BEAUTIFUL SOUL
June 30, 2009 20:38
We've been listening to an awful lot of KLove and Z88.3 around here lately. The whole house audio plays nearly continuously reminding us that God loves us and that we need Him above all else.
But recently we had a quick two day getaway to Disney. Mike was completing the Passport2Purity program with Nick. KT and I were sort of in and out of the resort (I mean, seriously? Give up a chance to swim at the Beach Club?)
Since we didn't have the benefit of listening to what is good and pure and right, we made do with the soundtrack Disney provided.
And I was utterly amazed when I heard Jesse McCartney belting out his song "Beautiful Soul." I closed my eyes and imagined that God was singing this song to me. To KT. To Mike. To Nick. To YOU.
The lyrics are below, the italicized notes are from me.
(God designed our hearts to worship and love. We can worship our gods--money, drugs, sex, power---or we can worship the one true God)
I want you and your beautiful soul
(Ever feel like no one wants you? No one cares for you or what happens to you? HE wants you. He loves you and cares for you.)
You're the one I wanna chase
(He is with you always. Hoping you'll turn to Him)
You're the one I wanna hold
(Hold, comfort, wrap His arms around)
I wont let another minute go to waste
(He wants you NOW. He'll wait, because He's patient, but he wants you NOW!)
I want you and your beautiful soul
To you I'd be always faithful
(God has never broken a promise! Ever had your heart broken? Or been lied to? God won't do that!)
I want to be what you always needed
(Whether you believe it or not, He is what we need. Psalm 103:2-4)
Then I hope you'll see the heart in me
(The heart of the Father who gave his Son for you. John 3:16)
(chorus)
Your beautiful soul, yeah You might need time to think it over
(Don't wait too long. Hardened hearts believe the lies of this world and deny God. Don't allow your heart to be hardened.) But I'm just fine moving forward
(He planned ahead. Romans 5:8) I'll ease your mind
(Peace. Who doesn't long for it in this crazy, troubled world? John 14:27)
If you give me the chance I will never make you cry c`mon lets try
(Fear. Worry. Pain. Tears. Those are all works of the devil. God wants nothing but good for you. 1 Peter 3:12-13)
(chorus)
I don't want another pretty face I don't want just anyone to hold I don't want my love to go to waste I want you and your beautiful soul You're the one I wanna chase You're the one I wanna hold I wont let another minute go to waste
Am I crazy for wanting you
(Why would that be crazy? He created us in His image. He sent His Son to die for us. He loves us!) Baby do you think you could want me too I don't wanna waste your time Do you see things the way I do
(It's hard to see the big picture. Sometimes we only get a little glimpse and while confusing, we know that God is in control and will use it for His good.) I just wanna know if you feel it too
(Romans 10:9) There is nothing left to hide
(Psalm 139:1-4)
(chorus)
I don't want another pretty face I don't want just anyone to hold I don't want my love to go to waste I want you and your beautiful soul You're the one I wanna chase You're the one I wanna hold I wont let another minute go to waste
If you need to hear the song....need to hear God singing it to you....click here. But I highly suggest just listening to the song rather than watching the video. Open the video and click back on this page and read the lyrics asJesse God sings to you.
But recently we had a quick two day getaway to Disney. Mike was completing the Passport2Purity program with Nick. KT and I were sort of in and out of the resort (I mean, seriously? Give up a chance to swim at the Beach Club?)
Since we didn't have the benefit of listening to what is good and pure and right, we made do with the soundtrack Disney provided.
And I was utterly amazed when I heard Jesse McCartney belting out his song "Beautiful Soul." I closed my eyes and imagined that God was singing this song to me. To KT. To Mike. To Nick. To YOU.
The lyrics are below, the italicized notes are from me.
I don't want another pretty face
(it's not about worldly beauty. hair, make up, breast size, figure, etc)
I don't want just anyone to hold
(God designed our hearts to worship and love. We can worship our gods--money, drugs, sex, power---or we can worship the one true God)
I want you and your beautiful soul
(Ever feel like no one wants you? No one cares for you or what happens to you? HE wants you. He loves you and cares for you.)
