Life Lately.

I've been MIA for a while. I'm no good at blogging. Never have been and probably never will be. Ha. But every now and then I decide to write about life and how it's treating me. 

So, lately, it's been a bit crazy. Exciting. Fun. 

I started working outside of our home last week and boy has it been a challenge. I've been looking for employment since August (when both my kids entered school) and I haven't had any luck. Employers don't really understand, "I haven't worked in four years because I've chosen to stay home and raise my kids." thing. They want recent experience. And when cleaning bathrooms, cooking food, and tending to kids isn't part of the job description, they don't really care. 

Well, I was lucky enough to stumble across a job description that said "Looking for a reliable, hard-working, honest individual to work in our law office" I decided OH!!! I could do that! The day it was posted I filled out the application, a week later I had an interview, and two days later I started work! (I think they felt sorry for me, ha) It's been a blessing. I was starting to talk to my friends on Good Morning America like they were in my living room, I was going a bit nutty being home alone. So the past week has been a bit of an adjustment for me, that husband, and the kids, but everyone is taking it well!!! ;) 

...

We've also celebrated our Risen Savior. Wow! What an exciting time of year! I told you guys for Lent one of my goals was to walk around my neighborhood praying. Well, I tell you, what a blessing! During my time I was able to pray with people I've never actually talked to! They know that if they need prayer all they have to do is ask! 

Happy Easter!!! 

...

Oh!! And Spring has FINALLY arrived in Mississippi!!! Yay!!! So we've been spending as  much time outside as possible!!! We were definitely lacking Vitamin C! Ha! So Easter weekend we went to New Orleans (three hours away) and we went on a swamp ride and visited the zoo. Yesterday, the kids enjoyed the slip-n-slide and cold treats. It's been a blast!! I loooove warm weather! 

Now we are embracing for three days of bad weather! Blaaah!!! 

Tired. Weak. Broken.

My husband's  birthday was at the end of last month, and I failed. I failed terribly. 

Normally the kids and I would bake him his favorite brownies, attack him with silly string as he walked in from a busy day of work, and give him cute gifts that reflect what he means to us. 

Did I mention, I failed? 

His birthday was on Saturday this year. The day before I spent ALL day volunteering at my daughter's school (I thought it was the following week) and then she had a late DR's appointment to make sure she is meeting all those "developmental" milestones. By the time we got done with all that Friday was almost over and I had not planned anything for my sweetie. 

Saturday, his birthday, we woke up to soccer games, and headed to his mom's three hours away to celebrate. I still hadn't done anything. 

You see, I'm all about making people feel special for every.single.holiday. Birthday, check. Easter, check, Valentines, check. Grandparents day, check. I'm always pouring myself into everyone, for everything. 

I broke down, told him how truly sorry I was that I let time slip away. He knew. He offered grace. He knows I stretch myself to far, and I expect to much from me.

You see, I care for my husband. I try to meet his every need, want, desire. 

I care for my kids. I try to be the best mom possible. I want them to know they are loved and cherished.

I take a lot of care of my elderly grandma. Who last July was diagnosed with kidney failure and is on dialysis three days a week. I pick her up from treatments. She's weak. She's been fighting a long hard battle for over 15 years now with cancer. She's on countless amounts of meds. She can't care for herself. So I pour a lot of my time into her. 

I try to keep the house clean, food cooked, and clothes washed. I try to attend all sports. I volunteer. I'm a "yes" person when anyone asks a favor or needs my time/help, I am there.

J-O-Y

J-O-Y

This must surely mean

 Jesus first, yourself last, and other's in between.

 I strive to do that every.single.day.

But, I'm tired. 
I'm weak. 
I'm broken. 
My sacrifice is failing. 

 
source

But Jesus didn't fail when He sacrificed his life for me. He could have changed His mind and not bore my sin on the Cross, but he didn't, He prevailed. 

So, I cling to that. 

I cling to His sacrifice and His grace. 

