I love how God works - actually I can acknowledge loving how God works more in hindsight. Often times in the midst of His working I feel like. . . .well, like I don't love it so much! But regardless, He is at work in all of our lives.
My word for this year as many of you know is delight. Delighted in God, delightful towards others, finding delight in the everyday ordinary of life, etc.
In this process I am trying to be more aware of God and how He longs to be a part of my life, minute by minute, day by day. I have heard my whole Christian life about how important relationship is with God and I feel as though I am just lately grasping that. Yes, I am a slow learner at times.
I long to be with Mark, to talk to him, to sit with him, to be silly with him, etc. Why? Because I love him and I want our relationship to be strong. I also argue with Mark, ask for forgiveness from Mark, and get frustrated with Mark. Why? Because I am human, imperfect and I make mistakes, but try to make up for those mistakes too.
Why not take those same simple principles of my relationship with Mark and apply them to my relationship with God? I realize to many of you this is not profound. Again, I am not a quick learner at times.
And yet I realize for myself that this simple thing is hard at times. It is hard to change your mindset from God being everywhere and everything to everyone to being God who is with me, for me, about me always.
In this process of involving God in my everyday ordinary, I have begun to recognize His handiwork in so many ways. As I have mentioned here, Mark and I are working to get debt free and stick to a budget that allows us to do that.
I had a lunch meeting yesterday that I needed to be at, but did not have the money in the budget for - ugh. So, I went through some stuff in our storage closet and found a few things to sell at a resale store in town. Thank God - and I truly was thankful for God providing in this way.
Well, I went to my meeting, enjoyed lunch and someone else at the table picked up the tab! Yay! I was even more thankful for God providing in this way!! So, I took the money from the items I had sold and deposited it in the bank. . . guess God wanted that money to go towards debt!
Also while going through the boxes in storage, I came across a gift card to McDonald's for $10. Mark & I have stopped eating out at lunch and so I thought, "Yay, a lunch date where we can eat something other than PB & J!" So, Mark & I made plans to go out to McD's for lunch today.
This morning I remembered that at an event for Big Brother, Big Sister we had each received a coupon for a free large sandwich at McDonald's - so I looked through my purse and there they were! So, we got 2 free sandwiches, fries and 2 drinks for $4. . . and can go to McD's another day with the other $6 on the gift card.
Now, would these things not have happened if I hadn't been aware and involving God in my everyday ordinary? Probably. Maybe not though. But would I have recognized them as God's handiwork and given Him praise for them? No.
God opens doors and windows for us all the time. We are His children and He loves us. I also think He wants us to acknowledge Him in those little things too. In the same way I love to hear my 2 year old thank me for dinner; even though I would give him dinner even if he didn't, God love to hear his kids thank Him for things He does; even though He would do it anyway. *Whew, grammatically that may be the worst sentence ever, but you get my point, right?
How have you seen God in the little (and big) areas of your life?
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Winner!!!
We have a winner!! I went to random.org and entered the number of entrants - and Amber is the big winner!!! Congrats! I will email you a time to drop off your prize - thanks everyone for playing!
In other news, I am super excited that our kids slept through the night last night. I am also more sure than ever that they conspire against us on the nights they get up (like last night). Seriously, it seems to be so well planned so that Mark & I get no sleep, it's borderline ridiculous.
But, I am focusing on being thankful that they slept! Whoo Hoo! What are you thankful for?
**I have not forgotten about posting a picture of one of my many hair disasters. . . .but that will come later today. . . . so be sure to check back!**
In other news, I am super excited that our kids slept through the night last night. I am also more sure than ever that they conspire against us on the nights they get up (like last night). Seriously, it seems to be so well planned so that Mark & I get no sleep, it's borderline ridiculous.
But, I am focusing on being thankful that they slept! Whoo Hoo! What are you thankful for?
**I have not forgotten about posting a picture of one of my many hair disasters. . . .but that will come later today. . . . so be sure to check back!**
Monday, March 28, 2011
I am so offended
I remember when I was a teenager, hearing a man talk about how he felt he was being drawn to God. He had a new desire to learn more about God, to learn what faith in Him was.
