Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today, Sunday, August 28th

Outside my window...way...too...hot. I'm super excited for Fall weather. I love East Texas trees in the fall. Ready for bike riding, walks, pumpkin patches, etc.!

I am remembering...how much kindergartners don't know when they come in. I forget how much I have to explain!

I am thankful for...my husbands help this week! The first week of school is torture. I've had bus duty this week (which entails riding the bus with the kids in the heat). So needless to say I have wanted to just fall out when I get home. Jeff has given baths, fed, clipped toenails, changed diapers, dressed kids and taken kids to school. He's a good man.

I am creating...a blog post. Sorry...that's all I got.

I am going...to go insane if I get another Medical Bill in the mail. Pooo!

I am reading...Redeeming Love. Almost done! I would have finished it a long time ago because it is such a fast and easy read. But I started school this week and had no life. Hopefully I finish this weekend because the kids will be with their Granny and Pops!

I am hoping...Carley will stinking walk. I'm not worried because I know she can. I've seen her take a few steps. But the girl is almost 14 months old and will not walk! She just doesnt want to. Stinker.

On my mind...Leadership lesson to teach tonight.

From the learning rooms...Routines and Procedures all week. I have a great group of kids. They are very sweet. We are just working on the fact that school is not all play. We have to work a little too! Looking forward to seeing them grow.

Noticing that...Colin will be in kindergarten this time next year. Makes me sad! Colin's teacher has been talking to them about "getting ready for kindergarten" and Colin came home and asked, "Mom, when do I get to go to kindergarten?" Ummmm...no thank you.

Pondering these words... "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” -Lamentations 3

From the kitchen...I baked potatoes in the crockpot while we are church this morning and we had BBQ baked potatoes.

Around the house...Phineas and Ferb, Jeff asleep in the recliner, Carley asleep in her crib, and Colin fighting sleep!

One of my favorite things...these days...my bed!

From my picture album... my teammates!

Recognizing God as Creator

From the time we were wee little tots we have been drilled in church with recognizing God as the creator. We have all made those cute little crafts with handprints that say, "God made me special!" In fact Colin has memorized the right answers to this daily conversation that we have.

Me: Colin, who made you?
Colin: God
Me: How did he make you?
Colin: Special!

When he wants to be humorous and shake things up a bit, he will replace the word 'God' with 'Carley' and 'Special' with 'Goofy.' There is much truth in that second answer...

Anyway, I think because we have been taught this at such a young age that is unable to process complexity, its become nothing more to us as adults than it is for Colin right now. Its a memorized concept. We know God made us and made the universe and we choose to leave the thought at that. Heaven forbid we ever think further and stretch that thought from a memorized saying to possibly a new outlook on life.

Why should we recognize God as creator? Well why should we recognize anyone for who they are? Because we treat people differently depending on who we recognize them as. As a child you did not treat your best friend and the principal of your school the same way. You recognized that your principal had authority over you, and had power to do whatever they judged was best, and that they were just a heck of alot smarter than you were!

Why do we not think of God in this same way? Recognizing God for who he is as the creator changes alot of things.

1. You know longer see yourself as the one who knows you best. You see God as that.

2. Because of the above statement, you make decisions differently too. Instead of basing your decisions on what you want or how you feel, it would only make sense to consult with the one who made you and already knows your thoughts and desires and knows whats best for you.

3. You will begin to be a better steward. You acknowledge that your stuff, your family, your accomplishments, and even the brilliant ideas and thoughts you've had... are not yours! You didn't make yourself so you can't take credit for anything that you've done.
*Side note: I have a hard time understanding why we do birthday parties for this very reason. Its just weird to me! Its not like we can say, "You are so awesome because you ripped yourself out of you mother's womb on this day 28 years ago!" If anything, we should be celebrating God as the creator when we have birthday parties...not the person! I do like birthday parties though...I promise I'm not going to deprive my children of them in the future.

4. You realize that your "being created" is not done! I don't think God ever intended for us to say, "Thanks for making me! See ya later!" We are still a work in progress.

We have heard the lyrics, "You are the potter and I am the clay." Those cute little pots at Ellis Pottery in Marshall weren't just whipped up real quick and thrown on a shelf! The pots were first prepared for wheel throwing, then accurately shaped and trimmed on the wheel, then dried, then glazed and fired, then painted, etc. Its quite a process to get a lump of clay looking like a beautiful jar.

Sometimes we feel like a lump of clay. (I'm not just talking about physical beauty...I'm talking about our character.) Remember God is not done with you! Sometimes we take credit for being a beautiful jar. Remember that you used to be a lump of clay and you didn't put yourself on that wheel to be perfectly shaped and trimmed. He makes beautiful things out of us!

I pray that I would begin to take on this mindset and recognize and acknowledge God as my creator. I pray that Colin and Carley would one day understand this too.

Check out this blog post by Michael Gungor (Christian artist). You will especially appreciate this if you are a musician or just appreciate music!

Creativity and Music

Frustrated.

I will probably regret this later, but I am allowing myself one post to "vent" and be real about what frustrates me. I have already decided that I will end this post by remembering what God has done for me and counting my blessings. I guess ending that way will make me not feel so guilty about this?

