Neither Shall He Eat

Our church is in the middle of a sermon series about seeing work thru God's eyes instead of the world's. One of the verses we've been discussing is II Thessalonians 3:10, where it says that anyone isn't willing to work, should not be fed either. It's an interesting verse, especially in today's society.

Of course, we want to make sure it's clear that this doesn't apply to those who for one reason or another are not able to work, but to those that choose not to work.

Anywho... one of my friends said that when she got frustrated with her kids not doing their chores, she posted this verse on their fridge and told them if they didn't do their chores, the wouldn't eat dinner. Period.

I like the idea, and am tucking it in my back pocket. Maybe wait until my kids get a little older. Jillian might be a little young to force this on, at 3 years old. But the idea is sound, I think. As my friend put it, it may seem harsh, but if she can drill it in their heads now that if they want to eat they need to work, then hopefully as the become adults that will still ring true in their minds and they will grow up understanding that work is part of life, work feeds, work provides.

I like it.

She Rises While it is Yet Night

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Not being a morning person, it doesn't sound very appealing to me. I'd much rather stay up late at night to get things done, then get up early in the morning.

But then again, this is biblical (Proverbs 31:15). And so, I've been giving this a try. I can't say I've been totally successful at it, but I have managed to get up before the girls most days.

And you know what? It's kinda nice. Unless one of them gets up especially early, I usually get to have my breakfast in peace, walk the dogs, throw in a load of laundry, and mentally prepare for school that day before either of them gets up. Dare I say it? Being intentional about waking up early is actually kinda nice.

Not being a morning person, I tend to be a little grumpy when I first wake up. Both of my daughters have also inherited this trait. But you know what makes it a little easier? If I manage to get up early, take care of a few things around the house, have my breakfast, and just settle myself, center myself, well, it really helps me to be calm and handle their grumpiness a little bit better.

It's also really nice to get a start on that day's to-do list. Getting even just one or two chores knocked out before my kids even wake up just mentally eases the burden for the rest of the day.

Now, realistically I don't think I'll ever truly be a morning person. But I can see where there are benefits to the idea of getting a really early start to the day.

What about you? Do you wake up early? Sleep in? What have you found that works for you?

As always, thanks for checking in!

I heart messy houses...

...that aren't mine.

The other day I dropped off some Pampered Chef items at a friend's house. I've never been to their house before, and couldn't stay I just peeked thru the doorway, and was relieved to see that it was messy.

Same thing when we dropped by my cousin's house a few weeks ago.

Or when someone in my moms' group on Facebook posts a picture of their disaster of a house and says they don't know how they're gonna get it clean.

I realize that this might sound mean or something, but I don't intend it that way. It just reassures me that I'm not alone. That I'm not the only one that doesn't always have a neat house. That maybe, just maybe, our cozy little mess is, in fact, normal.

Being Still? or Being Lazy?

A few days ago I became frustrated with one of my friends seeming inability to just stop. We were out together, and it seemed like the moment the conversation lulled, I found it filled with unnecessary small talk, the moment we stopped to sit and enjoy the moment, we were up again and moving, often without any particular destination. It really seemed as if it were impossible for them to just be.

At one point, I jokingly said "Doesn't the Bible say to "be still and know that I am God"?

The reply? "The Bible also teaches against laziness."

This seemingly innocent interaction has left me thinking for several days now. Which one of us is right? Or. as I suspect ,are we both right? How do we reconcile the two?

Well, let's start by going to Scripture, shall we?

Passages about stopping, resting, being still:

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  -- Psalm 46:10
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.  -- Psalm 37:7

Passages rebuking laziness:

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;  -- Colossians 3:23The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.  -- Proverbs 21:25
There are multiple passages supporting both ideas. So, what to make of it? Well, I think it may be settled with another verse:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.  -- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time, a season, for everything. There are times for us to work hard, and times for us to be still. There are times for busy-ness, and times for us to be quiet. For us to rest all the time would be folly. But it would be equally ludicrous for us to force ourselves to be active constantly.

In short, we were both right. Use your time wisely, work hard when there is work to do, but rest equally hard.

As always, thanks for checking in.

Spread the Happy

It's been way too long, and I need to focus on some positive schtuff, so I'm thinking I need to get in the habit of doing these kinds of posts more regularly again.

