If you are from the South, you may hear it at least once a day: Bless her heart....Bless you!...You are so blessed.
How do you define being blessed or not being blessed?
One of the most beloved sermons I heard from Dr. Adrian Rogers was entitled: Too Blessed to be Stressed, taken from Psalms 37. I came away with this thought: Lord, I am too blessed to be stressed and yet I am so stressed! ???
That was October of 2001 (don't think I'm freaky with dates...I just had the notes from the sermon written in my Bible, along with the date). Fast forward almost 9 years and I still cannot get that sermon out of my heart or my mind.
Here is how the Word of God defines blessed:
"Blessed" = Happy (from the Old Testament in the following verses)
1. Psalms 1v1: "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked..."
Am I "walking in the counsel of the wicked"...i.e. Am I defining blessed by the world's standards?
2. Psalms 32v1-2: "Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit."
Am I basking in the Truth that my sin is covered...that it is finished? Am I daily, even hourly, standing amazed by the work of the cross bestowed upon me?
3. Psalms 34v8: "...Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!"
Is God really my refuge....can I really say that my life exemplifies that I am dependent upon Him?
4. Psalms 33v12: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His heritage!"
5. Jeremiah 17v7: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord."
The following verse defines how I will be if my trust is, in fact, in the Lord: "...like a tree planted by water...does not fear when heat comes...is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit..." Am I still joyful, still loving, still peaceful when I didn't sleep well the night before...when my kids are cranky...when I want something but can't have it?
Now, let's turn to the New Testament.
Blessed = Happy, Happier
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Matthew 5v3-10: "Blessed are the poor in spirit...Blessed are theose who mourn,...Blessed are the meek,...Blesssed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,...Blessed are the merciful,...Blessed are the pure in heart,...Blessed are the peacemakers...Blessed are those who are persecuted..."
That is how Jesus Christ defines being blessed. Am I happier when I am poor, when I mourn, when I am meek, when I hunger and thirst? Go through that list. That is radical. That is not how the world, even the church world, most readily defines being blessed.
The Lord used a broken straightener and a lack of blush (yes, a hair product and make-up) to totally begin to transform my mentality of what it really means to be blessed. More to come...
The first words yesterday morning to my sweet husband, who brings me down to reality countless times during a given day, were:
Sweetie. Do you know what today is?
Blank stare. I saw those big eyes of his searching frantically for an important event to pop up such as an anniversary, birthday,...anything.
It's the first day of March! Out with the snow, in with the sun!
He lovingly and kindly and even hesitantly reminded me that Louisville had one of the biggest snows ever in March of '08. He prompted me to check the temperature outside. It was cold. Not frigid. Still cold though.
Let's forget all that. Let's forget that we may have snow here tomorrow in this lovely Louisville, KY that I call home. Let's forget that the wind whipped our faces today most drastically while the girls and I were running errands.
Yes, let's forget. And let's turn our attention to spring. Spring fling and spring bling, most accurately.
I've been brainstorming some fling-y and bling-y ways to get ready for spring indoors even if outdoors it still whispers (or even yells) of January's jitters and February's frights...
Spring dishes! I got out my pastel dishes that Mama Boe blessed us with last year. My spring tea glasses and tray. Even my little egg bread and butter knives. Now, that just made me H.A.P.P.Y.
White towels! I usually sport red towels in our bathroom. Red makes me think of Christmas cheer and Valentine love. I need to think of white flowers and light skies. White towels do just the trick.
Ribbon! I am a big fan of ribbon wrapped around a candle or a vase. I usually have quite a bit around the house from my sewing endeavors. Ribbon definitely "springs" up a candle or vase.
Artwork! Now. You know I'm not talking expensive here. I'm talking about letting those kiddos get out the paint and go for it! We did it yesterday and the girls came out with some very nice aqua-ish pictures. They're needing a bit of change too in their bedrooms and old pictures need to be replaced. The frames are there. Van Gogh, move out of my way!
Paint! I'm thinking of taking a mirror or something else that won't be a big deal if I totally do not like the color and have to re-paint over again, and painting it a fun spring color. I'm thinking an aqua but I wouldn't mind an orange....
