I could not sleep last night for anything. I woke up, for no apparent reason, at 2:22am, and laid there and laid there and laid there. I very rarely have that problem. I can usually fall asleep within seconds of my head hitting the pillow (or as my husband and children can attest, withing minutes of starting a movie at home regardless of what time it is or how interested I am in the movie). So, I got up and read and messed around on the 'puter for a couple hours until I started getting tired again. I did get back to sleep, but it was a restless sleep for the next couple hours until my alarm went off far too early.
As a result, I was quite tired today. Normally this would cause me to be in less than a chipper mood for the day, and I would be struggling and feeling a little overwhelmed with everything all day long...
But not today.
Because of my new best friend, Joyce Meyer, I chose to have a good attitude! I have been listening to some Joyce Meyer cd's loaned to me by a friend, and I have to tell you they are changing my life...more accurately God is changing my life through the messages she shares in them.
The cd's are about attitudes...how to have a trusting and patient attitude, a hopeful attitude and a peaceful attitude, no matter what your situation. They are about choosing to have these Godly attitudes, not only when things are going well, but when we go through trials. Especially then. We can choose to have a good attitude on purpose, and not let the enemy of our souls tell us what kind of mood to be in all the time. We so easily give up our peace when things don't go our way, or when we are struggling with things...big and small. Joyce said "If you are already in a tough situation, it doesn't do any good to make it worse by having a bad attitude about it."
So I chose to have a good attitude today, despite the fact that I had only about 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep, and it was Monday, and my job requires alot of mental and physical energy. Was I tired? Yes. But did I complain about it or let it determine how my day would go or what kind of mood I would be in? Nope. I believed that God would get me through the day in His strength, and He did.
And I was happier, too.
So I have a feeling that this little lesson that I learned today is just a small building block for God to use to continue to build my character. To make me more like His Son. Yay, go me! Yay, go Joyce! Or rather...yay, Go God!!!
"Do everything without grumbling or arguing" Philippians 2:14
Monday, August 15, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Today
I'm going to resist the urge to try and summarize all the happenings in our lives since the last time I blogged. It's hard for me, to resist such a tempting temptation, but I quite often have trouble summarizing things and tend to ramble on and on, so it's probably best if I just talk about today.
Today was....
See, I'm doing it already. I have typed and backspaced about 14 sentences and just can't decide how to describe my day. What is my problem? There may be a name for this, I'm not sure, but whatever it is I need to just press on and keep typing until something resembling a coherent thought finds it's way out.
Church was amazing today! It usually is, but it was especially amazing today. Besides great worship and a great message, there were tables set up in front of the sanctuary where people could come up together or individually to take communion. I love that. We went up as a family (I temporarily left my post at the piano to join my clan) and it was very special...to hold hands with my husband and children, remember the sacrifice that bought our freedom and salvation, and pray together with these wonderful people that I am blessed to share my life with...well it doesn't get any better than that at church.
I also had the opportunity to talk with three parents who are grieving the losses of their children this week. I am quite sure that they ministered to me more than I did to them. The strength and peace that emminated from them at the most painful time in their lives is truly nothing short of a miracle.
This afternoon I had the opportunity to partake in my favorite Sunday afternoon pleasure....a nap! Then it was on to Kyle's baseball banquet at the city park. Fun! I love baseball season, and also love when it comes to an end and our lives can resemble something a little more close to normal. And there is alot less sand in our couches.
Tonight I had a photo shoot, and learned some very valuable lessons in my photography quest:
1. Make sure to allow plenty of time for the shoot so you are not playing beat the clock with the sun.
2. Don't be afraid to reschedule, it's better than trying to rush and getting frustrated when there just isn't enough light left in the day, and you have to reschedule anyway. Hmmph.
3. It is SO WONDERFUL to have understanding and gracious friends who not only understand the need to reschedule, but totally don't act inconvenienced at all, and are even grateful for the "dress rehearsal" and the time we got to spend together!
4. It's also wonderful to have very generous friends who are awesome at gardening and bring you fresh vegies from their garden....yum!