You're the one I wanna chase
(He is with you always. Hoping you'll turn to Him)
You're the one I wanna hold
(Hold, comfort, wrap His arms around)
I wont let another minute go to waste
(He wants you NOW. He'll wait, because He's patient, but he wants you NOW!)
I want you and your beautiful soul
I know that you are something special
(He should know! He created you!
To you I'd be always faithful
(God has never broken a promise! Ever had your heart broken? Or been lied to? God won't do that!)
I want to be what you always needed
(Whether you believe it or not, He is what we need. Psalm 103:2-4)
Then I hope you'll see the heart in me
(The heart of the Father who gave his Son for you. John 3:16)
(chorus)
I don't want another pretty face
I don't want just anyone to hold I don't want my love to go to waste I want you and your beautiful soul You're the one I wanna chase You're the one I wanna hold I wont let another minute go to wasteI want you and your beautiful soul
Your beautiful soul, yeah You might need time to think it over
(Don't wait too long. Hardened hearts believe the lies of this world and deny God. Don't allow your heart to be hardened.) But I'm just fine moving forward
(He planned ahead. Romans 5:8) I'll ease your mind
(Peace. Who doesn't long for it in this crazy, troubled world? John 14:27)
If you give me the chance I will never make you cry c`mon lets try
(Fear. Worry. Pain. Tears. Those are all works of the devil. God wants nothing but good for you. 1 Peter 3:12-13)
(chorus)
I don't want another pretty face I don't want just anyone to hold I don't want my love to go to waste I want you and your beautiful soul You're the one I wanna chase You're the one I wanna hold I wont let another minute go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
Am I crazy for wanting you
(Why would that be crazy? He created us in His image. He sent His Son to die for us. He loves us!) Baby do you think you could want me too I don't wanna waste your time Do you see things the way I do
(It's hard to see the big picture. Sometimes we only get a little glimpse and while confusing, we know that God is in control and will use it for His good.) I just wanna know if you feel it too
(Romans 10:9) There is nothing left to hide
(Psalm 139:1-4)
(chorus)
I don't want another pretty face I don't want just anyone to hold I don't want my love to go to waste I want you and your beautiful soul You're the one I wanna chase You're the one I wanna hold I wont let another minute go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul You beautiful soul, yeah.
If you need to hear the song....need to hear God singing it to you....click here. But I highly suggest just listening to the song rather than watching the video. Open the video and click back on this page and read the lyrics as
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WE SHALL HAVE NO WINE
June 18, 2009 11:05
.....until its time.
It's time!
Well, it's almost time. Jesus was able to turn water into wine with just a command......
Wow. If only it was that easy. But since we cannot perform miracles, Mike and I had to do it the old fashioned way. We turned water (and yeast, and juice, and bentonite, and potassium sorbate, and kieselsol, and chitosan, and lots and lots and lots of time) into wine.
Although things came up and we bottled it three weeks late, I think it's going to be just fine!
And now, wine bottling in pictures......
The bottles are all washed and sanitized and ready to be filled. The finished wine in the 6 gallon carboy is waiting to be racked and filtered before bottling.
The racked wine is moved to the kitchen because of a serious lack of space in the laundry room. That thing is HEAVY! Check out Mike through the wine. I'd say that's some clear wine!
Bottling can be.....messy. Luckily we didn't start with a dark red wine! Now that we have the hang of it, it'll go much better next time. Notice Mo in the background.
Mike puts all of his weight pushing the corks into the bottles. And there is Mo again, trying to help out!
All done bottling. We had to test taste it, of course! Yum!
Not bad for our first attempt. We ended up with 28 1/2 bottles of wine. See those labels, they are old. This is actually a Raspberry White Zinfandel, not Liebfraumilch as labeled (which means "mother's milk" in German--hence I call it "breastmilk wine")
got wine?
We do! Technically we're supposed to wait at least a month to drink it.
Bah!
It's time!
Well, it's almost time. Jesus was able to turn water into wine with just a command......
John 2:1-11
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water;" so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
Wow. If only it was that easy. But since we cannot perform miracles, Mike and I had to do it the old fashioned way. We turned water (and yeast, and juice, and bentonite, and potassium sorbate, and kieselsol, and chitosan, and lots and lots and lots of time) into wine.
Although things came up and we bottled it three weeks late, I think it's going to be just fine!
And now, wine bottling in pictures......