Use what you have! I currently have at least 3 pillows, a lamp shade whose base is broken, and some clear glass vases that I'm just dying to recycle with a little spring fling and bling. Maybe some fabric, a bit of paint and some springy Hobby Lobby floral thingies would do just fine.
Give me yours! How do you like to add that spring fling and spring bling to your home? One more question: do lemons and limes stay fresh for awhile if I were to use them for a centerpiece?
A stipulation. As you can easily and readily see, my ideas will cost me next to nothing to implement. If you share yours, do the same!
She came to Louisville for a conference. I had not seen her in almost 3 years.
That definitely made me want to talk to her for 3+ hours. But she goes to bed by 8:30. Thankfully, Louisville is in the Eastern time zone, so 8:30 felt like 7:30 to her. And 10:30 (the time I dopped her off at her hotel) felt like 9:30.
Kacie is one of those. You know. Those friends that feel more like family.
When our friendship started in 9th grade, I dopped her from a L-stand during cheerleading practice. I sprained her ankle. It was just the beginning of sharing many falls in life together, none of which could keep us down as friends.
As 14-year olds, we couldn't believe we both weighed 103 pounds and our parents both grew up in small town (and beloved) West Point, Mississippi. We both had brown hair and were both the same height. We thought it was fate. Later, I would come to realize it was our Heavenly Father's doing.
When no one else would go, we went. We dressed up as hippies as 15-year olds and went trick or treating.
As 16-year olds, she was the one that was following me to watch me try on jeans one day after school. That day I totaled my car in front of our high school.
As Seniors, our cheerleading coach said we needed to work on the way we carried ourselves. She said we crossed our hands in front of us when we were listening to somone talk and that looked a bit snottish doing that. Who knew? We sure did not. When I cross my hands in front of my body, then quickly uncross them, I think of Kacie.
College came and college went. I used her house as my official hangout when my parents had moved away from Memphis and I was dating Aaron. She (and her sweet parents) were all too kind to me during those years. She used my house too when she came to Mississippi College and my parents were in that town.
We both got married and still we stayed close.
I even coaxed her into taking a job with me one year teaching. I don't know how she found it within her heart to forgive me for that, but she did. We found ourselves crying in our cars together on more than one occassion.
Somewhere in there, she taught me how to bargain shop. Any and all thrifitiness I express when shopping, I give all the credit to Kacie.
I remember we always used to say we were going to look real cute when we got pregnant one day and wear overalls. I totally could not pull off looking cute and pregnant wearing overalls. Kacie totally could.
I stayed in Memphis and had babies.
She went to India. I'm pretty sure she did not wear overalls when she was pregnant over there because of their customs.
She's now in Alabama. Her path brought her to Louisville last night.
I noticed her cute black boots. They were not heels, but flats. I told her I just did not enjoy wearing heels anymore. She agreed.
There are a few people out there with whom you fit just so, and, amazingly, you keep fitting just so even after you have growth spurts (I did not stay at 103 as long as Kacie did/does) or lose weight or stop wearing heels. You keep fittting after you have children...quit your job (at an awful "school")...Somehow, God is gracious enough to give us a few of those people, people you can stretch into, people who don't go away, and whom you wouldn't want to go away even if they offerered to...(from Girl Meets God by Lauren F. Winner).
1. I'm extremely thankful for seasons. Seasons in the weather and seasons in life.
2. The other day, the girls and I were wrapped up in our big coats playing on our porch. We had a little space heater humming along out there to keep our hands from freezing. Just a few weeks ago it was even too cold to do that. Now we get to do that. And, in another few weeks we'll actually venture out of the porch to the real outdoors. Maybe even without our big coats on. Have I said I love seasons?
3. Two passages in the Bible remind me of the mandate of seasons from the Lord. In 2 Timothy 4 v 2, Paul urges Timothy to "...be prepared in season and out of season..." Ecclesiastes 3 declares seasons as changing, as well as God assigning different activities for those seasons of life.
4. While seasons may be changing and fleeting, I really do not like the common phrase: "This too shall pass..." While whatever it is shall pass that you want to pass, lessons are to be learned during it. Learn those lessons. Take heart. Wait patiently. I'm very slow at really putting that all into practice during those seasons of life that I want to pass more quickly.
