesome is to watch him build them or look at them after he has built it, but before he plays it. After he plays it, the pieces have usually "blown up," so you don't get to see the intricate detail he has thought through. He builds these levels almost anytime he has friends over, but there are two friends with whom level building goes to an EPIC level. We had a play date with one of those friends this afternoon. My son and his friend can be in his room for hours, with no arguing, just building and playing levels. The reactions of moms when seeing my son's room after level building and/or playing has happen is usually, "Oh my!! It is such a mess, we can help clean it up." Or, "Oh my gosh! It looks like a bomb went off!" I on the other hand, am used to the look, so I am not as worried. I tell them that it is not a problem and my son will want to finish the level anyway, so just leave it. :-)
Today was a level of epic proportion once again. But the boys weren't able to finish playing out the whole level. They were planning the next one as his friend was walking out the door. (FYI, next time, it's an ice level.) My son didn't even finish it before bath time. We were playing other things this afternoon, so he didn't get to it. Tonight, I decided I would clean it up for him while he was in the bath. As I was cleaning it up, I was able to look at all the planning they had put into it. The bad guy teddy bears (these are actually meant to be a learning pattern aid, but my son loves that the 100 count bucket of bears never seems to end) were placed in just the right places. His Skylanders were ready for battle. The Star Wars guys were everywhere ready to take on both the Sith (bad guys from Star Wars) and the teddy bears. My Glo-Friends from when I was a kid were ready to take part too. Books were platforms, and blocks are bosses. Next time going to take pictures. I didn't think about it until I had taken most of it down. But the whole time I was appreciating the intricacy of it.
A fabulous part of taking it apart was that I know some of the secrets to his toys. Other people might not know to look inside the Millennium Falcon (a Star Wars ship, we like Star Wars, ok? ;-) ) or the AT-AT (another Star Wars vehicle). But by not knowing those secrets, others would had missed the little Han in Carbonite and Star Wars Angry Bird Han in Carbonite (I know, we are nerds, I am ok with that) that was hidden in a secret compartment in the Millennium Falcon. (This is even more awesome because it is Han's ship and the boys had Chewbacca driving the ship, which totally goes with the movies. It was a super cute nerd moment.)
It made me think that sometimes what we think we are looking at-a mess, a disaster- isn't really what we are seeing at all. But we don't always SEE, we look, but don't see. I want to see. I want to look at all of the details of things and understand. Not just levels, but other situations that I am looking in on. I want to get down and see why it is the way it is. I love my son and the things he teaches me. Thanks for reading. :-)
I love watching him play, but what is awesome is to watch him build them or look at them after he has built it, but before he plays it. After he plays it, the pieces have usually "blown up," so you don't get to see the intricate detail he has thought through. He builds these levels almost anytime he has friends over, but there are two friends with whom level building goes to an EPIC level. We had a play date with one of those friends this afternoon. My son and his friend can be in his room for hours, with no arguing, just building and playing levels. The reactions of moms when seeing my son's room after level building and/or playing has happen is usually, "Oh my!! It is such a mess, we can help clean it up." Or, "Oh my gosh! It looks like a bomb went off!" I on the other hand, am used to the look, so I am not as worried. I tell them that it is not a problem and my son will want to finish the level anyway, so just leave it. :-)
Today was a level of epic proportion once again. But the boys weren't able to finish playing out the whole level. They were planning the next one as his friend was walking out the door. (FYI, next time, it's an ice level.) My son didn't even finish it before bath time. We were playing other things this afternoon, so he didn't get to it. Tonight, I decided I would clean it up for him while he was in the bath. As I was cleaning it up, I was able to look at all the planning they had put into it. The bad guy teddy bears (these are actually meant to be a learning pattern aid, but my son loves that the 100 count bucket of bears never seems to end) were placed in just the right places. His Skylanders were ready for battle. The Star Wars guys were everywhere ready to take on both the Sith (bad guys from Star Wars) and the teddy bears. My Glo-Friends from when I was a kid were ready to take part too. Books were platforms, and blocks are bosses. Next time going to take pictures. I didn't think about it until I had taken most of it down. But the whole time I was appreciating the intricacy of it.
