Outside my window...cloudy & dreary, sun trying to break through. Cold & windy.
I am thinking...that I miss my DD#1, who in w/Gr-ma yesterday, already! :-(
I am thankful for...our warm home.
From the kitchen...still munching a few Thanksgiving left-overs. PTL!
I am wearing...jeans & my favorite yellow/gold 'Lakeside' hoodie.
I am remembering…my dear Daddy, especially at holidays.
I am going…to help DD#2 move her bed into DD#1's old bedroom.
I am reading..."Lies Women Believe" to prepare for the ladies' Sunday School I'll begin teaching on Sunday!
I am hoping...that we can survive $$-wise for the rest of the week after today's drain repair. :-(
On my mind…finances & DD#1's decision-making abilities. :-/
I am creating...a peaceful home. Trying to think of what I can make for my mom & Ty's dad & wife for CHRISTmas. Possibly some of my spice mixes.
I am hearing...the radio & DD#2 puttering around.
Noticing that…we have such wonderful, godly friends!
Pondering these words…"KNOW that the Lord is God, It is He Who made us, & we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture...For the Lord is good & His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." Ps. 100:3&5 AMEN!!
Around the house...moving the girls' bedrooms around, finally getting to wash ALL the dishes from Friday until today...our drain was broken & the plumber couldn't come out 'til this a.m.
One of my favorite things...country primitive decorating! Our CHRISTmas tree!
A Scripture thought...Ps. 101:2(b)-3(a) - "I will walk in my house w/blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing."
A few plans for the rest of the week...laundry, cooking, baking CHRISTmas cookies!, taking DD#2 to/from work, making laundry detergent, baking bread...life stuff.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
This is our CHRISTmas tree from last year, it looks pretty-much the same this year. :-)
"There is no evidence that this part of the Bill is needed; in fact, the reverse is very much the truth. We have just had the chief inspector saying that 1/3 of state schooling is unsatisfactory, while the true figures on home education say that maybe 1% of home education is unsatisfactory. The phrase involving beams, motes and eyes comes to mind."
~Lord Lucas's, House of Lords - 26 November 2009 [emphasis mine ~ KW]
Bethany Grace continues to battle on-going sinus infections. It's not uncommon to find her like this in the middle of the day:
So I am beyond thrilled when she is feeling better and can make it through the day without a nap or needing a rest. She has been feeling really well the past couple of weeks. Last week I snapped this picture of her as we were getting ready to go out for the evening to enjoy the "flipping the switch" of the lights at Gaylord Opryland and then off to see the Rockettes.
• Nov. 27, 2009 - Strength's Based Living! Change Your Life!
Posted By MamaMary
Strength's Based Living!
Mary with Linda Werner at the FPEA State Homeschool Convention
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Loosely based on Romans 12:6-9
Last May I heard Linda Werner speak at our convention on Strength's Defined and it has truly changed my life. Six month’s later and I am even more in love with the heart of this message. Strength’s Defined was an introduction to Strength’s based living.
Strength’s Based living is all about being purposeful with those talents God has given you. It talks about stepping back and looking at who you are, who you really are. Imagine if you quit trying and striving to become something or someone you admired and instead threw yourself passionately into who you already are? Sounds simple doesn’t it? It’s NOT!
Our society has programmed us to think that overcoming our weaknesses is character building. Though I don’t totally disagree with that concept, I do think that we as a society have given that way of thinking too much room in our lives. Overcoming our weakness is all about “striving” and embracing our strength’s is all about “thriving”.
Strength’s based living does not have you ignore your weaknesses, but instead it tells us to manage them. How do I manage mine? I look around me and take note of the people God has put in my life. Most often, those friends who I cherish and adore are strong where I am weak, and so I include them in my management plan. What does that look like? Sometimes they offer words of wisdom, other times they hold me accountable, sometimes they simply listen and pray.
If you’ve noticed I am blogging two days in a row after lots of time off. Last weekend when I spoke to leaders at the "Leadership Tea" I realized that I had been too busy and that I love doing this. Facebook seems to get more attention, because it takes less time and nets lots of immediate feedback, yet it's not the same thing.