5. The season that I could not believe I was about to enter until I entered it was holding my baby (and all that comes with that season...). I remember the morning I went in to deliver Savannah, I thankfully and excitedly breathed a sigh of relief when they hooked me up to the monitors and I could hear her little heart just a beating away. 10 hours later I was holding her. Thus, we entered into the season of parenthood.
6. The season that I failed to anticipate the most? Wow. There are a lot of those. The one that sticks out in my mind the most (probably because it is the most recent) is the season that came with adjusting to life after a move to a new town. Many lessons learned. Many. Many. Many. None which came very easily. All which have truly impacted us forever.
7. The season that came most naturally to me? The Aaron season. Call me crazy. Right before Aaron and I started dating, I felt that the Lord was about to bring someone into my life.
Call me crazy again, but while I didn't know he was the one from our first date, I did know that we would never break up. I know. I am crazy using such description as that. Perhaps I just did not want to claim him as my husband until he claimed me as his wife.
8. The season we are in now? With those precious girlies of ours: we find crayons in every corner of our house and we done Dora band-aids unashamedly on every corner of our body, yes mine and Aaron's too. While having two so close together had its definite breaking moments, it's like a breath of fresh air these days...we still we have our breaking moments but that just goes with having children.
9. And about that Aaron season? Well, we never broke up and we will never break up. He's still the one that makes me laugh the hardest. Just last night, I had tears streaming down my face and, I'm not ashamed to say it, I snorted because I was laughing so hard at him. It's been almost 10 1/2 years since we've been together (dating and engagement time included) and while we have our ugly days, we have a lot more pretty ones. Take this with all the seriousness that it offers: The Lord binds us together and keeps us together. Period.
10. The season I'm most thankful for this day? Well, this season of course. Although we have recently been tempted to rush this season of preparing for full-time ministry, we are hopeful this day that He is, in fact, leading us into ministry somewhere, sometime for His glory. We're in a season where Aaron tells me a lot what he's learning and I tell him a lot what I'm learning. And where the Lord is teaching us together. It's a bright time. It's a humbling time. It's a good time.
I am coming to realize that being loud does not neccessarily mean one is being unruly, etc.
I have a loud child and a quiet one. Yesterday, Aaron was taking his temperature (sickness has hit!) in our room and I was sitting on the bed waiting to see the themometer. Both girls came walking into our bedroom. One noticed the quietness of the room, and whispered: "Mom, what are you doing?" One did not seem to take that quietness into account, stomped in the room much like a little monkey and started beating her little monky hands on the bed. I'm thankful for moments of realization like the first point I made = ).
Car trips are not nearly as daunting to me after our one to Memphis over Christmas. This past Saturday, we were headed out for a short day trip to Indiana. As we were getting ready to go, I found myself getting flustered trying to make sure I remembered everything needed for the day. Then I remembered. I remembered that car ride and thought: Wow. Surely nothing can go as sickly wrong as that one. Why all this fluster?
One thing I've thankfully realized about dressing my children is this: finding the right pair of pants goes a long way. I made the girls each a pair of courdoroy pants for the fall/winter. Little did I know that not only would they match with the little top I made them, but that little pair of pants would match with just about 10 other tops as well. How wonderful! A little pair of green pants recently bought has done the same thing. Thank goodness I don't care a bit about my girls wearing the same thing multiple times a week = ) because they sure do with those two pairs of pants....just different tops. I'm hoping to strike the same for spring/summer with capris and/or shorts.
Okay. So I've learned something. I believe we as moms (most especially if you are a believer in Christ) need to be very careful about how we talk about having babies or others having babies. Haven't you said it before: "Whew. That was a close call! Thankfully, it showed up as negative. Not ready yet for that to happen!" And, perhaps you have said or thought: "Well. Now why in the world world would she have another one? Come on. That makes 5. No 6. Is she not aware how that happens?!?" May we not forget that children are a blessing from the Lord, a reward from Him. I heard a sermon the other day that shared some startling stats of how Christianity is shrinking because we are not having enough children to replenish ourselves, as well as failing to exercise the serious discipline of discipling those that we have. Let's rise up, Christian! I'm talking to myself most definitely, if not explicitly, too.
