Thursday Thought

Progress, not perfection. – SARK

Anyone else a perfectionist??? This was a breakthrough for me in 2011 as I tried some new things. 2012 is year of progress. Perfectionism is on notice:)

What is one area you want to make progress in this year?

Thursday Thought

This year has already brought so many things to ponder. What about you? Anything speaking to your heart?

This week- from the Passion Conference in Atlanta last week-

“Enthusiasm doesn’t equal accomplishment.”

helllloooooo 2012

my goodness, i have never been so happy to see a new year

2011 was not for the faint of heart

at least around our world

but there were some highlights:

very blurry iphone pic of alex graduating with his masters in special education

birth of our favorite triplets- alex’s brother and his wife grew their family by 6 feet this year and we are truly, madly, deeply in love with them (alex is santa in the pic:) )

so here’s to the new year and hoping (and praying and desperately clinging to the Lord) it brings great things:)

anyone have a word for the year or resolutions?

 

An Open Heart

“The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” -Acts 16:14

In my Bible study at church, we are studying To Live is Christ by Beth Moore. I believe this was her 3rd study so we love every week seeing Beth’s hair and clothes from the mid 1990s:) The Word is still and always so relevant to our lives though!
Lydia was a topic in this week’s study. That verse is about her and it struck me so deeply. Lydia was a Christian business woman who opened her home to others. She was successful in the marketplace and probably struggled with balancing it all like a lot of us do.
I just love the power of God working in our lives! Here was Paul who was headed to Asia to spread the Gospel and felt hindered by the Lord not to continue. Instead of getting upset at his plans being re-routed, Paul pressed on, trusting the Spirit of the Lord leading them. In a vision, God spoke to him to go to Macedonia.
Enter Lydia. And the Lord opened her heart. With that, the Gospel was introduced to Europe. One door closed and another opened to a continent, changing its history forever.
It’s not our plans.
It’s not our path.
It’s not our power.
The Lord opens the heart to respond and lives are changed, hearts are encouraged and history is marked.

The Great Physician

We have had a great sudden loss in our family recently and as we all deal with it, I keep thinking about something I read several months ago.
It is from Soul Talk by Dr. Larry Crabb and he was recounting a trip to the ER in the middle of the night for kidney stones. He even had to call an ambulance to his home. He was in tremendous pain and was met by a doctor who told him, “We have more pain medicine than you have pain.” Dr. Crabb related how he just began to relax after the doctor said that.
Sometimes life can overwhelm us with pain, despair, or depression. Sometimes we can feel so hopeless.
The hospital conversation struck me so deeply. That’s what Jesus says to us.
“I have more peace than you have fear.”
“I have more hope than you have despair.”
“I have more provision than you have debt.”
“I have more joy than you have depression.”
And on and on. God’s Word tells us that the Lord’s peace passes our understanding; He provides for all our needs; His joy is our strength. And we are never without hope. I just have to remember to stand on that.
Maybe you needed that reminder today as much as I did.

Hair Help

Oh my word, I have a new hair product. I always need hair help. I missed the gene where you just know how to fix, flip, fluff, sleek and all that hair stuff:P
I realized I needed something like a finishing cream. But where do you even start with that? I didn’t want something to make my hair look oily but it did need to smooth things out so what to do? There are some great salon products but I just didn’t want to spend money on that. (Also, did you know Suave is now making rosemary mint shampoo just like a very popular salon shampoo? And for less than $3, that is a bargain:) )
This is what I found at Wal Mart-

Just a dime size drop in your hands, pat together and run your hands through your fixed hair. Great product and great price=AMAZING:)

Have you ever thought about how you look when you are styling your hair? A couple of weeks ago, right after a fresh haircut, Alex happened to be in the room when I was fixing my hair and proclaimed “it sure was a lot of trouble” 😛 It’s funny when you think of all the tweaks and tricks you use to coax your hair into cooperating into a presentable style!
What’s your favorite bargain hair product?

Diptacular

BooMama is hosting the 2011 dip roundup and who doesn’t loooovvveee an awesome dip at tailgating and game watching in the fall.
This is the easiest dip in the world and it doesn’t have a name. My mom has always, always, always made this and it goes with veggies, plain chips, corn chips, toast points, etc:)

One container sour cream- use the full fat:P
Cavender’s Greek seasoning- just to taste, at least a couple of tablespoons. I like a lot though
Stir it up.

Delicious! And you can make it right in the sour cream container! Easy peasy!

Just a Few of my Favorite Things

I ordered some Burt’s Bees stuff recently and got some fantastic soap. I love the scent so much!

This is my favorite candy bar! You can buy them at World Market or wherever has good taste in candy:P

No explanation necessary:P If you’ve never tried it, do!

When you think of your favorite things, don’t you just want to burst into song ala Julie Andrews:) What’s in on your favorite things list right now?

Pick Me Up

Alex had to pick up a kid on his way to school today. Someone who needed a ride to school. I thought about how those little moments, a ride to school, a pat on the back in the football huddle, a high five or fist bump even- those moments add up to make a difference in the life of a teen.
Alex is great about stuff like that. And he does it without a thought of “the moment” it creates. That’s the best. Just doing stuff day in and day out.
You truly never know what a difference you are making in someone’s life. You may never know how your smile, opened door, or thoughtful conversation changed a person’s life, but those little things add up day in and day out.
Makes me think of my day a little differently.

Wife

Home maker

Snuggle partner

Dinner fixer

Hand holder

Kiss giver…and receiver

Heart holder

Blessing counter

Helper
Encourager
Friend

So much more to being a wife than I knew two short years ago. Even though over a week late, couldn’t let our anniversary go by without saying how much being a wife has stretched me inside and out. Maybe for some, marriage is a fairy tale world and magic happens every day:) Buuutttt, some of us married later in life when stubborn wills are fully developed:) 🙂
To my sweet, kind, hilarious, humble, wonderful husband, thank you for making me your wife. I cherish you.