I cling to His love and peace. 

The way I sacrifice myself for others, is a blessing. It's my calling. It's a privilege and a honor. Though I'm weak and tired. I know I have a foundation that can not be shaken. I will prevail.

Be delighted in the Lord. 

Then He will give you all your heart's desires.

Commit everything you do to the Lord.

Trust Him to help you do it, and He will. 

Psalm 37:4-5

WHEW!

WHAT A DAY! ... 

Both of my kids have Spring pictures at school this week. So, I decided to take them to Target to find them something cute to wear. They have to wear uniforms at their schools, so any opportunity for them to dress cute I TAKE IT! ;) 

After the princess tried on ten different dresses and a few skirts, we finally found our match. She got two cute skirts with shirts to match. 

My prince, we found his on the first go 'round! Boys are much easier! 

Then ...

It went ... 

DOWN HILL ... 

I told the kids I would look at some spring shoes for them while there. We couldn't find any in the size for the prince, which is nothing unusual for our Target. They NEVER have his size. 

Then on to the princess. She wanted high heels. (I'm telling y'all she is a princess for sure) I kept telling her "NO" because they didn't have any cute ones, and they didn't even have her size in the ugly ones. BUMMER. Instead I kept pointing out cute sandles, but she didn't want any, so I told her we were leaving and she could wear her hot pink ones that we just bought at Children's Place last weekend (for a stinkin' $25 ... I WILL NEVER do that again), besides they would be super cute with BOTH outfits! 

Then ... The "teenager" in her came out. 

She stomped her feet. 

She raised her voice. 

I was mad. 

I immediately told her to stop, and told her how extremely disrespectful she was at the very moment, and how rude it was for her to raise her voice at me. She followed me around crying the rest of our visit. 

I was caught completely off guard. She has NEVER thrown a tantrum, and she has NEVER raised her voice like she did. 

I don't know if I even responded properly. Two hours later, and I'm stilled shocked about it.

Did I mention, she's only EIGHT. 

Lord, help me. 

Time to get Fit.

When I got pregnant with my first child I was 95 pounds. I was way too small. My doctor wasn't even sure if I would carry her full-term. or if I'd be able to have a vaginal delivery. Well, I did both and out came a very healthy 6 lb 14 oz princess. But during those 9 months I gained 65 pounds. Y'all I looked like an oompa loompa, no lie. (I'm only 5'1") I lost down to 130 after having her. 

A year later, I got pregnant again and gained 30 more pounds and once my prince came weighing 7lbs 3oz, I lost back down to 135. My kids are now 8 and 6 and I'm stuck at that weight. 

I'm  not happy with myself, and I haven't been for a while. I'd  rather sit on the couch than go outside. I love to shop, but the agony of trying on clothes is too much. I don't feel comfortable in anything. If it was up to me I'd wear pj pants and t-shirts 24/7, but I know that isn't an option. 

Well, this week I've decided it's time for a change. I'm going to lose the weight I want to lose. I want to be healthy. So I've begin to take steps to accomplish that. 

1. I got the MyFitness Pal App

I'm not much of a eater. I do fine eating one meal a day (dinner), but I know that's not healthy. So, this week I've made a conscious decision to eat 3 meals a day and a snack. It recommends my calorie intake to be 1200 a day for my hieght and weight. I've come in just under every day, and in a few months I should be at my goal. I've also attempted to exercise for at least 30 minutes 4 days a week to get started. 

Calorie Counter

• 2. I ordered some new running shoes. I've always loved to run, but it's been a long time since I've had proper running shoes. (Not to mention I've been too lazy) Last week Zulily had Brooks on sale, so I snatched me a pair. 

2. I ordered proper running shoes

I love to run, but I haven't had proper running shoes in a loooog time. (and I've been too lazy to run) I love Brooks, but I'm cheap and I hate paying full price! I got these $90 (Brooks pure connect 2) shoes for $40 so I was happy! ;) They also recommend replacing running shoes every 300 miles or so, which is not a lot, so again I refuse to pay full price! 