Here's the latest happy news from our FireHouse:

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Chief is getting bigger and since the weather has been warm is now outside most of the time.

He's proving to be a good fit with our family, and I think eventually he'll be a good working partner for Buddy.

Also - never having a puppy before, I don't know how much longer they continue to grow at this rate, but... I'm starting to wonder if he'll be bigger than Buddy. At 12 weeks he reaches halfway up Buddy's shoulder.

I like big dogs.

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Our chickens laid their first eggs!

The eggs are still very small, and we're only getting about one day total (from all 15 chickens), so definitely not into full egg production yet, but... we got our first egg!

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Jena was so excited to take our first two eggs to preschool for show-n-share. She did great!

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Jason & I started attending a new small group at church. The study is currently on the Holy Spirit. I'm really enjoying the study, but I really like the group of people. Closer in our age than any small group we've attended before, plus many of them have children close to Jena's age so she has a blast as well.

It's the first time I've ever thought (hoped?) that I might make some strong connections with others in our church.

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Jason has a new job prospect (for his 2nd job). If it works out it he will quit his business and just work for them. Same sort of work, but (hopefully) less stress, plus a much more stead paycheck than running his own business. Keep him in your prayers!

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Rearranged Jena's bedroom yesterday. I really like the new setup. And I'm trying some new ideas for organizing her toys, so (hopefully) it will be easier for her (and me!) to keep tidy.

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I suppose that's all for now. Thanks for checking in! And don't forget to Spread the Happy!

Spread the Happy

Yep, it is time again to Spread the Happy!

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I am thrilled with the color of our new master bathroom!
After Jason primed it with dark-colored primer, I was a little scared to go so dark / bright in such a small space, but I love it! (yes, pictures will come later)

Speaking of the master bath, I love it! And I am so proud of the work Jason has done! He is so talented in this area!

I am excited that Jason has found a great base for a chicken tractor, for next to nothing! So we may have chickens by Spring after all! And hopefully this will help curb the bug problem at our house as well!

I am thankful that my sister has found good doctors in Iowa, and they are taking care of her health problems (I know I haven't posted about the problems, but I am happy about the solutions!)

Oooh! Oooh! Oooh! I totally forgot I've been waiting to post this one...

I am so incredibly excited, thrilled that my cousin & his wife are expecting their first child!
I'm also asking for prayers for them. There are some genetic issues that my cousin's immediate family carry that result in severe birth defects, which usually result in miscarriages. My cousin opted not to be tested for the gene, once the issue was discovered (only 8 yrs ago), so there is still some concern for the future of this little one. But they have made it halfway into their 2nd trimester and so far are doing well! Yay!

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And some recent blog posts that I've enjoyed:

Poop Immunity
because I get it

My "Tired" Haiku
because I can relate. all too well.

I Heart Awkward
because she's funny


Big Boy Toys
because it's cute

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Now it's your turn! Link up, readers!

Spread the Happy

Yes, with my return to original posts, I am most definitely keeping my Spread the Happy posts. And I still think everyone should do one.

For me, it really has helped me to focus on the positive aspects of my life at the moment. And maybe you're thinking, "whatever, I'm not really struggling with that right now".

Well, to be honest, I'm not really struggling with it right now either. Seriously, I'm in a really good place.

And I want to stay there.

Let's face it, with all of life's irritations & distractions, we all have moments where we need to focus on what's going right. Because even when it seems like everything is going bad, the truth is there is something, at least one little thing, that you can smile about. If you try.

So here are my happy thoughts for the moment. And below that is a LinkyTool for you to link up your own happy thoughts.

Enjoy!

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- I'm happy I have a direct supervisor who will stand up for me

- I'm glad I have a job that I (mostly) like, that pays well, and has great benefits

- I'm happy I'm making positive steps toward figuring out my health issues

- I am so excited about our upcoming vacation

- I am proud & thankful that Jason's business is doing good, steady work and providing a tiny bit of extra income for our family

- I'm getting excited that Jason is making good progress on finishing our master bath. Hello 2nd bathroom and (hopefully) goodbye PMI !!

- I love my cat

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Recent blog posts that I enjoyed:

Dear PTA: I Got a New Attitude (Not Really)

Hello! I'm a Mom.