This man said he was invited to church by a friend and the preacher at this church was the exact type of Christian that had driven this man away from church, faith and God. He was loud, flamboyant, waved his arms around and shouted, "Hallelujah!" every other word it seemed. This man decided after attending one service that he would not be back to this church and maybe he should rethink this desire for God.
Funniest thing though. . . he was drawn back to hear this man preach a week or so later. He couldn't explain what drew him to go again. . . he just knew he had to be there. This preacher did all the same offensive things and the man sat in his chair growing more and more frustrated and annoyed.
"Why would God, if there is a God, use this man who so obviously annoys me? Does God not want me?"
But as this preacher continued to speak, God softened the heart of this man. He opened his ears to hear what God was saying through this man, regardless of the style of delivery. This man ended up coming to a faith in Christ through this preacher.
Here is what gets me about this story. The man, who is now a pastor himself, still dislikes the style of preaching that is loud, flamboyant, and "Hallelujahs" every other word. He even admitted that he still has a hard time listening to the preacher who led him to Christ preach. He would rather do many things than listen to someone like that.
But, he said (and I am paraphrasing), "I learned to be open to whatever God has for me, regardless of the form or vessel it comes in. I have learned that I can be offended by someone or something and God can and will still use that."
I have thought of this so often over the years and again recently as I have been in some situations where I am just put off by someone's remarks, attitude or style. I remind myself that God is still God and he uses any willing vessel (even the annoying ones) to accomplish His purpose. My job is to be open and willing to listen.
This man said he was invited to church by a friend and the preacher at this church was the exact type of Christian that had driven this man away from church, faith and God. He was loud, flamboyant, waved his arms around and shouted, "Hallelujah!" every other word it seemed. This man decided after attending one service that he would not be back to this church and maybe he should rethink this desire for God.
Funniest thing though. . . he was drawn back to hear this man preach a week or so later. He couldn't explain what drew him to go again. . . he just knew he had to be there. This preacher did all the same offensive things and the man sat in his chair growing more and more frustrated and annoyed.
"Why would God, if there is a God, use this man who so obviously annoys me? Does God not want me?"
But as this preacher continued to speak, God softened the heart of this man. He opened his ears to hear what God was saying through this man, regardless of the style of delivery. This man ended up coming to a faith in Christ through this preacher.
Here is what gets me about this story. The man, who is now a pastor himself, still dislikes the style of preaching that is loud, flamboyant, and "Hallelujahs" every other word. He even admitted that he still has a hard time listening to the preacher who led him to Christ preach. He would rather do many things than listen to someone like that.
But, he said (and I am paraphrasing), "I learned to be open to whatever God has for me, regardless of the form or vessel it comes in. I have learned that I can be offended by someone or something and God can and will still use that."
I have thought of this so often over the years and again recently as I have been in some situations where I am just put off by someone's remarks, attitude or style. I remind myself that God is still God and he uses any willing vessel (even the annoying ones) to accomplish His purpose. My job is to be open and willing to listen.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Giveaway time!
I am jumping on the blog wagon and doing a giveaway! I have never won any of the giveaways that I have entered, but I still think they are fun (especially PW's)!
So my giveaway is one set (2) of Sakura Votive Holders from PartyLite!
Cherry blossoms symbolize peace, which makes the Sakura Votive Holder a vital accent for any home. A stylish etched cherry blossom pattern laces a glass votive cup, producing a dazzling glow. (3" high)
How to win:
In the comments of this blog, tell me about your worst hair disaster! We have all been there. . . and I have many many photos of my many many disasters! I promise to post a pic of myself when I announce the winner. If you are one of the few (if any) who have never experienced a hair disaster (or are just too embarrassed), tell me your favorite color.
I will leave this giveaway open until Monday at 5pm and then announce the winner Tuesday, March 29. I will use random.org to choose the winner.
Votive holders will be shipped (or delivered if you live in town) at my expense.
Tell your friends, family, co-workers, etc. - the more the merrier!
So my giveaway is one set (2) of Sakura Votive Holders from PartyLite!
Cherry blossoms symbolize peace, which makes the Sakura Votive Holder a vital accent for any home. A stylish etched cherry blossom pattern laces a glass votive cup, producing a dazzling glow. (3" high)
How to win:
In the comments of this blog, tell me about your worst hair disaster! We have all been there. . . and I have many many photos of my many many disasters! I promise to post a pic of myself when I announce the winner. If you are one of the few (if any) who have never experienced a hair disaster (or are just too embarrassed), tell me your favorite color.
