Wanna see into my house?

Okay, so I know this might be a little too silly for you more refined folks but I love this movie!!! My hubby and I fell in love while watching this movie almost 17 years ago so it holds a special place in my heart. Today I feel like the hitchiker that gets bamboozled by the idiots driving a sheepdog, even down to the scene where he is about to pull his gun. Pay special attention to the slapping past him and the most annoying sound in the world.....yep, that is my house today. Just watching that made my day brighter and better. Is that sad?

A Vent Session

Today I will be listing some things that are annoying me and I need to get off my chest.

1. Walmart....why oh why did you decide to make your grocery bags even thinner and more useless?? They are officially good for NOTHING! I don't think you are saving money if your cashiers are having to double bag for cereal boxes. And that is if you happen to get in line with a cashier that actually cares. Most of them will put 15 pounds of canned goods in one bag and then tell you that if you want, you can double bag it yourself. Ugh!!

2. I had forgotten how much I really do not enjoy dirty diapers. I still do not like them. And my boys and the little man I watch have radar when it comes to me sitting down to eat. I either have to run and help my littlest man in the potty or change a stinky diaper. I have even attempted to switch up when I eat. It has not mattered at all. The radar goes off and I have poop to deal with. Yuck!!

3. Laundry is a chore that I don't really mind doing. But I have noticed a new phenomenon. There are 4 people in my house and somehow I end up with more loads than that a day. How???? I try to do laundry every day and keep it all done but it is getting harder and harder. Maybe it is the fact that the boys clothes are getting bigger in proportions to their growing bodies.

4. Patience is not an area of life that I seem to have mastered. I am constantly being given opportunities to grow in that area, daily, hourly and sometimes by the minute.

5. I am upset at our Electric Company today. I feel like they are trying to bully me and while I am usually confident in most things to fight back, this is something I am pretty much ignorant about. I need help!

6. I am feeling compelled to clean out my house. It is becoming a driving need. Perhaps it is spring cleaning a few months early. However all the responsibilies I have right now are frustrating that plan. I want to move everything in my house but it just isn't going to happen this week.

7. I need a haircut!! My hair is starting to resemble a hippie that stuck a finger in an elctrical socket. But I am not sure about trusting my hair to just anybody. The last haircut I got lasted several hours and they only did the front half of my hair. The back is still damaged and full of split ends. I told them what I wanted and they completely ignored my requests. I have ALOT of hair. It is very thick and heavy and not just anybody can cut it. I guess the problem is that I haven't found ANYONE that can. At least not to my satisfaction. So in the meantime I am walking around with a haircut that makes me look older and not feel as attractive as I would like. I guess I need to get brave and give someone a chance.

8. I am a huge fan of the Shark Steam Mop. I received my 2nd one for Christmas. I love it!!! It makes my least favorite household chore at least tolerable. They have new mopheads that fit into tighter spaces, especially in the bathroom. Then I saw on their new infomercial (hey don't judge) that they combined their vacuum and their mop into one machine. Say what???? Always something else. I am determined to enjoy my new mop, even if it doesn't vacuum up dirt.

9. Whining is quite possibly the most annoying sound in the world. You know what I am talking about, right???

10. I will end on a positive note. It is beautiful outside today! So my little whiners have been banished to the yard while I tackle the mountain of laundry, while pushing my hair out of my face and have a date with my steam mop, while occasionally stopping to change a diaper or wipe a hiney. Then I will have to find a non-Walmart bag to put the diaper in. I will refrain from calling the Electric company to vent my frustrations and try to come up with a solution. Anyone know a free Electrician?

I Was A Witness

Today I went to a wedding that in many ways was different than any other I had attended. The bride wore pink. It was thrown together in just a few weeks. The couple had their 3 sons standing up on stage with them. They both come from a different type of life than I have lived. But while I was sitting in that chair and watching a miracle unfold the Lord showed me that He is the Redeemer of all things.

I met this young lady over a year ago when she started attending our church with her grandmother. She brought her 3 sons and they are quite active, if you get my drift. Some Sundays as I taught their classes I thought I might just lose my mind. They tested my comfort zone and my standards of acceptable behavior. But without fail, their mom would bring them and over the past year I have seen the Lord work in a mighty way in these precious little boys.

Almost a year ago, while I was teaching these little boys about God and telling them about how much He loved them, their mother surrendered her life to the Lord in service. My hubby had tears in his eyes as he told me about it on the way home from church. What wonderful news!!!!

Over the past year, I have watched this young woman faithfully attend and bring her children, and then she was bringing her brother and sister in law, and friends. What God had done in her life was affecting those around her. So awesome!!!!

However, she had a sadness since she was coming alone, without her boyfriend and father of her children. She has stayed faithful and in faith, trusting that the Lord would do what He promised.

The first Sunday of January we had a guest speaker at church. Phenomenal message by the way!!! At the end of the sermon, this man walked up to this young woman and began to prophecy. He said to keep holding on and to keep trusting, that God was working, even if she couldn't see it.

The next Sunday her boyfriend came to church with her and received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Awesome again!!! Hallelujah!!!

The next Sunday there was a wedding anouncement posted in the foyer and they were inviting everyone to their wedding. What a sweet celebration!

