So Shall My Word Be

An Adventure of a Plumbing Nature

2011-04-13T09:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, my kitchen sink clogged up. Naturally, this occurred just as dinner preparations were commencing. Call me old-fashioned, but I find that a sink that drains is quite helpful when preparing, cooking, and cleaning up after a meal.

Have I mentioned before that we don't really consider ourselves handy people?

What we do consider ourselves are people who can make lists for handy people. And people who can write the necessary checks to pay said handy people. But handy ourselves? Not so much.

What follows is the internal thought process that took place:

"Jack's not going to be happy about this."
"He's going to think I've been stuffing vegetable peels down the disposal."
"Now we're going to have to call our handy people."
"When the handy people come, we are going to have to have them here for the whole day."
"That means I'm going to have to make a list of things for them to do all day."
"I don't want them to come tomorrow."
"I'm not ready for them to come and spend a whole day in my house."
"I wanted to go to Nordstom tomorrow and use my gift card."
"I'll have to go to Lowe's at least once, if not two or three times, to get necessary supplies for the handy people."
"I bet I'm going to get reminded about not putting vegetable peels down the disposal."
"I wonder if I can blame this on one of the kids?"

At this point I noticed that the other side of the double sink was draining. I said to myself, "Self, that side is draining. Hmmm, that must mean there's a clog somewhere above where those two pipes intersect." (Or something to that effect.)

I gave myself the "you're a smart woman and you can figure this out" pep talk, and informed my eldest and partner-in-stuffing-things-down-the-disposal-crimes that we would not, in fact, be reading library books after dinner, but would instead embark on a plumbing adventure.

So when The Man arrived home from his day at the office, saw the standing water in the sink, and asked about it in a possibly-not-so-happy-tone, I responded with great optimism that The Boy and I were going to fix it after dinner. He may or may not have been skeptical.

Boy Number Two decided he wanted in on the plumbing action, and not being one to turn down free help, I readily agreed. We set to work.

Step One: Pull everything (except for the hefty water filter tank) out from under the sink.
Step Two: Get emergency towels at the ready, along with an empty laundry basket to place emergency towels in. (I don't think that's an official plumbing step, but I was just trying to cover all my bases.)
Step Three: Turn off the water under the sink. (That is an official step, and an important one.)

Now at this point, I was in uncharted territory. I knew we/I would have to do some disconnecting of pipes and such, and I just hoped it wouldn't be too big a deal. (I was having visions of having to call a real plumber at 8pm because I created a kitchen disaster.) Well, without getting into lots of pipe jargon and plumbing speak (because I don't know any of that anyway), I began unscrewing the joints around the bottom bend/elbow piece (trap?). (Who knew that each joint had its own little PVC screwy thing holding it together? How convenient is that? I didn't even need tools.) When I took that off, no water came out, confirming that, yes indeed, Virginia, there was a clog in there. I proceeded to unscrew the PVC section going up to the disposal, and lo and behold, carrot peels. Lots and lots of carrot peels.

My plumber's helper and I dug out the offending peels and, with a gush into the waiting plastic bin - presto, chango - no more clog and an empty sink. My helpers fetched the plumber's tape, I wrapped it around the threads, reattached the fittings, and, voilà, clogged fixed. It took all of twenty minutes.

I even fixed the handles on the upstairs bathtub faucets that have been backwards for months. The hot now properly indicates hot, and the cold - well, you know. That took less than a minute.

I feel like a plumbing genius.

There's a reason I'm so tired today

2011-04-12T16:30:00.004-05:00

Oh my, it's been a while since I blogged. Undoubtedly, I've had plenty of blog-worthy thoughts, but I suppose between cooking, cleaning, the occasional attempt at homeschooling, and procrastinating on the Internet in order to keep from doing really worthwhile things, I just never got around to it. And now it would be too much of a mental exercise to think back over the past month and come up with a recap. So I'll just begin with where I am today. Which is tired.

I stayed up way too late Sunday night finishing Francine River's book, A Voice In the Wind, at the recommendation of my mother-in-law (she recommended the book, not the staying up late). It took me a few chapters to get into it. It's set in the world surrounding ancient Rome and everyone has those long, hard to remember names, but once I got into it, it was a gripping read. Also, fairly gory. A depiction of a coarse culture, in some ways not unlike our own today (God have mercy on us), and yet I ~~couldn't~~ didn't want to stop reading. And so I persevered to the bitter, cliff-hanging end. And woke up on Monday morning tired, put the next one in the series on hold at the library, and thought, "I'll get a good night sleep tonight to make up for it."

Was it Benjamin Franklin that said, "Don't count your hours of sleep before they hatch?"

Because when "tonight" arrived, around 1 am, we were awakened to the delightful howls of a vomiting now-six-year-old (oh, yeah, that's one of the things we've done over the last month and a half - had one of two birthdays). Oh, joy. And so I spent the rest of the night dozing on the lower bunk - which, BTW, I had to make at 1:30 in the sweet middle of the night since I washed the sheets, oh, I don't know, two weeks before and hadn't put them back on yet. Every 30 minutes or so, I was jolted awake by his "noises" (I was going to say "heaving" but feel like I'm starting to run the whole vomit story into the ground) until about 4 am, at which point he seemed to settle down for a bit, and is now, after a morning of childrens' television, asleep on the sofa with one of Jack's giant Cool Whip bowls beside him. (I wonder if he'll still want to use that one for his raisin bran, or if we'll have to trash it? He's pretty partial to his Cool Whip bowls. And his raisin bran.)

So now, before the dinner prep begins (and does anyone else besides me get tired of having to feed people three times a day?), I should get something productive done. Wouldn't that be refreshing?

Here's hoping there's a good night of sleep ahead of me tonight. Sweet dreams.

Close Encounters...

2011-02-20T20:42:00.000-06:00

of the police kind.

And, no, I wasn't speeding. Or running a stop sign. (Hey, don't judge.)

It began with an innocent attempt at grooming someone's fingernails. "Will you please go get the clippers out of mommy's drawer by her bed?" the mommy requested.

A few minutes later, we heard a familiar beep-beep-beep. Within minutes, if not seconds, a quick string of beeps, followed by the shrieks of an ear-piercing siren, shattered the relatively peaceful quiet of our Saturday night. Alas, we were stumped at the source of the alarm. To our knowledge, no one had been near the key pads. All boys were questioned and summarily dismissed as suspects. Our nerves still a wee bit rattled, we chalked it up to what we hoped was an electrical fluke.

Then, just as jittery nerves had settled and boys had been herded to bed, there was pounding on the front door. Two police cars were parked at the curb. From inside we could see the sweep of flashlight beams as the perimeter of the house was examined. The cavalry had arrived. Adorned in my oversized and well-worn Chicago Cubs t-shirt and striped pajama pants, my driver's license was expeditiously handed over for their examination and record keeping purposes, while Jack, in good citizen mode, stood outside smiling and thanking them for their prompt response.

It wasn't until the next morning that we realized the remote access key fob for the home alarm system had been in that drawer. The suspected perpetrator was questioned about his notice of, and attention to, said button-bearing device. Assuring him that we had the power to cut him a deal with the DA, he agreed to bargain and readily admitted his unknowing misconduct.

Buttons, by their very nature, beckon to be pushed. Especially by little boys. Elevators. Remote controls. Phones. Cameras. You name it, the button-containing device is irrelevant. It's a temptation difficult to withstand.

I'm hoping the recidivism rates for this type of offense are really low, 'cause I'm not sure how much grace the men in blue are willing to extend, and I look terrible in orange.

I felt the earth move...

2011-02-16T21:08:00.000-06:00

under my feet...

Did y'all feel it? It was the thunderous shock of me not turning on the computer ALL. DAY. LONG. I'm sure there was lightning somewhere as well.

Yes, it was an exercise in restraint. Self-control. Minimizing distractions, if you will. My family was stunned.

I make no promises for the morrow...for I know not what the morrow brings. All I know is, for today, it was necessary to keep this magnetic techno-monster at bay.

The last week or so has been a little, well, melancholy, for me. Lots of introspection. (Yuck.) Lots of self-examination. (Yuckier.) And loads of internal criticism - with a side of condemnation, and a little bit of dread on top. I wish I could blame PMS....

This is my SSMT verse this go round:
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround her as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12 NKJV

He defends me. His favor is a shield, protecting me not only from the arrows of the enemy who seeks to steal, kill and destroy, but from the inner voice that can be far harsher, uglier, and more critical than it should be. Please don't misunderstand. I'm not excusing my mistakes. I make plenty of them. Regularly. But much of the time, I am my own worst enemy. On so many levels. Maybe you can relate.

So when thoughts of self-condemnation rain down upon me, He puts up a shield. To protect me from me. Now that's some favor.

Oh, for grace to love Him more.

This is the day, this is the day...

2011-02-12T15:57:00.001-06:00

All together now...
"that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made..."

Michael's favorite song, the oh-oh-oh song (otherwise known as "Today Is The Day" by Lincoln Brewster) cycled through the iPod earlier today, requiring him to turn it up full throttle, and then lather, rinse, repeat, oh, say three or eight times, until an older brother came downstairs to proclaim its unnecessary loudness.