I will leave this giveaway open until Monday at 5pm and then announce the winner Tuesday, March 29. I will use random.org to choose the winner.
Votive holders will be shipped (or delivered if you live in town) at my expense.
Tell your friends, family, co-workers, etc. - the more the merrier!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Say what?
"What's up chicken butt?"
For the last few weeks I have had this really obnoxious phrase stuck in my head. I honestly don't even know where it came from. I think I can blame it on my good friend Deanna for starting it. . . .or maybe it was my good friend Christina. . . . but really as long as I can blame its origination on someone other than me, it's all good.
Seriously, I know it's immature, doesn't make a lot of sense and all that, but I crack up every time I think about it! I think we used to use it as a greeting in high school/college - yes we were that cool.
For the last few weeks I have had this really obnoxious phrase stuck in my head. I honestly don't even know where it came from. I think I can blame it on my good friend Deanna for starting it. . . .or maybe it was my good friend Christina. . . . but really as long as I can blame its origination on someone other than me, it's all good.
Seriously, I know it's immature, doesn't make a lot of sense and all that, but I crack up every time I think about it! I think we used to use it as a greeting in high school/college - yes we were that cool.
Phrases and sayings are kind of like scents or music. They can bring you back to a certain time in your life, or bring up certain emotions and thoughts.
In Bible college (yes I went to Bible college) I had a professor who used to say "Bless God!" in this crazy, southern Baptist type voice - he would also say, "Blessed are the flexible, for they shall be flexed!" Whenever I think of those phrases (usually at times of stress), I am reminded of this man of God and how he seemed to take everything in stride and with a touch of humor.
There are tons of other phrases and sayings, but my mind is overflowing with other stuff at the moment, so instead I want to hear from you. What are some phrases that bring you back in time? Or just phrases that you love or hate?
**Update** My reference to "crazy southern Baptist voice" had nothing to do with the Baptist (or southern Baptist) denomination or people who go to a Baptist church. . . . just what pops into my mind when I think of my professor!
There are tons of other phrases and sayings, but my mind is overflowing with other stuff at the moment, so instead I want to hear from you. What are some phrases that bring you back in time? Or just phrases that you love or hate?
**Update** My reference to "crazy southern Baptist voice" had nothing to do with the Baptist (or southern Baptist) denomination or people who go to a Baptist church. . . . just what pops into my mind when I think of my professor!
Monday, March 21, 2011
A weekend in review
Whew! Monday already? This past weekend was the type where when I get to work on Monday, it is almost like having a break! At least for the first few minutes!
We had a busy weekend, but at the same time it was one of the best weekends.
Friday night started with a "date night" for Mark & I. We had to miss last Wednesday's Financial Peace University because our babysitter had to go out of town at the last minute. Thankfully, we get one free lesson on Dave Ramsey's website, so Friday night my mom watched the kids and we went to my parents house to watch Lesson 3 of FPU.
This lesson is the nuts and bolts of FPU - the budget (cue horror movie music).
Mark & I have tried to create a budget for the last year, if not longer. We create one, then life happens and bam, budget gone. Or we create one and then a pair of shoes, latte, tool, etc. comes calling and we just have to have it.
I have heard people question the cost of FPU (it is usually $100 for the course). I myself questioned it before hearing people I knew go through the course and witness their lives transformed. For me, learning to budget, realistically budget, is worth every last penny of the $100. Budgeting has been a struggle for me personally all my life and that has carried into married life as well.
So, back to this weekend. Mark & I watched Lesson 3 on Friday night and then planned to pound out the budget on Saturday night after the kids went to bed.
Saturday morning brought us swimming lessons, playtime, lunch and naps for EVERYONE (whoo hoo!). Saturday late afternoon, my brother brought his boys (ages 5 & 8) over for a sleepover.
Any thought I may have once had (prior to having any kids) to have 4 kids. . . yeah, long gone!!! And all the kids were pretty well behaved, but oh man, it was a lot of work! But we played and built towers with Lego's, ate supper, had ice cream, watched a little bit of a movie and then tried to get all 4 kids to bed at the same time. Whew!
