Verses and Vitamins

What a week!

Whew. I'm glad it is Friday.

After an exciting, tiring, kinda weird, doubt filled, and full week - I sat down this morning to read The Word.

What I read just quenched my parched soul.....

...make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

Just like my daily vitamin supplements my sometimes less than stellar diet - moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly (and sisterly!) affection, and love for everyone - supplement my sometimes struggling faith.

I'm asking myself some questions this morning. What IS moral excellence? How am I gaining it? What's self-control? Have I been demonstrating that lately? What does patient endurance look like? Have I been modeling that? And godliness. How am I living under THAT hefty term? Then there is love. Am I loving on everyone in my life?


My heart is just soaking all that in today. Just wanted you to know :)

Let's Boogy

1-2-3-4-5-6-7 and 8 ....and....

Can you feel the beat?

I grew up dancing - but I have to tell you I find it so much more enjoyable now. Don't get me wrong - I'm so thankful I got to learn how to do pirouettes and pull-backs, grand jete jumps and the jive, but these days I find myself enjoying the art of movement in a different way....


Nowadays, I would much rather dance with my two year old son than learn things at a ballet bar. I would rather slow dance with my husband in our living room than dance on the biggest of stages. And I would rather dance for an audience of One than dance for thousands. (Not that I was ever even close to being good enough to dance in front of thousands anyway - but y'all get the point!)

Yes. These days dancing isn't about slicking my hair into a bun with Dippity Doo and it isn't about getting all of the steps just right. It has taken on more of a symbolic meaning in my life.

I was given a book a few years back called Dance While You Can: Gentle Reminders to Help You Live Life to the Fullest by Lance Wubbels. It is just a little gift book with tender pictures and short snippets on every page, but it really inspires me. Let me share some of it with you:

"To dance.... I will stop looking back with regrets....or looking forward with fear...and give the best I have today."


"I will believe that what God has placed inside me is superior to the mountains that stand in my way."


"To dance....I will be daring and courageous and refuse to allow fear to control my actions."


"To dance...I will stop complaining about what I don't have. And I will learn to be truly grateful for what I do have. I will be content. Though not complacent."


"May you always follow in the steps of the Lord of the Dance and experience the joy of His life song for your lives."


Don't those words just move you? And don't they just make you want to move? Instead of moping through life - let's move through life. Instead of dreading - let's dance.

Turn up the music.

Get your dancing shoes on kids....it's past time to shake our groove thangs through this thing we call life :)

The Feast

I'm still stuffed.

Two nights ago we drove over to my Mother-in-law's house and ate like royalty. We had Homemade (of course) Chicken Alfredo, Texas Toast with Parmesan Cheese, Green Bean Casserole, Mixed Green Salad with Homemade Dressing, Pecan Pie, and yes...Sweet Tea.

It was a party in my tummy.

My husband pretty much had to roll me out of the house. I ate soooo much. I couldn't help myself. I knew that would happen. My Mom-in-law is the Queen of All Things Culinary. I have never had one of her meals that wasn't mouth watering. I don't know how she does it. It's a gift.

As we sat at her table, I watched my husband and son eat like they haven't had food in years. I kind of felt sorry for them. I cook. And I cook a lot - we don't eat out too often. But even when I follow one of my Mother-in-law's recipes - it just doesn't come out the same. My husband tries to be all nice and say that he loves how I cook. But I saw the sheer joy he experienced while wolfing down his Mom's food. In between bites, I leaned over and sarcastically whispered, "You had forgotten what it is like over here on the good side, didn't you?" He just grinned. He knew I was right and he didn't really want to slow down long enough to utter actual words anyway.

But I'm working on it. My pork chops still come out tough. My roast still comes out of the oven dry. My mashed potatoes still need a little zip. But I'm getting there.

It kinda reminds me of being a stay-at-home mom. I'm working on that, too. I'm growing and learning. I still lose one of my son's socks just about every day. I still shrink my husbands work shirts. And I occasionally forget to feed the dog. But I'm getting there. And having fun in the process.

Now, if you'll excuse me....I have some cookies to burn.