To which I say with gusto,
"HA, tweener! If it's too loud, you're too old."

(Although, in all honesty, who can blame him? I've been known to throw a flag on the field for unnecessary loudness a time or two myself.)

Believing that all You have in store for me is good.

One of my favorite lines. All. My mess-ups, botches, mistakes and failures, even when I knew/know better (ouch), He'll use for my good. Isn't that something? I'm so grateful.

This song actually reminds me of a much older "contemporary Christian" chorus, closely titled, "This is the day". If you were raised in church in the 70s you may have sung it. In fact, we still sing it around here with Jack as our chief chorus leader because he's, well, chipper, like that. And while it'll never win any acclaims for its musicality (it hearkens, after all, from one of ugliest fashion decades known to mankind), it's a good message. Just like Lincoln's version. Which is definitely more fun to listen to.

In my mind's eye....

2011-02-09T21:48:00.000-06:00

he was so tall. And handsome. He had caught up to, if not surpassed, his father in height. His hair was still red, although a little darker, and the boyish frame had filled out; his shoulders were broad. The boyish softness in his features had been replaced by a more solid jaw line and the face of an adult. A smattering of youthful freckles remained.

I had to look up at him.

"Mom, will you help me?"

And in an instant, he was 12 again. And I was standing next to him - albeit a shorter, tween version - helping him comb his hair.

Those glimpses into the future don't happen often for me - task-oriented by nature, schooling, household chores, the never ending to-do's - and if I am being honest, time-~~wasting~~-saving technology - occupy the moments, hours, and days, with little pause for introspection. Even the quiet of a sleeping household is filled with mindlessness rather than just being.

But, today - in spite of the rush to get out the door - for a moment, time had flown, and I had to blink away the tears, for I had hair to comb.

For Whom He Loves He Chastens

2011-02-08T17:20:00.000-06:00

I've been chastened.

By Jack.

Jack is very safety conscious. I, on the other hand, am very decor conscious. Guess which one is more important? Imagine my chagrin when I discovered that the man does not appreciate finding smoke detectors in the upstairs drawers. And, yes, that was plural detectors.

And why are they in drawers, you may ask? Our onsite safety inspector is concerned for the well-being of the residents of this home, and he is of the school of thought that if one smoke detector is good, more is better. I, however, find it challenging to decorate around said (unsightly) smoke detectors. They aren't always up on a wall or ceiling out of the realm of my decorating empire; no, indeed, sometimes they are on a shelf. Right where I can see them.

And who among us, when the low battery signal begins its reign of chirping terror, hasn't done the stealth creep through the house trying to pinpoint just which one is the culprit? I'm sure you can understand my predicament. And so, the battery gets removed. And, sometimes, the detector (or three) gets put in a drawer.

Duly chastened, I have now promised that:

1. I will not just remove, but will actually replace, faulty batteries from beeping smoke detectors.

2. I will not, under any circumstances, put smoke detectors (singular or plural) in drawers. Apparently it significantly impacts their effectiveness.

And now, I have to go the store, as I require more 9 volt batteries.

I'll leave right after I check all the other drawers.

What's It Gonna Bee? A He or a She?

2011-02-07T20:54:00.001-06:00

And no, it is not myself I allude to.

But it is my "baby" brother and his sweet wife.

(Insert picture swiped from FB of my handsome brother and his could-practically-be-a-supermodel-if-she-weren't-so-petite wife.)

And when they got married, because they are a contemporary and fashionable couple, they thought it'd be fun to go with one of those new-fangled destination weddings. Cool. Trendy. Happening. With-it, if you will.

You know, like us.

With our 3-month old. And a 5- and 7-year old. And a just-possibly-still-a-wee-bit-post-partum mom, who had a few weeks prior, started a brutal diet and exercise program. (And, no, I am not exaggerating.) (Really.) (That'll have to be another post someday.) (I know - you can't wait.)

Of course, we went. Because how often does your brother get married on a pristine beach with crystal clear water? "It'll be fun," the JPSAWBPP mom said. International glamour. Tropical ease. (Or so the tourism website promised.)

So we loaded up the truck and we moved to Beverly...oh wait, wrong story. But it wasn't far off. We were, for all intents and purposes, "The Beverly Hillbillies Go To The Bahamas." But without the rocking chair. I am (again) not exaggerating when I tell you that we schlepped THIRTEEN, yes, THIRTEEN duffle bags through parking lots, terminals of major airports, customs and into taxis because we are, indeed, urbane and sophisticated world travelers.

We swam with the dolphins. We snorkled in the crystal clear water. We dove for rocks and coral. (And, let me be clear that by "we", I mean the man and the boys.) The JPSAWBPP mom hung out with a precious 3-month old who needed a t-shirt that said, "My parents took me to the Bahamas and I cried the whole time."

But the wedding was beautiful. The beaches were beautiful. The bride was beautiful. (And, of course, it goes without saying that the two ring bearers were adorable.)

And now...fast forward five years.

She's still beautiful. And now she's expecting.

We had a little family "reveal" party yesterday. I made my first, and possibly last, pinata.

And there were diaper cupcakes, but I forgot to take pictures. They were cute though. I got the idea here, if you get the urge to make some. I used newborn size, but if I were doing them again I'd use size 1.

So, what's it gonna bee? A he or a she?

Well.......

It's a girl!

Wild Thing, You Make My Heart Sing or A Tale In Which Singles Become Acquainted

2011-02-03T16:10:00.002-06:00

And speaking of things that make my heart sing, or at least hum, I did, in fact, get my kitchen cleaned the other night. And last night too. Woohoo...apparently I'm on a two-night roll. I should take this hot streak to Vegas, baby.

Today I feel compelled to tell you about a young single woman whose father, Bob, was led to set her up with a guy named - yes, you guessed it - Bob.

Now father Bob could not be faulted for wanting to come to the assistance of this young woman, his ~~eldest~~ favorite daughter. While not quite "long in the tooth", she was definitely of a marrying age. As opposed to the "still hanging around with her parents" age. Not that either ever seemed to mind that. She always enjoyed The Parentals, and, as far as she could tell, they enjoyed her. (And if anyone knows otherwise, they should keep that little tidbit to themselves, because as we all know, ignorance is bliss.)

Actually, The Parental's household was always an open door whereby the singles of their local house of worship could commence to fellowship. And fellowship they did. Game Nights. Home Groups. (Ah, heck - you know how those churchy singles are...any excuse for a get-together.) And she wasn't alone; there was another sister of a marrying age just behind her.... So I'm sure you can understand the man's motivation to get those eligible maidens hitched, as it were.

So, Bob, The Father, decided that Bob, Not The Father, and Eligible Daughter #1 might be a good match for one another. Bob, Not The Father, was attending the same church at the time, and it was convenient for him to join in on the singles' reindeer games. And henceforth, the two met. And became acquainted. And may or may not have managed to ride together by themselves to and from an event or two, as singles who are getting acquainted are wont to do on occasion.

But as time progressed, Eligible Daughter #1 discovered traits of sweet Bob, Not The Father, that were, well, not conducive to moving forward with their acquaintanceship.

For example, Bob, Not The Father, saw only "G"-rated movies. And while Eligible Daughter #1 (let's just call her ED#1, for short, shall we?), had been known to enjoy a good animated feature from time to time, she also enjoyed films aimed at, say, an audience of viewers who were old enough to vote.

ED#1 also discovered that Bob, Not The Father, only drove 55. MPH. Now ED#1, while no Sammy Hagar, did appreciate the use of the long pedal on the right, and was known to, on occasion, when warranted, drive just a wee bit faster than 55.

It was at this point that ED#1, while never one to be drawn to the proverbial "bad boys", decided that there had to be a happy medium somewhere between tattooed, motorcycle-driving, rock-star wanna-be and staid, sedate, rated "G" observer of speed limits.

And that was the end of Bob, Not The Father. And she sincerely hopes he's very happy. Because he was a pleasant person.

And then, eventually - very, very eventually - without the intervention of Bob, The Father - ED#1 would meet the man who would take her to PG movies and drive her around town.

In a rocking Toyota Camry.

And the irony is that he doesn't speed either.

But he does make her heart sing.

A Clean Kitchen...

2011-02-01T20:37:00.000-06:00

...is a beautiful thing.

So says the woman who got last night's dinner dishes done just in time to make tonight's dinner. I bet Martha Stewart never does that. Yeah, I know...she's got people.

I've got people too. They just never clean my kitchen.

(Full disclosure: That's not entirely true. Boy2 unloads. Boy1 loads.)

(In theory.)

Even when the boys do their unload/load routine, there are still little things to finish up behind them, and I should be better about making sure I have a clean canteen every night before I go to bed. I cook three squares a day most days, so a messy kitchen is a luxury - as it were - that I can ill afford when a hungry boy stumbles downstairs, asking for his breakfast in the a.m. It's downright un-fun to wake up to.

(The messy kitchen, not the cute boy.)

And on that note, I think I'll go clean my kitchen.