3. Set a GOAL: Do the Color Run Next year.

My ultimate goal in all this is to be able to do the color run with a friend next year. (She is on her weight loss journey as well) It looks soooo  much fun, but I know I can't run it and walking it doesn't seem like it would be as much fun, so here's to staying on track and kicking that 5k in the tail in 2015! (Or later this year if it comes back to town) 

Any of you have any suggestions to help a girl out on her weight loss journey? 

Lent.

Today many people are giving up something in observation of Lent. I'm not. I believe Jesus did that when He died on the Cross for sinners like Me. 

However, I am turning toward an attitude of prayer for this Lenten season. I'm taking on a challenge to be #heartsick for my community, for my world. It's dying. The devil is moving in like a thief in the night, but I believe through prayer our God WILL overcome. (Besides Revelation tells us, He has already won.) 

So, as I wait in the carpool line for twenty minutes each afternoon, I will be praying for the teachers and administration that lead my children. That they will lead with the love of Christ. I pray that they will consider that to some kids they may be the only Jesus they see, and that they will be His hands and feet every chance they get. 

As I walk around my neighborhood at 6AM every morning, I'll be praying for every single house that I pass. I'll be praying that their homes are built on the foundation of Jesus. I'll be praying that husband lead their family towards Godliness. I'll be praying that the single mom finds peace and joy in the mundane task of motherhood and providing for her family. I'll be praying that all the little old retired women would stop obsessing over their property value and the fact that the family struggling next to them can't afford to have a beautifully landscaped yard. I'll be praying for the sweet lady next door whose health isn't doing the best. 

I'll go to City Hall and pray for my leaders. I'll pray that the Holy Spirit would lead them in ways that they should lead our community, that they will lead with integrity and conviction. I'll pray that if anything is of God that He won't allow it to take place. 

Prayer is intimate. I pray that I'll experience intimacy with Christ like never before. I pray that he BREAKS me, MOLDS me, and FILLS me like no other.  

Meditate.

One day this week I ran across a quote, and I'm sorry if it's your quote and I'm not giving credit. I don't remember who said it, or where I saw it, but it has been resounding with me every since. It was something like:

You can read the Bible, but unless you meditate on it, it's void.

Bim. Bam. Thank you, ma'am.

I've felt convicted over the past few days because there have been a lot of times when I just read over the Word, but didn't meditate on it. I didn't take time to ask God to speak to me, and I didn't take time to listen if He did speak. 

Joshua 1:8 says Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 

I want the Word of the Lord to reveal itself to me like never before. I want everyone around me to know that my love for the Lord is greater than the love I have for my husband and my children. I want them to know that He is my number One. My intimate One. My everything. But I know that the only way this is going to happen is if I stop merely reading the Word and instead meditate on it. I want it written on my heart. 

I praise God for his grace that is new everyday! I praise God that though I've failed thousands of times, he loves me still the same: 

"Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the alter of the Cross, we're a free people - free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making." Ephesians 1: 7-9 The Message

Five on Friday.

I love how these posts can be extremely random or very structured. 

Today I choose random. 

1. The aftermaths of a six year old boy, his "shaving cream" and a bottle of shampoo.

You know what I'm about to do today.

2. This doll. 

This doll was given to me by my  husband at our daughters babyshower. She has LOOOVED it from day one. She takes it anywhere that involves spending the night. It has been express shipped back to us on more than one occasion because she has left it on vacations. Well, this nighttime baby is falling apart. I've had to attempt to mend her foot, her arm, and her head. My daughter is not happy and reminds me everyday of her baby's mends. 

Eight years of friendship and counting.

