What (My) Boys Like To Do

It's no secret that I have four boys.  Sometimes, all the testosterone in my house is enough to drive me absolutely bonkers, but I wouldn't trade one single, crazy, loud moment for all the money in the world. 

I thought it would be fun to share what boys are like...in case you don't know. 

They love to:

Compete.  EVERYTHING IS A COMPETITION.  I wish I had a dollar for every time I said these words: "IT'S NOT A COMPETITION!"  But to them, it is.

Make bodily noises.  I know, gross.  But they do.  And we all laugh...except for when it's inappropriate.

Sleep late.

Laugh.  Drew and I stood at the kitchen sink, with oranges in our mouths as teeth, and tried to kiss each other for five minutes Wednesday night.  We belly laughed together.  It was ahmaazing! 

Build forts.  It never grows old.  NEVER. 

Play with Legos.  Another one that never grows old.

Collect small, odd objects.  I wish I could pinpoint a number as to how many little rocks, paperclips, shotgun shells, marbles, rubber bracelets, etc. I've washed.  It's a wonder that my washer still functions.  And yes...my dear husband is included in this one.  I wash his drill bits all the time.  So much so that I've been known to have a collection of them for him.

Hug their mama's.  I love the hugs...and the kisses...and the drawings...and all the "I love you's".  I will never tire of anything of it.

Play sports.  Any kind and all kinds.  They also love to watch sports, and can tell you everything you need to know about them to understand the game. 

ESPN. 

Reading what I write about them. 

And with that one, I must say goodbye.  Love to all!

...even NOW...

I thought I would share a little of what I read in today's plan in reading the chronological Bible in a year.  (Plus, if I blog about it, it helps me be accountable to someone other my furry friends.) 

I never really thought I cared much for the book of Job.  Who likes all the doom and gloom?  But when you consider the character of Job, it's really an eye-opening book in the Bible.  If you're not familiar with him, Job had everything back in the day that he lived.  He walked with the Lord.  He had a wife and children.  He had wealth, in that he had a home and land with animals that lived on it. 

He was faithful to God. 

But then Satan decided to test Job.  And God let him, because He knew that Job would remain faithful to Him. 

So one right after another, tragedy strikes this man Job.  He is tormented because he lost all that he held dear...his children, his animals, his home, his land.  All that remained was Job and his wife.  (And in my Bible at the beginning of Job, it says about his wife that she not much help to him.) 

Chapter after chapter, Job suffers.  Friends come to comfort him, but rather than do that they just make his situation seem  worse by trying to make light of it. 

One part that got me this morning was this:

Job 16:19-21 "Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high.  My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend."

Even now...in the midst of Job's torment, he kept his eyes on the Lord.  Sure, he questioned God.  He even pleaded with God to just let him die and he regretted the day he'd been born.  But somewhere along the way, he remembered that "even now" God was with him.  He never left him. 

I know people who are struggling daily.  I am in touch with some of them on Facebook.  I know people who question God regularly on the path their life has taken.  I know who people who don't know God at all...and don't really care to because of something that might have happened to them or someone they know. 

I wish they knew Him like I do.  I would tell them that sometimes God does let things happen to those we love.  I wish I could tell you a reason as to why He would allow tragedy to strike them...but I don't have an answer. 

However, I do know that even in the midst of trial, God is still God.  He never leaves us.  He never forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:6).  We have to trust Him and His infinite plan (Proverbs 3:5). 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

Trust Him.  It's never easy to let go and have that blind faith.  But if we live like that, He will reveal little glimpses of Himself. 

I call them God-things. 

God knows that in life we're going to mourn those we lose, and that is perfectly normal and healthy.  He doesn't want us to stay that way forever, though.  He wants us to be comforted that if our loved ones knew Him, that they are now with Him...and that someday we will be reunited.  

Isn't there a glimmer of hope in that? 

I get really emotional when I think of how amazing Heaven will be.  I cannot imagine the party that will take place when we all see each other again.  Just think of all the people in your life that you've said 'goodbye' to...people that may still be alive, but ones you might never see again.  Can you even imagine?

I almost can't wrap my mind around it. 

I hope that this reaches someone today who needs it...my prayer is that God uses what I write to minister to you, if that is you.    His word will not return to Him empty (Isaiah 55:11). 

Who in the world knew all the treasures I would find in Job?  In what I thought was one of the more 'blah' books in the Bible?  Not me, that's for sure.  I'm so thankful that this spoke to me today.  It's an awesome reminder of staying focused...of keeping our eyes on what is to come. 

Perfection.  Bodies made whole.  Streets of gold.  An image too wonderful to imagine. 