By this time we got settled into our room to start the budget I was weary, but ready to tackle the budget! And that enthusiasm lasted until we started to figure out really how much money we had vs. what we wanted!
It was tough but after about an hour, we had it down. DR advice is to use a zero based budget - give every dollar a name before the month begins. This is a challenge - especially for those of us who tend to use the guessing game for budgeting (I know we aren't the only ones out there going, now what do we pay when??). But thankfully with the help of online bank statements, finding old paid bills in the stack of unorganized mess we call a filing system, we did it!
After falling asleep Saturday night, we were woken up once by EVERY. SINGLE. CHILD. Riley (8) got up to use the bathroom and accidentally came in our room instead. Isaac fell out of his bed while attempting to get out to use the bathroom. Jake (5) came in our room at 4:45am to see if it was time to watch cartoons yet. Piper woke up at 5:00am just because. Yeah, we were not loving it very much, but I guess that is to be expected.
Sunday morning we were MIA from church due to the above reasons. Yes, it's an excuse. . . and a mighty good one I think. We made pancakes and eggs for the kids and a large pot of coffee for me. After my nephews left, we had a wonderful morning of relaxing, playing, just hanging out in our PJ's. After lunch, we all napped (whoo hoo again!) and we all must have needed it because everyone slept for at least two hours! This rarely happens in our house anymore, so it was a extra special treat! We then finally watched the end of Happy Feet. Mark & I always laugh because we see about the first 20 minutes of movies about 100 times before we convince Isaac to let the whole movie play through.
The rest of Sunday was spent with more playing, running a couple errands, supper, bath time and bed. Then, (cue horror music again) it was time to tackle part 2 of the budget. The allocated spending plan. This is were you go into great detail about what bills will be paid what week with what income.
Back to the allocated spending plan. After another hour, with only a few tense moments (Mark may have been annoyed about how I am the nerd of the group and I like things written out a certain way), we had it finished. Tired and overwhelmed as I was, I. FELT. AMAZING!
Having this first step of control in our finances is amazing to me. No, we are not rich, and no, we are not out of the woods yet and yes, we still have a ways to go to reach our goals, but oh my goodness, there is such freedom in telling your money where to go.
DR says that the first month of trying to stick to the budget is tough, second month a little better and the third month is better yet. I am prepared to have many "emergency budget meetings" this month as life happens, but the fact that we have started this portion of our journey is so encouraging to me.
All in all a wonderful weekend, full of everyday life and the trials it brings.
What was your weekend full of? (and yes I know, ending a sentence with a preposition is a no-no. . . )
We had a busy weekend, but at the same time it was one of the best weekends.
Friday night started with a "date night" for Mark & I. We had to miss last Wednesday's Financial Peace University because our babysitter had to go out of town at the last minute. Thankfully, we get one free lesson on Dave Ramsey's website, so Friday night my mom watched the kids and we went to my parents house to watch Lesson 3 of FPU.
This lesson is the nuts and bolts of FPU - the budget (cue horror movie music).
Mark & I have tried to create a budget for the last year, if not longer. We create one, then life happens and bam, budget gone. Or we create one and then a pair of shoes, latte, tool, etc. comes calling and we just have to have it.
I have heard people question the cost of FPU (it is usually $100 for the course). I myself questioned it before hearing people I knew go through the course and witness their lives transformed. For me, learning to budget, realistically budget, is worth every last penny of the $100. Budgeting has been a struggle for me personally all my life and that has carried into married life as well.
So, back to this weekend. Mark & I watched Lesson 3 on Friday night and then planned to pound out the budget on Saturday night after the kids went to bed.
Saturday morning brought us swimming lessons, playtime, lunch and naps for EVERYONE (whoo hoo!). Saturday late afternoon, my brother brought his boys (ages 5 & 8) over for a sleepover.
Any thought I may have once had (prior to having any kids) to have 4 kids. . . yeah, long gone!!! And all the kids were pretty well behaved, but oh man, it was a lot of work! But we played and built towers with Lego's, ate supper, had ice cream, watched a little bit of a movie and then tried to get all 4 kids to bed at the same time. Whew!