3. Jergens Natural Glow lotion. 

I'm a Southern girl and if it's summer you can bet I'll be in the sun soaking up the rays. (I know it's horrible, but save the lecture) Well, my legs are extremely white, and I've decided that before I pull out the shorts my legs need some color. So I've decided to give this stuff a try. It has a great smell and in just three days I can tell a difference. It's gradual so it doesn't turn you orange. Not only is it giving my pasty legs a natural glow, it also says it reduces the appearance of cellulite. I haven't see that happen yet, but if it does I'll be doing a happy dance! 

4. Wednesday and Thursday I pulled out these gems. 

Both days temperatures were in the mid 70's.

I thought I was in heaven.

Today we woke up and it was 32. 

5. I've signed up for the #HelloMornings challenge to start on Monday. It's a free Bible study on the book of Ruth and I've joined an accountability group on Twitter. We will check-in each morning and discuss the study together. I'm stoked. I've got everything in order and I'm ready to go! 

Thankful Thursday.

Today I am thankful for God's blessing of two amazing kiddos. I'm thankful that He has entrusted me with their sweet spirits while we are here on Earth. They remind me time and time again that my faith should be that of a child. They trust easily. They pray sincerely. They love unconditionally.

You know, the first bath wasn't enough.

4 year old kindergarten. 

Melt my heart.

Princess. 

He's a character. 

Stoked to read.

Last night I made the leap and bought the book, Wife After God, I've heard such good reviews from many people and I can not wait to dig in!! I'm super stoked!!! I'm all about things that lead to me toward God while enhancing my marriage. Two for one! 

Anyone currently reading it? Thoughts?

The World and Discipleship.

The Bible tells us that being a disciple of Jesus requires a lot. It requires us to:

1. Deny ourselves

2. Take up our cross, DAILY

3. Follow Him. 

But somewhere along the way we have sugar-coated discipleship. 

Discipleship in the world is following Jesus when it's convenient.

It's keeping our mouth shut because who wants to offend anyone?

Discipleship in the world is following Jesus as long and "I" am still the center.

But according to Jesus:
It's surrender.

It's suffering.

It's sacrifice. 

And Jesus is our ultimate role model for discipleship. "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and raised on the third day." (Luke 9:22)

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) 

It's time we take on discipleship from the view of Jesus.

It's time we stand in the gap for those who can't stand for themselves.

It's time we offend others with the Gospel.

It's time we surrender our whole being, take on suffering, and sacrifice for the Kingdom of God.

Winter Storm #123456.

Here we are almost mid-February in Mississippi and we are under our third winter storm warning. (In just two weeks) It is 32 degrees and sleeting as we speak. (Which will last the next 24 hours) It's nonsense.

 Today I decided to shave my legs (who does that in the winter?? just kidding), but that was dumb because it all grew back while I was pumping gas and writing my name with my breath. 

I'm not made for cold. I'm over the temperatures that are under 40 degrees, cold rain, snow, sleet, and ice. Yes, I'm rambling. Yes, I'm complaining, but this is real y'all! It's like the tenth coldest winter on record here and those 10 years were all before my birth in 1985. 

I love you ...

source

This JUST made my day!! ;) 

I've been doped up on cough syrup, surround by used tissues, and tucked away on my "spot" on the couch for the past week. (Probably due to the fact that it was 70 degrees one day and snowing two days later) I could give you a snapshot, but it hasn't been a pretty sight. I decided to get on pinterest this morning because I'm feeling a little better and this cuteness exploded in my face, much like the sneezes that have been exploding out of my nose. It's the little things that make you happy in the fogginess of cough syrup! ;) (Okay, I'd probably still be a little happy even if cough syrup wasn't involved.) 

My husband may or may not be getting this cuteness for that day of love, because that's how I roll. 

Happy Friday! 

Helpful Hint - Straining Hot Broth

Over the past few weeks I've mentioned on more than one occasion about the frigid temperatures here in the South that need to go.

Which means I've been cooking a lot of soups, chili, and stews. It's been food that makes you "cozy" according to a handsome 6 year-old. 

