The Shove

Have you ever watched a four year old at her birthday party?  Alexandrea was full of excitement.  One of my favourite times was when she opened her presents.  She would open one and try to appreciate it as much as possible before her sister shoved another one in her face.  "Open this one, open this one!"
Isn't that how life is sometimes?  We are trying to appreciate some of God's blessings or lessons and something is shoved in front of us to move on.

My little Monkey is Four

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to an incredible women's conference with one of my dearest friends.  There were so many highlights, experiences and life changing moments.  What's funny to me is how easy I started forget.  I mean I had a house to clean, laundry to do and grocery shopping.  It's back to work,  teacher appreciation for the girls, and I cannot let another day pass before signing them up for all their summer festivities.  Before I knew it the conference is out sight out of mind.  Life had shoved it's do list to the front of my line.  So I would like to take a moment and reflect on one of those life changing moments.  I became a huge fan of Andy Andrews.  He shared with us a statement that enlightened him. "People move from Almost to Almost.  I almost had a great marriage, I almost loved my job, I almost fill in the blank - Almost to Almost.  Almost happens when people force answers before they exist.  Sometimes God is not trying to give you answers He's trying to give you perspective."

In this time of uncertainty in our lives I don't want to force answers that don't yet exist.  So many people are asking us what's next but all I know is God in His sovereignty has perfect timing.  I don't need to figure out the answer, He has it.  What I need to do is learn the lesson He is trying to teach me and trust Him.

Tangie and I at the conference 

The girls got to come too.

Matthew 6:31-33

 "What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

It All Fades

Has anyone ever noticed that its usually never one thing that breaks down at a time?  In the last month we have replaced break pads, fixed our air conditioner, repaired our garage door and fixed our sprinkler system. It seems like we have had the repair guy on speed dial. One of the things that was deemed unfixable was our washing machine.
In the two week period of no washing machine you can only use your sweet sister laws (thank you Sheri Lynn) a certain amount. Finally we opted for a family trip to the laundry mat. The Laundry mat was a common occurrence in the first few years of our marriage but this was a first for the girls. They were so excited! To them nothing could be better than putting each piece of laundry in the washer. They climbed the washer to pour in the detergent and bleach in the right holder but the all time best was when they pulled chairs over to put the money in the slots.  I thought this is incredible, kids are awesome. They make the best out of every situation. I had my mind made up I was going to title my next post "Who needs Vegas when you have laundry?"

       
The fact is this would have been a fair title if all we had to do was start the process of laundry unfortunately, like most things in life, laundry has a process too. Like laundry the excitement faded.  Joey and the girls picked up starbucks for breakfast and about halfway through eating the questions and comments began.  "Is it almost done?, I'm bored, Can we leave now?, I want to go home, This is so boring!" ....... I passed on my moms famous words to them, "only boring people get bored." (I hated that statement as a child and now I'm using it, haha.)  So they dug in and found the basket and laundry bags to be great entertainment.  This too lasted for a while and faded.

Look at those faces 

What great parents we are

I began to think everything is fun and exciting at first.  It's so easy to start something.  It's also easy to rush away from it once the newness and fun begins to fade.  It's hard to push through.  Sometimes we have to recommit ourselves over and over again. I think it's worth the effort because the things we stick with make us mature.  The things that make us mature give us a rich life.  That's why in James it says  "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."