Blogging allows me to put thoughts together more completely. I can take my time and process, plot, plan what I want to say. The truth is I've missed it. I have come to learn after 4 1/2 years of blogging that there are seasons when I can and seasons when I can’t. Right now, I am in a downtime schedule wise, and plan to use the next few weeks to catch up and fill my cup through blogging.
If we’re not engaging and embracing those things that fill our cups, energize us, empower us, than our cup runs dry and we begin performing as we try to pour out what we don’t own.
So my Christmas break goal is to share those things I’ve been learning this past six month’s about Strength’s Based Living. I plan to write about my personal experiences because I think real life stories are more powerful than any how-to book.
Not only will I share my triumph’s, but I want to be real and share my hurdles as well. It’s not about getting it right, never making mistakes, but instead this journey is helping me to live out our family motto, “Fall Down, Get Up, Fail Forward, Finish Well.”
• Nov. 26, 2009 - Happy Thanksgiving or, what recipes did Amanda make that bombed? :)
Posted By Amanda
EDITED:
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had a wonderful day with your family.
Steve was on call from 8am to 12pm. And sure enough, he got a call at 11am. And not an easy, in and out call, but one where he had to call in a 2nd tech, and didn't get home until 5pm. We missed Thanksgiving dinner at my uncle's house. We showed up with some dessert, and hung out for about an hour and a half. Now we're back home. My mom has to work tonight--Toys R Us opens at midnight, so she has to be in at 11pm. So she's sleeping on our couch, instead of going all the way home. I don't mind, but it means we're all stranded upstairs so that we don't disturb her. Ah well.
I'm trying to remember to be grateful that Steve DOES have a job, but it's frustrating after 6 years of being late (or almost late) for holiday dinners. Next year, we're having dinner at HOME. No matter what. That way, my kids will get a turkey dinner, instead of leftovers, and Steve will be able to relax if he does have to work, instead of having to go out. And if people want to see us, I will bake delicous desserts and they can come visit.
Completely forgot to mention the other half of my title--the recipes that bombed. I decided to make a Butternut Squash Applesauce bread recipe that I got out of the newspaper. Made it TWICE. And both times it sunk in the middle. The first time I read the recipe wrong and added too much milk. The second time I read it right, and it still didn't come out correctly. Aughh! I hate wasting ingredients!
Then I decided to make pumpkin fudge. The gals over on the FIAR boards have been raving about it for years. Finally decided to try it. Maybe I wrote it down wrong, but it was more spicey (pumpkin pie spice) than sweet and fudgy. Maybe I did it wrong, but none of us liked it. :(
Then I thought I'd make an Apple Butter Pie that I saw on baking bites . com. Same consistency as a pumpkin pie (which I don't like) but with the flavor of apple butter, which I do like! My aunt ate a piece yesterday, and I ate one, and I don't think either of us was impressed. The rest will end up in the garbage. Sigh.
I did make a trifle, which was a hit, like it always is. I think I'll do more recipe testing before Christmas!
“And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18
Lord Jesus, I give thanks today for so many things. At the very top of my list I am most thankful that you called to me and I heard your voice. What an incredible honor it is to be your daughter. YOU never forsake or abandon. I thank you that you breathe peace and healing deep into my soul and that I am never a victim, but always victorious because YOU are in my life.
I thank you that when my biological father walked out of my life to begin a new life w/ a new family that you were faithful and gave me an amazing earthly dad to step in and raise me.
I thank you for mymama. I have so many precious memories. The one that always brings tears to my adult eyes is when I think back to when I was a very young girl and she had just gone through a divorce after her husband had walked out of our lives. She would sit with me while I ate dinner and not eat. I would ask why, and she would tell me that she already had. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized my mom went without, so that I wouldn’t have to. How faithful you were Lord to bring my adoptive dad into her life. I can't imagine it having been any other way!