The bottles are all washed and sanitized and ready to be filled. The finished wine in the 6 gallon carboy is waiting to be racked and filtered before bottling.
The racked wine is moved to the kitchen because of a serious lack of space in the laundry room. That thing is HEAVY! Check out Mike through the wine. I'd say that's some clear wine!
Bottling can be.....messy. Luckily we didn't start with a dark red wine! Now that we have the hang of it, it'll go much better next time. Notice Mo in the background.
Mike puts all of his weight pushing the corks into the bottles. And there is Mo again, trying to help out!
All done bottling. We had to test taste it, of course! Yum!
Not bad for our first attempt. We ended up with 28 1/2 bottles of wine. See those labels, they are old. This is actually a Raspberry White Zinfandel, not Liebfraumilch as labeled (which means "mother's milk" in German--hence I call it "breastmilk wine")
got wine?
We do! Technically we're supposed to wait at least a month to drink it.
Bah!
MEN IN UNIFORM NOT INCLUDED
June 16, 2009 18:04
Sometimes you get advice you aren't ready to take to heart. It may be the best advice you've ever gotten, but until you're ready to internalize it and make it your own, you can't make progress.
For example:
"Eat a diet low in fat." Good advice, but you don't heed it and your cholesterol levels continue to rise.
"Exercise regularly." Sound teaching, but getting off your butt takes motivation and commitment.
"Don't get a dog." Ok, Ok, dog lovers, don't send me nasty email. For us this was good advice we didn't take.
"Save money." In today's economy, it's crucial, but you notice less savings and higher debt.
Then there is the bad advice you receive that you're better off not following.
For example:
"Drink castor oil to induce labor." Yeah, so things can be flying out of BOTH places? I don't think so!
"Get a dog." Ok, I recycled this one. I admit it.
"Let your baby chew on a chicken bone to help with teething." Yes, seriously, we did receive that advice when KT was a baby!
But I'm going to give you some advice. As with all other advice, you can take it or leave it. I suggest taking it. It could change your life. That is, if you're ready to take it to heart.
Watch the movie Fireproof.
We actually had some Christian relatives recommend this movie to us months ago. I ordered it from Netflix, but we never got around to watching it. On the flip side, we had an acquaintance tell us not to watch it because the movie will convict you to do something about a marriage that may have problems. And it's easier to chalk it up as a loss and move on.
I'm pleased to say we followed the godly advice of Mike's sister, Ashley.
And.....wow! What a movie. Yes, I will totally admit the acting is not the greatest. The script and the delivery seems forced. I actually think KT and Nick could have played the main roles and delivered them with more credibility.
But the message is awesome. It's a message that needs to be heard. Needs to be taken to heart. Needs to be implemented. It's God's plan for what marriage is and can be. Satan can sneak into a marriage so easily and undermine what God's plan is for that union. It's best to be armed with the resources to fight him off.
Because this is worth fighting for......
August 3, 1991--Strongsville, Ohio
August 2001--Celebration, Florida
May 11, 2009--Port Canaveral, Florida
For example:
"Eat a diet low in fat." Good advice, but you don't heed it and your cholesterol levels continue to rise.
"Exercise regularly." Sound teaching, but getting off your butt takes motivation and commitment.
"Don't get a dog." Ok, Ok, dog lovers, don't send me nasty email. For us this was good advice we didn't take.
"Save money." In today's economy, it's crucial, but you notice less savings and higher debt.
Then there is the bad advice you receive that you're better off not following.
For example:
"Drink castor oil to induce labor." Yeah, so things can be flying out of BOTH places? I don't think so!
"Get a dog." Ok, I recycled this one. I admit it.
"Let your baby chew on a chicken bone to help with teething." Yes, seriously, we did receive that advice when KT was a baby!
But I'm going to give you some advice. As with all other advice, you can take it or leave it. I suggest taking it. It could change your life. That is, if you're ready to take it to heart.
Watch the movie Fireproof.
We actually had some Christian relatives recommend this movie to us months ago. I ordered it from Netflix, but we never got around to watching it. On the flip side, we had an acquaintance tell us not to watch it because the movie will convict you to do something about a marriage that may have problems. And it's easier to chalk it up as a loss and move on.
I'm pleased to say we followed the godly advice of Mike's sister, Ashley.
And.....wow! What a movie. Yes, I will totally admit the acting is not the greatest. The script and the delivery seems forced. I actually think KT and Nick could have played the main roles and delivered them with more credibility.
But the message is awesome. It's a message that needs to be heard. Needs to be taken to heart. Needs to be implemented. It's God's plan for what marriage is and can be. Satan can sneak into a marriage so easily and undermine what God's plan is for that union. It's best to be armed with the resources to fight him off.
Because this is worth fighting for......
August 3, 1991--Strongsville, Ohio
August 2001--Celebration, Florida
May 11, 2009--Port Canaveral, Florida
I NEED MY TECH SUPPORT GUY
June 13, 2009 21:43
I can't get my blog to cooperate tonight. I'm thinking Satan is sneaking in and not letting me post for whatever reason. No matter what I do, I can't get my text out of this silly "blockquote" box.
This is the first time this issue has ever come up and I'm at a loss for how to fix it. Everything I've tried hasn't worked.
Guess I'll wait for my tech support guy to get home from work. (wink)
A LITTLE WATER ISN'T SO BAD
June 11, 2009 16:44
I took a nap today and woke up with a start. I grabbed my iPhone, opened up my “Notes” app, and started tapping away as ideas flew from my brain. As much as I’ll miss him while he’s at work tonight, I was eager to get Mike out the door so I could sit down and write.
Let me take you back a few months so you can get an idea where I’m coming from. We moved into our house in early February. Things were going well as we set things up where we wanted them. If we didn’t have what we needed, we went out and bought things. We were loving having a brand new house that didn’t have problems. Everything was going well.
About the time we settled in and started living life, a problem surfaced. One of the windows in our studio started to leak. I love those little windows. They are way different from anything we had in our old house. And Mowana loved them too.
But one day, the drywall above the little window on the left began to leak. It was just a slow leak, just a wet spot on the drywall. We called the home warranty company and they came out, found the problem, and fixed it. They also fixed the drywall and repainted.
Crisis averted!
Until we saw this after a big rain.....
Uh-oh, not good. We called the home warranty person and he found the problem and fixed it.
Crisis averted....again.
I’ll bet you know where this story is going, don’t you? Yup, the problem was not fixed. The home warranty company has been out several times and every time they declare the problem “fixed.” This last time I refused to allow them in to fix the drywall and repaint. I told them I’d rather leave it looking ugly for 6 months worth of rains before going through the mess of drywall repair.
Glad I did!
The other day, a heavy rain showed us the leak was not fixed. Finally, the home warranty company came in and did this.....
Yup, that’s the wall above that cute little window. And actually, this looks good! When the drywall first came down, the entire area was wet. It was so saturated if you put your hand on it, your hand was wet. Those wood furring strips were dark from water saturation. It only looks as dry as it does now because we’ve had one of these pointing at it for 6 hours now.....
What’s happening is that somehow the empty cells in the concrete blocks are filling with water and then slowly seeping through the concrete block, running down the wall, and coming out through the drywall. Until the source of the leak is identified, this problem will not get better.
Ok, most normal people don’t sit bolt-up in bed because they want to write about water intrusion issues. Alright, alright, I know I might not be considered “normal!” I get that point.
So here is where my blog post gets philosophical.
My “sit up in bed” lessons are as follows.....
Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.
The early on fixes were easy. A little caulk, a diverter to shift rain away from the window, a new piece of siding by the garage. But now things are ugly. And I’m fully aware they may have to get uglier before they are totally better.
Just because there aren’t any symptoms, doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem.
I say this because the water didn’t come directly from the outside to the inside. First it had to channel somewhere and get into the empty cells of the blocks. Then more water had to get in to create pressure in the cells thus causing it to seep right through concrete. Then it continued on by traveling down the wall, saturating wood, and then through drywall. Things---unknown things---can be occurring without any signs.
Sometimes things have to be splayed open by an expert before the problem can be identified.
In this case, we’ve had the go around with the roofing guy, we’ve had to go around with the siding guy, but now the home warranty company is consulting the framing guy. He’s the expert in this area.
The only expert I know in all areas of life is God. And sometimes we need to be splayed open by God to find the cause of the problems.
I love this lesson because I was able to use the word “splayed” twice. And it never hurts the matter when I can slip “thus” in there too.
Sometimes temporary fixes seem to work, but just prolong the inevitable.
This water leak was sneaky and insidious enough that the temporary fixes--the caulk, the diverter, etc--simply prolonged finding the root of the problem. The home warranty company did not want to go as far as cutting up the side of our house the first time. They were hoping those minor fixes would do the trick. Just like people--we like to use a bandaid to fix a problem in our life when really we need a tourniquet.
Sometimes there is a real reason for a problem, but we may never know what it is.
Why do we have to have a leak? Why does our brand new house have to have problems? Why do we have to have roofers and siders and drywallers and painters and framers in and out all day?
We may never know why, but today, as K-Love was playing on the whole house audio, it hit me. Maybe one of these contractors needs to hear the message. Maybe they’ll be in here doing their job and a song will strike them. Maybe it will touch their heart. Maybe the lyrics will cause them to stop, think, possibly pray, and turn away from their sin. If they heard one of these songs in their car, they could quickly change it and listen to a different station. But here, in OUR house, they are held captive. It’d be rather awkward for them to come to us and say, “Excuse me, this song is touching my soul and it’s making me feel guilty about my sins, could you please turn it off?” God may be using this leak to touch someone’s life. Hmmmm.....
How I respond to a problem may be my Christian testimony.
In a world where Christians can sometimes be seen as freaks, many of us don’t speak up and share our Good News. We wait for someone to ask us about it, or we drop hints, but we always tiptoe around the matter. Or at least many of us do. Or at least I do. I may sign my emails “God bless” but what I should be doing is actively talking about God instead about hinting at him. Problem is, sometimes actively talking about God makes the listener shut down, tune out, and get defensive.
So in those times when I am not fully comfortable with myself or the situation, at least I can quietly give my testimony through my actions. This water leak has been frustrating. It’s now been going on for months. But today the home warranty guy thanked us for being so patient. He said many people who are in our positions would be screaming and yelling. Quietly and patiently, I wait for the time when someone comes up to me and says, “I see your joy, your peace, your gentleness and I want what you have.”
Turning to God instead of the ways of this world when problems arise, I am able to reflect God’s spirit. So with my patience during frustrating times, I am subtly giving a testimony. People with fish on the backs of their cars who cut off other drivers are also giving a testimony. It’s just a totally different one.
So maybe a little water isn’t so bad. After all.....
Let me take you back a few months so you can get an idea where I’m coming from. We moved into our house in early February. Things were going well as we set things up where we wanted them. If we didn’t have what we needed, we went out and bought things. We were loving having a brand new house that didn’t have problems. Everything was going well.
About the time we settled in and started living life, a problem surfaced. One of the windows in our studio started to leak. I love those little windows. They are way different from anything we had in our old house. And Mowana loved them too.
But one day, the drywall above the little window on the left began to leak. It was just a slow leak, just a wet spot on the drywall. We called the home warranty company and they came out, found the problem, and fixed it. They also fixed the drywall and repainted.
Crisis averted!
Until we saw this after a big rain.....
Uh-oh, not good. We called the home warranty person and he found the problem and fixed it.
Crisis averted....again.
I’ll bet you know where this story is going, don’t you? Yup, the problem was not fixed. The home warranty company has been out several times and every time they declare the problem “fixed.” This last time I refused to allow them in to fix the drywall and repaint. I told them I’d rather leave it looking ugly for 6 months worth of rains before going through the mess of drywall repair.
Glad I did!
The other day, a heavy rain showed us the leak was not fixed. Finally, the home warranty company came in and did this.....
Yup, that’s the wall above that cute little window. And actually, this looks good! When the drywall first came down, the entire area was wet. It was so saturated if you put your hand on it, your hand was wet. Those wood furring strips were dark from water saturation. It only looks as dry as it does now because we’ve had one of these pointing at it for 6 hours now.....
What’s happening is that somehow the empty cells in the concrete blocks are filling with water and then slowly seeping through the concrete block, running down the wall, and coming out through the drywall. Until the source of the leak is identified, this problem will not get better.
Ok, most normal people don’t sit bolt-up in bed because they want to write about water intrusion issues. Alright, alright, I know I might not be considered “normal!” I get that point.
So here is where my blog post gets philosophical.
My “sit up in bed” lessons are as follows.....
Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better.
The early on fixes were easy. A little caulk, a diverter to shift rain away from the window, a new piece of siding by the garage. But now things are ugly. And I’m fully aware they may have to get uglier before they are totally better.
Just because there aren’t any symptoms, doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem.
I say this because the water didn’t come directly from the outside to the inside. First it had to channel somewhere and get into the empty cells of the blocks. Then more water had to get in to create pressure in the cells thus causing it to seep right through concrete. Then it continued on by traveling down the wall, saturating wood, and then through drywall. Things---unknown things---can be occurring without any signs.
Sometimes things have to be splayed open by an expert before the problem can be identified.
In this case, we’ve had the go around with the roofing guy, we’ve had to go around with the siding guy, but now the home warranty company is consulting the framing guy. He’s the expert in this area.
The only expert I know in all areas of life is God. And sometimes we need to be splayed open by God to find the cause of the problems.
I love this lesson because I was able to use the word “splayed” twice. And it never hurts the matter when I can slip “thus” in there too.
Sometimes temporary fixes seem to work, but just prolong the inevitable.
This water leak was sneaky and insidious enough that the temporary fixes--the caulk, the diverter, etc--simply prolonged finding the root of the problem. The home warranty company did not want to go as far as cutting up the side of our house the first time. They were hoping those minor fixes would do the trick. Just like people--we like to use a bandaid to fix a problem in our life when really we need a tourniquet.
Sometimes there is a real reason for a problem, but we may never know what it is.
Why do we have to have a leak? Why does our brand new house have to have problems? Why do we have to have roofers and siders and drywallers and painters and framers in and out all day?
We may never know why, but today, as K-Love was playing on the whole house audio, it hit me. Maybe one of these contractors needs to hear the message. Maybe they’ll be in here doing their job and a song will strike them. Maybe it will touch their heart. Maybe the lyrics will cause them to stop, think, possibly pray, and turn away from their sin. If they heard one of these songs in their car, they could quickly change it and listen to a different station. But here, in OUR house, they are held captive. It’d be rather awkward for them to come to us and say, “Excuse me, this song is touching my soul and it’s making me feel guilty about my sins, could you please turn it off?” God may be using this leak to touch someone’s life. Hmmmm.....
How I respond to a problem may be my Christian testimony.
In a world where Christians can sometimes be seen as freaks, many of us don’t speak up and share our Good News. We wait for someone to ask us about it, or we drop hints, but we always tiptoe around the matter. Or at least many of us do. Or at least I do. I may sign my emails “God bless” but what I should be doing is actively talking about God instead about hinting at him. Problem is, sometimes actively talking about God makes the listener shut down, tune out, and get defensive.
So in those times when I am not fully comfortable with myself or the situation, at least I can quietly give my testimony through my actions. This water leak has been frustrating. It’s now been going on for months. But today the home warranty guy thanked us for being so patient. He said many people who are in our positions would be screaming and yelling. Quietly and patiently, I wait for the time when someone comes up to me and says, “I see your joy, your peace, your gentleness and I want what you have.”
Turning to God instead of the ways of this world when problems arise, I am able to reflect God’s spirit. So with my patience during frustrating times, I am subtly giving a testimony. People with fish on the backs of their cars who cut off other drivers are also giving a testimony. It’s just a totally different one.
So maybe a little water isn’t so bad. After all.....
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
LOVIN' ALL THE WIRES
June 09, 2009 23:21
Remember the mess of wires I showed you as our house was being built? The post went poof when the blog and podcast server crashed, so let me remind you of the spaghetti mess.....
I used to kid about how my husband was a geek, but wow, I LOVE him for it! I am SO enjoying being able to stream music all over the house all day long. With in ceiling speakers in nearly every room, I can get the whole house rockin’. And if I make the music loud enough, I can sing along and the kids don’t tell me to stop. The dancing though.....yeah, they usually insist I stop that part.
I’m even more excited now that I’ve found I can stream radio stations through the computer and to the speakers.
While my favorite thing to listen to was XM’s The Message (channel 32), it now has to compete with the live streaming of Z88.3 and K-Love.