Take comfort in this today...in God's plan.  He didn't come to harm us, but to prosper us.  To give us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).  Rest in Him.

Love to all. 

Good Thursday Morning

This week has gone by so fast at school.  It always does, so I'm surprised that it surprises me.  I don't dislike going to work and my kids going to school, but I prefer the time to go by when they're home with me.  It seems to move a little slower while they're here, ya know? 

My mornings, in particular, seem to travel faster than the speed of light.  I love my time at home when all is silent in the house.  This week, I've been spending that time reading my Bible.  I started the Youversion chronological Bible in a year plan.  I use the app on my phone and then read it in my new Bible.  It's easier to concentrate when there's not a lot going on around me.  I've also been journaling...in the old fashioned way.  Drew picked out a really cool new one for me for Christmas, and I'm working on fillings its pages.  There is something so soothing about writing to me.  I enjoy the actual handwriting part, too...and I love that my kids will have them handed down to them someday.  They will see how many pages and hours I spent praying Scripture over them while they were in school...or how frustrated I was on a certain day...or how thankful I was that the Lord watched over Noah the night he was hit by a car.  I love writing all of that stuff down...I occasionally look back over it myself to see what my year past was like.  I'm always amazed at Him. 

Speaking of Bibles, my sweet friend Kay came up to the school yesterday JUST to give me a really cool highlighter.  She had read how much I love to mark my Bible up (or maybe she saw a picture), and she knew I would love this certain kind that she had.  It doesn't bleed through the pages and it doesn't smear.  Was that not the sweetest thing ever??  It made my day. 

Kind of a cool way to end my time in the lunchroom...especially since it started kind of roughly. 

Other than that little ten minute spell, it's been a great week back.  Part of my job includes dispersing mail that comes in, and anytime after a break there's usually ten-twelve boxes full, although it's mostly junk.  It always takes a few days to do, but my sweet friends divided it yesterday and did it for me.  That made my day, too...not that I mind doing it, since it's my job, but that they were so thoughtful to use some free time to help me.  They easily could have found something else to do.  I love little acts of kindness, don't you?

Well.  I think I hear laundry calling me.  Hope your Thursday is wonderful!  Love to all. 

Who Are You?

I can tell you who I am.  Wife.  Mother.  Daughter.  Sister.  Aunt.  Friend.

See those first two?  I need to remember to be better at them.  Especially the wife one.  Do you struggle with this?  I know women are the ones who read this, and I want to be real on here.  I struggle with being a submissive wife.  I'm pretty sure I laughed at that part during our wedding ceremony.  I do not like the word submissive, and I don't like the meaning.  Or, what I think some people might mistake for the meaning of the word.

I used to think submissive meant being a doormat.  Someone the husband would "talk down to" and just get the benefit of being the boss.

But the real definition does not mean that at all!  The real definition is this:

To yield.  To defer to.  (I really like that second one.  And thank you, Merriam Webster for this definition.)
  
See the difference?  


The Bible says for wives to respect their husbands.  It also says that husbands should love their wives.  The kind of love that leaves no doubt in the wife's mind that she is important and valued in the eyes of her husband.  The kind of love that would fight hard for her if the need ever arose.  The kind of love that makes her feel cherished.  


It's funny how we have to respect and they have to love.  But for women, to respect her husband IS to love him.  Respect means (to me, anyway) putting him before myself.  It means showing him that he alone gets the honor of knowing every little detail about me.  It means that he is of tremendous worth and value in my eyes.  It means showing him that I need him...and not just as someone else to help discipline the kids, but that I not only need him, but can't and wouldn't want to live without him.

Respect goes hand in hand with submit.  Don't you think?  You can't have one without the other. 

I said all this to say that Todd and I are not perfect.  We don't have the perfect marriage.  We never have and we never will.  We argue.  Over stupid things.  Like where I put his receipts.  We even go to bed mad sometimes.  (GASP!)  And, yes, I know the Bible says not to do that.  

We struggle with saying "I'm sorry".  We both know that we should, but sometimes we just don't.  At least until much later, and usually not face to face.  (I know, I'm painting a pretty sad picture here.)


But in reading the Bible this morning, God revealed some fresh truths to me.  I was reading in Job, too, which is crazy that I would find something that relates to marriage in this book of despair.  One that I found is this:


"In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."  Job 12:10


I know...you're thinking, "What in the world does THAT have to do with marriage??"  It has to do with that God created us all.  He holds us all in the palm of His hand.  All of us.  Don't you think He knew of the differences between a man and a woman, since He created them both?  He knew that wives needed to be treated a little gentler and that men needed to know that their wives respected and appreciated them.  Our very breath came from Him.  And with that very breath, we should only speak to each other in a way that will bring honor to Him.  We should love and respect.


