good words about words

I have recently read two blog posts about the words you speak. One written by my friend, Marie, and the other by a pastor, Joe McKeever.  Both have wonderful messages about words. Messages that I need to hear over and over again.

The messages are clear …

First, never forget that words have power – power to harm or to heal. Second, never hesitate to ask someone to forgive you and be very thankful for “short memories” and forgiving people.

My take away from these two posts. First, I pray that the words I speak are always meant to bring healing, but I know that I fail – regularly. And second, when I do fail, I pray that my friends (and anyone else I come in contact with) will extend a little grace.

I wish I could link to one of the songs from our VBS that will be coming this summer … it is all about being wise with our words.

I kind of get the feeling that God is trying to tell me something...

spring ... in pictures

Like most people, I love Spring. I mean really, what is there to not like about Spring?

Well, besides the pollen that covers everything and that pesky hour we lose to the time change. But, that is another post entirely.

20 some odd years ago, when I was choosing what to do with my life, I really, really wanted to be a photographer. Actually, my dream was to double major in English and photography and become a journalist. Now, I wish I hadn't been such a chicken. However, majoring in photography was expensive and I wasn't passionate enough, or brave enough, to take a risk. Silly me.

Formal training or not, I still indulge in one of my favorite past-times as often as I can. My dream these days is to own a really good camera … some day, maybe. Until then, my little camera (that will probably do far more than I realize), will have to suffice. And, for this post, I am going to share a little bit of what has caught my eye this Spring.

As with most anything, there is a spiritual application to be found in these pictures. For me, it is about gratitude. I cannot imagine a world without the beauty of Spring flowers, and butterflies, and the busyness of bumblebees. It would be a bit presumptuous to think that God created these beauties just for me, but on the days when I am in need of a distraction from the daily grind, I am so thankful for a world with flowers and bugs and other critters to capture through the lens of my camera.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good;

for his mercy endureth forever.

Psalm 107:1

daybook 4-7-15

For Today...

April 7, 2015

Outside my window…

The sun is peeking through the clouds,

and I'm looking at grass that needs to be cut.

I am thinking…

about the fact that it is already April!

How did we get here so quickly?

I am thankful…

for the blessing of friendship. I have been reminded over the last few days

that I am incredibly blessed with wonderful friends.

I am wearing…

blue jeans and one of my favorite shirts

~ black with silver, coral, and white polka dots ~ a coral tank top and

the necklace that Lora gave me for my birthday.

I am creating…

a sample page for a poetry notebook that I have assigned to my literature class … at least, I have purchased the necessary items and will be creating it later this week

I am going…

to take the older kids to their

second drama practice of the day.

I am wondering…

if we are biting off more than we can

chew with two plays at one time.

I am reading…

ummm…….

I am hoping…

that the rest of this week will be more productive – school-wise that is.

I am learning…

the ins and outs of putting on a drama.

In my kitchen…

my wonderful husband cooked pork-chops,

lima beans, green beans and garlic bread for supper tonight … super yummy!

In the homeschool room…

we haven't done much “sit down” school this week.  Tomorrow should be back to routine.

A favorite quote for today…

“But let it be the hidden man of the heart,

in that which is not corruptible,

even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,

which is in the sight of God of great price.”

1 Peter 3:4

A peek into one of my days…

My two birthday cakes .... first an ice cream cake from my sweet husband and kids (after taking me to Cracker Barrel for dinner) and then another surprise this afternoon … 20 drama kids singing “happy birthday” and a yummy birthday cake! (Thank you, Marie, even if you did mutilate my cake!!)

One of my favorite things…

visiting with some of our “oldest” friends!

Please visit Peggy at The Simple Woman

for more daybooks.

remembrance

We had a few minutes before the service started. People were chatting all around us, but we sat quietly talking about what we were about to do. He's seen us prepare for and participate in this solemn ordinance many times, but this is only his second time to partake. I asked him if he understood what it meant to prepare our hearts, to not take of the meal “unworthily” … he was solemn and serious as he answered and we talked about confession and forgiveness. And then my little wild-child closed his eyes and leaned into me. I don't know what happened in those few moments and I don't know if he will remember that moment in years to come, but I will.

I can't help but think of the gift that Jesus gave to His disciples ~ His friends ~ this gift that has been passed down to us. An invitation to remember … to never forget … to never take for granted His broken body and shed blood.

He paid a debt He did not owe because I owed a debt I could not pay.  May I never forget.

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood:  this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 

1 Corinthians 11:24-27 

one thing off my bucket list

At this time last year, my 40^th birthday was looming large in front of me and I was looking for things to make me feel like the kid that my brain heart still thinks I should be. So, I decided that sometime during the year in which I turned 40 I really needed to complete a 5k race. Somewhere in my childish, 39 year old brain, I thought that running said race would be a good idea. But, somewhere along the way, my 40-year-old-out-of-shape body told my still-thinks-I-am-a-kid brain to hush and I decided that walking a 5k would be a more realistic goal.

But, I got busy and my daily walks got pushed to the back-burner, so I kinda gave up on the idea of actually achieving the goal I had set for myself. I'd like to play the martyr and say that I sacrificed my goals so that my kids could accomplish goals of their own, but the truth is that I allowed the busyness of life to crowd out the daily walks that I really should have made time for each day.