Decisions, decisions......what uplifting music station should I listen to today??
I used to kid about how my husband was a geek, but wow, I LOVE him for it! I am SO enjoying being able to stream music all over the house all day long. With in ceiling speakers in nearly every room, I can get the whole house rockin’. And if I make the music loud enough, I can sing along and the kids don’t tell me to stop. The dancing though.....yeah, they usually insist I stop that part.
I’m even more excited now that I’ve found I can stream radio stations through the computer and to the speakers.
While my favorite thing to listen to was XM’s The Message (channel 32), it now has to compete with the live streaming of Z88.3 and K-Love.
Decisions, decisions......what uplifting music station should I listen to today??
GARDENING IS NOT MY FORTE
June 07, 2009 13:54
When I was a kid, I could grow anything. I grew sweet potatoes in a cup of water. I grew things from seed. I brought seemingly dead plants my mother had “killed” back to life.
And then I grew up. And had a job. And got married. And had a couple of kids. And my gardening skills went south. I just didn’t have the time to give plants the attention they needed. I’m not referring to talking to them or fertilizing them. Mostly I’m talking about giving them the most basic care. Like water.
Apparently plants need to be watered more than once a month.
Mike noticed my brown thumb and yet he saw me buy more houseplants from nurseries. And then he saw me throw out dead plants. And then he saw me buy more houseplants from nurseries. And then he saw me throw out dead plants (and repeat) I loved having the plants, I just didn’t have the patience or time to properly care for them.
At one point in our marriage when he was working bookoo hours a week, and I was a stay at home mom with a toddler and a baby, he asked me a question. He said, “How come you can’t keep a single plant alive?”
I thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and in my mostsarcastic humble voice I said to him, “Honey, you have a choice to make here. I can either keep the houseplants alive or I can keep the children alive.”
Pretty good one, eh?
As evidenced by the kids still being here and me not being in trouble for child neglect, it’s obvious he chose the children. Which is good, because the children are far more valuable to me than that Boston fern or the peace lily.
And now for my very profound gardening metaphor.....a side of me many of my loyal readers may not have known existed in this smart-alek, fun loving, crazy girl.......
Life, and marriage, and child rearing are a lot like gardening.
I guess I can’t take all the credit for the profoundness, because it was my friend Tina who put the thought in my head when she sent me a message and said,
He’s pruning me, eh? He’s pruning out all the unnecessary dead parts of me. Because after all, trees that are not pruned well don’t produce fruit or at least they don’t produce good fruit. I know, our apple trees in London didn’t get pruned for the 10 years we lived there and they never produced anything worth eating. So apparently, God is using some recent events to shape me, prune me, and help me bear fruit. Which totally goes along with the following Scriptures:
Don’t get me wrong. Pruning can hurt, but I can rely on this Scripture:
So many many years ago, when I was killing plants left and right, I had no idea that now, as a middle-aged wife and mom, I’d be looking back on it and pondering its profoundness. I was asked, point blank, why I was killing plants so frequently. And I answered with a reply that showed where my heart and life were......with my family.
Over the course of the years, I pretty much stopped buying plants. So I didn’t have to choose between plant care and kid care.
But I also lost sight of the other choices I was making in life. Turns out, I was choosing to put many things before what was really important--God, Mike, and the kids.
I’m spending time caring for my relationship with God. Long overdue. Musty and dusty. But the good news is, God loves me and no matter how much I disappoint him, he will always take me back. I’m finding when I put God above everything else, I’m happy.
I’m spending time caring for my husband. Sure, I’ve always cared for him. Did his laundry. Cooked his meals. Cleaned out his car. But I mean truly caring for him. Putting him above everything here on this earth. Treating him like the treasure he is. Respecting him. Knowing him. Communicating with him. Loving him. (edited out how else I can care for him.....this is a family blog after all) (wink) I’m finding out when I put Mike above everything (except God), I’m happy. And actually, more happy than I have been in years. And more in love with my husband than I have ever been
I’m spending time caring for my kids. I’ve been caring for them since they were babies. But I mean truly caring about them and how they turn out as little people. I’m running out of time. I’ve got so much to teach them and the years are not endless. They need to know how much God loves them. And their mom and dad love them. And a whole heck of a lot about human psychology and relationships. I’m finding the more time I spend with them, the more time they want to spend with me. Which gives me a lot more chances to teach them.