Lord, please help me to serve my family well. And help me to serve them with love. Make me better at what I do, God. And at the same time, please help me to keep all expectations of myself reasonable and godly. Please bring people into my life like my Mother-In-Law - who can teach me and mentor me in all things home and more importantly, all things YOU. In Jesus' Sweet Name, Amen :)

Homemaker Happenings

I can't seem to get our house organized.

We bought the place this past summer and since we moved across the country - we brought lots of boxes with us. We have most of them unloaded but there are about a dozen or so that still need to be unpacked. And since we are in the middle of updating our new home - things are chaotic. Papers are piling up. Toys are scattered about the house. And it seems as if nothing has a place. I feel guilty even admitting this!

After all, I am a stay at home Mom. My child and my house are what I do! I remember years ago - dreaming about being a Homemaker. I had big plans. I dreamt of fixing up large feasts of food for every meal, cleaning the house from top to bottom everyday, baking things for friends and neighbors every week, folding laundry so nice and neat, vacuuming with a smile, playing the role of super Mom, and decorating every room just perfectly. And I planned on getting all of that done with my makeup expertly applied, wearing cute little outfits, and humming a tune.

A little unrealistic maybe.

But still - for some reason I just can't seem to get it all together! I can't get everything organized in my head. I can't get things situated. It is more than a little frustrating. I need help. So I was wondering....

do you have any tips for me? On how to organize things and such? I'd love to hear from you. I NEED to hear from you! How do YOU get your home where it needs to be and keep it that way?

Your advice and wisdom is greatly appreciated :)

Encouragement

Some quotes you might enjoy:

"It is always wise to stop wishing for things long enough to enjoy the fragrance of those now flowering." - Patrice Gifford

"Moments spent listening, talking, playing, and sharing together may be the most important times of all." - Gloria Gaither

"The soft, sweet summer was warm and glowing,
Bright were the blossoms on every bough.
I trusted Him when the roses were blooming;
I trust Him now...." L.B. Cowman

Be encouraged Sweet Friends - and have a wonderful weekend :)

My Rowdy Roots

Tomorrow, I am going to get my hair colored for the first time in forever. I had to wash my hair tonight, so that I can style it all nice tomorrow BEFORE I go to the salon. WHAT? Did I just say that I am gonna style my hair before I go get it styled? Yep.

See, as part of an early Christmas gift - my Mama left me some 'hair money' the last time she visited. And she insisted that I go to the fancy salon in the big city. Ya know, the kind where you feel like you have to fix your hair - before you get it fixed. I didn't even fight with her about it and I didn't say "Oh Mom, you don't have to do that!" Instead I said, "Yes, Mam!" and booked my appointment!

She knows how much I love hair color. In high school, I would have a different hair hew just about every month. My parents were okay with it. Even when I dyed it purple :)

Not only does my Mom know that I love hair dye and that I don't get my hair colored much anymore - but I'm certain she saw my roots. Y'all, seriously. My roots are so much lighter than the rest of my hair that it is almost offensive. Really. And oh my gosh - it looks weird. For some reason, my roots are like way lighter than my hair color used to be. I have some serious natural blonde going on now. Back when I used to get my hair tinted a lot - I actually forgot what color my natural was. Isn't that horrible?

I forgot my roots. But I have to tell ya, there are some roots that I will never forget.....

The ones that run deep into the Texas soil. It all began for me in the Lonestar State, Kids. My roots are so firmly planted in the south that even after all these years I still say things like, "Gaw-leeeeee, Yall! And "I used to could." And "I'm fixin' too!" I love the south. Pecan Pie. Open Sky. Big Hair. People Who Care. And so on. No, I will never forget where I come from. I will never forget going to MeeMaw's after church for Chicken Fried Steak and Tators. I will never forget the awesome taste of a Wata-Burger or the zest of a Taco from Jack in the Box. I will never forget 110 degree weather, family get togethers, Texas football, the hospitality, the churches, and the people.

Thankfully, I get to go down and spend some time with my Texans here soon. I can't wait.