So, time passes and my 41^st birthday creeps closer and closer and then we go to Disney and walk an average of 10 miles per day and it doesn't hurt me as bad as I thought it would. And then a friend at church … one who is a little older than me … tells me that she has been walking in a 5k a month since she had heart surgery. And then she invites our family to join her in a walk to support missions … a walk that is scheduled before my birthday.

And that is how I came to spend a Saturday morning in March walking in the rain, up and down hills that were described as rolling when the word killer would have been a much better description. And that is why, for the next week, I couldn't stand up without groaning, and possibly moaning, with every step.

Now that I have done one 5k, I could just say … been there, done that, got the t-shirt. But, now that I have done it once, I know that I don't want it to be the last.

Finishing that race, even in the pouring rain and knowing that I would be feeling every hill we had climbed for days to come, felt good … I mean, really good.

Like a feeling that I don't know how to put into words.

Besides being able to mark this goal off of my bucket list, I also had the pleasure of sharing my first time with Lora for her first time. We had a great time talking while we walked … except for the times that I was puffing too hard trying to make it up a hill and she was having to work hard not to run off and leave me. Her 15 year old dancer's legs weren't struggling quite as hard as my 40 year old ones. Somehow, doing it together made it easier and definitely more fun.

I think it is safe to say that this won't be my last 5k. Besides the fact that I actually enjoyed it, now my boys want to get in on the action and Lora has already been looking for our next race. I never realized how many opportunities there are to get off your duff on a Saturday morning and support some cause.

I has occurred to me, that it is slightly possible that those Saturday mornings might be just a little bit easier if I'll get off my duff during the week!

I couldn't resist taking a couple of pictures of the day.  Certainly, this is something we want to remember!

This was pretty much the only sunshine we saw the entire day.

This sign was along the road on the biggest hill ...
I was not amused.

This is a terrible picture, but it does give a little
perspective on the hills.  You can see that Lora
wasn't struggling quite as much as her poor, old Mama!

We were soaking wet and looking a little ragged,
 but happy thankful to have reached the finish line!

Proof that we finished!  Lora and I both placed in our age-groups,
which explains the medals.  I think it is great to have a memento of
our first race, but it was such a small race that I don't think that
it is exactly honest to say that we "won" or anything.

daybook 3/31/15

For Today…

March 31, 2015

Outside my window…

The blue sky is peeking out from high clouds.

I'm sitting in the library looking out the window to the street where my Daddy grew up.

I am reminded of how much I love living close to my family.

I am thinking…

about the end of this school year … which doesn't end school for us, just changes our extra activities.

This really means that I am thinking about what I want to change over the summer months.

I am thankful…

for the opportunity to see my children finding 

and sharing their gifts.

I am wearing…

a tee shirt and (for the first time this spring)

 my favorite blue jean capris!

I am creating…

(same as last week!)

a list of scriptures to encourage the kids (and myself)

when we get bogged down in school.

I am going…

to get my hair cut in the morning … finally!

I am wondering…

when our VBS material order will arrive …

I'm looking forward to getting started planning.

I am reading…

nothing … that makes me sad!

I am looking forward to…

visiting with friends this weekend as we 

celebrate their daughter's birthday.

I am learning…

to appreciate the little things.

In my kitchen…

hamburger steaks, smothered in onions and gravy,

served with rice and purple hull peas.

Oh, and a completely clean fridge … cause I have the best husband!

In the homeschool room…

we keep on keeping on …

but we are all battling spring fever!

A favorite quote for today…

Being confident of this very thing,

that he which hath begun a

good work in you will perform

it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

A peek into one of my days…

My sweet D drew this carriage with just a little  help from his
art teacher, who just happens to be his grandfather.

One of my favorite things…

My children playing together …

at least as long as they aren't bickering!

Please visit Peggy at The Simple Woman to find 

more daybooks and to join in the fun.

daybook - 3/27

For Today…

March 27, 2015

Outside my window…

Beautiful blue skies and signs that spring is here.

I am thinking…

about things I want to accomplish this weekend

I am thankful…

for warm weather and sunshine!

I will need to remember this feeling in a few weeks when

I am complaining about the heat of a Mississippi summer.

I am wearing…

gray knit pants and the t-shirt from the

5k my LB and I walked in last Saturday.

I am creating…

a list of scriptures to encourage the kids (and myself)

when we get bogged down in school work.

I am going…

to take the older kids to play flashlight tag with their friends tonight

while the rest of us clean the church and get it set up for our lunch on Sunday.

I am wondering…

many things … mainly how to handle some issues that

are causing us to stall in our school work.

I am reading…

about essential oils …

thinking it is time to jump on the bandwagon.

I am hoping…

to get the boys' room cleaned out and ready to be painted this weekend.

I am learning…

that teenage/preteen boys are a species 
that I don't understand at all.

In my kitchen…

nothing cooking ... just a mess to clean!

In the homeschool room…

we just finished with another week!

Hallelujah! I am looking forward to the weekend!

A favorite quote for today…

From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2

A peek into one of my days…

Tiny bits of purple ... I'm loving the signs of spring everywhere!

A beautiful rainbow from a few weeks ago.
It was actually a full rainbow, but I didn't have my
camera so this is all my phone could capture.

I am always in awe of seeing a rainbow.  

They are such an amazing promise from our loving Father.

One of my favorite things…

Fifth Sunday lunches at church!

Thanks for taking a little peek into my day ...

visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Blog

for more daybook entries.