By this time we got settled into our room to start the budget I was weary, but ready to tackle the budget! And that enthusiasm lasted until we started to figure out really how much money we had vs. what we wanted!
It was tough but after about an hour, we had it down. DR advice is to use a zero based budget - give every dollar a name before the month begins. This is a challenge - especially for those of us who tend to use the guessing game for budgeting (I know we aren't the only ones out there going, now what do we pay when??). But thankfully with the help of online bank statements, finding old paid bills in the stack of unorganized mess we call a filing system, we did it!
After falling asleep Saturday night, we were woken up once by EVERY. SINGLE. CHILD. Riley (8) got up to use the bathroom and accidentally came in our room instead. Isaac fell out of his bed while attempting to get out to use the bathroom. Jake (5) came in our room at 4:45am to see if it was time to watch cartoons yet. Piper woke up at 5:00am just because. Yeah, we were not loving it very much, but I guess that is to be expected.
Sunday morning we were MIA from church due to the above reasons. Yes, it's an excuse. . . and a mighty good one I think. We made pancakes and eggs for the kids and a large pot of coffee for me. After my nephews left, we had a wonderful morning of relaxing, playing, just hanging out in our PJ's. After lunch, we all napped (whoo hoo again!) and we all must have needed it because everyone slept for at least two hours! This rarely happens in our house anymore, so it was a extra special treat! We then finally watched the end of Happy Feet. Mark & I always laugh because we see about the first 20 minutes of movies about 100 times before we convince Isaac to let the whole movie play through.
The rest of Sunday was spent with more playing, running a couple errands, supper, bath time and bed. Then, (cue horror music again) it was time to tackle part 2 of the budget. The allocated spending plan. This is were you go into great detail about what bills will be paid what week with what income.
Note: For all of you out there who have never struggled with managing your finances, I can about imagine your thought process right now. It may go something like this, "How can these people be adults and not have any idea how to manage money? What is so difficult about this? How have they survived all these years?" For you people, well, I don't have a good answer. All I can say is we are learning it now and better late than never, right? It is humbling, very humbling.
For those of you who struggle like us - WELCOME TO THE CLUB! One of the encouraging things about taking FPU with a group is that you realize that you are not alone. It is so freeing to be able to look at people at all different walks of life and income levels and be able to all say that we are in the same boat together. Granted, without taking the class that boat is quickly sinking, but for us this class is a lifesaver. Enough metaphors for you?
Back to the allocated spending plan. After another hour, with only a few tense moments (Mark may have been annoyed about how I am the nerd of the group and I like things written out a certain way), we had it finished. Tired and overwhelmed as I was, I. FELT. AMAZING!
Having this first step of control in our finances is amazing to me. No, we are not rich, and no, we are not out of the woods yet and yes, we still have a ways to go to reach our goals, but oh my goodness, there is such freedom in telling your money where to go.
DR says that the first month of trying to stick to the budget is tough, second month a little better and the third month is better yet. I am prepared to have many "emergency budget meetings" this month as life happens, but the fact that we have started this portion of our journey is so encouraging to me.
All in all a wonderful weekend, full of everyday life and the trials it brings.
What was your weekend full of? (and yes I know, ending a sentence with a preposition is a no-no. . . )
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Financial Peace
Mark and I have dreams and goals for our lives and the lives of our kids. There are certain things we want to accomplish or be a part of that we are unable to right now due to one little itsy bitsy word.
Debt.
I wish that I could say that our level of debt is in direct relation to the size of the word, but it is more like this in our lives right now.
DEBT.
We have lived life like a lot if not most Americans. We have bought what we could afford the payments on, not what we could afford.
We decided a few months back that we need to get things on track and get out of debt. To help us do this, Mark & I have started Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. We know both family and friends who have taken this course and we have seen the results. We have also heard that this is not a quick fix (darn).
We are in week 3 - since we have started, we have cut up all our credit cards (kind of a freeing and scary feeling at the same time), created a simple budget, and prayed for wisdom in our financial decisions from here on out.
Also since we have started, I have never been more tempted to stop and get a latte on my way to work or go shopping for a cute pair of sandals for spring. I look at my purse and think I should really get a new one becuase this one has a thread hanging from it. I notice that there are all these great new eyeshadow colors in the make-up aisle at Walmart. I think steaks on the grill sound great when before mac & cheese was fine by me.