And what's even better is that I will not offend anyone with my roots. (Not the ones on my head or the ones in my heart!)

Flying with the Father - Election Day

As I sit down to write this post, I can hear a single-engine prop plane buzzing about overhead.

That sound always brings back sweet memories for me. When I was about 13 years old, my Dad earned his private pilots license. (In a later blog post - I will tell you the magical story of how my father accomplished this. It's a good one!)

On the weekends, my father and I would drive out to the local airport, rent a small plane, and take off into the blue sky. We would usually fly to another small airport, eat at the cafe, and take off again. Sometimes, we would just fly around and enjoy the earth from a birds eye view. It was fabulous. We would turn the music on, open up the window flap and soar through the sky. It was so relaxing. So much so, that I would often times fall asleep. Now if you know me, you understand that I am NOT a person who easily falls asleep in airplanes (or on the ground for that matter). I tend to be anxious and fidgety - especially in flight.

But this was different. I wasn't a passenger on a commercial plane who's pilot I did not know - I was a passenger on a plane who's pilot was my Daddy! I trusted him. I felt safe. I was secure. His very presence at the controls put me at such ease. And this Daddy's girl was so comfortable that she drifted off while drifting through the air.

Those are such sweet memories of mine. I truly cherish them. And as I listen to small planes flying over our house today, I can't help but make a connection:

Today is election day here in the US. It is pretty exciting - but it is also a tad scary. The American people will be choosing who our next president will be. That is some hefty stuff! We have studied where each candidate wants to take us. We have heard their flight plans and considered their desired destinations. Which one will we fly with? This election season has been particularly intense for many of us. I confess that it has kept me wide-eyed and awake at night on many occasions. But just as my heart starts to quake - I am reminded that no matter who wins the election - the Captain - the lead pilot will always be my Heavenly Father. No matter what.

Just as my earthly parent brought me peace and comfort in the air - my Heavenly Father will bring me security and strength in this election. I'm flying with the Father. Therefore I know my final destination will be a real good one! With Him in the pilot's seat - I'm ready to go full throttle.

All aboard!

The Steps

Notice my new profile picture.

I picked this photo for a reason. Right now, I am doing a Beth Moore Bible study called "Stepping Up". It goes through Psalms 120-134 - The Psalms of Ascent. I thought I would share with you some of the things I have been learning from this study:

"You and I are going to learn to worship God with our whole hearts - whatever their present conditions - as we pick up our weary, blistered feet and take the next step with God." (p.16)

"We may have relationships with some people who don't highly prioritize integrity and who fight dirty, but somewhere along the way we've got to quit getting in the mud with them." (p.19)

"I am so grateful to God for the grace to believe amid the madness." (p.38)

"Let's face it. Most of us have a love-hate relationship with the places we've gotten our mail, but God intended to use every stop to equip us as servants.....You may feel like an exile within its city limits, but just as God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, He wants to prosper you there." (p.41) This quote struck a chord with me this morning. Read yesterdays post. They go hand in hand. I think God is showing me something here.

Continuing to worship right where I am......

Worship from Anywhere

I'm a front row kind of girl.

Or if not the front row...then definitely the second. When it comes to church and conferences, events and concerts - I like to be towards the front. (Now school....that was a different story.)

As we sat in church today - from the balcony - I longed to be in the first few seats. Close to the preacher. Why? I'm not sure. Maybe it's because I get distracted in the back by everyone coming in and such. Maybe it's because I'm a dork. I dunno.

My days in the front row were over a while ago. When you have a small child - sitting in the back is best. It's easier to escape when your child starts fussing and what not. And that is okay! My son is totally worth it :)

But today, as I found myself yearning for those first few pews - I began to sense a sweet and gentle prompting from the Lord. It felt as if God was saying,

"Honey, worship me right where you are. This is where I have you right now. You are where you are supposed to be. I can meet you in the balcony, Babe. "

It spoke to me in more ways than one, y'all. God wasn't just telling me that sitting in the balcony is fine. He was telling me that no matter what season of life we are in - He can meet us there.

Ahhhhh. And that is just awesome, isn't it!?! Just totally awesome :)