So I sat in my seat and watched this new man in Christ see his friend and love of his life in a brand new light. He began crying when he saw her walking down the aisle. But the part that touched my heart most was that they both cried when Pastor began talking about the Lord and how He saw them. They might as well have been shining and glistening as they smiled at each other and cried.

I witnessed a miracle of God today. He has redeemed their lives just like He redeemed mine. He has made them one with each other in a way they didn't even know existed before they met God. And more importantly they are now one with Christ.

I went today to show support and to celebrate a new marriage but got my socks blessed off. God is so good. His Word does not return void. It will reap a harvest. And I feel so blessed to have been able to be a part of the miracle today.

I am so proud of them both and look forward to seeing what great things will come for Juan & Angela. Please praise the Lord with me and pray for them as well as they walk a new road together.

A New Thing

I have already posted about some of the new things that are going on with me...pedicures, homeschooling, babysitting, etc. But the latest developement is in the area of my husbands job and where his next one will be. We have been looking at positions from here to Nebraska and have been offered a few. Right now we are seeking the Lord and asking Him where He wants us to go. And if in fact he wants us to move somewhere else. We are open to whatever the Lord has planned but a serious discussion with hubby last night got my anxieties and insecurities ruffled. I know that the Lord has a plan and a purpose for our family. And this past week He has been speaking to me about the fact that whatever that plan is will not just affect me, hubby and our sons but many more around us. He will not send us somewhere that He does not have a greater purpose than just providing us with a different home and an increase in pay. This is really all about allowing God to work in us and through us to minister for Him. Wherever we end up I know that it will stretch us out of our comfort zones and put us into a position of leaning completely on Him (something that is already going on). I want to be a part of what He is doing and I am excited about what is to come.

I promise I will try to post a fun post soon. This is just what is going on with us at the moment.

Pretty Toes

Alright, I guess you could say that I have been swayed to the girly side of things. I have blogged on here before about the fact that I have never had a pedicure and never fully understood why someone would in fact go pay money to get one. Well, let me just say that I understand now!!! My friend gave me a pedicure and lunch out for Christmas and at first I was unsure about the whole thing. But after thinking about it some more, I decided to throw caution to the wind and to surrender my feet to a sweet little lady with magic hands. It was a lovely, relaxing and totally frivolous thing to do. I loved it!!! So, in all fairness, I must aplogize to all of you who knew about this wonderful world and endured my ridicule and teasing. Can I join your club now? My feet feel so soft and my toes are beautiful!! And yes, I would go again very soon. In fact I might even start a savings envelope that says "Pretty Toes".

I am trying all kinds of new things these days. Who knew? And I am mentally tracking back to all of the other things I said I would "never do". I am beginning to think that God is wanting to teach me some things about my mouth......

Out The Gate Strong

Today was the my first day as a "homeschool mom". We have always tried to create an atmosphere in our home that inspired learning. We LOVE to read and learn new things. And while I am not the most creative individual in the world, I can appreciate and implement the ideas of others. But this morning we had school at home. Now if this is not something you would like to read about, please feel free to skip the next few paragraphs. It won't bother me.

The morning went smoothly and it just felt "right". But more importantly than any feelings I had was the peace I had. I can tell that being one on one in a learning environment is going to stretch me a bit. I am in my element in front of a group of kids or adults. I don't get nervous usually. But one on one and I start freaking a little. Thankfully, my sweetie pie was understanding and "redirected" me when I started to stray....haha He has had just enough school to have developed routines and schedules and to appreciate order and organization. For that I am thankful. We tend to have fallen into more of a routine around here so that is good. My youngest son was well behaved all morning and even came in a few times curious and wanting to participate. That was my plan....make him curious and want to include himself. It will go alot smoother if he thinks it is his idea. Plus he just turned 4 so I am not stressing about him yet. He has already learned so much from his brother.

The weather didn't exactly cooperate for our first day of school and recess. It has been raining all day. But my star student decided that it would be a good time to have recess indoors and play with play doh. So we did.

God is good and is working in ways we can see and even more ways that we can't. I look forward to what He has in store. My husband is looking for a job. The time has come for him to leave where he has been for the past few years. God is providing and taking care of us. He always does. We are seeking and trusting in the Lord and what He wants to do in us, through us and for us. We have feelers out all over the country and have had some interest expressed. Please pray that God will reveal His next steps for us and that we will be obedient and strong in faith as we step out.

We have started having devotions as a family every morning and I cannot even begin to tell you how God is speaking to us. The confirmations He is leading us to in His Word are awe-inspiring. We are at a point that all we can lean on is our Heavenly Father and it feels surprisingly liberating. It is amazing how our perspectives and attitudes can change when we realize that we don't control anything really. We just have illusions of control. We have fear, pride and arrogance when we try to do it all ourselves. How freeing to trust in Him, do what He asks, and leave the results up to God. God has promised to take care of us and to work things for our good and I am standing on those promises.

Thanking the Lord for another day with my family. Thanking Him for His provision, His grace, His mercy, His compassion, His joy, His strength, His Word and His Presence. Without them I would be void of hope. And today I have hope and faith that I have not even begun to see what He has planned for me and my family. 2011 is going to be a year of new.

Isaiah 43:18-19Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive it and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert