Word FILLED Wednesday: Blessing in Obedience...

I've been reading through the Bible in a Year...this one...and have stuck to it with more fortitude than usual. Praise God! Really, it's totally not me...cuz usually by the time I've hit Chronicles I'm long out of schedule and frustrated. It does help that my parents are following the same schedule and I can talk to them about the same things we've all been reading. Anyhew...we're in Psalm 119 now...chunk by powerful chunk. WOW!

I just love this whole particular chunk...

Heth

Lord, you are mine!

I promise to obey your words!

With all my heart I want your blessings.

Be merciful as you promised.

I pondered the direction of my life,

and I turned to follow your laws.

I will hurry, without delay,

to obey your commands.

Evil people try to drag me into sin,

but I am firmly anchored to your instructions.

I rise at midnight to thank you

for your just regulations.

I am a friend to anyone who fears you—

anyone who obeys your commandments.

O Lord, your unfailing love fills the earth;

teach me your decrees.

Tube Tuesday: Marriage & Cow Pies...

This is a bit longer than my normal Tube Tuesday...but I thought it was really good...it was all I could do not to post a whole bunch of them...there are tons on youtube or desiringgod.org. In case you're interested...

So, how's marriage connected to cow pies...

Jesus' Heart for Stressed Rushers...

Today, as I did my grocery shopping...with my two little puddle jumpers SPLASHERS...I was struck by the attitudes and faces around me. Granted, it's been incredibly HOT, humid and stormy in our part of the world...so, I shouldn't have expected huge amounts of cheerfulness.

Generally, my children are well received (yes, even in the grocery stores)...cuz they're cute. Why? DUH , what kinda dumb questions is that...why? Tsk!! Hank, our favorite greeter, is always happy to see us...but the rest of the day was stressful! We really annoyed an older woman in the toothpaste aisle. I didn't even see her...I was going over the rules of the store..."you must be holding the cart at all times. if you are not holding the cart you will be riding in the cart. do you understand?" If looks could kill...I'd at least be badly injured. *sigh*

Going to and from the stores I was seriously tailgated...going into and out of the stores, my little brood and I, were irritatedly waved across the parking lot. Hurry, hurry...rush rush rush. I smile at EVERYONE...it's one of my irritating better qualities. Today I only counted a few smiles back...and those were mostly workers who know me. Weird!

So, I brooded about it on the way home. Yes, it did get to me...and I knew that being angry and irritated was only passing on the rotten feeling. I wondered about what Jesus would do...and of course, you know my penchant for what DID Jesus do...so...here's what I think. I think, it would have made him sad...to see the lost, rushed and weary. They were searching and scurrying and tired and frustrated.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Don't get me wrong...I think Jesus called sin SIN...and judged rightly those who were in the WRONG...but well, for one thing...I'm not Jesus (*gasp*) and no one wronged me by their grouchy attitudes. It is SO easy to just catch the grouchy disease...instead of stopping to consider these poor, sad and lost souls. I know the Healer for all their hurts. I'm challenged to ACT LIKE IT...and openly share when I can! So, I'm gonna smile anyway...

Caffeinated Randomness: CS Lewis & a bunch of Anon.

Photo Courtesy of thecoffeebump.com

As most of you know, aside from all things coffee, I also love quotes. Anonymous quotes frustrate me...cuz I worry that they aren't really anon. but just lost to their owners. But, some I enjoy and wanted to share anyhew. And, it's always great to start out good quotes with CS Lewis! Smiles and Summertime lovin' to all you chiccas!

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.
C. S. Lewis

If you are not as close to God as you used to be, who moved?

No two Christians will ever meet for the last time.

God understands our prayers even when we can't find the words to say them.

When life knocks you on your knees, your in the perfect position to pray!

I believe in the sun even if it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when He is silent.

A Forgiving Spirit in my garden...

I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit. I will forgive even those who do not ask for forgiveness.

Many are the times when I have seethed in anger at a word or deed thrown into my life by an unthinking or uncaring person. I have wasted valuable hours imagining revenge or confrontation…I will now and forevermore silently offer my forgiveness even to those who do not see that they need it. By the act of forgiving, I am no longer consumed by unproductive thoughts. I give up my bitterness. I am content in my soul and effective again with my fellow man.

I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit. I will forgive those who criticize me unjustly.

Knowing that slavery in any form is wrong, I also know that the person who lives a life according to the opinions of others is a slave. I am not a slave. I have chosen my counsel…I now know that criticism is part of the price paid for leaping past mediocrity.

I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit. I will forgive myself.

For many years, my greatest enemy has been myself. Every mistake, every miscalculation, every stumble I made has been replayed again and again in my mind. Every broken promise every day wasted, every goal not reached has compounded the disgust I feel for the lack of achievement in my life…

I realized today that it is impossible to fight an enemy living in my head. By forgiving myself, I erase the doubts, fears, and frustration that have kept my past in the present. From this day forward, my history will cease to control my destiny. I have forgiven myself. My life has just begun.

~Andy Andrews

WFW: Happy Summer!!

I sure hope you're all taking the time to enjoy the start of summer. I'm really trying to not just let it FLY by! Smiles!!

Peace like a Pond?...or like a River??

The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 32:17

Being peaceful was never something I counted as a goal. It cracks me up to think that I thought it didn't "fit my personality." I sort of thought of it as boring. Those pithy, quiet peaceful people...ugh! No thanks. BUT...it's funny (well, not really) how God can bring you to a place where you yearn for His peace...and you realize that it isn't about peace like a POND...but peace like a river...
"If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea." Isaiah 48:18

As I looked at this a little bit this week I thought it was interesting the connection between God's peace and our obedience.
Is. 26:3-perfect peace for those with a steadfast trust in God
Is. 57:2- peace for those who walk uprightly

Being a full time MomE often brings me flat on my face...usually in shame...as I consider the contrast between my parenting skills and God's parenting skills. I strive for obedience from my children...because I want them to have peaceful lives. I want them to know WHO controls the rapids in their rivers of life. Unlike God, my sense of discipline is often off...and I'm not always just and fair...but HE IS...always...even when it hurts!

"For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights." Proverbs 3:12

Coffee from my Darling!

I just think this is the cutest little picture...comic...I'm not sure, but it looks like Rockwell to me. The paper from this ambitious, apron-ed husband says, "Darling, To make good coffee, use enough. A heaping tablespoon for each cup. ~Betty"

I've been trying struggling to be positive about every day things in my marriage. When I saw this picture I thought about one of the things that I took for granted when Loverbrains was home each morning and not traveling so much.

He almost always makes the coffee (good STRONG coffee) and brings me my first cup. I enjoy doing the rest of the cooking/baking, etc. but it sure is a treat when, in my still slightly coma state...in walks my man...with a steaming cup of LOVE for me!

Thanks Darling!!

Happy Father's Day Sweet Loverbrains!

Caffeinated Randomness: Weary Wanderer longs for her Mundane Life

After two weeks of wandering on various pseudo vacations....a trip on business with my Loverbrains and a trip to visit my folks and celebrate our Half-versary...I'm surprised to discover that I've missed my little mundane life. HA!

Okay, saying I missed mountains of laundry might be a slight stretch. And, on a random laundry sidenote...why is it that on laundry day everyone (including yourself) has clothing accidents (spills, stains, etc.) and you feel like laundry is just a futile task all together. Does that happen to anyone else?

We are critter sitting for some friends. In addition two our two Anoles (Guacamole and Canole)...we now are watching their lone Anole (BOB) and two awesome blue dart frogs. They eat wingless fruitflies ya'll. Too fun!! Last night I fed Anoles...and as I was gathering their crickets...one escaped. Oh, if ya'll could've been flies on my wall...you would have been laughing yourselves silly. Well, and if you were a fly and saw how I caught that cricket (smack) you might have gotten yourself outta there quick!

Loverbrains comes home for the weekend...to mow our jungle and spend some time with us before heading out into the REAL jungle again. We are excitedly planning Father's Day! I'm feeling slightly irritated that it snuck up on me and the stuff I'm mailing won't get to Grandpas and Papa until after the date. Same thing happened to me with Mother's Day. I do REMEMBER before the date...just not THAT far ahead. *sigh*...is this one of those after 30 things? Of all the things I've ever lost, I miss my mind the most.

Okay, on my final random note of the day...being a total bookworm (like I probably should get professional help for this addiction, haha)...I was wondering if any other bookworms out there had ever felt like they'd like to sit down with various favorite authors and SHAKE THEM UNTIL THEY REVEAL THE REST OF THE STORY!!!??? I mean, it's just there in their heads somewhere, right? And they are WITHHOLDING IT from us and only giving it to us in small marketable chunks! *sigh*...I'm reading Jacqueline Winspear's latest "The Mapping of Love and Death." It's her Maisie Dobb's series....oh, how I love it! And, should she shockingly stumble over my blog "Don't worry Jacqueline...I would never literally shake you...but I'd sure love to butter you up and see what you'd share with me! "

Hope all you chiccies have a great weekend. Go make yourselves a lovely iced coffee and relax! Love to yas!!

Word FILLED Wednesday: Water, water...

It has been SO humid around here...I like to hallucinate that I live in the tropics! Hehehe...so...as I sat in the sultry shade of my screen porch watching my Sweet Boobahs play in their wadding pool I thought about cool, refreshing Scriptures.

My ice water glass, with it's condensation rapidly building, gave me some thoughts. So, I went a digging...and this (above) is what I ended up with...to share with ya'll!

Smiles...I hope the remembrance of so sweet a salvation is a cool glass of water to your steamy summer day!

Half-versary...

Loverbrain's and I were married in the beautiful cold of December. We find that we can't quite get it together to celebrate our anniversary during that busy season.
So, my parents lovingly volunteered to watch our Sweet Boobahs so we could go away for a day. They live close to Amish country...so...we left the dear sweet children...who cried not one tear...sigh!
And, we did what truly nerdy people like to do...
...we toured a small town museum...Loverbrains is standing next to a huge Swiss cheese vat...his favorite kind of cheese. I think, PU! I make him brush his teeth when he's done eating that stuff! Hehehehe!
Our hotel was by a river (we don't know which one)...and there was a bench...so we sat and talked and watched the sunset! Very special...
He surprised me with a huge room with a fireplace and jucuzzi tub...and we sat and read and talked. Might sound boring to you...but with little kids about it's hard to do that often!
We had a great time going through Amish country. They had little 1800 houses made into shops...and they are made for me. I don't even have to duck in the doorways ya'll! Hehehe! Anyone who'd like to give me an 1800's house...I'm game!

Word FILLED Wednesday: Smokin'

So, in your everyday...what Scripture do you see??

Join WFW over at the Internet Cafe Devotions!

Tube Tuesday: Hope...

Just in case you don't know who Andre Bocelli is...here's one of my favorites...

Rainy Day Hotel Ideas...

Word FILLED Wednesday: ROCKin' verses...and linky thoughts...

I've been doing some pier walking and looking at some serious rocks...and so I went searching for ROCK verses. WOW...there are so many. How comforting...indeed!
I've been doing a lot of blog surfing or blurfing...and have recently read some really powerful stuff...stuff that hits me right between the eyes...So, rather than try to recap in my own pitiful words I'm gonna share some linky love with ya'll...

Missy at It's Almost Naptime hits my heart on a rather regular basis...but her latest really hurt. My cheek's still stinging. "Every moment and every action of every day displays either how much we know Jesus or how much we need Jesus."

Natalie at Mommy On Fire is becoming dearer to me with every post. A few weeks ago she wrote a good one on The Power Of Words..."It was in that moment that I heard God say to me “See, my daughter? Every little thing you say reveals to the world who you really are.”

I somehow stumbled over Queen Los at Daily Grace. This is one of those really great painful posts on how to treat your husband. I love her reversals at the end. We'd have a complete cow if our husband's said some of those things that we say about them. Flaming shame! Whoa.

And Last (for now) Sandy at God Speaks Today really nailed it for me. "But now, I am so thankful God doesn’t let me coast on my own goodness. I’m so thankful that He allows me to suffer the discomfort of hunger for His word and distress of thirst for His presence. I’m so thankful He never lets me forget that I am absolutely nothing without Him."

Beachy Thoughts...

Ever think how powerful God is....just in regards to water?? He pulls the tides in and out!
It tickled me recently to hear someone share my sentiment that THAT is soooo amazing....cuz, have you ever tried to move a kiddie pool over so it doesn't kill your grass? I mean, just a few inches...and GOD just *snap* DOES IT.
Psalm 148 says, "He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away." Praise the Lord! P.S...this whole Psalm is really good but I didn't want to put the WHOLE thing down.
This trip has been an adventure so far...but I WILL TRUST THE LORD...and it will be a good adventure....because HE is faithful to me!
FYI...sand does stick to everything. I remembered reading recently that baby powder helps take it off before you get into the car to go home. Funny...wish I had some baby powder! Loverbrain's car is a mess!!
What a beautiful day we were given! I love SPF 85...it allows me to relax a bit and enjoy the fun times with the Sweet Boobahs.
Who needs a pedicure? Just go walk in the sand. Smoothed my feet right down!! SMILES!!