If He created us and breathed life into us, don't you think He can better our marriages?  Or give us the strength to be the Godly spouse He calls us to be?  (And I'm not talking about on Facebook, either.  I am talking about REAL.  Human.  Imperfections and all.)


Admittedly, this post is for me this morning.  I just thought I would share what God laid on my heart.  Surely I'm not the only one this speaks to.  Surely someone other than me sees the connection between marriage and Job.  Surely.  


Oh, and one more from Job:


"To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his."  Job 12:13


He will give us the strength, the wisdom, the power, the counsel and understanding we need to be who He called us to be.  


So, I ask again...who are you?  


Or Whose are you?  


I am His.  


Guess what?  


I found my word for 2012.  


Committed.  


COMMITTED.  


To carry into action deliberately.  (Thank you, Merriam Webster.)  

I am committing this year, 2012, to be a better, more Godly wife.   Are you committing to anything this year?  Care to share it?


Think about it.  Love to all. 

My Word For The Year

I cannot think of one!  I will gladly take suggestions from you. 

Last year my word was "steadfast".  I wanted to be more steadfast in my relationship with the Lord, but He in turn showed that He would be that to me. 

I know some of you do this...what are your words?

I'm on the hunt...and I really need to find one before the end of January.

If you have suggestions, throw some my way!  Are any of you doing this?  I've noticed more and more people are catching on to the idea of this.  One of my favorite authors has a whole book dedicated to this.  It's called One Perfect Word and it's by Debbie Macomber.  

Happy Wednesday to you...love to all!

Things I Love

JESUS!  That's a no-brainer, but He is always first and foremost on my mind.  I love Him and want the world to, as well!  Life with Him is amazing...I read some glorious Scriptures today about how He can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine...(Ephesians 3:20 in particular, but I read verses 14-20).  He is awesome and perfect and beautiful and love. 

My husband.  I love that he is constant.  I love that we can sit in the same room and not say a word and be totally comfortable.  He fills a void in my heart that nothing else can touch.  He is also my best friend.  I love how he sometimes reaches over and holds my hand.  For no reason...except that he loves me.  :)

The presence of my boys.  I love being with them.  We don't get many nights away from them...but because we don't want them.  We love being with them and they love being with us.  Especially during times that school is out...no bedtime, no wake-up time, eat whenever, do whatever (within reason)...they've got it good.  And so do we, as their parents. 

My new purple Bible.  Thank you, Phyllis...it's perfect. 

Sharpie push-top highlighters. 

Index cards.  I keep a stash in my purse at all times with Bible verses written on them.  I'm always working on memorizing verses, and today I started my new set for 2012!  The one I am currently memorizing is Numbers 6:24-26: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.  (LOVE!!!)

Jonah's new attitude.  He used to be somewhat shy.  But all of a sudden (in the past six months or so), he has come completely out of his shell and is the most outgoing, funny eight year old I've been around in a long time.  I especially love how Todd will be on the laptop with the tv on, and he will walk into the living room, grab the remote and say, "I'm just going to change it.  I need to find my favorite show."  Which happens to be...can you guess?

Cops.  Or Coast Guard Alaska.

The simple life.  It does not take much to make me happy, and I try hard to stay like that.  It's not in my own strength, either, but everything is possible with God!  Some passages in Scripture that help me are:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Matthew 6:19-21


and:

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."  Philippians 4:20

 The one from Philippians is posted on my laundry room cabinets.  I put it there on an index card (SEE?  I told you I love those things!!!) several years ago when I was hoping and praying that Todd wouldn't be able to repair my dryer.  I was really wanting a set of front-loaders, but lo and behold, the man that I adore was able to repair the blasted thing.  I posted it there to remind me to BE CONTENT in all that I have. 

I am richly blessed.  I tell myself that all the time. 

Blogs and Facebook.  I especially love TO blog, you all know that I love to write.  I also love Facebook, and consider it a great tool to witness to people.  I have been praying that God would make me more bold in that area of my life...not in your face witnessing, but in respectfully sharing the love of my sweet Jesus to those I know and love.  So...be prepared.  :) 

Well groomed nails.  Duh.  Considering my OPI collection.  Current favorite color (just in case you were dying to know) is Yodel Me On My Cell.  It's a loverly shade of turquoise. 

Noah's faux hawk.  I love how different my sweet baby boy is and how he is not afraid to be that way.  :)  I also love his lady-killin' eyelashes.  Especially when he bats them at me and smiles. 