One day last week I made homemade chicken noodle soup. I normally use chicken breast, but I found legs and thighs on sale so that's what I used to make my broth. That means that once the chicken was all boiled there was a lot of "brown yuckiness" from where the chicken had boiled around the bones, y'all know what I'm talking about, right?!?

Well, I needed a way to get that stuff out or I knew that handsome 6 year-old would have something to say about it. I don't have very many kitchen savvy utensils that make things easy. So cheesecloth wasn't an option. A strainer with exxxxtra small holes wasn't an option. Basically, I have nothing. Ha. So thanks to Google I came across this: Straining grease from hot liquid. and IT WORKED!!! (I had to change the coffee filter twice, but I had a huge pot of broth. It also wasn't as time consuming as I thought it was going to be.) 

1. Mason jar and lid ring.

2. Coffee Filter.

3. Place coffee filter on top of jar and add ring to hold in place.

4. Ladle broth in slowly and watch the filter catch all the junk.

5. Discard filter.

6. Strained broth.

Pretty simple a mason jar and a coffee filter! Yay!! I had both. I love drinking my sweet tea out of mason jars and I love coffee, so it was a match made in heaven. 

We had wonderfully delicious chicken noodle soup and not one complaint! ;) 

Random Facts about Me.

I love The Big Bang Theory. For the LONGEST time I would sit next to my husband pretending I hated it, while secretly laughing uncontrollably inside, then one day, the laugh came out. 

I'm a nerd. I love reading. 

I keep a random basket of socks that we dig through because mating socks is insane. We were wearing mismatched socks before it became "popular." 

When I moved out at 21 all I could cook was ramen noodles and mac-n-cheese! I'm really not sure how we survived. 

Before becoming a SAHM, I held 5 different postions at the SAME company. 

I have a freckle on the bottom/center of my right foot. 

I've encouraged my mom and aunt to both eat Wasabi, proclaiming "It's very good" (though they never saw me eat it ... dummies ;) ) and they took a little more than desired. It called for a good laugh.

I'm very shy which comes across as snobby, and I don't mean for it to. 

When I was a teenager, I broke my pinky in my sleep at summer camp. 

I met my love at the same camp. 

Media and Marriage

Today I'm linking up with Courtney at Women Living Well to discuss how media has affected my marriage. (I'm actually a day late, but it's better late than never right?!?) ;) 

First off, if you haven't read her book Women Living Well I ENCOURAGE you (for the second time) to pick it up at your local bookstore or get it on Amazon. I read the book in one weekend, and it's simple truth that sometimes we can neglect. You won't be sorry if you read it!

Earlier this month I blogged on how I deleted my Facebook. Why? Because it was affecting my marriage, my family, my being. I just had wool over my eyes and didn't want to admit it. I believe in marriages, that husbands are to be the leaders (both spiritual and physical) and we as wives are suppose to be his helper. So, if something is laid on my husband's heart, then I should be willing to follow his leading. Well, my husband deleted his Facebook in early November and he asked me to join him. I didn't. I was disrespecting his leadership and guidance. 

He knew it was affecting us. Over the past year I've spent waaaaay too many hours on there. I would look at other people's marriages and think "man, how did they get so perfect." I would look at the huge ring someones husband bought them "just because" and wonder "why can't my husband do that?" I was beginning to feel discontent. 

Then it hit me, the funny thing about Facebook, Instagram,  Pinterest, Twitter, and Blogs is that we can shield the public from the nastiness of our everyday lives. We can showcase a picture of us and our husbands all cuddled up on the couch with a hot cup of coffee all in love, but we don't have to showcase the argument we just had ten minutes ago. We can showcase the lavish things he buys us, but we don't have to show the fact that finances are at an all time low and he really didn't have the money to buy that thing. We can show him playing and goofing off with the kids, but we don't show that moments before he overreacted to a spilled cup of juice. 