5. And last but not least, always be sure to scope out a location ahead of time to avoid wasting precious daylight by trying to find the just right spots and realizing that the waterfall you were told about wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
And now, it's time to retire for the evening...I did it! I summarized today without rambling on and on (at least not too much. I think.) I surprise myself sometimes.
Today was....
See, I'm doing it already. I have typed and backspaced about 14 sentences and just can't decide how to describe my day. What is my problem? There may be a name for this, I'm not sure, but whatever it is I need to just press on and keep typing until something resembling a coherent thought finds it's way out.
Church was amazing today! It usually is, but it was especially amazing today. Besides great worship and a great message, there were tables set up in front of the sanctuary where people could come up together or individually to take communion. I love that. We went up as a family (I temporarily left my post at the piano to join my clan) and it was very special...to hold hands with my husband and children, remember the sacrifice that bought our freedom and salvation, and pray together with these wonderful people that I am blessed to share my life with...well it doesn't get any better than that at church.
I also had the opportunity to talk with three parents who are grieving the losses of their children this week. I am quite sure that they ministered to me more than I did to them. The strength and peace that emminated from them at the most painful time in their lives is truly nothing short of a miracle.
This afternoon I had the opportunity to partake in my favorite Sunday afternoon pleasure....a nap! Then it was on to Kyle's baseball banquet at the city park. Fun! I love baseball season, and also love when it comes to an end and our lives can resemble something a little more close to normal. And there is alot less sand in our couches.
Tonight I had a photo shoot, and learned some very valuable lessons in my photography quest:
1. Make sure to allow plenty of time for the shoot so you are not playing beat the clock with the sun.
2. Don't be afraid to reschedule, it's better than trying to rush and getting frustrated when there just isn't enough light left in the day, and you have to reschedule anyway. Hmmph.
3. It is SO WONDERFUL to have understanding and gracious friends who not only understand the need to reschedule, but totally don't act inconvenienced at all, and are even grateful for the "dress rehearsal" and the time we got to spend together!
4. It's also wonderful to have very generous friends who are awesome at gardening and bring you fresh vegies from their garden....yum!
5. And last but not least, always be sure to scope out a location ahead of time to avoid wasting precious daylight by trying to find the just right spots and realizing that the waterfall you were told about wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
And now, it's time to retire for the evening...I did it! I summarized today without rambling on and on (at least not too much. I think.) I surprise myself sometimes.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
What I've been doing when I'm not spilling water on expensive electronics and lighting things on fire
Besides working...and taking and editing lots of pictures...and watching my boys play baseball nearly every night and weekend...and tending to things and people around our house...and working on music for church...and planning and preparing for Trevor's graduation party...and overusing ellipses...and trying to resist the urge to curl up into a ball and go to my happy place, I really haven't been doing very much this summer.
Things have been so boring and uneventful, that just for fun one evening I decided to spill an entire glass of water on my computer. The one that Vince built for me last year for my birthday for me to use for my photography business which stored ALL OF THE PICTURES I HAVE EVER TAKEN SINCE 2006, which was when I got my first digital camera.
Sigh.
I literally thought I was going to have a stroke. But Vince took it apart and assessed the damage, and discovered that my harddrives were indeed saved but the motherboard was toast - you know, the most expensive part of a computer. Again, sigh. Well, I can be thankful that all of my pictures and documents were ok. A motherboard can be replaced, but pictures cannot! Vince has it up and running again, so I am thankful.
And because that was so much fun, the very next evening I decided to light some candles and watch helplessly as the match I just lit broke in half - sending the flaming half floating to the floor where it singed a beautiful little hole in the carpet. One more sigh.
Those who know me well, know that this is not the first time I've had episodes of brain flatulence that resulted in mass destruction, and it most likely will not be the last. (Again with the sighing). But a little reprieve would be nice, so that is what I am praying for!