That is not to say this blog is going away. I’m not sure what its focus will be. I’m still hashing out the details with God and with Mike. I know someday my story will be told. My story has to be told in order to glorify God and help others who find themselves in similar situations.
Because I think that’s what God would want me to do. I’m just waiting on him to say the word and guide me.
And then I grew up. And had a job. And got married. And had a couple of kids. And my gardening skills went south. I just didn’t have the time to give plants the attention they needed. I’m not referring to talking to them or fertilizing them. Mostly I’m talking about giving them the most basic care. Like water.
Apparently plants need to be watered more than once a month.
Mike noticed my brown thumb and yet he saw me buy more houseplants from nurseries. And then he saw me throw out dead plants. And then he saw me buy more houseplants from nurseries. And then he saw me throw out dead plants (and repeat) I loved having the plants, I just didn’t have the patience or time to properly care for them.
At one point in our marriage when he was working bookoo hours a week, and I was a stay at home mom with a toddler and a baby, he asked me a question. He said, “How come you can’t keep a single plant alive?”
I thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and in my most
Pretty good one, eh?
As evidenced by the kids still being here and me not being in trouble for child neglect, it’s obvious he chose the children. Which is good, because the children are far more valuable to me than that Boston fern or the peace lily.
And now for my very profound gardening metaphor.....a side of me many of my loyal readers may not have known existed in this smart-alek, fun loving, crazy girl.......
Life, and marriage, and child rearing are a lot like gardening.
I guess I can’t take all the credit for the profoundness, because it was my friend Tina who put the thought in my head when she sent me a message and said,
“And God is going to do mighty things in your family - He is pruning you right now (and boy does that hurt) so that you can grow and be a beautiful, life-changing, testimony to His grace.”
He’s pruning me, eh? He’s pruning out all the unnecessary dead parts of me. Because after all, trees that are not pruned well don’t produce fruit or at least they don’t produce good fruit. I know, our apple trees in London didn’t get pruned for the 10 years we lived there and they never produced anything worth eating. So apparently, God is using some recent events to shape me, prune me, and help me bear fruit. Which totally goes along with the following Scriptures:
Phillipians 1:6 .....that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Romans 2:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Don’t get me wrong. Pruning can hurt, but I can rely on this Scripture:
Romans 5:3-5 .....but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
So many many years ago, when I was killing plants left and right, I had no idea that now, as a middle-aged wife and mom, I’d be looking back on it and pondering its profoundness. I was asked, point blank, why I was killing plants so frequently. And I answered with a reply that showed where my heart and life were......with my family.
Over the course of the years, I pretty much stopped buying plants. So I didn’t have to choose between plant care and kid care.
But I also lost sight of the other choices I was making in life. Turns out, I was choosing to put many things before what was really important--God, Mike, and the kids.
I’m spending time caring for my relationship with God. Long overdue. Musty and dusty. But the good news is, God loves me and no matter how much I disappoint him, he will always take me back. I’m finding when I put God above everything else, I’m happy.
I’m spending time caring for my husband. Sure, I’ve always cared for him. Did his laundry. Cooked his meals. Cleaned out his car. But I mean truly caring for him. Putting him above everything here on this earth. Treating him like the treasure he is. Respecting him. Knowing him. Communicating with him. Loving him. (edited out how else I can care for him.....this is a family blog after all) (wink) I’m finding out when I put Mike above everything (except God), I’m happy. And actually, more happy than I have been in years. And more in love with my husband than I have ever been
I’m spending time caring for my kids. I’ve been caring for them since they were babies. But I mean truly caring about them and how they turn out as little people. I’m running out of time. I’ve got so much to teach them and the years are not endless. They need to know how much God loves them. And their mom and dad love them. And a whole heck of a lot about human psychology and relationships. I’m finding the more time I spend with them, the more time they want to spend with me. Which gives me a lot more chances to teach them.
That is not to say this blog is going away. I’m not sure what its focus will be. I’m still hashing out the details with God and with Mike. I know someday my story will be told. My story has to be told in order to glorify God and help others who find themselves in similar situations.
Because I think that’s what God would want me to do. I’m just waiting on him to say the word and guide me.