I'm frustrated that LSU STILL has not called me back. Colin's paperwork is there and now I'm waiting on a call. I know Colin is not the only patient but today was a really rough day for him. Lots of "seizures" ...some were even longer lasting than normal. (I put that in quotes because he has not officially been diagnosed with that...even though in my heart I feel like that is what is going on). And I hate how much these seizures even seem to effect his mood. On days that he has a lot of them, he just seems unsettled, irritable, and doesnt want to do anything.

I'm frustrated that every time he has a seizure it makes me think of my sister. I'm frustrated that she is gone.

I'm frustrated that I cannot seem to give equal attention to both of my sweet children. I've been closely watching and tending to the needs of Colin lately and I feel like I can't give Carley enough attention. She is precious...and never seems unhappy or neglected but it bothers me.

I'm frustrated that my budgeting skills stink. I take that back. My budget on paper is beautiful. Executing it in real life is always a fail. EVERY month we go over. This month we went way over.

I'm frustrated that there is never time... Never time to catch up on anything, never time to just sit and enjoy eachother as a family, never time to go on a date with the man I love, never time to do things I enjoy. I want to sew, I want to be crafty, I want to read books, I want to play the piano, I want to learn a new instrument, and if it were even remotely possible I would go back to school because I want to learn.

I can't keep enough clothes clean in this house. I can't remember to take my medicine regularly. I can't pee without a child walking in or little fingers sliding in under the door. I can't ever be on time because I can't ever find my keys. I can't.

Ok. I feel better. I am all about being real, but I know that it is detrimental to my spiritual health to complain like this all the time. I have been striving to be filled with the Spirit...and there is no room for the Spirit in a heart that is full of negativity, fear, and anxiety. God is good all the time. My circumstances may not be good all the time...but He is. There is so much to be thankful for. I have 2 beautiful kids, and wonderful husband, a job, a house, a dishwasher (hey! the dishwasher is important! A few months ago I would have said I was frustrated that I spent 2 hours a day washing dishes!) The most important thing I have to be thankful for is that He saved me. I am a changed life because of His love. I think differently, feel differently, act differently because I am not who I used to be. God is good all the time!

Old Faithful

Faithfulness...

When I think of the word "faithful" I think of the word "always." I think of consistency and stability. I think of a single solid tree that has continued to fulfill its duty to stand even through the fiercest of storms.

I can't help but wonder if that describes me or not. It's easy to be faithful when I'm comfortable and happy. But what do I do when discomfort or negative emotions come about?

How can I learn to be faithful to God always?

Why not start with His example. We always say, "We love because he first loved us." Why not say, "We are faithful because he was first faithful to us."

"Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." -Psalm 86:11

I cannot rely on my circumstances or emotions, for they always change. I must rely on His faithfulness, for it never changes. My actions and decisions should be in response to His faithfulness not on what is happening in my life or how I feel.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." -Hebrews 11:1

This is the mindset of the faithful. The faithful do not depend on what is seen or on results. They depend on what God has promised.

If you continue to read Hebrews 11, we get a running history of the faithful. We read, "By faith Enoch..." and "By faith Abel..." and so on and so on. I can't help but get chill bumps when I read this chapter...reading about the actions that came from faithful hearts. This chapter has 40 verses. But my sweet friend told me the other night that someone told her that if you could add a verse 41, would it include your name?

So...I wrote in a verse 41 to my Bible. *Gasp!* I know! I wrote in my Bible AND added a verse. Verse 41 says, "By faith, Sarah _________." Sometimes we forget that this story does not end in the Bible. We are the extension of that story.

I hope that at the end of my life I can fill in that blank and that my God will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant, well done."

Goals!

Just wanted to publicly declare a few goals that I have .... with attached deadlines. I figured if I "said" it outloud...then maybe I'd be more likely to do it so that I don't let you guys down! You know...all 4 of you that read. :)

1. Finish revamping this play kitchen set for the kids for Christmas. Deadline: well...Christmas Day! This is the before, and I hope the after looks the way it looks in my head right now!



2. Write a 9 week Bible Study for Youth on the Fruits of the Spirit. Deadline: End of Summer 2012. I just started a Beth Moore Study on Fruits of the Spirit/Being filled with the Spirit so I'm hoping that will give me some insight.

3. Read all the Harry Potter books. Deadline: End of Summer 2012. I've read bits and pieces, but need to read straight through. I know for some of you that seems like a rediculous timeline. If you are like my husband he could read all of them in one night! But I don't work that way. I really love to read...but I fall asleep very easily and when school starts...life is insane!

4. Make a blog or website for my name frames that I'm wanting to start selling. Deadline: End of August. I'm really excited about this! My friend, Randa, has a business called Karleigh Grace Boutique. She makes awesome clothes! She's a genius and so creative. Anyway, she saw my frames and said she wanted me to make a few and put them in her shop. She also gave me a few new and fresh and way cute ideas on how to make some different kinds of frames! I don't expect to make huge buckaroos off this. But just a little eating out money and such would be great!