So, by that last statement, you may think I have news to share of another one ; ). No. But...I do have some happy park and zoo faces to share with you this Monday. Sunday was almost 60 and sunny. Today was in the mid 50s and a bit cloudy but we decided to hit zoo anyways. Now, that really makes a mom "muse" in excitement to see those little faces light up with delight at the wonder of the outdoors...
So, you remember how I told you I have a loud child? Well. When we don't hear her, we run, not walk, to see what she is up to. I noticed a bit of quietness the other night going on while I was cooking dinner. But, I thought: She is in the den. There's not really anything she could get into in there. And I went about my cooking. I thought wrong. There happened to be a red pen which now happens to be marked all over the arm of our couch. Help! Any tricks for getting out ink on a couch???
I recently finished re-reading Elisabeth Elliot's The Shaping of a Christian Family. If you have not read it, read it. If I were speaking to you in person, you may sense an urgency in my request (just so you know). One poem that particularly has a hold on me in which she shared is an anonymous one that was posted in a notebook of Elisabeth's mother. She writes: "...Mother found (it) greatly comforting and fortifying in all kinds of circumstances, especially the kind that would tend toward the paralysis which self-pity brings..."
From an old English parsonage down by the sea
There came in the twilight a message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven,
Hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven.
And on through the hours the quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration: "DOE THE NEXTE THYNGE."
Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity, guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows, child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, doe the nexte thynge.
Do it immediately, do it with prayers;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing,
Leave all resulting, doe the nexte thynge.
Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
Working or suffering, be thy demeanor;
In His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing.
Then as He beckons thee, doe the nexte thynge.
Yes. Sometimes that nexte thynge is glorious. And then I sadly find when I have too many of those thynges, I forget Whose glory really matters. Other times that nexte thynge just seems so mundane and I lose the beauty of His glory in the mundane. And so I press on. Press on to doe the nexte thynge.
Like, popping popcorn and dividing it in 3 bowls. And His grace falls over me. Because in doing that nexte thynge, I see His glory. His glory in the little things, the mundane. Taking joy even in simplicity. Doing the nexte thynge. Because it is not about me and my happiness nor excitement nor comfortableness. And, yet, I do find all of that and more in His delight and His glory...in His next thynge for me.
1. We had such a fun Valentine's week. Making Valentines for our loves was at the top of our list. And cupcakes too!
2. And, how much love was lavished upon us as well! From heart-shaped place mats and darling Valentine plates...
3. To a book that had recorded voices of loves reading to the girls and heart-shaped barretes (tried to get them to show up in the pic)...
4. To a sweet friend giving the girls a Valentine's party (complete with heart shaped pizzas and brownies and balloons) while Aaron and I went out on a Valentine dinner date (which was yet another gift)...
5. Wow. It was a special week! Love lavished on us in such sweet ways! And I think of the ultimate love lavished upon us: "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" (I John 3v1).
6. I get excited about having leftovers for lunch these days. Like today, I'm excited about have the leftover pasta and bread from last night's dinner. Yes. I know. It's the little things in life.
7. I have no Biblical, theological or even spiritual ground to back up my next statement: I'm not sure I really agree with having Wednesday night church. My ground for saying that? I am absolutely exhausted when I get home on Wednesday nights from church. Really. Perhaps it is because I help with 14 2-year olds. I don't know. I just can't imagine how all those school-aged children must feel that have been at school all day and are getting home from church that night only to have to wake up early the next day for school again. Phew. Maybe I'm just getting old.
8. Let me not forget to mention that Savannah had her first friend to sleep over the other night. I don't think she stopped smiling from the time Hannah got over until they got in trouble because they were not going to sleep and instead arguing over what color they wanted the ladybug that flashes stars in Savannah's room to be. While we've had the blessing of having friends stay over, S had not yet experienced a friend actually spending the night in her room. It was quite exciting as the smiles do proffer.