Another  step we made this week is that we've turned off our cable TV. Why? Because it's ugly. It was a conviction we felt and answered it. If you watch the news in our area it's thirty minutes of defeat. Thirty minutes where people have let the devil take priority in their lives. It's heart-breaking and leaves you empty. Kids TV is even ridiculous. I blocked more shows on our networks that our children were not allowed to watch than ones they actually could. Why? Because of the fighting, the sassy-ness, the disrespect to each other and adults. Even "family-friendly" sometimes isn't so family orieneted or friendly for that matter. Last year alone there were multiple TV shows that praised divorce and adulteress men and women. Y'all that's as far from truth as we can get. Yet, we DIG into it. 

Media has had a negative role on our marriage, and we've begin to take the appropriate steps (for us) to fix it. I'm not saying that our marriage was falling apart or anywhere close, but we just want to invest that time that we were spending on various media outlets into each other, into our children, but most importantly into our time with God.

"In the world of reality television and reality blogging, we can miss the reality of God's truth. The reality is we are sinners who married sinners, and that really makes marriage hard. In the world of images, the image of biblical marriage has been severely distorted. Together, let's make Scripture a springboard for our actions and reactions in marriages." - Courtney Joseph, Women Living Well. 

Snow day.

Yesterday it snowed in Mississippi and all the boys and girls, men and women, FREAKED out! It only happens every two to three years if we they are lucky. (I haaaate cold.) So the kiddos were out of school yesterday and again today and I watched from inside as they had fun with the cold, white stuff they call snow. 

(Our house. Yes, that's my Christmas wreath STILL up, don't judge!)

(The dog, Latte', experiencing the snow for the first time)

(Kids trying to throw snowballs, but it was too dry)

(The husband cheated and got a bucket from the back to put snow in)

(K: What's the big deal, I got your face!!)

(And he thought it was funny to throw snow at the door, too bad it was shut, hahaha)

(And look at this cuteness!!!)

Friday Five.

These are a few of my favorite things! (this week)

1. International Delight's ColdStone Creamery - Sweet cream coffee creamer. A little sweetness never hurt anything. Yuuuum. 

2. I love all things morning TV. It starts at 7AM and ends at 11AM. I'm all over Good Morning America, Rachel Ray, and Kathie Lee and Hoda. There is nothing better than a good cup of coffee and these people that invade my home every morning. They are like family, y'all. 

3. I've loved Parenthood from season one, but this season has drawn me in even more. It's been so emotional. I also hate it because every Thursday night it leaves me wanting.so.much.more! 

4. I started an on-line Bible study with Good Morning Girls this week and it has been off to a great start! The study is called "Intentionally Focused" and it's making the most of each day and area of our lives and being intentional with it. Not just "going through the motions." So, if your looking for a group of on-line women to get engaged with and share life with consider joining Good Morning Girls. It's officially too late to sign up for the study, but if you subscribe to their blog you can get the resources and do it on your own. You will not be sorry if you do!

5. Finally, I'm thankful for my kids teachers. Monday my kids were out of school, and by lunch time I was ready to lock them in the backyard, but it was too cold. (I love my kids, I really do). But those teachers put up with my child and 22 others every.single.day. God Bless Them! 

Thankful Thursday.

Today, I am thankful for coffee. I'm not in the best of moods before I've had my first cup of joe. I have my coffee pot set to go off ten minutes before I get up so I can run there as soon as my feet hit the floor. I then make my cup and get the kids up. There is something about the warm fuzzy feeling it gives you (especially when you've had below average temperatures, that I despise). 

Intentionally Focused - Imitators of God.