So those are my goals. My goal is to achieve at least 2 of the 4 goals!

Now for a little side note. I would like to ask you guys to pray for my Colin. Its nothing too serious, but he's been showing signs of either a tick or mini-seizures. There also might possibly be some sleep apnea or something going on. Anyway, we are being referred to a child neurologist at LSU in Shreveport. Pray that we will be able to find out what's going on in his sweet little brain.

July 23, 2007

We had only lived in Marshall for less than 2 months. We lived in a teensy weensy married housing apartment at ETBU. We didn't really know anyone yet. We had visited our church only 2 or 3 times, but had not joined yet. I had JUST met my new teammates for the first time at a 3 day workshop.

I had been having "cramps," but didnt think much of it. Jeff began timing them and he starting getting really antsy and hyper. He begged me to go to the hospital. I kept saying, "I'm not going in there just for them to tell me I needed to fart! That would be so embarrasing!" And I still had 5 weeks to go, so I knew I probably wasnt in labor. We went home. He called the hospital and talked to a nurse who said I should come in. I slowly paced around the house not having a clue what to do while Jeff installed the carseat and grabbed our toothbrushes.

We called our parents and told them we were going, but told them not to come because we figured I'd just get some medicine and go back home.

We get there and they check me and say, "You are 5cm and 80% effaced. There is a 75% chance you are having this baby tonight." And I got a few comments of "How are you not in much pain right now?!"

So we called the parents. They came. I pushed for about 30 minutes, and by 5 am on Monday morning we had a 5lb 5oz relatively healthy baby boy!

He did have to stay a few extra days because of low body temperature, not eating, and pretty bad jaundice. But nothing too serious. I think back now about how lucky we are that he wasn't more sick than he was for being so early.

I love this boy. He is my first-born. He has taught me so much over the past 4 years about what true unconditional love is. About Christ's love. Being a mom forces you to learn what that is really like!

Let me describe this little man to you.

Colin is intense. He intensely loves, intensely feels, and REALLY intensely thinks.

I love Colin's brain! Its so unlike the way I think. He thinks deep and wants to really understand things all the way before he moves on to something else. Very much like his dad. He loves puzzles and problem solving games. He loves letters, words, and the next step for him is easy reading!

The boy loves him some sports! If we are watching a game on TV...it is not enough for him to watch. He must play too! So he gets all suited up for the game and copies what they do on TV. And dont EVER take him to a real game unless you are planning on taking him down on the field or court to actually play to. In his mind he is a part of that team.

He's been labeled by our friends as "spastic." Which is so true. He's got a ton of energy and when he gets excited...its kind of crazy. But Jeff and I get to see his "down time." He loves to just sit by himself and work a puzzle. And hes not too old (yet) to say, "I want to hold you," and crawl in our lap so we can sing to him or tell him a story.

I pray that as he grows up and has lots more birthdays, that he will begin a relationship with Jesus Christ and that this relationship will be "intense." Colin is a very different little boy and I pray that he will begin to find out what God has in store for him and how God will use his wonderfully made personality and gifts for His glory!

Happy Birthday, big boy! I am so proud of you and cannot wait to see how God uses you. You are my heart!

Wee Bit Wednesday

{one}what is your dream job?Gosh...I have quite a few. I would love to stay home with my kids/do youth ministry more than I do with my husband. But I would also love to do some sort of Family Help/Ministry. Like I would love to give parenting classes (not that I really know how to parent that well..I really don't ever know what I'm doing!) and just put on events for families!


{two}
how many best friends do you have?

I have lots! But I'm going to have to put my seester-in-law in the spotlight since she is about to crush my heart into a million pieces and leave me for Houston. I love my Jenni. We can talk about anything and everything or we could sit in silence for 30 minutes and its ok! We are opposites in alot of ways...and I like it that way! She's a fun gal.

{three}what’s the longest road trip you’ve ever taken?

Dont really remember it but we drove from Texas to Minnesota for a mission trip.

{four}if you had to do one single thing every day for the next year, what would it be?

Weird question...I guess I would choose take care of my family or read my Bible.

{five}what’s one story your family always tells about you?
Jeff always tells people about all the times I have tricked him into thinking I was pregnant. I'm weird I know. I don't know why I think its fun. I guess because I like the facial expressions I get from him.

{six}how did your parents pick your name?

I think my mom just liked it!

{seven}what’s the one thing that scares you more than anything?Rodents and seizures. But not those 2 things combined! I mean separately!

{eight}are you a good cook?

getting better! I have picky eaters in my family though, so there's not alot I know how to make because there's not alot of dishes to choose from when the men only like meat cheese and potatoes. There is only so many forms of that to make!

{nine}where do you see yourself in 20 years?I'll be 48. weird. I'm not sure! And I'm ok with not being sure! I would hope that I'd still be serving in some sort of ministry.

{ten}what’s your best childhood memory?I remember lots of children camps and Vacation Bible Schools. I remember going to the 4th of July Parade every year with my dad. And I can't help but remember all the memories of sharing a room with my sister. Like her singing in the middle of the night or getting up to take a shower at 2 in the morning...just because she felt like it. :)