Actually, I have learned something through this recent round of mishaps...I need to have more grace with our kids. I am often harping on them to be careful and I can sometimes lose it when things get scratched or broken, but I really need to have more grace because looky what I can do! Wow.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7
Things have been so boring and uneventful, that just for fun one evening I decided to spill an entire glass of water on my computer. The one that Vince built for me last year for my birthday for me to use for my photography business which stored ALL OF THE PICTURES I HAVE EVER TAKEN SINCE 2006, which was when I got my first digital camera.
Sigh.
I literally thought I was going to have a stroke. But Vince took it apart and assessed the damage, and discovered that my harddrives were indeed saved but the motherboard was toast - you know, the most expensive part of a computer. Again, sigh. Well, I can be thankful that all of my pictures and documents were ok. A motherboard can be replaced, but pictures cannot! Vince has it up and running again, so I am thankful.
And because that was so much fun, the very next evening I decided to light some candles and watch helplessly as the match I just lit broke in half - sending the flaming half floating to the floor where it singed a beautiful little hole in the carpet. One more sigh.
Those who know me well, know that this is not the first time I've had episodes of brain flatulence that resulted in mass destruction, and it most likely will not be the last. (Again with the sighing). But a little reprieve would be nice, so that is what I am praying for!
Actually, I have learned something through this recent round of mishaps...I need to have more grace with our kids. I am often harping on them to be careful and I can sometimes lose it when things get scratched or broken, but I really need to have more grace because looky what I can do! Wow.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Things that are frequently said in our house that are funny or annoying and sometimes both
It's fun at our house. In the midst of all the chaos and drama, we have fun. That's a good thing, because if we didn't I fear that the chaos and drama of our everyday lives might just swallow us up.
If you happen todraw the short straw be blessed enough to spend time at our house on a daily basis, there are certain phrases that you might hear spoken a time or ten. So I thought I'd share them because they are funny and, well, sometimes annoying too.
"No offense, but..."
This phrase is most popular with our younger two children. Nothing good ever follows it. It's when you have something to say that prolly doesn't need to be said, but alas you say it anyway because you are, you know, 9 or 10 (and sometimes older) and haven't learned how to properly censor yourself yet.
"No offense, but today you look like you did in that picture of you with your sister."
"You mean the one I have framed in my room that is very special to me because I thought we both looked good?"
"Yea, that's the one."
"Mmm, k."
Just as nothing good ever follows "no offense, but...", nothing good preceeds this next phrase which is also very popular in our home, moreso with our teenagers.
"I'm just sayin'..."
It's also used when you have something to say that shouldn't necessarily be said, but it is intended to justify whatever preceeded it, which may or may not imply a direct slam.
"Joe's mom is SO COOL! She makes the best mac & cheese in the world and lets us do whatever we want. She's like the coolest mom EVER. Not that you aren't cool too, Mom. I'm just sayin."
"Thanks. I feel awesome now."
Sometimes if you are really crafty, you can take "No offense, but" and "I'm just sayin" and sandwich an insult between them.
"No offense, but you're feet smell like cheese. I don't mean that in a bad way, I'm just sayin".
"Your face..."
This is a phrase that Nick started and it's caught on like obnoxious wildfire at our house. It is very versatile and can be used as a response to virtually any statement that one makes. It really has no meaning at all, so don't bother trying to make any sense out of it. We sure don't.
"You look tired."
"Your face looks tired".
"Time to shut off the tv."
"Your face can shut off the tv."
"Will you make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"
"Your face can make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."
It's very Napoleon and Kip, which is why it is so prevalent in our house and why I find it so amusing (most of the time).
And, lastly but certainly not leastly, is the ever popular...
"Not Me..."
"Not Me" is not so much a phrase, as it is a living and active member of our family. Not Me is responsible for most of the things that go wrong around here, and if it weren't for him our kids would be in a lot more trouble. Despite my recent announcement that Not Me has moved out and no longer resides here, he still gets blamed for everything.
"Who made this mess?"
"Not Me."
"Who left the freezer door open in the garage so that hundreds of dollars worth of meat and tater tots can spoil and need to be thrown away?"
"Not Me."