The Real Reason I Don't Pick Up Before Bed

I Said I Was Going To Marry Him When I Was 10-Years-Old

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That's all for me right now. Now it's your turn to Spread the Happy!

Re-focusing... my self

I've decided to take a break, of sorts, from writing on my blog.

I will also be greatly limiting my other internet interactions (facebook, twitter, message boards, etc) at the same time.

Not a total break, but a self-imposed significant restriction on those items.

Why, you ask?

Well, the word "image" has been brought into my attention over the past year or so, first at such great intervals so as not to really notice, but lately with greater and greater frequency.

And I have been struggling internally because, on a related note, I often feel like my image doesn't reflect who I am.

And that fact was thrown in my face brought to my attention very clearly recently on a message board. The member's response to my post not only assessed my actions, but touched on her assessment of me. And while I disagree with her assessment, I own it.I would like to state that again.

I take ownership of her assessment of me.

Why? Because the image others have of ourselves, their assessments of us as people, they can only base on what we put out there.

Oh sure, they combine what we put out there with their own experiences, their own baggage, and roll it it all up into their image of us, but... at least 90% of it we have to own, because it's what we have shown.

So while I disagreed with her approach, I never refuted what she said. But I have given it the situation a lot of thought, and how it fits into my journey. It's something I was already thinking about, already trying to improve upon.

In fact, a major catalyst for my Spread the Happy posts was, well, not so much intended to change my image, as it was to help me change my mindset and what I am putting out there.

This past weekend I attended our church's Women's Retreat. Friday night the speaker spoke on... you guessed it... image.

Okay, she never actually used that word. But her message was based on this verse:

"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:..."    -- Proverbs 23:7a

and she used this picture for illustration:



source

And her whole message revolved around how we see ourselves versus how we truly are versus what the world sees versus what God sees.

And somewhere during her message, it hit me. I need to stop. Just stop. I need to stop putting things out into the world, until I get my internal self in order. And the fact is, I'm just not there yet.

I'm working on it. I'm greatly improved, but... not there.

And as much as I enjoy writing thru my journey, and as therapeutic as I find it, and as much wonderful support as I have gotten from my readers... I need to take a break.

I don't know for how long. And it won't be a 100% total break. And most likely I will still be writing, just not posting. Yet. Because the writing is so therapeutic for me.

And then when I am ready to post those musings, I can read & re-read and re-read again, and decide if they are truly reflective of my self.

If the image truly reflects the person.

Because right now, I don't think it does. Not totally.

I hope ya'll will stick around. I do plan to be back. But if God leads me in another direction, I'll be sure to let you know. But for now... I do plan to be back.

Take care, and, as always... thanks for checking in.

Spread the Happy

Okay everyone. Spread the happy. Grab the button. Play along. Spread the happy.

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I am so happy I finally figured out what Jena needs from me in order for prechool drop-offs to go more smoothly. It makes mornings much easier!
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I am happy that we're making some progress on our home renovations. Slowly, but we'll get there. One day. And when that day is here, I know it'll all be worth it.

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I am soooooooooooooo happy for my cousin, who recently married her Prince Charming.

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I am overcome with happiness for my friend, who is pregnant after struggling for years with infertility.

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I am happy my GE tests are over, and that preliminary results seem good.
I'll fill ya'll in on the details once final results are in, 'kay?

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I'm happy I have a supervisor who believes in me and stands up for me, even against other managers, even when he's outnumbered. Priceless.

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And a few of my favorite blog postings from the past week or so:

The Toothbrush Elimination Project
because it screams OCD, like maybe worse than mine
"The Bad Kid"
because even though I try really hard not to judge other parents, I would have judged this too

Where to Begin
because it's love

Early Morning House Fire
because it reminds me...

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What's making you happy?

Spread the Happy

 

Okay everyone. Spread the happy. Play along. Spread the happy.

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I am so happy that we were blessed to be able to take a short family trip together two weekends ago. One night at a state park in Kentucky, but still. So very blessed for such a wonderful time.

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I am happy that my workload seems to be easing (somewhat) at work, and I'm actually making headway on some of my projects.

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I am happy to be a mom. And a wife. It's my joy in life.

most of the time - ha!