I thank you for my amazing husband Scott. It seems like yesterday that we were teens working for Publix. Every time they would call the stock boys to the front my heart would beat out of my chest. I can only imagine how nerve wreaking it would have been if I’d known then that we would marry and have four children. (smile) I thank you that he loves me like I’ve never been loved. He believes in me, cheers me on, keeps me safe, protects me, takes care of me and gives his whole life to making sure that I am happy. I pray that I am able to give as much as I get. He is my very best friend and I love him forever.
I thank you for Brandon my first born son. I still remember finding out I was pregnant. I had been married for two years, but was only 21 years old. I loved that child from the very first blue plus sign on the pregnancy test. He has brought his mama so much JOY, so much gladness. Lord, I believe in him and I pray this morning that you would direct and guide every part of his life. May he grow up strong in YOU. May he never favor in his faith and trade the things of heaven for this fleeting life.
I thank you for my Colton. Colton was our second born, but he is our third child. We found out we were expecting exactly three months after a horrible miscarriage. I remember being so scared to get excited or to trust that everything was going to be fine. But little by little, I began to bond with this child as he grew bigger and bigger inside me. He was the only one that I worked full time with and my patients loved him as though he was going to be their grandchild. He was the perfect pregnancy and delivery. I thank you that he was born with learning disabilities because you make no mistakes and that is a part of who He is. It has gotten both of us to your throne and you’ve equipped him in other area’s that blow my typically learning children away. I love his eye for art, his ear for music, his heart for others. I pray that He would always hunger after you.
Lord I thank you for my Seth. Oh this child has a special place in my heart. Once again, I entered into this pregnancy on the heels of another miscarriage. This child came out with his own little personality. Where the first two made me think I had parenting down, this child humbled me and wrapped himself around my heart through lots of learning curves. He is my most academic, but also my most headstrong. I love how much he favors his daddy in personality and looks. I love how he is his mama’s boy. I love how fiercely loyal he is to those he trusts enough to call friend. I love how he loves to snuggle with Scotty and I more than any of the other children and wants to have intellectual discussions about the world around him.
Lord I thank you for my Jacob. My baby, my Omega. I still remember that my progesterone levels were low and how the doctor thought for sure that I was losing him. I’ll never forget going for that ultra sound. I still smile as I remember Scotty meeting me at the doctors office. He had come from work in his uniform and when I reached out to hold his hand he pretended that I was one of his prisoners and said, “Maam, I need you to keep your hands to yourself please”, “Maam, please don’t make me call back up”. He was so good, so convincing and I can still see those patrons in the waiting room not sure whether to believe him or me. (laughing as I type) It is this exact story that illustrates his sense of humor. It made me forget why we were there. Then when they did finally put that wand to my belly they could hardly keep up with Jacob because he was happily jumping all over the place with a strong little heart beat. Jacob is so much like Brandon. He is sweet and outgoing. He is my most positive child. He loves life and others and never has a bad attitude.
Lord, I thank you for my Grandma. Oh this woman is so very precious to me. She has been my rock through everything. When her son walked out of my life, he walked out of hers too. I became her everything as she threw herself into helping me grow up. (and vice versa) I love how close she is with my mom and that though her son abandoned her she gained a daughter. (to this day) I love the example she is to me. She is such a strong woman. Widowed twice before forty. Went back to school at 40 and earned her Masters degree in education. I still remember her 3rd grade class coming in first place at the Pinellas County economics fair. One of my favorite memories is when I had Brandon and he was only two days old. She came up on a Friday evening after everyone else had gone home and we had girl time. We took Brandon for a walk around the maternity wing, ate dinner together, laughed together, remembered together and bonded together. Lord, you already know my heart. I am so scared that I am going to lose her. As she approaches 90, I want her to live 90 more years. My life will never be the same once she goes home to be with you. 41 years old and I still need my Grandma.
Lord, I thank you for my friends. One of my greatest joys in this life has been the amazing women you’ve brought into it. They inspire me to be my best. They believe in me long before I do. They pray for me and encourage me in my walk with YOU. It overwhelms my heart when we can share and relate on a “girl” level. I am so blessed!