"Who ate all the Nutella? I just bought a new jar like a week ago! Oh wait, that was me."
That's all.
And you thought I was going to end this post with some witty application of one of these phrases, didn't you? Well not me, my friend. Sometimes I am predictable like that (your face is predictable like that), but obviously the mysteries that surround me are far too vast and varied to be predictable all the time. No offense, but you obviously don't know me like you think you do. I'm just sayin.
If you happen to
"No offense, but..."
This phrase is most popular with our younger two children. Nothing good ever follows it. It's when you have something to say that prolly doesn't need to be said, but alas you say it anyway because you are, you know, 9 or 10 (and sometimes older) and haven't learned how to properly censor yourself yet.
"No offense, but today you look like you did in that picture of you with your sister."
"You mean the one I have framed in my room that is very special to me because I thought we both looked good?"
"Yea, that's the one."
"Mmm, k."
Just as nothing good ever follows "no offense, but...", nothing good preceeds this next phrase which is also very popular in our home, moreso with our teenagers.
"I'm just sayin'..."
It's also used when you have something to say that shouldn't necessarily be said, but it is intended to justify whatever preceeded it, which may or may not imply a direct slam.
"Joe's mom is SO COOL! She makes the best mac & cheese in the world and lets us do whatever we want. She's like the coolest mom EVER. Not that you aren't cool too, Mom. I'm just sayin."
"Thanks. I feel awesome now."
Sometimes if you are really crafty, you can take "No offense, but" and "I'm just sayin" and sandwich an insult between them.
"No offense, but you're feet smell like cheese. I don't mean that in a bad way, I'm just sayin".
"Your face..."
This is a phrase that Nick started and it's caught on like obnoxious wildfire at our house. It is very versatile and can be used as a response to virtually any statement that one makes. It really has no meaning at all, so don't bother trying to make any sense out of it. We sure don't.
"You look tired."
"Your face looks tired".
"Time to shut off the tv."
"Your face can shut off the tv."
"Will you make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"
"Your face can make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."
It's very Napoleon and Kip, which is why it is so prevalent in our house and why I find it so amusing (most of the time).
And, lastly but certainly not leastly, is the ever popular...
"Not Me..."
"Not Me" is not so much a phrase, as it is a living and active member of our family. Not Me is responsible for most of the things that go wrong around here, and if it weren't for him our kids would be in a lot more trouble. Despite my recent announcement that Not Me has moved out and no longer resides here, he still gets blamed for everything.
"Who made this mess?"
"Not Me."
"Who left the freezer door open in the garage so that hundreds of dollars worth of meat and tater tots can spoil and need to be thrown away?"
"Not Me."
"Who ate all the Nutella? I just bought a new jar like a week ago! Oh wait, that was me."
That's all.
And you thought I was going to end this post with some witty application of one of these phrases, didn't you? Well not me, my friend. Sometimes I am predictable like that (your face is predictable like that), but obviously the mysteries that surround me are far too vast and varied to be predictable all the time. No offense, but you obviously don't know me like you think you do. I'm just sayin.
Monday, June 06, 2011
Unbelievably ridiculous and unnecessary
And I thought this was bad.
What's even more annoying than birds chirping outside our bedroom window at 5am? I'll tell you what. A cat caterwauling (aka making a really loud obnoxious sound) in our yard at 4AM!!
I just have one word for that. Actually I have lots of words for that, but only one that I will share...
Seriously.
Needless to say, we were not happy to be awakened by this noise at 4 O'CLOCK IN THE EVER LOVIN' AM. Then once I fell back asleep I got to dream about someone trying to kill me. Nice. And Vince was all cool about it (in my dream, hopefully I'd get a better reaction out of him in real life). It was some teenage kid living in our house (who incidently bore NO resemblance whatsoever to any of the teenage kids who actually live in our house, just to clarify).
Whoever he was, and for whatever reason he was living in my house and wanted to kill me, this kid was relentless. And I have to say, despite Mr. W's apparent apathy toward it all, I was a genius at thwarting each of his plans. He tried setting up a machine gun, but I took all the bullets. He tried making me sniff three different chemicals, but I plugged my nose. I even went and told his parents, who were at a party and just laughed at me.