Menu Plan Monday...or there's a first time for everything

2011-01-31T13:43:00.001-06:00

I've often said that menu planning would make my life easier. I know it's a great tool, simplifies my week, prevents those last minute grocery store runs and a myriad of other benefits. However, I never do it. (Sort of like exercise....)

But as today, right now, this very minute, yes, today, my friends, I will menu plan. (Or at least for this week....)

So what will the Jones family be partaking of these next few days?

Monday: Roast w/carrots and herb roasted sweet potatoes (and for those of you, like me, who don't like sweet potatoes...well, even I like these).

Tuesday: Homemade pizza and Cauliflower pizza for my special diet guy

Wednesday: Roasted chicken and a veggie

Thursday: Meatloaf w/herb roasted sweet potatoes (yes, again...we eat a lot of sweet potatoes)

Friday: Homemade Taco Soup

We eat the same breakfast everyday: Yard eggs (no, not my yard) either scrambled in plenty of organic ghee with ground turkey or fried eggs with homemade turkey sausage. The two non-diet boys get sprouted wheat toast; the other gets sweet potato pancakes.

Lunch is usually organic, grass fed beef hamburger patties w/baby carrots or soup or leftovers....

There you have it. I'm sure my family will be thrilled!

I'm linking this post to Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com.

Do those come in a bigger size?

2011-01-30T22:44:00.001-06:00

I got some disappointing news this afternoon. It's not the end of the world, lest you be concerned and think that "the world is ending in May 2011" billboards are correct. (And if they are, then "oops" - my bad.) In fact, most people might not even think it a big deal. But to me it was a shock. The news that a program where my kids have attended once a week, my oldest for eight years now, is ending, and to say it completely took me by surprise is an understatement. The proverbial kick in the gut.

I sat on the couch and bawled and ranted to my husband for an hour. (He's a very patient man.)

This was my community. It wasn't just about a one day a week break from my kids, because not all of my kids attend. But it was about community. And connecting. Friendships forged over science projects and a shared love of Legos. About a school experience for my home schooled rug rats. Turkey parades. Christmas parties. Ice cream socials. Field day. School pictures. Adorable preschoolers who want to hug you goodbye, and in the blink of an eye are in sixth grade and wearing men's tennis shoes. Chatting with moms while boys (and the brave girl) run amok outside. Or standing by the car talking to my sister while the boys yell, "Stop chatting, mom!" from inside.

I guess this is where I have to put on my big girl panties and deal with it.

And sometimes that's just lousy.

How I got my kids to eat

2011-01-28T12:27:00.004-06:00

I get asked that. Not all the time, mind you, but I've been asked enough that I can honestly say, "People ask me how I get my kids to eat." I'm no food expert, but I've come a loooong way, baby. In fact, my somewhat reluctant journey to partial "granola-dom" should probably be a blogpost of its own. But, I digress. This post is about how to get your kids to eat. I guess before I give you my suggestions - oh, the anticipation is just building, isn't it? - I should tell you a little about our eating history.

I have three boys. But I started with just one. And after he was weaned and started on solid food, I did the obligatory veggies here and there - canned green beans mostly, if I'm being honest. (This is where I also have to mention that I was a moderately picky kid; I didn't like lots of veggies myself. However - and this is where the culture shift comes into play - I ate what my mom fixed. Including the veggies. I don't ever remember a separate meal being prepared for any of the four kids residing in our household.) Okay. So when Boy1 was about 18 months old, we moved. And during that process things got hectic, as moves are wont to do. Oh, and did I mention I was pregnant with Boy2? So I was less diligent about veggies. And it showed when Boy1 later refused to eat even green beans.

I should also mention that I "bought into" the whole notion of "kid food"...whatever the heck that is. For some reason, as a new mom, when he progressed to solids, I thought it would be too hard for him to chew up table food. I know that probably sounds stupid, but someone else out there might think the same thing, so there you go.  (And I didn't have a genius experienced mom telling me to just puree that stuff or to mash it or finely chop it up....) So, as he, and of course, Boy2, moved into toddlerhood and then preschool age, I was preparing chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, pb&j, hot dogs, spaghetti (but no meat!), bean tacos, cheese quesadillas, and the like. In fact, nuggets and hot dogs were the only meat Boy1 ate. Boy2 wouldn't eat any meat. And neither of them ate any vegetables. Not even the starchy kid favorites of corn and potatoes - okay, they ate french fries, but that doesn't really count now, does it?

I was doing the best I could, or what, at the time, I thought was the best. We gradually moved into buying organic milk, and organic natural peanut butter. Fruit spread instead of jelly. Name brands (for whatever that's worth).  Whole wheat bread. Whole wheat homemade mac and cheese instead of the box mix.  Nitrate free hot dogs. And the boys were fruit eaters. I even gave them cod liver oil. So, I convinced myself that, in spite of their limited diets, I was feeding my kids pretty healthy stuff.  This is where I quote Danny Silk and tell you that, "My mistakes are your wisdom."

And did I mention that I home school? So now, fast forward a few more years and I'm trying to teach Boy2. And Boy2 won't learn. So I try a different curriculum. And Boy2 still won't learn. And then I realize it's not that he won't, but that he can't. I'm going to take a big short cut here and just tell you that in my quest to change that "can't", we began to explore tweaking our diet. Not all of the changes we made may be necessary for you and your family, but it leads me to "how I get my kids to eat", which really boils down to just a couple of things:

1. If your child is just beginning on solids, don't feed them "kid food". Let them eat what you're eating. I'm not suggesting you give them jalapenos or horseradish, but the amazing thing about kids' palates is that, unless they are trained to eat "kid food", they don't know they aren't supposed to like vegetables, meat, fish...even cod liver oil.

2. No choices. That sounds a little harsh, but we came to this "new" style of eating out of desperation (and oh, the irony, that this "new" style has actually been the eating style of people for thousands of years), so there were no other options for us. When we changed to a new way of eating, there was no backup plan.  No eat that, then you can have something else. No PB&J in the pantry. I think most people have a backup. And you can't. If you really want your kids to eat well, you have to be willing to let them be hungry. You can not force them to eat, but you have to be willing to let them be hungry if they choose not to eat what you serve. And that is when parenting is not so fun. But think about it - I've heard about kids drowing in the tub when mom was on Facebook, kids dying from being left in hot cars during the summer, but I can't think of any headlines where a kid starved because his parents only offered him healthy food.

I could go into a lot more detail, but this post has already gotten very long! And let me be very honest. We (with the exception of Boy2) do still have the occasional junk. The other two get snacky stuff at church or out and about from time to time. But, in general, my kids now eat a pretty healthy diet. Do they like it? Not particularly. If they had a bowl of broccoli and a bowl of Cheetos in front of them, you'd better believe they'd be all over the latter. (Unless I got to it first...I like me some Cheetos, too.) But as a rule, eating family meals at home almost 100% of the time, my former non-veggie, non-meat eaters are eating meat and veggies.

And that, as Martha would say, is a good thing.

(This post is being linked to It's Almost Naptime's Mom to Mom link up. And I hope I do it right, cause I've never linked up before.)

(Edited to add that I've also linked this to Kelly's Korner's SUYL Friday.)

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T13:55:00.000-06:00

Well, given that it's January 1st, that's a really original blog post title, isn't it?

My 2010 commitment to host a blog and continue memorizing Scripture - hence, the reason for this here little ole blog - has ended. I'm going to continue memorizing, but this time as a Siesta Scripture Team member on Beth Moore's blog. Feel free to join in. I'm hoping my sweet sister-in-law is going to do it, and if she does, I know we'll have a great time at the celebration next January! If anyone else is in, let me know in the comments.

I may just keep blogging for the fun of it. I've had a few friends tell me I should keep it up, and, with a little peep peer pressure, I can be a wee bit of a pushover. Heck, it'll give me something to do when I want to avoid cooking, laundry, or homeschooling my kids.

(Oh, I'm kidding.)

(Sort of.)

We had a pretty typical New Year's Eve, involving playing some games with the kids, eating, putting them to bed, watching a little Dick Clark (who, bless his sweet heart, is really getting up there), and managing to stay awake until 11:30. Glamorous, huh? I thought the TV pickings were pretty dismal. Of course, we're Amish, you know, and rely on our rabbit ears and converter box. I should've popped in When Harry Met Sally, the go-to New Year's Eve movie.

I do have to say that in my quest to impart virtue, character, and life skills to my children, I have somehow passed on one of the most beloved traits to my eldest. Yes, you guessed it. The love of all things trivia. I now have a kid I can play Trivial Pursuit with. It makes my heart sing. We'll work on Scrabble skills next and then, frankly, my job here will be done.

We've spent most of the morning taking down Christmas decorations, which sure goes a lot faster than putting those suckers up. It'll be nice to get the house back in order, although we do have a family get-together next week to get ready for. It's always fun to have something else to look forward to...as if the pinnacle of the year's holidays that we just experienced weren't enough. I got it into my head that I would make Chicken Marsala for 20 people. I'm not quite sure what I was thinking; I must have been hankering for Carrabba's.