Lord, I thank you for Kidney Stones....., “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Don’t ask why I’m including this, but the Lord keeps putting it on my heart. I had been thinking about this over the past week because I’ve been quietly passing another kidney stone on the heels of my big one from a couple of weeks ago. It’s been 31/2 weeks and I am feeling weary and tired. This second one is not as bad as the one that put me in the hospital, but no stone is “easy”. Why am I thankful?
Because it doesn’t let me get too comfortable with my place in this world. It reminds me that heaven is my home and only there will I live a life without any pain or worry. I love kidney stones because I draw closer to you than when things are wonderful. Pain breeds intimacy w/ my Savior and humbles me. I still see your hand of blessing as you’ve given me the greatest doctors and nurses in the whole world. Dr. Morris and his staff always make the experience less scary, no matter how many kidney stones I pass. (Over 20 thus far and still have 8 left) I just adore them and their hearts for others.
Lord, I thank you for Homeschooling. I’m so glad I didn’t know that I was going to homeschool my children when I was a new mama. It might have freaked me out. Now, I cannot imagine “not” homeschooling. What a joy it is to be with my children as they have their “aha” moments. What satisfaction it gives me to be purposeful in their socialization. I love spending time with them.
I cannot even imagine my life without the incredible friends I’ve met through this journey? We are a tight knit community and it’s a place where we can come together and support one another.
Lord, I thank you for allowing me to serve in our supportgroup. You give me a place to pour encouragement into other moms. It fills my cup so much more than what I could ever give away. Thank you for the incredible people who I serve with. I love them and cherish the friendships we’ve built. Thank you for the members who’ve prayed for me, encouraged me and loved me through my growing process. It’s all about the relationships. (smile)
Lord, I thank you for Time4Learning. YES, I am thankful to our curriculum publisher. Not only was Time4Learning the first curriculum that my children with Processing issue’s could thrive with, but it eventually became a part time career that allows me to use my passions. I thank Time4Learning for hiring me to be one of their freelance writers. I have learned (continue to learn) so much through this experience. It allows me to offer encouragement and I get paid? Life doesn’t get better than that, LOL;-)
I could go on and on, but I need to begin cooking and preparing for a feast-filled, memory-making day. I lift up each of my family members and friends to you this morning and ask that you would capture their hearts to pause and reflect on you. Lord, be with those today who may not have the money to do anything special. I stop this morning and thank you from the bottom of my heart for being such an amazing and incredible God and I adore you Jesus. I know that one day I will close my eyes here and open them there. Thank you for pursuing me with your Holy love....,
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever...., 1 John 2:17-18
BEWARE and CAUTION: This is our life. Weird stories, funny things that happen or the kids say, and just our plain day to day life. You have been warned.....
Mary with Linda Werner at the FPEA State Homeschool Convention
I thank you that when my biological father walked out of my life to begin a new life w/ a new family that you were faithful and gave me an amazing earthly dad to step in and raise me. 
I thank you for my mama. I have so many precious memories. The one that always brings tears to my adult eyes is when I think back to when I was a very young girl and she had just gone through a divorce after her husband had walked out of our lives. She would sit with me while I ate dinner and not eat. I would ask why, and she would tell me that she already had. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized my mom went without, so that I wouldn’t have to. How faithful you were Lord to bring my adoptive dad into her life. I can't imagine it having been any other way!
I thank you for my amazing husband Scott. It seems like yesterday that we were teens working for Publix. Every time they would call the stock boys to the front my heart would beat out of my chest. I can only imagine how nerve wreaking it would have been if I’d known then that we would marry and have four children. (smile) I thank you that he loves me like I’ve never been loved. He believes in me, cheers me on, keeps me safe, protects me, takes care of me and gives his whole life to making sure that I am happy. I pray that I am able to give as much as I get. He is my very best friend and I love him forever.
I thank you for Brandon my first born son. I still remember finding out I was pregnant. I had been married for two years, but was only 21 years old. I loved that child from the very first blue plus sign on the pregnancy test. He has brought his mama so much JOY, so much gladness. Lord, I believe in him and I pray this morning that you would direct and guide every part of his life. May he grow up strong in YOU. May he never favor in his faith and trade the things of heaven for this fleeting life.