Movies!  I just don't watch them that much, but man do I love a good movie.  The kids and I went to see We Bought A Zoo on our break, and it was so good!  The ending was perfect...which is also something I love.  A movie that ends good.

Music.  I love to sing and I so miss helping lead worship.  But this morning, I had exactly that in my kitchen.  My favorites: Travis Cottrell and Kari Jobe...or Gateway Worship, which is where she goes to church.

Losing myself in a book.  I have some books that are on my "to-read" list: The Hunger Games trilogy and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...I've heard good things about both.  I'm sharing The Hunger Games with Graham and Drew...so I'm letting them read it first.  Maybe.  Depends on how fast (or slow) they go.  Until then, I am pacing myself with easier reading.  Is there anything you think I would like that you care to recommend?  I'm always up for suggestions!

Clean teeth.  I love to floss and brush...especially right before bedtime. 

Carmex.  I think I might be addicted.  (On a sidenote: when Drew was three or four, he re-named Carmex, Carlips.  Makes perfect sense, right?)

Decorating!  I just don't have all the resources to do it the way I'd like.  However, I am the queen of re-purposing and repositioning what I already have out and about.  In fact, I feel the need to do this sometime soon...the bug usually bites me right after the first of the year.  Consider yourself forewarned; I'll probably give you a photo-tour when I'm done.

Taking pictures.  I've always loved taking pictures...and not just of people, but of all things God created. 

Pecans.  Don't ask.

I'll stop for now (since I've gone on for sweet forever).  What do YOU love?

I'd like to know. 

Enjoy what's left of your night!  Love to all.

Happy New Year!

I only have thirty seven minutes left of January 1, 2012, and I could not let the day end without a blog post for the new year. 

How did you ring in yours? 

We had some friends over last night...our neighbors and dear friends, Travis and Katie, Myles and Zander and some other of our dearest friends, David and Sunny Stalls, and two of their kiddos, Andy and Holly. 

God has been infinitely good to us and has blessed us with some wonderful couple friends...and two of the sets are the ones listed above.  I don't take them for granted, either...I hope I express to them how much I love them and how thankful I am for their presence in our lives.  Life is not meant to be lived without friends, and we sure do enjoy ours!

In years past, we've gone to another friends' home...Brad and Marcia Coleman.  They invited us this year, but since it's kind of a church function for them and we don't belong to that church anymore, we didn't go.  I just thought it might be a little less awkward if we gracefully declined this year.  So while this was a new way to celebrate for us, it was just as fun.  We had yummy finger foods, we played games, we laughed, my hubby and I got in an argument playing cards (because what would cards be if Todd and I didn't argue at least once???), we sang, we danced, we drank Coke from glass bottles and lots of yummy sparkling grape juice.  It was wonderful. 

Today we slept in.  :(  I do feel moderately guilty about not going to church this morning.  We were actually planning on going...but because I was awake for two hours in the middle of the night, we slept in.  I did read my Bible, though.  I also have prayed and am pondering a new "word" for my year. 

I haven't thought of one yet.  I've got some possibilities, but nothing I've decided fully on.  Any suggestions?  Any of you word-lovers out there?  (I consider myself a word-lover.  Because I love to read and write, and I LOVE to look in a thesaurus.  I know...I'm building myself up for someone to make fun of.  But go ahead, I am totally secure in who I am.  And in WHOSE I am.)

Moving on.

We had our annual New Years' lunch with my Mom and Bill today.  We had ribs, fries (for the kids), black-eyed peas, cabbage, turnip greens and cornbread.  YUM.

We came home around four, and Todd took off to ride with the sheriff's department.  It being New Years and all (and the fact that I really wanted to see my best friend for at least a little while), I invited my sweet friend Amanda over.  Her kids Haley and Eli came with her...and she came bearing food from Carrabba's.  (Her hubby manages the one in The Ville.)  My kids were in heaven.  It's always so fun catching up...and I have fun with her all the time.  Whether we're with our kids or if we're alone.  She's a great gal, and again...I am so thankful for her friendship. 

If you're fortunate enough to have some great gals in your life, be thankful for them.  As much as I love my husband and my boys, there is something about the friendship of a woman that fulfills a need in my heart that nothing else can.  Don't ever take them for granted...not many women are so blessed.  I am especially thankful for this precious lady, because this is the second time God has brought her into my life.  The first time was when I was in seventh grade.  Isn't that cool? 

When her and her kids left, the boys and I decided to have an impromptu game night.  We played Spoons.  Have you ever played that?

How did you celebrate the new year?  Anything fun and exciting?  Any traditions?

Well, happy new year to you and yours!  Love to all!