And, while we're at it, I might as well post my first verse for 2011:
Hebrews 10:35-36, NIV - So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Good one, huh? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that I'm pretty sure this year will require some perseverance. Ya think?

I'm so glad we had this time together...Verse 24

2010-12-15T09:24:00.000-06:00

Anybody else remember the Carol Burnett show? That was some funny tv....

But I'm not here today to talk about vintage television variety shows (Sonny and Cher, Donny and Marie - yes, I was a child of 70's tv). This is our FINAL Scripture memory post of 2010. I've enjoyed this little blogging journey with you all; thanks for hanging in there with me. Back by popular demand, on January 1st, Beth Moore will be starting up the Siesta Scripture Memory Team on her blog (woohoo!). If you are interested in continuing to memorize the Word, and like a little accountability (and who doesn't need that?), you can read about it here.

It's been a good year. I haven't accomplished all I hoped to, but there's been some needed peace and joy this year. God is so good. Better than He has to be, as our BFF Beth often says.

My final verse from last year, 2009, was Psalm 126:5-6 NIV, "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." There is a load of promise in that verse. I wept a lot in 2009, and needed to prophetically declare that joy was coming.

So here's my final verse for 2010.
Psalm 30: 11-12, NIV, "You turned my wailing into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give You thanks forever."

Only He can turn seed to sheaves, sackcloth to joy, wailing to dancing.... Declare it over yourselves today. And, while you're at it, have a Merry Christmas.

Much love to you all,
Andrea

You look mahvelous, dahling....and Dec.1st verse (No. 23)

2010-12-01T22:08:00.000-06:00

But you feel like crud. It's legit...you've got a cold. Something you ate didn't agree with you. PMS...ugh.

Or, maybe you had a rough day. Someone hurt you. Or, even worse, someone hurt you on purpose. Ick.

You look marvelous; you just don't feel it.

But what's really rotten is when you don't feel marvelous because you messed up. You were rotten and lousy, and it was all you, babe. There is no one else to blame it on.

Bring on the uglies. The "you always", "you messed up", "you're such a loser", the "when will you ever learn?".

I'm so glad God doesn't say those things to us. He says, "You had a less-than-marvelous moment, which is so unlike you, for you look marvelous". (But without the Billy-Crystal-as-Nando-accent.)

I don't know if you needed to be reminded of that today, but HE thinks you're marvelous. As a matter of fact, you're the apple of His eye. His favorite, even!

Psalm 30:8-10, NIV
To You, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: "What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it proclaim Your faithfulness? Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help."

Have a great week everyone; I'll "see" you on the 15th.

All about Martha...no, not the one in the Bible...and verse 22

2010-11-15T17:48:00.004-06:00

You know, there's a lot of hard stuff in the world. Your hard stuff probably isn't like my hard stuff...and vice versa. But it's all still hard when you're the one walking in it.

I know, I know. Deep.

I just wanted to throw that out there. I don't want y'all to think that this wee little peek into my corner of the world is all brightness and light and fluff... I mean, my life, for some of its challenges, is pretty darn good, but I don't want anyone to think I take their hardships lightly. Not that you think that. I'm just saying.

PMS, much?

Okay, moving on.... I did say this was all about Martha, right? Maybe we should talk about Christmas table decorations now. How's that for lightening the mood?

We had a lovely ladies' day at church Saturday and as part of the day's events, I was asked, along with three others, to decorate a holiday themed table. (Boy, have I got everyone fooled; they think I've got this decorating thing down pat.) The idea was that the ladies in attendance could view them and get ideas for their holiday tables. Two were Thanksgiving-themed; two were Christmas-themed.

Now, I don't consider myself a great table designer - a decent enough one, I 'spose - but as one who is primarily left-brained, I've got a few rules I've learned over the years and I am happy to share them. They're not particularly earth-shattering insights, but you're welcome to them.

Not the actual table. I recreated this at home, just so I could
take a picture for you. I know, that's love. And excuse the
wrinkles, please, they weren't there at the real deal.

1. Borrow stuff.

You don't have to own everything yourself. (And unless you have unlimited finances and unlimited space, you probably shouldn't. Just a thought from your frugalicious friend.)

My friend, Nay, (who actually IS one of those incredibly gifted decorator types) has some vintage dishes that belonged to her Ma. (That's a grandmother, for those of you who aren't from East Texas.) She was happy to loan them to me and they were part of the inspiration for my theme.

2. Check out decorator blogs and websites.

There are gazillions (really, I counted) of blogs by incredibly talented people with lots of time on their hands, not to mention store websites like Pottery Barn, our friend Martha, Southern Living, etc.

Copy them, y'all.

Okay, seriously. Check them out. Creativity breeds creativity. Their ideas may spur ideas of your own. (Is that the right word? Anyway, you know what I mean.)

3. Translate trends to your table top.

I used a piece of burlap as a table overlay. Burlap is a popular trend right now, at least on some of the blogs I've seen. And nature is a great holiday theme, although not one I've used a lot.

4. Combine textures.

I liked the contrast of burlap with shiny red chargers. Juxtapose (how do you like that fancy word?) opposite textures, finishes, etc. Use a silk overlay, with brown, woven rattan chargers....

5. Create staggered heights and use odd numbers.

Use upside down bowls or a book under a bunched up piece of fabric to create staggered heights. Also, odd numbered groupings tend to work well together. Remember not to make your centerpieces too tall...although I broke that rule for my display table. (Heh,heh...do as I say, not as I do...)

6. Have a Martha Stewart-type Peep.

Now, I realize this one won't apply to everyone, but if at all possible, it is very helpful if one of your Peeps (and in my case, I have access to both Peeps and sisters...I know, I know, how lucky can a girl be?) can give Martha Stewart a run for her money. First, you call her, and during one of your chats, talk about your table ideas. Mention that you found cute little red bird ornaments for a placecard. Conveniently have your stuff out when she comes by so she can see what you're working with, or set up a dry run and email pictures. (Hey, make that technology work for you. This also works when you don't know what outfit to wear for something. But that's a separate post.)

Go when she tells you to meet her at Hobby Lobby. Listen when she tells you that the little bird's nests you found in the floral department are too small and you need the medium size, not the small. Because, really? Does a bird not like a little extra room in her nest? Listen when she says, "You know what would be cute?" And then make the little shepherd's crook out of black wire and stand it up in the bird's nest with a little name tag cut in an oval with cute scalloped scissors hanging from it.

Then, don't forget to act humble when you get "oohs" and "aahs" about how cute the little bird's nests with the name tags hanging on the wee little shepherd's crook are....

So, there you have it. How to decorate a holiday table in six, easy steps. Or not. And, what the heck. If you don't give a hoot and just feel like using paper plates, go for it.

Unless Martha Stewart is coming to dinner, of course.

Well, gosh. I've gotten so distracted talking about decor-related fun, that I just about forgot to add my verse. I'm continuing on with Psalm 30.

Psalm 30:6-7, NIV
When I felt secure, I said, "I will never be shaken." O LORD, when You favored me, You made my mountain stand firm; but when You hid your face, I was dismayed.

That's all I've got for now. Talk to you later...I have to go clean up a broken, supposedly enviromentally-friendly, yet mercury-laden lightbulb. The fun, it never stops.

And boy are my arms tired...Nov 1 verse (#21)

2010-11-01T15:33:00.002-05:00

We flew home from Spokane, WA last night after a whirlwind weekend. Jack and I left bright and early Friday morning after dropping the boys off at my sister's house the night before. She was the trooper who was willing to add my three boys to her four for a grand total (for those of you who are math challenged) of seven very excited, testosterone-filled bodies.

And why Spokane, you may be wondering? A old friend and roommate was getting married. That's always a fun reason for a trip, right? Although I was born in Seattle, we moved to Texas when I was two and I'd never been to NE Washington before. It was beautiful in spite of being overcast and a little rainy. The weather was cold, which was a nice change from the warmth of the last couple of weeks. (Yes, I know in my last post I commented on the lovely weather, but it was short lived. Hopefully it will return as too much heat can make one cranky. I'm not naming any names though.) And they actually have fall color up there, unlike South Texas where the trees are green until one day all the leaves fall off.

Mary Powers Cole, me and Jack

It was a charming, small country wedding (and when I say country, I mean - seriously - out in the country) and the reception was at a darling 100-year-old farmhouse that a couple bought and turned into a restaurant. If you ever find yourself in Colville, WA, you must go to Lovitt.

But let me tell you what else happened! As we were getting on the plane Friday morning, Jack, who was just ahead of me getting on the plane, turned around and said, "I think Beth Moore is in first class." And sure enough, she was. She was headed to Spokane for a Living Proof Live event. (I had noticed on her website weeks before that she had an event there, and the random "wouldn't that be cool if I ran into Beth Moore in Spokane" thought ran through my mind and out the other side, but I didn't seriously think I would....) I leaned over and said "hey" to her as I passed by and we chatted for a very brief moment. I told her I was a Houston siesta who happened to be going to a wedding that weekend. I couldn't believe how nervous I was!

