On the Home Front - September 3

A peek through my window… S- 100, S – 85, M – 79, T – 82, W – 83 Amazing, isn’t it? Right outside my office window is my lonely rocking chair. I sit there each morning as the boys catch the school bus, but maybe with the forecasted nice weather I’ll use it and the swing on the back porch more!

What’s going on this week… Labor Day, checking out a Moms in Touch group, free Chick-fil-a, training to work in the concession stand @ soccer

What “the boys” are doing… tournament for L this weekend, but no football game for M. M. came home with books from the book fair yesterday. He made a 100 on his spelling test! I’m so happy because the preparation was painful. M. found new shoes after only an hour and trying on about 15 prs. (this was quicker than his brother).

On my mind… cleaning my glasses. They’re filthy! I know that’s some deep thinking, but that’s really what’s on my mind. That and crawling into bed early to read.

On my bedside table… no more dust! I cleaned it today. In addition to the books mentioned before there is also a silver “Pray for China” bracelet and my garita pin from Puerto Rico.

I am richly blessed… even though I complain about our hectic sports schedule, we have life so easy! My husband is employed, we have plenty to eat, we’re healthy and our children have great abilities and opportunities.

I’m praying for… a blogging friend and for God’s direction in ordering my days. I found this verse tonight too – It’s after Psalm 61:1 that starts out “Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer”. Psalm 62:2b “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I”. I thought it had beautiful imagery.

Our home… all the rugs got washed yesterday. Hubby can probably get used to me being around more often.

Menu planning… banana pudding for dessert! Dinner last night was zucchini pizza casserole. Sun – Italian Bow Ties, Labor Day – Burgers, Homemade Fries, Other days: French toast and bacon; BBQ boneless ribs; and Broccoli Chicken.

A photo or two…

This is M. with his solid gold plastic trophy he won in "Sports Trivia". It wasn't a kid competition either - he beat all the grown men there too! I was going to post a picture from the fantasy league draft today, but it had too much identifying info. in it. M. had all of his picks (each position 1-7 choice) on sticky notes in front of him. That was draft one - I'm in his second league and I actually took part in the live draft for it! It was fun - now let's see what kind of season I'll have...

The Chocolate Diaries

The Chocolate Diaries, Secrets to a Sweeter Journey on the Rocky Road of Life by Karen Linamen delivers everything you would expect from the title. It is very personally written and offers personal stories and insight (diaries) to dealing with life’s struggles in order to have a “sweet” life instead of being bitter. The author also interviewed several others who have endured intense struggles and included their secrets. She did an excellent job of weaving the theme throughout the entire book – chapter titles, readers’ answers to “What’s your secret to a sweeter journey on the rocky road of life?”, food for thought and chocolate recipes.

My favorite chapter was 8 “For a New Taste in Life, Look for a New Recipe” where Linamen talks about regrouping and perhaps reinventing a portion of your life. This chapter as well as all the others is very practical and anyone reading the book can take many nuggets of wisdom away to use in difficult spots in life. However, overall I was disappointed with the book. From a Christian standpoint, there were many areas that were weak and sometimes inappropriate. Honestly, I got very tired of hearing of the author’s love life woes. Share that with your best friends, not the whole world in print.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing for this review.

God is a Preparing God

Do you ever get a “no” when you want a “yes”? Do you ever not understand? That has happened to me recently, but I’m happy to say that God is a preparing God. I knew that before of course. Hubby and I have said that for years. Whenever something difficult is going to happen (unbeknownst to us of course) God prepares us through His Word, impression, words of others, whatever He chooses. The preparation helps give clarity, comfort, and guidance. He does the same for good things too!

These are the things that have been everywhere I look:
On Bethany Hamilton’s facebook page – she posted the other day something about when a wave knocks you down, are you going to let God bring you back to the surface?

The devotional this morning in This Day with the Master by Dennis Kinlaw: “God will never let you get into a situation in which he is not in perfect control. When you find yourself in circumstances that seem to be full of chaos and confusion, look to Christ. If you belong to him, you will find him there in perfect control of your situation.”

From Chocolate Diaries, the book I am in process of reviewing for Blogging for Books (see sidebar). “But I had caught a glimpse of a potent truth. Sometimes you lose things and you grieve. You think the things you lost are gone forever, and in some cases they really are. But sometimes things that are lost can be found again.”

Over the weekend Hubby was offered two more classes (financial provision).

This was on Ann Voskamp’s blog:” He had told her what he lived — the real weather forecast for the weekend: When Christ is seen in the clouds, there is contentment — but when Christ is missed in the sun, there are storms even in the clearest skies. So she stood there with him at the kitchen sink, rinsing off the potato pot, waiting for what they both knew was coming– a steady rain of somehow grace…”

And finally, (but I’m sure there were many more) this morning on my fb homepage from incourage was Isaiah 43:19 “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun."

The Word God gave me at the beginning of 2011 was “Grace”. Is this what it was for? What is the new thing? I’m certainly open and expectant for it. Leaning in to Him…

Multitudes - August 29

I have permission to share from one of my son’s thankful journal:
9 Ripstik
b. rolling, riding, and getting exercise with it
10 Grass (although allergic) smooth texture to lay in
18 Popsicles
20 My devotion book on Abraham
26 A swimming pool
30 Seeing friends in Texas
31. Watching cousin play hockey
36 Humor and laughter
38 Eating Taco Bueno and Charlie’s Chicken with Dad
40 Heaven is for real
44 Air conditioner
47 The Bible
51 Rain
59 Running with Dad
64 Mom giving me a coupon for my hair highlights
66 A cruise we could go on together as a family

I’m so thankful he let me share and I’m so thankful he’s keeping this journal. We shared our 1000 gifts together last night and chatted about them. My son is so funny too. When I asked him what number he was on, he told me 1000 something. I’m sure it was to get my response of “What? How’d you get that high so quickly?!”