Groundhog Day

Do you ever feel like your stuck in the movie groundhog day and the only thing that changes is the date on the calendar and maybe your clothes.  There are times in my life that everyday feels like its on repeat.  I wake up do my bible study, prepare breakfast, pack lunches in backpacks, wake up the girls, get dressed, drop Isa off at school, head to work, drop off Alexandrea to her classroom, get off, run home clean up Alexandrea's school stuff, prep dinner, pick up Isa, clean up her backpack from school, homework, cook dinner, clean up dinner, make lunches, give bedtime snacks, put the girls to bed, watch a show with Joey, go to bed and wake up to start all over again.  I can get so bored of this cycle.  Since a maid,  chauffer and cook aren't in the budget I have discovered myself wishing for my kids to grow up so I don't have to do so many things over and over again.  The sad thing is that I'm wishing so many great moments away.
The Lord used a series our pastor spoke on thankfulness to help change so much of my perspective.  Before I heard this series I was motivated by the result of an action.  There a lot of things I don't like the process of, but I endure it to enjoy the result.  For example, dishes, I like a clean kitchen but I'm not so thrilled by what it takes to get there. The problem with being motivated by the result is the fact that life is more of a process than a result.  Therefor more of my time is spent enduring instead of enjoying.  So here are some of my secrets that have helped me be thankful and make the most of these mundane everyday occurrences.  

Cooking - I have found I love to cook with people and try new recipes. My husband is one of my favorites to cook with.  So instead of just having someone over for dinner invite them to come cook with you.  Even cooking with your kids.


Dishes - This is a wonderful catch up time.  Our house has had some great conversations while, washing, rinsing, drying and putting away dishes.  I have also used this time to talk to some of my greatest friends and family on the phone

Laundry -  I've come to be thankful to have clothes and I've started to pray for the people who wear them.  I pray that there day would be full of the evidence of God in their lives.  That they would show God's love to all they come in contact with.


Dusting - Depends on the day.  I usually dust with Alexandrea since Isa is in school.  We either have a dance party with some of her top picks or it's a quiet time that I enjoy some of my favorite worship albums.  Actually it's usually a combo of both since I lose my companion about half way through.  I believe one of the greatest assets to cleaning is picking the right cleaning track!

Driving - Since one of my first posts was on this feel free to look that up

Vacuuming - Haha I've always loved to vacuum....

This is my attempt to look like a 40s housewife... I
 usually clean in sweats and a t-shirt

I would like to finish with the thought that none of this is accomplished by sheer will power and I still don't succeed at this.  It all comes from giving each day over the Lord.  He makes everyday exciting and guides you on what's important and what's not.  When you do this and depend on Him the groundhog day syndrome will no longer run your life.

ROMANS 12

Place Your Life Before God

 ^1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Not Today

Yesterday I woke up with my to do list in my head. My incredible neighbor and I get together every Tuesday. We rotate houses and baking, it was my turn. The plan was to go to work, pick up Alexandrea, stop by the grocery store, bake some scones, wipe down the kitchen, hide the piles and piles of laundry (our washing machine is broken), prep dinner for bbq, hang out with my neighbor, clean the bathrooms, eat dinner, work out, put the girls to bed watch biggest loser and head to bed myself.

I realized these plans might be changing at about 2:10 when I decided the best place for Alexandrea and I was to take cover at her school because of the tornados hitting the dfw area. Joey was working till 3 and was going to pick up Isa when he got off. I called Isabella's school and was reassured that she was safe and in the best place at her school. In the next hour I was told many different things like twisters were on there way through. When I heard there were tornado clouds forming a little north of us I immediately began to worry about my sweet Isabella. My husband was now off work and on his way to get her. At this point I was told there's an opening before another storm was coming. Alexandrea and I got in the car and headed home to meet Joey and Isa. There was major sigh of relief to all be safe, together and at home.

At this moment my to do list changed to cuddling on the couch and watching a movie as a family, sticking soup mix in a pot, enjoying dinner together, laying down with our girls till they fell asleep in our arms and thanking God for another day. Sometimes you just got to look at your to do list and say NOT TODAY, there's more important things to do.

There is so many different reports of how many tornados
touched down, most of the damage was in the south of DFW

This is in Forney we have incredible friends there who have
opened there church for disaster relief with the red cross

If you want to help in any way you can find them on Facebook
at MustangCreek CommunityChurch

This is not fact but I have heard that there was 19 twisters that touched down.  I am thankful to God that there were no fatalities. Please join in prayer with me for the many people and families that have lost so much and for strength for those who are helping.