As we landed, Jack was urging me to rush off the plane to get a picture with her, but I was too intimidated. Plus, she was in the front of the plane and we were practically sitting in the rear lavatory, so she got a pretty good head start. We made it off the plane and naturally headed to the first place everyone goes when they get off a plane - the ladies' room. Yet who did I see as I exited the stall and we both headed for the sinks? Yep, you guessed it.

I, of course, was calm, cool, and collected. My normal witty, sophisticated self.

Or not.

Y'all, I was a mess. She was so nice and friendly. Among other barely lucid ramblings, I told her my husband was hounding me about trying to get a picture with her and she was very accommodating.

Take 1 - See, what'd I tell you? Sophisticated, I am....

Take 2 - Me and my BFF, Beth

She hugged me and we parted ways. Until we ran into her again coming out of Starbucks, where I'm sure I said something clever and humorous like, "duh...coffee..." We walked together to the baggage claim, she hugged me again and we went off to get our rental car, lest she begin to think I was stalking her. I have to tell you, it was the coolest thing. I told her I was doing my verses this year. She is too, so we are in good company, y'all.

And so, at that, I'll post my next verse:
Psalm 30:4-5 NIV, "Sing to the LORD, you saints of His; praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."

We had so much favor this weekend...from getting seats together on our connecting flight, to getting on the earlier flight coming home, and yes, even meeting Beth Moore.

And now my weekend reminiscenses must cease. My youngest just came in and reported, in case it wasn't obvious to the naked eye, that he cut his hair.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...Oct 15th verse (20)

2010-10-16T19:54:00.003-05:00

We've been having the kind of weather that makes people want to move here.

The boys and I either biked or walked to the playground four days this week. (Well, I biked two days and walked the others. While it may be true that one never forgets how to ride a bike, one's posterior may need some readjusting....) Our neighborhood playground is tucked away behind some houses with lots of tall pine trees almost completely shading it. And it is vintage playground. No primary-colored plastic interactive multi-purpose play structures here.

There is a large metal swing set with 6 swings on one side. Another large metal swing set with 6 faded baby/toddler swings on the other. Metal monkey bars. A metal merry-go-round. Are you getting the metal theme? Lots of nice hard surfaces. Old school, I tell ya. And they love it.

And today, just like last Saturday (which I do realize is the 16th and not the 15th and I'm a day late posting my verse), was spent outdoors. Carpentry style. Sam and I drove up to my mom and dad's house so my dad, who is a major handyman-and-fix-it guru, could help Sam with his Boy Scout Carpentry Merit Badge. (My dad took wood shop every year in high school, and was his teacher's favorite. I totally get why.)

Here's a picture of the almost completed project. In case you can't tell, it's a book trough/shelf that will sit at the end of my avid reader/book-a-holic's bed. (Hmmm, wonder where he gets that?) Next week he'll add trim and then paint it. I think it's going to look great and he's done a super job working on it with ~~MacGyver~~ Grandpa. We did let the professional handle the use of the shrieking, saber toothed table saw though.

And in other news, I've been re-infected with the decorating bug. It lurks below the surface, then, usually after I've been in the company of others who are infected (and you know who you are), it rears a "needs-to-be-sanded-primed-and-painted" head. Or a "pull-out-a-hundred-staples-so-you-can-change-that-ugly-red-fabric-seat-cover-to-some-cute-burlap". As shown below.... Thankfully (at least Jack thinks so) it comes and goes.

Well, I'm sure I've got lots of other earth-shattering news that's fit to print, but it's getting close to bedtime and I had better help feed the posse and herd them off to dreamland. And I'd also like to collapse on the couch with some Goode Company BBQ and give some serious thought to thanking my lucky stars I'm in Texas. Except it seems like they've gotten a little proud of their BBQ. So next time I might just give some serious thought to thanking my lucky stars that I'm saving a few sawbucks at the BBQ joint down the road.

Without further ado (you're welcome), here's my verse.

Psalm 30:1-3 NIV

I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.

In the wee small hours....(Oct 1st - Verse 19)

2010-10-01T06:30:00.000-05:00

when the whole wide world is fast asleep....

Two boys lie awake insisting that they can't go to back to sleep. And I, envisioning the crankiness that is two boys who have been awake since 3 AM, is equally insistent that they must. But now, it is quiet, so hopefully the "just-lay-there-with-your-eyes-closed-and-don't-talk-to-each-other" approach worked.

It did not work for me, however. But, as an adult, I can use the "all the caffeine I can injest" approach to the day. Which hopefully will be especially effective since I haven't had caffeine in about 5 weeks. (But who's keeping track?) (And chocolate doesn't count.) And since since the day involves me leaving the house at noon (at which point one of my fellow escapees will be tapping her toe at my front door) and not returning until Sunday, and I can sleep late all weekend if I want to, I may just do that. Woohoo!

I am so thankful for Jack's willingness to hold down the fort. He is such a good sport to bless me with this time away and I am grateful. For him and the R&R.

I've been cooking like a fiend all week in anticipation of being gone. Because while Jack has many skills, culinary abilities are not among them. If he had his way, everyone would eat Raisin Bran all weekend. Hence, the cooking. So, in a few minutes I'll finish here, hit the shower, and then the kitchen, for my last bit of feeding the brood and prepping before I head out. And again I say...woohoo!

On another, somewhat verse-related note, I've been reminding the boys lately that their words have power. (And I'm sure there's no correlation whatsoever between what I hear from my boys' mouths and what comes out of my own. Uh, uh, no way....) So, we're trying to cut back on the complaining and the "I can'ts", and take seriously the creative power of our words. So for this time, I'll be working on Isaiah 55:11 from the NKJ.

"So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

So with that I'll say adios, and this is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it! Talk to you in a couple of weeks.

And post a verse!

Our little secret...Sept 15 verse (No.18)

2010-09-15T08:19:00.000-05:00

Good morning. I'm stealing a few (give or take) minutes this morning before the whole feeding people routine kicks into motion. I've got health on the brain today so that's the focus of my verse this time. Not only because, durn it, I still have a a blasted (or should I say, NOT blasted, since apparently the lithotripsy didn't totally work) 4.6 mm kidney stone, but also because I'm so focused on it for one of my kiddos. So, needless to say, diet and nutrition are on the front burners of my mind.

The kiddo's diet and nutrition, I should specify. No one needs to know about the secret stash that only mommy is privy to.... Although, I'm working on changing that. I need my beliefs about health and nutrition to more consistently line up with my actions. Anyone? Anyone?

Proverbs 4:20-22 NASB, "My [daughter], give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body."

And in this morning's "true confessions" (as if the secret stash confession weren't enough), I'd have to say this year has been more of a "meditating on" (some might even go so far as to say "scanning over", but let's not nitpick) than "memorizing" year. I'm not sure, in fact I'm pretty sure, that I couldn't remember this year's verses without significant prompting. (I guess it's a good thing no one's testing me.) Hopefully this verse will be a good reminder and encouragement to me to keep His word ever present and in the midst of my heart.

But isn't that the way it is with good habits? They don't seem to come nearly as easily as the bad ones. (TMZ much?)

Well, my "few" minutes is up and we'd better get to business around here. As I'm sure you can identify, it's far too easy for the day to get away from us, and lo, there are still miles of homeschooling to do before we sleep. Thank you, Robert Frost. (And this is where you're supposed to think I'm really smart and sophisticated because I remembered a poet and one random line from a poem enough to plagiarise it. See? More confessions. Boy, I'd better get off of here before I air all my dirty laundry.)

Papa was a rolling stone.... and Sept 1st Verse

2010-09-01T16:42:00.000-05:00

Well, actually it should read "Mama had a kidney stone...." since that's what's been going on around here for the last week or so. Those of you who either haven't born children yet or had yours under the influence of drugs should know that if you've had a kidney stone, you have indeed felt pain nearly the equivalent of childbirth. And while I am loath to become one of those individuals who is always lamenting her latest ailment, let me just lament for a moment. Ouch. And thank God for hydrocodone. And the sleep-inducing, pain-free state it results in.

And the no-waiting, five-star, spa-like emergency center, with its flat-screen TV, small fridge stocked with a variety of cold drinks, hot beverage machine and basket of snacks wasn't bad either. Too bad I didn't want any in my doubled-over-in-pain-condition. I would've stayed much longer, had they let me. I just hope we continue to have access to such joints when the new health care bill takes full effect.

Seriously though, since that first day I haven't had much pain, for which I am very grateful. It's hard to function on any level on pain meds, so I'm glad to not have had to take them much since the first couple of days.

But enough about my kidney stone; let's talk about my sciatica.

Oh, I KID.

I guess everyone is back to school; at least those of you for whom school is a part of your yearly calendar. For the rest of you, carry on without us. We have waded back into schooling; we're not quite up to a full load yet (although some days it feels like it), but we're getting there. (BTW, do you ever just want to get in a Winnebago and drive and drive and drive....? No? Me neither.)

Well, let's get to the business at hand. In keeping with my "stone" theme, I contemplated a "stone" memory verse, but then thought better of it as they didn't seem applicable to the rest of my life, and really, do I want to memorialize what I hope is a one-time occurrence in life? No, I thought not.