Mine continue here:
604 Lawn mowed. Dog walked.
605 Day at home
606 Dinner in the crockpot
607 High heels that I don’t have to wear very often
608 An interview
609 Kind words and thoughts
610 Familiar faces
611 Hubby’s help
612 Hubby’s prayers
613 Solutions
614 Dinner with family
615 Prayer service
616 Adult youth leaders/role models
617 Things work out
618 A free manicure
619 Phone calls
620 Beautiful morning
621 Beautiful dog
622 Seeing Pastor P. and wife in the park
623 Weekends
624 Space to play
625 Walking with a new friend
626 Kindnesses
627 My small group
628 Time at small group
629 Finally getting my book downloaded
630 Someone to share thankful journals with
631 Permission to share
632 Seeing the Mom of a friend from youth
633 Grass being mowed
634 Llamas in the field by the park

On the Home Front - August 27

A peek through my window… S – 95 S – 91 M – 89 T – 92 W – 93 The rest of the forecast through the first week of September looks the same way. That’s a ways out so I’m not holding my breath! It would be a welcome relief though. (However another site says 99, 99, 96, 95, 100 which is a far cry from the other!)

What’s going on this week… I’m wearing pink on Tuesday in honor of a local hero who died from cystic fibrosis a few years ago. This week is open house for 7th grade and the end of the week will be a Labor Day soccer tournament.

What “the boys” are doing…L. scored a goal at the scrimmage last night! Today he’ll go to his volunteer job (one hour) at the pet store to walk/play with dogs and maybe do some fish feeding or cleaning. I’m so proud of him for doing such a great job of this! This morning it was so cool out that M. and I sat in the porch swing studying for his spelling test. M. is a great student and doing a good job of keeping up with classes, band and football too.

On my mind… salsa. I talked to a friend today and we are going to get together after Labor Day to make it.

On my bedside table… Wild Things, The Art of Nurturing Boys. Still. There’s other books there too: Grace for the Moment devotional by Lucado and Power Prayers for Women. There’s also my alarm clock, photo of Hubby, hair clip and pictures from Colorado.

I am richly blessed… Hubby has been so wonderful to me. He’s so understanding and goes out of his way to talk with and encourage me.

I’m praying for… for an old friend from high school I know is hurting. Wed. night I went to the youth prayer service and will be mindful to keep praying for the youth leadership and kids at our church..

Our home… Have quite a few things that need to find their way to the attic. The problem is there is no more room until we do some cleaning and rearranging. Can’t do that until the temps are much cooler.

Menu planning… After I buy celery and onions I’ll make chicken salad to eat for lunches or when we don’t quite make dinner. Sports schedules have made it extremely difficult to catch bites to eat. I do have meatloaf muffins in the freezer and plans for chicken on the grill and Italian bow tie pasta. L. also has sausage, egg & cheese tacos in the freezer for breakfasts.

A photo or two… <

Zoo Visit

What kind of mama takes her kids to the zoo and doesn’t take a camera? A scattered one of course – I couldn’t find the camera! Later Hubby let me know where it was - in the carry-on I hadn’t unpacked from uh, almost two weeks ago.

Last Tuesday, a mere two days before school starting I asked the boys what they’d like to do – we were leaning towards visiting an animal sanctuary until finding out it was open only on weekends. I said “Let’s go to the zoo!” (I knew they both had coupons for free admission which didn’t hurt the case any). M. didn’t want to go, but once I said I’d go and just take L., he changed his mind. This was our end of the summer after all.

On the way there, I marveled at how spontaneous this was for me to do. They didn’t know what spontaneous meant! That’s probably my fault since it only happens with me once in a blue moon.

We leisurely looked around the zoo seeing what we wanted for as long as we wanted or didn’t. We saw the zoo this time in a much different way than any times before. Highlights to me were all the time we spent watching and laughing at different kinds of primates and the elephant presentation. L. even got sprayed by one of the elephants! Perfect for such a hot day (also thankful for all those “cooling stations”).

We all had such a good time and I so enjoyed being with my boys. I know a time is coming soon that spending an afternoon walking around a zoo with Mom might not be too fun! This “youth” thing is happening…just last night I went to the youth group’s beginning of the year prayer service with M. Mind you, I kept my distance. Near the end M. said “Mom, you’re the only parent here!” He insisted all the other parents were actually volunteers. I told him that no one would ever know who I was or that I stayed if he’d stop coming and making comments like that! Anyway, it was a wonderful service. I’m glad I stayed. I’m glad we went to the zoo. I know this is “normal” and we will make it through the teen years!

Multitudes - August 22

579. A poverty meal
580. An involved Hubby
581 Photos on the 1st day of school
582 A couple of errands for Aunt
583 God’s plans
584 A great first day of school
585 Hand bruised but not broken
586 Continued talking and understanding
587 Barking
588 New football jerseys
589 Cheese sticks
590 New posts
591 No ants
592 Soccer
593 Gentle rain
594 Taking them to school in the morning
595 Pitter patter of feet
596 Finally finding shoes
597 Ironing
598 New pictures of old friends
599 Dog hair
600 A warm shower
601 Starbucks with two friends
602 One of the friends is a four year old
603 Exchanges