Today I join thousands of others in an online Bible Study hosted by Good Morning Girls called Intentionally Focused. It's goal is to be intentional in every.single.part of our lives while drawing us closer to Christ. Over the next eight weeks we will be focusing on eight parts of our lives: 

1. Being Intentionally Focused
2. Your Spiritual Life
3. Your Mind
4. Marriage
5. Friendships
6. Children
7. Ministry
8. Health

I cannot explain how excited I am to start this process. I often have good intentions that seem to go bad, especially when it comes to my quiet time each day. Too often I find myself putting it on the back burner to tend to the house, the husband, the kids, or watch TV. It's too often a sad reality, and I want to change that. As long as I have accountability I'm all geared up and ready, but once the accountability is gone, so is my routine. (sigh) So, my ULTIMATE goal the next eight weeks is to go BEYOND the eight week mark and make my quiet time my first priority. 

Intentionally Focused

6:00-6:30 AM @ my kitchen table

Today's focus is on Ephesians 5:1 "Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children."

 I remember when I was younger I took a picture of MaryKate Olsen to the hair salon and I wanted my hair to be cut just like hers! (I wanted to be JUST.LIKE.HER) It was shoulder length and it had a lot of layers and volume. I was so excited, I had been waiting for weeks to finally get it done. The day came, and I went to the salon. As the lady was cutting my hair I noticed it getting shorter, and shorter, and shorter. I didn't say anything because she was the stylist right, and she was suppose to know what she was doing, right. Well, my thirteen year old heart got broke that day. I left the salon in tears and didn't want to go in public because what was suppose to be MaryKate's haircut on me turned out to be a nightmare. It was HORRIBLE. I STILL cringe thinking about it. Y'all I was a thirteen year old with a new MULLET ... ahhhhh!!! 

God calls us to imitate HIM, but often we imitate the world. The world tells us skinny is in and if we are 5lbs overweight it's a big deal. The world tells us that sex sells. The world tells us we have to have the biggest house and the fanciest cars. We are fixated on being imitators of 'The Jones'." 

I think imitating God means loving every.single.person with selfless love. It means we put aside our own needs to meet the needs of others. I think imitating God means the things of this world that are not Godly, break our hearts. I think imitating God means we are more concerned with the heart of people, rather than the appearance of people. It means denying ourselves, carrying our cross, and following Christ in everything that we say and do. 

Are you imitating God or the world? 

Soccer Mom.

The time is here for registration for Spring Soccer. Saturday is actually the last day to sign-up. Our sweet son LOVES to play soccer, and he has been bugging me since Fall season ended if it was time for registration for the Spring. I kept telling him, "Soon." but never actually looked up the date! Well, I looked last night and aaahhh it's a good thing I did or I would have had one disappointed little boy and that's not good. 

I adore watching my child play soccer. Though he is only six I'm the mom that comes out of her seat when he is kicking the ball to the other teams goal, instead of his own and everyone is like "look at the crazy mom." I'm the mom that yells when they forget they are playing soccer and decide it's a game of chase, again I'm the crazy mom. 

However, I really dislike Spring seasons. (shh, don't tell him that) It gets dark before practice is even over, and game days are either freezing or raining. You have to take bed linens to stay warm and the water bottles are too cold to the kids hands to drink during breaks, but if you give them hot cocoa they will surely barf in the field. It's nonsense I tell you. 

But for this kid, I'll do anything! 

Thankful Thursday.

Today I am thankful a place to call home. It may not be perfect, but it is what I have been blessed with and for that I am thankful. March 1st we will start our 6th year in our humble abode. We've hand many, many meals around our table with family and friends. We've had up's and down's. We welcomed people to stay with us for periods of time. Memories have been made. Love has been shared. Tears have been shed. Sickness has been healed. Grace has been offered. God has prevailed. 

The Lord Bless our Home!

(not a recent photo, we currently do not have snow. ha)

Favorite Quote: "Your Home is your First Ministry."

Back in 2010 I quite my job in ministry to stay home with my kiddos. I LOVED my job! I loved seeing the impact that I was having on the people I was serving. I loved having people trust me with their heart as they would ask me to pray for a certain situation or whatever it was they were going through. I loved spending weeks/months to plan an outreach event and watching it be executed perfectly the day it took place. I was in my element. The last few weeks of my job I would go in crying and come home crying because I really didn't want it to come to an end, but for that season in my life it was needed. 