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I am thankful for good friends, who invite me over with my toddler, even though they don't have any kids of their own.

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I am thankful (and thus happy) that Jason took Jena out of the house to run an errand the other night when I wasn't feeling well, having some more of my "digestive issues".
Just being able to deal with them without also dealing with a toddler, and then being able to lie down on the couch in peace, even if for just a bit, was soooooooo nice. Thank you Jason!

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I am happy for our beautiful yard. Looking out thru the kitchen window early in the morning might just be my favorite view. I'll have to remember to take a pic and post it for ya.

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And a few of my favorite blog postings from the past week or so:

Someone Get Them a Dictionary
because it's funny

Honoring a Marriage that is Over
because it's real

Where I Confess about my Morning Routine
because it's... human. and because I can relate all too well

MODe(e)rn Boy's Room
because she's talented in ways that I am not... but wish I were

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What's making you happy?

Spread the Happy

Hello Blog World!

Well, this is my first "spread the happy" post. It's the perfect day for it. A rough preschool dropoff this morning combined with a headache that won't go away means it's the perfect time to focus on the positive.

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I am soooooo happy for my sister. After months of being a SAHM, a situation with which she found her self incontent, she has decided to become self-employed, and is taking the steps to start her own business!

I am so proud of her! She's a very talented artist, but with the busy-ness of life it has been years since she's been able to spend adequate time at the craft she so enjoys, so now... it's time!


I am so excited for her as she starts this new endeavour!

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I am so happy that Jena has broken thru some of her shyness and yesterday did both an individual and a group dance during circle time at preschool! Yay!

They do an exercise where each child's name is called and they do a little dance in the circle, and then at the end everyone does it. Until yesterday, Jena had refused to participate in either, and I was 100% positive it was due to her introvert nature.

But yesterday she did it! So proud of her, and so happy that she felt comfortable enough to participate with everyone else, because I know she has fun when she does! Yay!

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I am happy that I was able to get our mess of a kitchen clean. It was a disaster, and after way too many hours of working yesterday, it is beautiful. Now, to get all of us to keep it that way!

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I am happy to be starting a new adventure of my own. I haven't decided how much to blog about it here, but I've found a way that I'm comfortable with, and confident I will have time to manage, that will bring in some extra income for our family.

It's a totally new avenue for me, and I'm a little really nervous, but I'm also excited. Wish me luck!

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I'm happy that the organizational changes I was expecting to hear this past Monday, didn't get announced. I'm expecting a major change to our division in the near future, and I'm not happy about it. It's not bad, just not something I'm looking forward to.

Anyway, I thought it was happening Monday, but... nope. So for now, yay!

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I love my new sofa & loveseat! We've had the same worn, stained, falling-apart blue & cream gingham set of living room furniture since I met Jason. His ex-wife got the furniture in the divorce, and one of his friends gave him this set for free since they were getting new ones.

Since mine were also hand-me-downs, and didn't recline (a must for FireMan), we kept his.

The couch didn't survive the move, literally falling apart. The loveseat, besides being worn & stained, had a broken reclining footstool that we'd "fixed" about four times before giving up. And the chair that was supposed to recline, didn't anymore.

And now, they are sitting in our front yard waiting to be actually disposed of gone.

And in their place are a beautiful new sofa & loveseat, brown, microfiber. Beautiful. Brand new. And bought at a steal because of a local furniture store going out of business.

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I also love my new haircut!

Yep, I did it. My hairstylist couldn't believe it when I told her how short to go.

So my hair went from being the longest since I'd been with Jason, to the shortest it's been in... at least 15 years.

I think it's cute, and suits me just fine.

Jason said it makes me look younger. Score!

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Favorite blog posts of the week:
I had initially intended to limit this to one posting, my absolute favorite, but... I can't! Too many of you write too many good things!

So... here are a few of my favorites:

If it bothers you that much...

The Glorified Truth

A post for my daughter, take 2

Suffering for Him

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That's all for today! Thanks for checking in!

I Don't Wanna Do This Anymore

I'm tired of struggling. Tired of fighting. Tired of not being good enough. Well, tired of not feeling like I'm good enough.

I'm tired of wondering. Tired of watching. Tired of waiting. Tired of battling. Tired of proving myself. Tired of taking the high road.