So, here goes. 1 Cor 15:58, NKJ, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

Because some days I just need to remember that it's not for nothing....

It's Sunday afternoon and time for Verse 16

2010-08-15T16:11:00.000-05:00

It is hot outside. Really hot. Like get-into-your-car-and-can-barely-take-a-breath-sweltering-hot.

Which makes me all the more grateful for air conditioning.

Speaking of air conditioning, Jack figures electricity is my love language. Maybe because I leave lights on all the time. I really am getting better at turning them off when I'm not using them; I'm making a concerted effort, honest, I am. (Also, they put off heat, and we've already determined that heat = uncomfortable, thereby making it easier to remember to turn them off.)

And we're informally counting the weeks until the first cool front wings its way southward. Now granted, it probably won't be a biggie, but any cool weather will be greatly appreciated.

Alright already, enough about the weather. (That makes me think of that line from the movie Beaches, where Bette Midler says to her friend, "Oh, enough about me. Let's talk about you. What do you think about me?")

So, what's on the agenda for all you out there in blogland? We are easing our way back into school. However, the key is not to ease for too long, so I'm going to have to kick it into higher gear next week, but so far our easing has gone well.

Well, while all the males of the family are enjoying John Wayne in Flying Tigers, I'll get down to business and post my verse before they finish and start asking for their next meal. Who knows, maybe I'll even have time for a rousing game of Spider Solitaire. Yes, I'm that lame.

I'm going to do Ephesians 2:6 NASB this time: "(But God) raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus..."

The concept of "who we are in Christ" is certainly not a new one. We hear it a lot in church circles, and I'm learning more about it - the depth and power of what it really means - lately. My prayer is that it will become revelation to me - not just head knowledge but heartfelt belief.

What verse are you going to work on?

A day late and a dollar short (and your August 1st verse)

2010-08-02T08:57:00.001-05:00

I packed hubby and 3 boys off for a day of fun in the sun at Six Flags early this morning, and rather than going back to bed, which sounded like a really good option, I plan on hitting the gym instead. And when I say "hit the gym", I mean "set-the-treadmill-at-a-snail's-pace-and-watch-cable-on-my-individual-tv-screen". We did finally join a local gym on Friday, after thinking about it for eons, so I'm hoping to become a little more active then I've been. In fact, I went to an aerobics class on Saturday. Water aerobics, to be exact. Because I'm a maw-maw. (No offense to maw-maws everywhere.) I could feel a few of my unused muscles gently reminding me of their presence the next morning, so in spite of the fact that working out in the water didn't feel very challenging at the time, apparently I really was using some of them. Either that or it's an indicator of how long it's been since I exercised. Ugh. Scary thought.

On the bright side, I felt really young in that class.

Our summer fun is winding down. Jack and Sam and all the assorted and asundry Scouts survived their week of BSA summer camp in a very hot corner of Oklahoma....where the wind goes sweeping down the plain. Actually it was quite hilly and rocky where they were; no plains to speak of. Jack was kind enough to take a picture of Sam's feet, namely the line of dirt around Sam's ankles, so I could see for myself how dirty he got. Actually I expected worse; at least one of his t-shirts will never be the same and may be relegated to the rag basket. One of the first things Sam told me when he arrived home was, "I didn't brush my teeth all week." Oh, yes, we're all about the good hygiene.

Well, onto our August-1st-on-August-2nd memory verses, and, my, wasn't that a nice, smooth segue?

I don't have one this time. Nothing has jumped out at me and, to be honest, I haven't completely gotten my last couple down, so I'm going to use this two weeks as a review time.

Do you have a verse to share?

Short and sweet, Verse 14 (July 15)

2010-07-15T14:52:00.000-05:00

Ugh. Sickness. It has visited us this week. Thankfully we are at the tail end of it and we will prevail.

In the meantime, it's July 15th already and time for another verse, so here goes....

2 Cor. 9: 10 NIV, "Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness."

July 1st; 13th Verse

2010-07-01T12:16:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting here with blogger's block, and since I can't think of anything particularly inspirational, I'll just give you an update on our life.

We just got back from a great doctor's appointment. (Hmmm, those are words one probably doesn't get to say very often!) Sam needed a camp physical before he goes off to Boy Scout camp this summer, so in true procrastinator style, we got it in just under the wire. I really liked the doctor - a fellow home schooler who practices out of their home, and goes to our church as well. How cool is that?

Swim team ended with our End of Season Fajita Feast on Sunday, and while it was a great experience (everyone can swim now!), I'm glad it's over. It was two months of what felt like non-stop activity. I'd like to assume that those families whose kids are in school, soccer, Little League, piano, and other activities ad nauseum were somewhat used to it (I'm sure they would beg to differ); I, on the other hand, have to confess that there are days when we don't go anywhere, and that don't even require me to get out of my pajamas if I don't want to (and let's hear it for staying in our pajamas all day - woohoo!), so being somewhere everyday was a change from our normal routine.

Last night was our final session of the Breaking Free study at church. It was a good one. (But aren't they all?) Next on the agenda is Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy by Kelly Minter. Are y'all in a Bible study this summer? For this one, we were supposed to characterize our current season of life in one word. Boy, talk about a difficult assignment for a group of wordy women (although I challenge you to find me a group of women that aren't); we then shared one specific goal we had for being in Bible study this summer. I find that I, and therefore my overall life, seem to function better in general with the structure that comes from a Bible study format; that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

And I'm done updating. You can wake up now.

Today's rain, courtesy of Hurricane Alex's outer bands, thankfully nothing severe, is preventing any outside activities, so some bickering, the usual complaints of "I'm bored", and repeated requests to watch TV are going on. I'll resist...for a while...and save my TV bullet for a little later in the day. And hopefully today I can catch up on some of the laundry that has piled up, at least enough so that I no longer have to send the boys digging in the nearest basket when they need something to wear. I would also like to do some planning for school...which, also hopefully, will start sooner than later. The boys will be thrilled.

Before I forget, here's my verse:

James 1:22, 25 NIV, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.... The (wo)man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what (s)he has heard, but doing it--(s)he will be blessed in what (s)he does."

Obedience brings blessing.

I'm tired...and June 15th Verse (#12)

2010-06-15T21:03:00.000-05:00

My elaborately planned and thought out post for today consists of the following:

stating how incredibly tired I am tonight,
posting my verses,
and did I mention that I'm stinkin' pooped tonight?

I guess hauling all the drinks for the swim team concession stand last night, VBS this morning, and cooking and cleaning up associated cooking detritus is taking it out of me today. The boys continue to be shocked that, on many days, three squares sometimes equals three dishwasher loads.

I've tried to convince them that we could reduce our dish and utensil usage by not eating, but they don't seem interested in that option.

Here are my verses:
Isaiah 26:3 NIV, "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You."

Isaiah 54:17 NIV, "No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD."

Oh, I love those. There is nothing like His Word to fix what ails ya.

11th Verse (June 1st)

2010-06-01T12:01:00.000-05:00

The boys and I ventured out to the zoo on Friday. All I can say is...it was haaawwwt. And not in a Paris Hilton-way either. But it was fun to be out with my guys. We're looking forward to going back. In January.

This is our last week of afternoon swim team practice. Next week we'll get to experience the joy that is getting to the swimming pool at 8am. We had a "mock meet" last week, which was really good for swim team newbies like us.  And I have to say that Michael was really cute in his "shark" swim cap, complete with little gray fin sticking up on top and grinning teeth along the sides.

It's been good getting to meet some of my neighbors. I guess it's about time I got out of the little hermit hole that is my house and joined my community.  And, guess who's one of the moms helping with the concession stand and end-of-the-season party? Do you think they pegged that one or what? Cause y'all know I like to plan me some parties.

I think people underestimate the power of helping out. At its most basic, jobs have to be done or swim teams, Cub Scouts, you-name-it, can't run. But it's also a great way to get to know people and creates a sense of ownership and belonging. Sure, there are seasons in life when that's difficult to do and sometimes we need to just be able to drop off...but I'm learning that community won't come knocking on my door. We have to do our part.

All right - here are my verses...still from the Breaking Free study. We're just over halfway through.

Isaiah 46:9 NIV, "Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me."

Isaiah 54:10 NIV, "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you."

I'd love to see your verses.  Hang in there, you can do this; and if you haven't posted in a while, but would like to, feel free!

I'm bored...and May 15th Verse

2010-05-15T11:05:00.000-05:00

I'm not bored, but this is the lament I am currently hearing from an unnamed boy, who, though the floor of his room is covered with more Legos than is imaginable, still cannot find ANYTHING. TO. DO. Another boy, in a sudden onset of musical inspiration, is strolling through the house strumming on a guitar like ye old minstrels of yesteryear.

And happy rainy Saturday to y'all too. Chores, I tell ya...that's what we need...chores!

And suddenly...all is quiet. It's amazing at the stillness that ensues when the "ch" word is mentioned.

So while it's quiet for a minute, and before I go get started on some of my own chores, I'll post my verses for this time. I'm still doing Beth Moore's Breaking Free study so am working my way through the memory verses for that.