I struggled staying home the first year. My kids were three and five at the time and they were very demanding. I would get frustrated constantly picking up my house and five minutes later it would look like a tornado came through again. I was always cleaning up spilled juice and dropped food. The laundry seemed to never end. I wanted every.single.day. to be back working, serving, leading people to the King. 

One day I was surfing the web and came across this quote:

"Your HOME is your FIRST ministry."

I quickly printed it out and placed it around my house. This was when I began to embrace the Stay-At-Home Mom/Wife thing. Not one time in that first year did I ever think of my home as my ministry, honestly, I felt it as a burden. From that moment on I knew I had to make a change in my life. I knew I needed to embrace my home as ministry, just as I did my job.

 The Bible tells us in Ephesians 5 that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church (5:25) and wives are to respect her husband (5:33). I had to figure out what that looked like for me. And for ME that means: I serve my husband his food and drink. I keep my home as tidy as I can without putting too much pressure on myself for perfection so he doesn't have to worry about it. I make sure he has clean clothes to wear, his favorite shampoo and bodywash. I try very hard not to ask my husband to do anything around our house that I can handle myself. I feel if I can make our home stress free for him, I should do that, especially since he works hard outside of our home to provide for us. 

As for my children, the Bible says in Proverbs "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." The way I act in my home is my ministry toward them. I'm teaching my daughter the importance of serving her home. I'm training her and teaching her how to be a wife/mom. She is seeing the respect and love she should have for her spouse. She is learning how to comfort and be present with her children. For my son, he is watching how I respond to his daddy. He is learning how to treat his future spouse and that he shouldn't settle for anyone that doesn't respect him. We lead our children in prayer and devotion time. We are giving them a foundation that is built on Christ, so they world doesn't give them another foundation. I'm showing them how to respond in love to the messiness of life. They are learning that the way we act in private is no different from the way we should act in public. 

My home is my safe haven. I take pride in it being my ministry. I pray over my home multiple times a day and I refuse to let anything in that doesn't glorify God, my marriage, or my children.

Friday Five.

It's Friday. Another week has come and gone. Y'all time is flying on by! I've never linked up to a blog for one of these post, but I thought it may be fun! 

1. My sweet daughter and I went to SAM's Club yesterday evening while the hubs and son raked leaves.

 Mistake #1 We went BEFORE dinner. 

Mistake #2 We HAD to try EVERY.SINGLE.sample.

Mistake #3 I saw this delicious goodness and I couldn't resist, besides I AAADORE all things S'Mores!

So go to your local SAM's or whatever you have and get yourself some! You will thank me later! ;) 

2. This is my ALL time FAVORITE coffee (or should I say CREAMER with a little coffee cup) cup.  Every time I drink out of it I say a sweet little prayer for the husband and our marriage. It's the little things. 

3. Here in Mississippi it was way TOO cold this week. I thought I was going to die. Seriously. For over 72 hours it was below freezing. Y'all this is unheard of and I hated it. I like sunshine and warmth. I'm so over winter. Spring/Summer CAN NOT come fast enough! 

4. So, I'm a SAHM and one income is tight. I've been spending way too much money($36) on facial moisturizer the past few years and went on a search to find one that wouldn't make my skin oily, but would get rid of the dryness in the dreaded t-zone. So a friend recommended Clean and Clear. Y'all I thought I was beyond Clean and Clear. Isn't that stuff for teens with acne? I'm not a teen and I don't suffer from acne, but I took her word (because she has perfect skin and bought this stuff). It smells great and for less than $6, I can take the other $30 I was spending and put it somewhere useful. Oh, and it works! 

5. Finally, I read this book in like 3 days. Women Living Well. Courtney has such great advice on finding joy in our everyday lives. It was a great inspiration. So, if your a looking for a good, easy read.. Check it out.