A fabulous part of taking it apart was that I know some of the secrets to his toys. Other people might not know to look inside the Millennium Falcon (a Star Wars ship, we like Star Wars, ok? ;-) ) or the AT-AT (another Star Wars vehicle). But by not knowing those secrets, others would had missed the little Han in Carbonite and Star Wars Angry Bird Han in Carbonite (I know, we are nerds, I am ok with that) that was hidden in a secret compartment in the Millennium Falcon. (This is even more awesome because it is Han's ship and the boys had Chewbacca driving the ship, which totally goes with the movies. It was a super cute nerd moment.)
It made me think that sometimes what we think we are looking at-a mess, a disaster- isn't really what we are seeing at all. But we don't always SEE, we look, but don't see. I want to see. I want to look at all of the details of things and understand. Not just levels, but other situations that I am looking in on. I want to get down and see why it is the way it is. I love my son and the things he teaches me. Thanks for reading. :-)
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Can't or Don't Want to?
So my running buddy and I were at the gym today. We did a ton of exercises using the weight machines. About an hours worth. We had wanted to run first, but all of the treadmills were taken (we had been afraid of that). So we decided to do the machines first. Great plan except for the fact that after the circuit training, our legs didn't want to run at all. So, we decided to just run a mile. I really wanted to try to push it, since we were only doing a mile. As I started to run and ramp it up more and more, what I really wanted to do was turn off the machine and sit at the end of it. But I had this mental struggle going on. I knew that I COULD do it, if I just kept going, but I really didn't want to.
There are times when I can't actually do something. Mile five into an eight mile training run a few months ago, my knee decided to not work while running. For the next week, I couldn't run. I hated it. I wanted to run, but actually couldn't. Today, I wanted to do anything but run, but I could. So I pushed it. It was hard. Which seems kinda funny since I just ran 13.1 miles in a row five weeks ago. But today, that mile was a mental struggle, a challenge, and I won.
I know there are other things in life that make us ask, "CAN I do it and just don't want to or am I actually UNABLE to do it?" Today, running brought that to my mind so clearly. For more than half of a mile, I told myself, "You can do it, you just don't want to. Keep running." There are times in life when we need to beat our mind into submission. When we don't stop even when that's all we can think about. When I am running, at those moments that I want to quit, I usually count my steps. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. One, two..... At the half marathon I had miles off and on of that. Honestly, more on than off. :-) Then, there are other times that we need to listen to our body and mind and take a break. I want to get better at learning the difference. Thanks for reading. :-)
There are times when I can't actually do something. Mile five into an eight mile training run a few months ago, my knee decided to not work while running. For the next week, I couldn't run. I hated it. I wanted to run, but actually couldn't. Today, I wanted to do anything but run, but I could. So I pushed it. It was hard. Which seems kinda funny since I just ran 13.1 miles in a row five weeks ago. But today, that mile was a mental struggle, a challenge, and I won.
I know there are other things in life that make us ask, "CAN I do it and just don't want to or am I actually UNABLE to do it?" Today, running brought that to my mind so clearly. For more than half of a mile, I told myself, "You can do it, you just don't want to. Keep running." There are times in life when we need to beat our mind into submission. When we don't stop even when that's all we can think about. When I am running, at those moments that I want to quit, I usually count my steps. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. One, two..... At the half marathon I had miles off and on of that. Honestly, more on than off. :-) Then, there are other times that we need to listen to our body and mind and take a break. I want to get better at learning the difference. Thanks for reading. :-)
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Happy New Year!
Today was great. It was a stay in my pajamas until after 11 kind of day. But, I actually got a lot done this morning in my PJ's. I don't really get those that often (and if I do, many times I don't like to be in my pajamas that long), but it was nice today. It is the last day that my husband has off of work and my son has off of preschool, so the family just stayed around the house. Tomorrow things go back to "normal." Today I got the kitchen really clean, did a bunch of laundry, and played a ton with the family. :-) We all went on an adventure to take out the trash and get the mail. It was a great family day! I did a good job of doing my goals for this year so far. One day down, 364 to go!! Yeah! I hope that everyone gets to have a PJ day every now and then. When you do, enjoy it with the family. Thanks for reading. :-)
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