Isaiah 61:2-3, "to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor."

Aaaaand they're back. "Is there anything I can do besides work?"

Gee, I wonder how he is at changing water filters.

I hope y'all have a great rest of the month enjoying all the hustle and bustle that is the end of the school year. Don't forget to post your verse!

Oh my goodness, it's May 1st! Verse 9

2010-05-01T19:37:00.002-05:00

Well, here I am. Betcha thought I forgot, huh?

You would be right. Sort of. Although it's more of a remembering, forgetting, remembering, forgetting, remembering, running out the door, forgetting, then remembering again thing. (Did you get all that?)

I am still as convinced as ever, and grow more so all the time, that we desperately need to hide the Word of God in our hearts. I had an anxiety-inducing situation arise yesterday and I could sense the Spirit reminding me to fight it with the Word. (Only He said, "DO the Word.") Every time fear or anxiety, worry or doubt creeps in, I need a giant, Word-sized, fear-anxiety-worry-doubt-swatter so I can bat it out of the park, otherwise my (very untrustworthy) emotions can and/or will run away with me. This situation may not be resolved for a little while, so I have an opportunity to exercise my faith.

I was at the dentist the other morning - for the first time in I'm-embarrassed-to-admit-how-long - and while I was there the dental assistant took my blood pressure. (I didn't know they did that at the dentist.) Apparently it was quite good...and low. She made the comment that it was the blood pressure of an athlete, and asked me if I worked out.

Is it rude to snort out loud in the dentist's chair?

Anyway, I'll be working out my faith. It may be easy on the body, but challenging to my spirit.

Here are my verses this time:

Isaiah 64:4 NIV, "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him."
Isaiah 61:4 NIV, "They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations."

Your turn. Just do it.

(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Happy tax day...and April 15th Verse (the 8th one!)

2010-04-15T16:58:00.000-05:00

...or extension day, depending on if you actually file your taxes on April 15th. We (and I use the term "we" loosely, as I have not actually prepared a tax return since my single, 1040 days) are more the extension-filing types. Oh well, however you do it, render unto Caesar and all that.

I know you've all been waiting with bated breath for this post. Alas, today life happened and here it is the late afternoon and I'm just now sitting down to get it done. There is a way to schedule them to post once they're written, but I haven't quite figured out how to make that work yet. Aren't you glad I shared that little bit of tech info with you? Now you can't say you didn't learn anything new today. Sam Houston was also married three times. There, you've learned something else. This blog is a wealth of useful information, I tell ya.

I ran some errands with Michael this morning while the two older boys were otherwise occupied. He kept trying to guess where we were going,

"HEB?"
"No."
"Oh, good. Lowe's?"
"No."
"Costco?"
"No."
"Where are we going?"
"To DSW."
"What's DSW?"
"It's shoe heaven."
"Oh, is that where shoes come to life?"
"Yes, my son, actually...it is." (Okay, I didn't really say that part....)

It's just one more thing about women that I have to teach my boys. That shoe stores are heaven and ladies like chatting.

So anyway, moving on. I started a new Beth Moore study last night; it's the updated edition of Breaking Free. Part of this study is (coincidentally) memorizing scripture, so my verses for the next 10 weeks (5 posts worth) will be from that. And they are actually one a week (plus one from the intro - whew!) so I may be doing more of a "meditation" on the verses, than an actual "memorizing" of them, but I'll give it my best shot.

Galations 5:1 (NIV), "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

Isaiah 61:1 (NIV), "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,"

Isaiah 43:10 (NIV), ""You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me."

Your turn. Verse on.

Fugitive Emissions...and April 1st Verse

2010-03-31T23:59:00.014-05:00

Well, Happy April Fool's Day. Huh? What would be the appropriate greeting for this day? Maybe it's just 'gotcha!' And don't we all LOVE being gotten. Or not.

We really aren't big "April Fooler's" around here (I'm sure the boys would get a kick out of it if we were and I've already heard them "April Fooling" each other this morning); growing up we did our share of filling the sugar bowl with salt and vice versa, swapping the salt & pepper, etc. Pretty tame stuff, I admit.  These days I guess I don't have the creativity (or energy) to put into coming up with any big stunts. And, to be perfectly honest, I don't really want anything extra to clean up either.

I was stumped for a verse this time so I went back to the March 6th post on the Living Proof blog. Beth had us all post a scripture to encourage us in strength, power and victory and the comments are a treasure trove of potential memory verses. I came across several that I liked, but chose this one.  2 Cor 2:14 (NASB), "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place."

This may come as a shock to some of you, but I have found myself being slightly attitudinally-challenged lately.  Yes, that's an official self-diagnosis. I know (from some of my past experience being attitudinally-challenged) that one powerful prescription for that malady is thankfulness. So what better than a verse that just starts right out with a big ole "thanks be to God"? A little reminder of our triumph in Christ - always - isn't a bad thing either.

Jack had to take some training down at one of the plants a year or so ago and came home with a new phrase that we all found amusing - because we're sophisticated like that. The phrase is "fugitive emissions" - emissions of gases or vapors from pressurized equipment due to leaks and various other unintended or irregular releases of gases. (Thanks, Wikipedia...you said it so much more eloquently than I ever could have.)

We've all smelled it. You're driving near a refinery and all of a sudden...whoa, what died?! Well, there you have it...fugitive emissions.  Needless to say, with three boys in the house, this phrase has become a favorite. For obvious reasons that shall remained unstated.  Boy howdy, could our house use some aromatic assistance from time to time....

I actually can't think of much that would be better than being a walking diffuser of HIM wherever I go.

Spring has Sprung...and Verse 6

2010-03-15T10:31:00.000-05:00

Well, so far this daylight savings time thing is eating my lunch... Here it is 10:30 and no one has had breakfast yet. (And The Staff is off this week so no breakfast in bed for me.) Oh, well, we'll just eat in a little bit and call it an early lunch.

I've got some exciting stuff planned for spring break, including but not necessarily limited to, the following:

The office closet floor needs to be unearthed from a couple of weeks ago when I told Sam to push a bunch of stuff in there to get it out of the way.
The parts of the desk that I can see are covered with dust. Aha! There's a reason to not clear off the desktop.
Weeds. Everywhere. Although according to Jack, a weed is just a plant growing in the wrong place. Is it still the sin of pride if your pride is what actually makes you finally weed your flowerbeds?
I've never completed the room-switching-over-process from a few weeks ago. We got Sam moved into Michael's room, but never fully got Michael moved into Josh's room, meaning Michael's clothes are in various places all over the upstairs, which is challenging since he is the boy who actually likes to wear clean clothes everyday.

Whew, I don't know about you, but I don't think I can stand much more excitement. I'd better be careful or someone will video all this mayhem and call it "Moms Gone Wild: Spring Break".

Well, let me share my verse and get on with it. I'm memorizing Phil. 3:12b (NASB), "I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus." Bob Mumford used this verse in The Agape Road in talking about becoming a Father-pleaser. God had a THAT in mind for each one of us when he formed us, called us, and laid hold of us. Made me think of that scene from City Slickers...you know, the ONE thing. Don't remember it? Why not? It's only a 20 year old movie. What can I say? I don't get out enough.... I'll work on getting some more current movie references. In the meantime, you have a THAT...a destiny and purpose that you are called to fulfill.

And on a similar note, we had this prophet dude in church yesterday who talked a lot about God the Father and intimacy with the Father, which is exactly what The Agape Road is about. I think it's so cool when God repeats in church what we did in class. It's like He's saying, "Can you hear Me now?"

Y'all have a great Spring Break. Can't wait to see your verses.

Andrea

Henceforth and Forevermore to be Known as the Lamest Blog Post Ever AND the March 1st verse

2010-02-28T20:54:00.000-06:00

You know, I'm willing to bet this won't actually be my lamest blog post ever - oh goodie! something for you to look forward to - but I couldn't think of another title.

My left ear has been plugged up all day. An earthshattering and deeply spiritual way to begin, I know. I've felt a little lopsided all day and have been walking around saying really intelligent things like, "huh?", "whadjya say?", and "I can't hear you." I even introduced myself to some new people at church, and I fear they thought I was a real dork, since all I could think about while trying to make friendly chitchat was "my ear is plugged up and I feel lopsided."

And I had to get groceries today (Sunday) which doesn't feel particularly Sabbath-restful, ya know? With a 4-year-old in tow, no less. (I know, I know...at least it was only one. But one who conveniently gets hungry the minute we enter a store and insists on walking with me or hanging on the side of the cart.)

And one of my good friends pointed out a couple of weeks ago that the picture I had over my mantle was too big, so all I can think about (besides my ear being plugged up and feeling lopsided) is "what on earth am I going to put up there now?" Gee, great - a decorating dilemna. Oh, the turmoil that is my life.

I'm kidding, of course. Not about the ear or the mantle, but the turmoil. And, btw, my dear friend is going to be getting some digital pictures in her email so she can help me virtually redecorate my mantle. What are talented friends for, right?

So, on to more "spiritual" topics. I hope your verses are going well. I'm really having to work on mine; they aren't "flowing" as well as I'd like. (I blame the ear.) (And the decorating turmoil.)