9. Another Cheerios story: Savannah came into the kitchen the other night and said her nose hurt. I thought maybe it was a sore or something. She recovered after a few minutes though. The next morning, I gave her Cheerios for breakfast. She looked at me and said: "Mom, that is why my nose hurt! There was a Cheerio in my nose." Hmm...
10. And, now I leave you with a thought that was spoken to me this week, something I knew but now it has really taken hold of my mind and my heart: We are not a deserving people. Nor are we entitled to anything. We think we have a right to certain things, ways of living, to be treated a certain way, etc. We do not. (I did not quote exactly.) I think when we truly realize that we do not deserve anything we have, we can bask in Christ's provision and gifts to us all the more. And stand amazed all the more as well. And, hopefully, fall to our knees all the more.
3 16 oz. cans, great northern beans, drained and rinsed (I suggest just using 2 cans)
6 cups chicken broth (use about 1 C more or add a bit of water to make it more soupy)
3 C grated monterey jack cheese
salt pepper
sour cream
1. Heat oil in large heavy pot to med/high.
2. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Add garlic, chiles, chicken, cumin, oregano, and hot pepper.
4. saute 2 minutes.
5. Add beans and chicken broth.
6. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours or more.
7. Add 1 cup of grated cheese.
8. Stir until thick and melted.
9. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with remaining cheese and sour cream.
Just a note: With the chiles, red pepper, and cheese, it sounds like this would be quite the spicy soup. It really is not. So, I would say if you want it to be spicy, add more of the red pepper and cheese.
I confess this about today's snow: I did not want it. But, then, I thought...
Little Girls
Candy Land. And Memory.
Watercolors and Rainbows.
Little girls.
Learning to jump in a pillowcase.
Dancing to the Beatles.
And, of course, a dose of Elmo's World.
Little girls.
Spreading out a blanket. Talking about the sunshine and "Oh, it's so bright we better grab our sunglasses!" Even if we are just pretending (and dreaming) it's a real picnic.
Puzzles and just pausing.
All with little girls.
That's what the snow makes us do.
And I complain? Just plain foolish of me. That's what that is.
And something better than Candy Land came to my heart as well...
Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow...Isaish 1v18.
And I complain? Just plain foolish of me. That's what that is.
It's 10 1/2 inches out there right now, just so you know (from last week's snow plus today's).
And here's a "just so you know" for Pop Pop~Aaron said: "It's a good thing we built that deck strong because the snow is heavy."
I missed Try it Tuesday this past week but I wanted to share a recipe that would just be simply divine for the upcoming Valentine's weekend. I'll call them Oreo Love-Loves though their original name is Oreo Bon-Bons. Be careful, though! You are what you eat, so just a few of these go a long....way. The recipe makes 40-50 Love-Loves so making one batch will let you share the love with those special someoneS in your life! (P.S. I got the recipe from a banquet at the seminary. That's all the info I have on them.)
Oreo Love-Loves
1-20 oz. pkg. of Oreos
1-8oz. pkg. of cream cheese
12 oz. chocolate flavored bark coating
(found near the chocolate chips; the package comes in a 24 oz. package so though the recipe calls for it to be half of that, I use a bit more)
Let the cream cheese sit out until it is room temperature. Crush the Oreos until they are like dust. A food processor works best. Cream the cream cheese in a mixer. Add the crushed Oreos in small batches. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet and them let sit in freezer for a while (about an hour). When balls have hardened, heat bark following the direction on the pkg. Drop balls into choclate to coat and place on a wax paper lined tray. Chill for a few minutes to set. Serve at room temperature.
Now. Go share those sweet Love-Loves with your sweet loves!
The girls wanted to join in for this Try It post. So, here is a short clip from the week of the mamma trying to make her silly girls say Aubrey's name correctly..."AuBRey" versus "AuBey".
I am 28 years old and have been married to Aaron the only guy who could really ever make me laugh out loud for 6 years. We have 2 1/2 little girls, Savannah who is 1 year old, Aubrey who blessed our family in June, and Charley who is the 1/2 of a daughter and other 1/2 beagle. I am a stay at home wife and mom who loves the color red and adores lamps as well as Target.
