The "Cliff Notes" Version

It's been a whole two weeks (and then some) since my last post...so let's do a quick catch up ~ shall we?

Birthday for me -- best part being the "little things" from my family.  My kids DO like me! :-)

Soccer started for Josh and Sarah.  I love watching them! 

Ava started ballet.  My little "delicate flower" loooves Carrie Jean!

Zachary is in full swing with cross country.  I am so proud of his determination and dedication!  Each week his times and placement get better! 

Josh auditioned for the school play - still waiting to hear about that.

My first "Mom's In Touch" (for Crosswind) meeting is tomorrow...I'm excited!

Lot's of "firsts" this week....more about that later! :-)

Lots of "friends" time...and more to come next week.

Lunch date with hubby last week.  Loved it!  Nothing like uninterrupted time together...so refreshing!

Loved watching tv Friday night with oldest son piled on top of me - he will never be too old or too big :-)

Frustrated with certain aspects of life...but trying to learn to be content with where I am right now.

My love for Target gets deeper every day...it is my happy place...and having Starbucks inside is bonus ~

I am also developing a love for tennis shoes - particularly running shoes.  The flashier the better!

Love to "blog stalk".  I will catch up on friends blogs, then check out their friends blogs, etc.  I like "real" blogs...people who are honest about what they are going thru, how they feel about things, etc.  I hate reading blogs written by people who make you think that woodland creatures are cleaning their house and the fairy godmother is making dinner....

Trying to juggle work, schedules, and quality time = failure most of the time.  My friends make me believe they do it with no problem, so why am I struggling with it?  Some of us have to work outside the home....(insert guilt here)....

I have decided Ava needs a personal assistant for our morning routine.  If she is left alone for a split second she is off playing in her room, or with Bernie, etc.  She is on her own schedule and just moves along as she deems necessary.  "Hurry up" is NOT in her vocabulary.  Neither is "WE HAVE GOT TO GO!!!"

My garage is hideous....must get rid of LOTS OF STUFF!!

I think my walls in my house need to be chocolate brown...that would hide a multitude of sins! Come to think of it, maybe the carpet should be chocolate brown too...

My laundry basket was empty last week....for about 3 minutes....but that was a glorious 3 minutes...

Warm Fuzzies

There's nothing like a birthday to make you feel all warm and fuzzy....even on a mild September day!  I have had the best birthday...and it wasn't because of gifts or anything like that.  It was because of all the little things....the posts on my Facebook wall from people I have known for years or even a few months.  No really....it is amazing how taking a few seconds to just write "Happy Birthday" on someone elses' wall can make a huge impact (spoken from the one on the receiving end!)

The best has been my own little family.  I love my family...really I do.  They gave me the best cards,and Josh even gave me cash for a present!  It was HIS cash too - not like he went to his dad and "borrowed" it.  If you know Josh, that is HUGE!!!  He hand-made his card...wrote a poem and took up all four sides of the paper!  It was really funny...I'm going to scan it and keep it...maybe even find a way to frame it.  He made videos of everyone (individually and as a group) singing "Happy Birthday" to me.  They ALL went out of their way to make me feel so very special ~ and it worked!

I love my little family....they give me "warm fuzzies".......

:-)

A Reminder....

I really wanted to just post a link to this (because I take no credit for it whatsoever), but there is no "direct" link.  It is a daily devotion from Proverbs 31 Ministires.  I actually read this on a friend's blog and to me it really was a pull-you-up-by-your-bootstraps-slap-you-in-the-face gentle reminder of something I have always known but so very much needed to be reminded of right now.  I'm not even going to elaborate....just read the devotion for yourself.  It is long, but well worth the read:

“…for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:5b (NIV)



I spent months working on it, with big expectations and high hopes. In the blink of an eye it was crushed. This reality tore into my heart like a jagged knife, ripping my dream into tiny little shreds. Disappointment was so great it was difficult to process my feelings. I had worked tirelessly on this project and now I felt disappointment and rejection. 

Disappointment soon turned to irritation which morphed into resentment. I didn’t FEEL it was fair.


Why didn’t God answer my prayers? Why had He placed a dream in my heart only to allow it to crumble? Why had He let this happen? Why me?

I knew I needed to have a good attitude and not give up, but I did not FEEL like doing that at all!


Questions pummeled my brain. What is the use? Why try again? If God didn’t answer my prayer after all this time, why bother keep trying?


I allowed my FEELings to overtake my FAITH.

All I could think about was how this disappointment made me feel, instead of what God may be doing that my faith could not see. I felt things weren’t fair, without remembering God’s ways are best. I felt a longing for immediate results, instead of trusting God’s timing is perfect.


My feelings had gotten in the way of my faith, so I turned to Psalm 25 (NIV) for perspective. The following verses washed over my spirit.

Verse 1, “In you, LORD my God, I put my trust.”

I felt discouraged, unworthy, hopeless, rejected. So I poured my feelings and my soul out to God. And He listened.

Verse 2, “I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.”

God reminded me to trust Him, not a desire or a dream. Not the world’s view. Not my abilities. Not my timeframe. Not my ideas. Trust Him alone. I prayed about my enemies—intangible feelings such as self doubt, insecurity, frustration, and discouragement.

Verse 3, “No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.”

Regardless of whether or not my desires become a reality, I will not be put to shame, because God is my God. If His plans coincide with my dreams, I know He will keep His eternal promises.

Verses 4-5a, “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me,”

These words stopped me in my tracks. I began to think more rationally. Why did I beat my head against a wall? Why was I consumed with anxiety and frustration? Was I allowing God to direct my paths? God gently reminded me He is the teacher, I am the student.

Verse 5b, “…for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”

If I put my hope in my own desires and abilities, I set myself up for failure. My only hope for joy and fulfillment comes from Christ alone. Hope is found in Him, not people, a career, your husband or children, church, financial success, a carefree life, or dreams that come true.


Disappointments will happen. With God, however, we can turn those disappointments into God’s appointments to trust Him. The first step is to exercise faith over feelings.


"Dear Lord, You know the hurt in my heart and the sting of disappointments I have experienced. Please help me trust You, instead of being consumed by feelings. Empower me with a faith that is stronger than my emotions. In Jesus’ Name, Amen."