My verse this time is John 15:4-5 (NKJV), "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

We are doing a video series in our Pursuer Class (Sunday School) called The Agape Road and it's about abiding, intimacy with the Father, etc. It's good stuff, but I find this whole concept of abiding somewhat vague. What does it mean? What exactly does it look like? Do I need to pray for x number of minutes? Read x chapters? Fast? Meditate or something? I need specifics, people! (Can you tell someone is task oriented?) (Hence, the trouble abiding.) (BTW, I like the word hence.)

Well, hang in there, bloggy-memory-verse-friends; we can do this. Any verse, of any length, or portion thereof, entered into your memory bank is - to quote Martha Stewart - a good thing. Now, post your verse!

Happy (day after) Valentine's Day and Feb 15th Verse

2010-02-15T11:26:00.000-06:00

Well, hello there, my bloggy-Scripture-memorizing-friends. I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day and, most of all, felt very loved.

I find that Valentine's Day as a married person carries somewhat less significance than Valentine's Day as a single person. Not to say that it's not important...but it's a little like the prom. It's a huge deal as a senior in high school, but when you look back on it, you could have taken it or left it. Does that make any sense at all? Or maybe I'm just not sentimental enough. (No comments, please.)

Which leads me to a memory of a not-so-great Valentine's Day. Pre-Jack, of course.

I was going out with a guy...we'll just call him G. As in, "Gee, what was I thinking?" "Gee, I'm glad I didn't marry that guy". "Gee...." Well, we'll just leave any other "g" possibilities alone for now.

I planned an elaborate, not to mention, expensive, surprise; a day filled with his favorite things, beginning with an early morning trip to the airport to fly to a nearby city, where we rented a car and drove to the art museum for a special exhibit that was on display there. After that we drove downtown, ate a quick lunch and walked around viewing the sights and architecture that this particular city is so well-known for. During the afternoon it got cold and began to rain. G hogged the umbrella.

G also considered himself a gourmet of sorts (hey, there's another "g"). So I had made reservations for an early dinner at a nice restaurant, where he ordered without apparent regard for the price...all my treat of course. After dinner, it was back to the airport for the flight home.

I don't know why I'm sharing this. There's no great relevance or significance to the story other than a funny memory. (Funny now, anyway.) When I was single I always hated it when people would say trite things like "Jesus is your husband", etc. The irony is that it wasn't until I had a husband who cherished me, supported me, had grace for me, that I could appreciate that Jesus really is all those things to me too. Because in fact, if Jesus wasn't all those things, then Jack couldn't be those things. Because when Jack loves me, what he's really doing is reflecting God's love for me.

Which, by the way, includes sharing the dern umbrella.

So...on to the topic at hand. Our memory verses. Are yours going well? And, just a suggestion - don't forget to go back and say your prior verses from time to time so they don't slip into memory oblivion.... Trust me on this one; I know that of which I speak.

My verse is one our Pastor shared in church yesterday and I liked it. Romans 15:13 (NIV), "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Verse on, my friends....

Locked and Loaded...and Feb 1 Verse

2010-01-31T15:28:00.001-06:00

I am so enjoying seeing the verses you chose...and some of the respective comments as to why you chose your particular verse crack me up!

It's a great thing to have these verses in our arsenal. That's really what they become in our lives - a storehouse of weapons to draw upon when we wage war in our minds against fears, worries, vain imaginations. Be anxious for nothing, quoted frequently, because it is a necessary reminder that we are to - guess what? - be anxious for nothing.

The weapons we fight with, Paul tells us, are NOT the weapons of this world. And here's the part I really like. ON THE CONTRARY. I mean, it's a good thing to have worldly weapons when you need them. But wait! That's not all! Can't you just see it? It's like he's just getting started, just getting his engines revved up, and here he comes with the "now-look-here-just-you-wait-a-cotton-pickin-minute". (Maybe he was from South Israel.) And I bet there's some serious finger-stabbing-in-the-air going on too.  And then, the real kicker...they, these weapons of ours, have DIVINE POWER to demolish strongholds.

He uses some strong words - depending on your translation, words like pulling down, destroying, destruction, demolish, tear down, take captive. (Some of my boys' favorites - both in word and in deed.) Those thoughts that set themselves up against the knowledge of God are not going to go quietly. The enemy doesn't respond to a "pretty please". He pays no attention to a polite, gentle, "if you don't mind please leave me alone" and doesn't just lay down and give up. ON THE CONTRARY. We have to demolish his arguments, tear down thoughts, take captive every high thing that has the audacity to come against what God says is so. Hence, the strong words and the need for powerful arms.

There's a phrase from military circles that means that your weapon has its magazine in place, is ready to fire, and you are ready for action. It's applicable to us as well. We have to be locked and loaded and ready to take some thoughts captive.

Okay, then....so on to my verse. Here's what I'm memorizing this go-round:

Romans 6:5-7 NLT, "Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised as He was.  Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin."

Set free.  That's some good stuff there.

I look forward to seeing yours.

January 15th Verse

2010-01-15T02:01:00.000-06:00

So many verses; so little time.

It's lame, I know, but choosing my next verse is hard for me.  Kind of like going to the Cheesecake Factory - for crying out loud, they have a lot of choices. Although if you go, you really should try the Avocado Eggrolls. But I digress....

There are so many verses I should know as a Christian, some that I need in my daily walk, others that help me know more about who God is and His promises. I don't want one too short (Jesus wept, anyone?). I don't want one too long (read that: challenging).  I console myself with the truth that ANY Word is good.

On another note, I got to my favorite part of Job this morning (which is partly my favorite because it makes sense and I find Job to be a somewhat confusing book, but anyhoo) right at the end where God finally speaks up after Job and all his friends have been going on and on. He tells Job to "gird up your loins"; in other words, get ready to take it like a man, cause I'm gonna dish. And then He does. But a couple of verses stuck out to me. In Job 38:22-23 it says, "Have you entered the storehouse of the snow, or seen the armory of the hail, which I reserve for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle?"

When I was a teenager, just to irritate my sister (which I try not to do anymore), when she would start questioning me about something, I'd calmly say "I've got it under control," (with great superiority in my voice, of course). I think that's what God was saying to Job (and to us). We don't see the whole picture - only what is immediately visible to us. We've got an enemy, an adversary.  Sometimes they may even have skin on them. But our God has a whole stash of hail, on hold, in reserve, with that enemy's name on it.  He's got your back. He's in control. In the right time, somebody's going down.

Well, enough rambling. I guess I should get to my verse now, although I sure do like that Job one. For this time I'm going to memorize Exodus 34:6-7a, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin." NASB

I've enjoyed our Scripture memory adventure so far. On a technical note, if you are commenting anonymously (without a registered login), if you don't mind, would you please include your name in your comments? No pressure - this is a laid back blog, mind you - but it's nice to see who's on this trip with us. If you're continuing on with a verse from the first two weeks, you can just say that too.

Your turn.

How Are Your Verses Going?

2010-01-09T21:12:00.000-06:00

Have you found your spiral index cards? I found some at Walmart the other day and stocked up. I've even been known to - gasp! - flip it over when I get to the end and use the other sides of the cards. Yeah, I'm frugal that way...or just unprepared and ran out of cards...it all depends on how you look at it.

One thing I usually do is jot down the date for the verse I'm memorizing. There were times looking over last year's verses that the date would jog my memory for that verse ("oh, yeah, that was after the first/second/third doctor's appointment" or "that was when we were praying about ________"). You get the idea, I'm sure.

If you have some tricks or ideas that you use, will you please share them with us in the comments? And you don't have to use the spiral cards either if you find something that works better for you. The index card police will not come after you.

I'm going to link to Beth Moore's blog (look at me, getting all fancy-schmancy with my linking-self) where she gave some memorization tips that you might find helpful.

http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2009/01/scripture-memory-mini-tutorial_08.html

So glad to have y'all along for the ride.

Welcome to the Scripture Memorization Blog and January 1st verse

2010-01-05T16:23:00.000-06:00

I'm so glad you're here. The effort you invest this year will NOT be in vain. Now, let's jump in with both feet, shall we?

We are going to memorize 24, yes 24, scriptures this year! On the 1st and 15th of each month, I will post an entry and ask each of you participating to post a comment with your scripture. Don't worry - no one is going to analyze your verse and why you chose it or look for underlying messages or agendas. Pick something the Lord is speaking to you in your season, whatever that is. It can be long or short, it's totally up to you - if you want to do a long passage, feel free to spread it out over time.

As some of you know, this original idea came from Beth Moore and the Siesta Scripture Memory that we did last year. It was so good, I thought it needed to be done again, so here we are. She suggests getting a set of spiral bound index cards (check Walmart, office supply stores, etc.) to use for writing your verses on. It is transportable and also easily stands up so you can prop it up wherever you spend the most time - at a desk, at the kitchen sink, etc.

So, just to get us started, I'll share my verse for January 1st. It is Psalm 65:11 from the NET Bible, "You crown the year with Your good blessings, and You leave abundance in Your wake."

Now, let's hear yours.