My immediate thought usually after all of these temptations is that I deserve it. I deserve that coffee because I was up with the kids and I'm tired. I deserve the shoes because they make me feel good about the way I look. I deserve a new purse because a lot of my friends have purses for every outfit. You get the picture.
Last week, in class Dave told a story of a single mom who stopped him after a conference. She told him that she had created her budget, she was working 2 jobs to cover all the bills and although it was tight, she was making it. Then one day on her way to bring the kids to daycare, it was pouring rain and she got a flat tire. So she had to get out in the rain and change it, all the while being splashed by cars going by. She got to work late because of this and got yelled at by her boss. She had to work late to cover for being late and so she was late to pick up the kids from daycare and she got penalized for that. On the way home, the kids were begging and pleading for "McDonald's, McDonald's, McDonald's!" This mom, being tired and frustrated gave in because she felt she deserved a break after her horrible day. So she pulled into the McDonald's drive through and bought some Happy Meals (with money marked for another expense) and went home. This single mom told Dave, "That trip to McDonald's cost me $159 in bounced check fees."
Dave went on to say that we don't 'deserve' to treat ourselves when we are the ones to get ourselves into these messes. By budgeting, you give all your money a name and if you don't have money for an area, whether its eating out, going to movies, buying new shoes or makeup, you don't do it!!
Hard to shallow, but good for me to hear. I still get tempted, but I keep thinking of the plans that we have and the plans that God has for us (Jeremiah 29:11-12) and it helps keep me motivated.
So does one of Dave's famous phrases (paraphrased):
"Live now like no one else, so someday you can live like no one else!"
Debt.
I wish that I could say that our level of debt is in direct relation to the size of the word, but it is more like this in our lives right now.
DEBT.
We have lived life like a lot if not most Americans. We have bought what we could afford the payments on, not what we could afford.
We decided a few months back that we need to get things on track and get out of debt. To help us do this, Mark & I have started Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. We know both family and friends who have taken this course and we have seen the results. We have also heard that this is not a quick fix (darn).
We are in week 3 - since we have started, we have cut up all our credit cards (kind of a freeing and scary feeling at the same time), created a simple budget, and prayed for wisdom in our financial decisions from here on out.
Also since we have started, I have never been more tempted to stop and get a latte on my way to work or go shopping for a cute pair of sandals for spring. I look at my purse and think I should really get a new one becuase this one has a thread hanging from it. I notice that there are all these great new eyeshadow colors in the make-up aisle at Walmart. I think steaks on the grill sound great when before mac & cheese was fine by me.
My immediate thought usually after all of these temptations is that I deserve it. I deserve that coffee because I was up with the kids and I'm tired. I deserve the shoes because they make me feel good about the way I look. I deserve a new purse because a lot of my friends have purses for every outfit. You get the picture.
Last week, in class Dave told a story of a single mom who stopped him after a conference. She told him that she had created her budget, she was working 2 jobs to cover all the bills and although it was tight, she was making it. Then one day on her way to bring the kids to daycare, it was pouring rain and she got a flat tire. So she had to get out in the rain and change it, all the while being splashed by cars going by. She got to work late because of this and got yelled at by her boss. She had to work late to cover for being late and so she was late to pick up the kids from daycare and she got penalized for that. On the way home, the kids were begging and pleading for "McDonald's, McDonald's, McDonald's!" This mom, being tired and frustrated gave in because she felt she deserved a break after her horrible day. So she pulled into the McDonald's drive through and bought some Happy Meals (with money marked for another expense) and went home. This single mom told Dave, "That trip to McDonald's cost me $159 in bounced check fees."
Dave went on to say that we don't 'deserve' to treat ourselves when we are the ones to get ourselves into these messes. By budgeting, you give all your money a name and if you don't have money for an area, whether its eating out, going to movies, buying new shoes or makeup, you don't do it!!
Hard to shallow, but good for me to hear. I still get tempted, but I keep thinking of the plans that we have and the plans that God has for us (Jeremiah 29:11-12) and it helps keep me motivated.
So does one of Dave's famous phrases (paraphrased):
"Live now like no one else, so someday you can live like no one else!"
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