I thank you for my Colton. Colton was our second born, but he is our third child. We found out we were expecting exactly three months after a horrible miscarriage. I remember being so scared to get excited or to trust that everything was going to be fine. But little by little, I began to bond with this child as he grew bigger and bigger inside me. He was the only one that I worked full time with and my patients loved him as though he was going to be their grandchild. He was the perfect pregnancy and delivery. I thank you that he was born with learning disabilities because you make no mistakes and that is a part of who He is. It has gotten both of us to your throne and you’ve equipped him in other area’s that blow my typically learning children away. I love his eye for art, his ear for music, his heart for others. I pray that He would always hunger after you.
Lord I thank you for my Seth. Oh this child has a special place in my heart. Once again, I entered into this pregnancy on the heels of another miscarriage. This child came out with his own little personality. Where the first two made me think I had parenting down, this child humbled me and wrapped himself around my heart through lots of learning curves. He is my most academic, but also my most headstrong. I love how much he favors his daddy in personality and looks. I love how he is his mama’s boy. I love how fiercely loyal he is to those he trusts enough to call friend. I love how he loves to snuggle with Scotty and I more than any of the other children and wants to have intellectual discussions about the world around him. 
Lord I thank you for my Jacob. My baby, my Omega. I still remember that my progesterone levels were low and how the doctor thought for sure that I was losing him. I’ll never forget going for that ultra sound. I still smile as I remember Scotty meeting me at the doctors office. He had come from work in his uniform and when I reached out to hold his hand he pretended that I was one of his prisoners and said, “Maam, I need you to keep your hands to yourself please”, “Maam, please don’t make me call back up”. He was so good, so convincing and I can still see those patrons in the waiting room not sure whether to believe him or me. (laughing as I type) It is this exact story that illustrates his sense of humor. It made me forget why we were there. Then when they did finally put that wand to my belly they could hardly keep up with Jacob because he was happily jumping all over the place with a strong little heart beat. Jacob is so much like Brandon. He is sweet and outgoing. He is my most positive child. He loves life and others and never has a bad attitude.
Lord, I thank you for my Grandma. Oh this woman is so very precious to me. She has been my rock through everything. When her son walked out of my life, he walked out of hers too. I became her everything as she threw herself into helping me grow up. (and vice versa) I love how close she is with my mom and that though her son abandoned her she gained a daughter. (to this day) I love the example she is to me. She is such a strong woman. Widowed twice before forty. Went back to school at 40 and earned her Masters degree in education. I still remember her 3rd grade class coming in first place at the Pinellas County economics fair. One of my favorite memories is when I had Brandon and he was only two days old. She came up on a Friday evening after everyone else had gone home and we had girl time. We took Brandon for a walk around the maternity wing, ate dinner together, laughed together, remembered together and bonded together. Lord, you already know my heart. I am so scared that I am going to lose her. As she approaches 90, I want her to live 90 more years. My life will never be the same once she goes home to be with you. 41 years old and I still need my Grandma.
Lord, I thank you for my friends. One of my greatest joys in this life has been the amazing women you’ve brought into it. They inspire me to be my best. They believe in me long before I do. They pray for me and encourage me in my walk with YOU. It overwhelms my heart when we can share and relate on a “girl” level. I am so blessed! 
Lord, I thank you for Kidney Stones....., “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 
Lord, I thank you for Homeschooling. I’m so glad I didn’t know that I was going to homeschool my children when I was a new mama. It might have freaked me out. Now, I cannot imagine “not” homeschooling. What a joy it is to be with my children as they have their “aha” moments. What satisfaction it gives me to be purposeful in their socialization. I love spending time with them. 
Lord, I thank you for allowing me to serve in our support group. You give me a place to pour encouragement into other moms. It fills my cup so much more than what I could ever give away. Thank you for the incredible people who I serve with. I love them and cherish the friendships we’ve built. Thank you for the members who’ve prayed for me, encouraged me and loved me through my growing process. It’s all about the relationships. (smile)