I'm not sure why I dreamt all of this. Maybe it was a direct result of the cat incident and Vince's comment as he shut our window at 4 O'CLOCK IN THE EVER LOVIN' AM...
"That cat needs to be shot".
You may not know this about me, but I am really good at interpretting dreams, so here goes. The way I see it, this particular dream could mean one of three things...
1) Someone is indeed planning to kill me and I am subconsciously warning myself in my dream.
2) The teenagers who actually do live in our home sometimes sound like screaming cats in heat.
3) I am the cat.
There is also a 4th possible interpretation of my dream, and that is that I need therapy.
What's even more annoying than birds chirping outside our bedroom window at 5am? I'll tell you what. A cat caterwauling (aka making a really loud obnoxious sound) in our yard at 4AM!!
I just have one word for that. Actually I have lots of words for that, but only one that I will share...
Seriously.
Needless to say, we were not happy to be awakened by this noise at 4 O'CLOCK IN THE EVER LOVIN' AM. Then once I fell back asleep I got to dream about someone trying to kill me. Nice. And Vince was all cool about it (in my dream, hopefully I'd get a better reaction out of him in real life). It was some teenage kid living in our house (who incidently bore NO resemblance whatsoever to any of the teenage kids who actually live in our house, just to clarify).
Whoever he was, and for whatever reason he was living in my house and wanted to kill me, this kid was relentless. And I have to say, despite Mr. W's apparent apathy toward it all, I was a genius at thwarting each of his plans. He tried setting up a machine gun, but I took all the bullets. He tried making me sniff three different chemicals, but I plugged my nose. I even went and told his parents, who were at a party and just laughed at me.
I'm not sure why I dreamt all of this. Maybe it was a direct result of the cat incident and Vince's comment as he shut our window at 4 O'CLOCK IN THE EVER LOVIN' AM...
"That cat needs to be shot".
You may not know this about me, but I am really good at interpretting dreams, so here goes. The way I see it, this particular dream could mean one of three things...
1) Someone is indeed planning to kill me and I am subconsciously warning myself in my dream.
2) The teenagers who actually do live in our home sometimes sound like screaming cats in heat.
3) I am the cat.
There is also a 4th possible interpretation of my dream, and that is that I need therapy.
Thursday, June 02, 2011
Four years ago this very day...
I woke up very excited because in a few short hours I would be dining at Red Lobster and cruising down the Mississippi on my first date with this guy...
Everyone told me to be strong
Hold on and don't shed a tear
Through the darkness and good times
I knew I'd make it through
And the world thought I had it all
But I was waiting for you...
I see a light in the sky
Oh, it's almost blinding me
I can't believe I've been touched
By an angel with love
Let the rain come down and wash away my tears
Let it fill my soul and drown my fears
Let it shatter the walls for a new sun
A new day has come.
Where it was dark now there's light
Where there was pain now there's joy
Where there was weakness, I found my strength
All in the eyes of a boy."
...who blew me away with his warmth, gentleness, charming wit and the best kiss I had ever had IN MY LIFE! He treated me like a "queen" and has ever since. Of course, I intimidated him with my sweet mini-golf skills, so he knew he'd better treat me right. And right, he does. My life was forever changed four years ago today, and I am forever blessed!
A New Day Has Come - Celine Dion
"I was waiting for so long
For a miracle to comeEveryone told me to be strong
Hold on and don't shed a tear
Through the darkness and good times
I knew I'd make it through
And the world thought I had it all
But I was waiting for you...
I see a light in the sky
Oh, it's almost blinding me
I can't believe I've been touched
By an angel with love
Let the rain come down and wash away my tears
Let it fill my soul and drown my fears
Let it shatter the walls for a new sun
A new day has come.
Where it was dark now there's light
Where there was pain now there's joy
Where there was weakness, I found my strength
All in the eyes of a boy."
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