I think we may need to seek professional help

Our Internet service was down yesterday until late morning today. It became obvious that we all enjoy the computer maybe a bit too much. Emma and I both commented that we felt disconnected from the world.

In other news I finished the book 90 minutes in Heaven by Don Piper. What an amazing story! Emma also finished a book, one that she got at the Library yesterday! 400 pages none the less! So you can see that we did a lot of reading without the computer.

...and it has made all the difference.

God is so good! Today He has given me a practical application to my last post. Needing to work on my discontentment, which is really just the sin of ungratefulness, He has shown me how to work on this. I love practical applications. God doesn't show us sin without helping us deal with it.

So as I am reading my chapter 'The Power of a Good Attitude' this week in >The Power of a Positive Mom, Karol Ladd suggests that we keep a gratitude journal. So my twist on this is when I find myself with a bad attitude about a person or situation I am going to write down my grief, and then write whatever positive things I can.

For example:
Negative:
The neighborhood kids are always at my house, sometimes twenty at a time.
Positive:
*They like our family
*We have the opportunity to show them Jesus.
*They feel comfortable here.
*We get to really know our neighbors.
*We have seen some accept the Lord through our kids.
*Since there are so many families that rent in our 'hood, our time with these families is limited. Time is of the essence.
*Our kids have lots of friends to play with.

You get the picture. I am excited, encouraged, and challenged to do this until my attitude has a significant change. I am hoping to see an overflow in my children too. Please hold me accountable girls, oops did I really say that? ;o)

The Road Less Traveled...

I took the road less traveled by and that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost


On a whim the other day at Costco I picked up
You matter more than you think; what a woman needs to know about the difference she makes by Leslie Parrott The title and pretty cover caught my eye. This is a struggle that I continually cycle through. Does what I do day to day really matter? Most of the time it seems to me that anyone could do what I do, and probably much better.

I usually steer away from the Message but I thought this was good.
Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each off you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. Gal 6:4&5 The Message
In the NIV it says in verse 5 'each one should carry his own load'.

Creative best? What is that? The author goes on to say 'We do our creative best with our lives whenever we set out on a consciously chosen course of action that accents the good of others.'

I thought this was good too: 'The road less traveled is ultimately found in the heart. It's found in the heart of every woman who wants her life to make a difference and realizes that the difference is found, quite simply in love.' And also this: 'Geography has little to do with the difference you make. What matters is that you are making the best use of your life by loving the people in it.'

I think what God is trying to teach me in this is that MY road less traveled is a completely different road or journey than anyone else's. It is less traveled because it is only my road. My road consists of people and situations that He puts before me. My family certainly, but also others. My neighbors (not yours), even though our friends may be the same my relationship and how I love them will be different than how you do. This is my road, my journey. By loving them well, that makes all the difference.

I remember talking with Jamie about our individual journeys one time. She made it sound so simple to let each one live their own journey. Travel their own path with the Lord. Not try to make my journey yours or vise versa. Of course she said it much more eloquently than I could ever. But the thought has stuck with me.

I want to enjoy my journey on this road less traveled. Not envy your road or covet the flowers you have lining your path. If God has given me, created for me, this particular road I should be satisfied with it. Not wanting to change course or scenery. But sometimes I do. I need to work on that. Contentment.

This and That

I bought two pairs of shorts yesterday in hopes that it will someday soon be warm enough to wear them. I am so ready for some warm weather. I think I will spread on some self-tanning lotion in anticipation. ;o)

Since I am just getting by day to day and am not looking to far in the future I realized yesterday that my kids needed FIVE cereal boxes to take to a science class today. I had one on hand so I sent Ron to get cereal after work and told him get whatever is cheap. He brings home CoCoa Crispies and Fruity Pebbles, 2 boxes of each. The kids are in heaven. It did make me feel good when Evie said she had never heard of these before.

This video is really cool. It took me a minute to figure it out. Enjoy!

The words of this song is the prayer of my heart for the past several years. Hopefully at my funeral someday y'all will say that it really did characterize my life.

I get so distracted with things that really don't matter at all.

OK Jamie, I'll play along

Jamie has tagged anyone willing to play along.

A six word memoir:
This isn't the life I planned.
But I'm glad God did ;o)

Seven random things about myself
1. I love to read, wish I did more.
2. I loved my big hair in the '80's
3. I would like to take an international mission trip someday
4. My first car was a red Toyota pickup
5. I was a horrible student
6. I think nose rings are cute. I would love to have one, but never will.
7. I hate being cold. I don't like winter or any kind of winter outdoor activity

If your vision is for a year,
plant wheat
If your vision is for 10 years,
plant trees
If your vision is for a lifetime,
plant people.
Chinese Proverb

To continue with the last post of how I let satan sometimes get the best of me, God also continues to work in my heart. Sometimes I am sure He is saying 'Are you done yet? Great! now we can resume.'

Yesterday I received the book Saving Levi: Left to die, destined to live. I finished it this afternoon and oh, my what an amazing book. After reading this it makes me mad at myself for being so self centered. My circumstances are so temporary, and there are much bigger needs out in the real world. How does God want me to partner with Him? Hmmmm...I have a thought...

God is an amazing God that cares so much for each one of us. Even the least of these. Those considered of less worth. Just to give you a snipet, this boy, just a few weeks old at the time was left in a field in China with 70% of his body burned. he was left in burial clothes, certainly expected to die. But he did not. This story is amazing. Too watch how God moved mountains that included two countries is inspiring. He used regular ordinary people and also used those with lots of influence (celebrities, dignitaries, etc.).

John Bentley (the author's husband)is coming to town May 4th at Calvary Chapel in Kennewick for a Spaghetti Feed Fundraiser. You can read more about their ministry at Harmony Outreach. Consider coming and being moved for the cause of the orphan.

I have received word that things have been dull and boring at 'Simply My Thoughts' this week. I have been pondering some thoughts and have not known quite how to articulate. I have two posts in my drafts that I will most likely delete. As I have said before this blog is somewhat therapeutic in helping me process through what God has been working on, working out, and through me.

I have had a bummer of a week. Nothing major, nothing life altering. I have just felt really beaten down. Lots of little things that have added up to just feeling down about where I am in life. Do you ever have times in your life that you just want to throw your hands up in the air and say:

That's it!
No more!
Every one wants a part of me!
If I don't do it, it won't get done!
I want a do over!
I didn't sign up for this!

That has been me this week. Yesterday as I was thinking through this week and trying to figure out why I was so discouraged, trying to put my finger on the one thing that was making me so ugly. And the Lord showed me. Satan has been kickin' my rear this week, and I let him. I am such an easy target. He is not very creative, he goes for the same attack nearly every time. And I fall for it. He gives me a lie, and I let it set there and fester. He gives me a little discouragement and I dwell on it. Really he does very little, just puts thoughts in my head and I do the rest.

But today the sun is shining. My circumstances have not changed, but my attitude has. I am thankful for a God who pulls us out of the pit. I am grateful for friends who see me in the pit and inquire and try to pull me out. I need you guys. Thanks for being true friends.


Have I mentioned that I love Jeremy Camp?

It has been several weeks since I last posted my menus. This certainly helps me keep on track. Last week was busy with Spring Break and we ate out way too much. Unfortunately I don't think we ate much that was healthy.

No matter what the weather is like I am determined to cook like it is Spring! I am ready for some fresh foods and great things off the grill!

Monday: French Dip sammies with Cherry Almond Salad with White Balsamic vinaigrette
Tuesday: Talapia, green salad and bread
Wednesday: Dinner at Church...I think it is Roast Beef with mashed potatoes
Thursday: Grilled Chicken with either a fruit or veggie salad
Friday: Fajitas with salad
Saturday: Grill Hamburgers with veggies

Head over to Laura's for more menu ideas!

On the bright side of last week being busy, I got lots of deep cleaning done. Windows inside and out, all the girls rooms from top to bottom, the garden tilled (OK, I watched my man do this one), and started on two bathrooms re-wallpapering and painting. Ahh...I love Spring!

Judmentalism Part 2

A few posts back I talked about judging others. God has continued conversation about this with me and here is what He has shown me. Many times, if not all the time, my judgments are not necessarily accurate. Shocking, I know. I am only seeing a cross-section of a situation. A snapshot if you will. In the past week or so He has shown me different sides of situations that I was quick to make a call on. And shocking again, there was more to a situation than I knew or was privy to. Let's just say some situations are multi-faceted, just like a jewel. God sees what is really going on in a heart, not me. Shocking, yet once more.

Unless it is me right smack dab in the middle of a situation I really have no idea the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth(and even then my truth can be distorted). How it appears is not necessarily the way it is. So all that to say God has has said to me gently 'love covers a multitude of sins'. I am not advocating a 'live and let live' philosophy or a 'don't ask don't tell' policy. But for me, I think I need to work on being 'slow to speak and quick to hear', 'speaking truth in love', and 'loving others as myself'.

Jamie has a great video of Jeremy Camp singing 'Empty Me'. Oh, Jesus that is what I need from you. More of You and less of me. Because I can be so sinful myself and not even see the plank in my own eye.

And the winner is....CAROL!

We used Random.com and Carol won the drawing for Chris Tomlins's CD! Congratulations Carol. Does this inspire you to start your own blog? Your fans are sure hoping that you will not disappoint us. No pressure though...yea, right.

100 posts! and a give-away

WOW! 100 posts! I have to say that when I started this about a year ago I didn't know if I would have anything to say. Most of the time I really don't have anything of much worth to say. But occasionally something thoughtful does come out. To thank you for reading all the silliness with the occasional worthwhile thought I am having a give-away to let you know how much I appriciate you. Leave a comment to this post and I will have a random drawing on Friday for either the Glory Revealed CD or
Chris Tomlin's See the Morning depending on if you already have one or the other. These are two of my favorite worship CDs of all time!

I thought the 100th post should be wonderful, awesome, inspiring. But I don't have anything like that today. But I do have a couple thoughts about what I have learned or gleaned from blogging in the past year.

~There are some awesome women bloggers out there. I have met several women through their blogs that I have come to admire and respect. They make me think and strive to be more like Jesus and I love that. I probably would have never come to know them without blogging. They are featured on my sidebar.

~Blogging is kind of therapeutic. I enjoy completing a thought. Sometimes I use it as a kind of therapy. A way for me to process through what God is teaching me. I love to hear the comments and see what God says through y'all.

~I can waste a lot of time blog reading. I really try to limit how much time I allow myself to cruise blogs because I can waste too much time with it just like TV or anything else. It is a bit addictive.

~The written word is powerful. It creates more emotion and feeling than just verbalizing. This is wonderful when it causes me to draw closer to God and His Son.

So leave a comment and I will post who wins on Saturday!