Tired of being tired.

Tired of being judged. Tired of being accused. Tired of never having enough to give. Tired of feeling like I'm not satisfying... anyone. Tired of being pulled in all directions. Tired of giving 110%, but since that means everyone only gets about 5% each, tired of shortchanging everyone in my life.

Tired of being on the edge. Tired of teetering over the edge.

Tired of being dependent. Tired of others being dependent on me. Tired of everyone wanting a piece of me. Tired of no one wanting me.

Tired of giving.

Tired of wondering. Tired of thinking. Tired of being wary. Tired of not trusting. Tired of not trusting. Tired of not trusting. Tired of not trusting.

Tired of not trusting.

Tired of being "on" 24/7. Tired of being looked down on. Tired of being judged. Tired of others not thinking I'm doing a good job.

I'm doing the best I can.

Tired of being sorry. Tired of being tired. Tired of being tired. Tired of being tired.

Tired of wondering. Tired of waiting. Tired of thinking. Tired of being reminded. Tired of caring. Tired of wondering.

Tired of being sick. Tired of staying awake. Tired of no sleep. Tired of this feeling in the pit of my stomach. Tired of wondering. Tired of watching. Tired of waiting.

Tired of being told I'm weak. Tired of choosing my battles, then being told I should've still fought harder. Whose war is this anyway?

Tired of being wary. Tired of wondering. Tired of not trusting. Tired of not trusting. Tired of not trusting.




I don't wanna do this anymore.



I'd like to quit now.

Got New Heels!

Okay, they're not solid black, but I'm pretty sure they'll go with pretty much anything I would wear plain old black heels with. Plus they're super-cute, they were the only pair of black heels on sale, and the only ones in my size. And I'm wearing them today.

Love!

Online, I Prefer Puppies & Rainbows

One of the mommy boards I visit regularly recently had some drama. Here's my very-generic-incredibly-brief rundown of what happened.

Poster #1: I think this.

Poster #2: How dare you think that?!? This is my experience, and because it differs from yours, I'm gonna call you out publicly on a message board! Because I have a right to think & feel what I think, but how dare you express what you think!

Third of remaining posters: {{take sides & join in the bickering}}

Third of remaining posters: {{back out of posts & refuse to respond either way}}

Third of remaining posters: {{didn't log on over the weekend & missed the drama altogether}}

I'm gonna be honest, although I don't mind the occasional intellectual debate, arguments like the one I've summarized above, which seem to happen frequently on message boards (some more than others), really irritate me, for a couple of reasons:

#1 - I get irritated any time someone attempts to put their thoughts / feelings over another.The original poster was posting regarding something that occurred in her own personal life. She was sharing her experience, but apparently used the "wrong" words to describe the event. She was not passing judgement on anyone, not commenting on anyone else's experiences, nothing. Sharing her own personal experience. And whether I agree or not, whether it's online or in person, the fact that someone would call her out for using the "wrong" word to describe something personal to her just irritates me.

#2 - My momma taught me that "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"
Am I perfect in this statement? No. Do I try? Yes. Do I have this crazy idea that those around me should try? Yes. Do I think that constructive criticism, while it can be beneficial, should be delivered with common courtesy, and preferably in private when possible? Yes.

#3 - I prefer my internet to be full of Puppies & Rainbows
and unicorns and butterflies and kittens and anything good & happy.
I have enough drama in my real, in-person life. I don't need any added drama in my online life. And I can't imagine anyone who actually does.

Now, my confession: on this particular message board site (because it contains multiple boards, not just this mommy one), if I notice a particular user is being particularly negative all. the. time. (with me, or with others, or both)... I block them. On that site, it means that I no longer see anything they post. And I think they can't private message me either. And probably can't see my posts anymore. Which means that I can go back to my puppies & rainbows internet world.

I don't block many users. Honestly. Only those that have a pattern of being negative, and sometimes even abusive, towards other users. Not just one incident. We all have bad days, right? Over the past three years since I've belonged to these message boards, I can only think of three users that I've blocked. Which really is a testament to how awesome these boards can be.
But alas! message boards are comprised of people, and people are imperfect, so...

I may take a day or two off from the boards until I think my puppies & rainbows are back.

WishList Wednesday

Well, my first wished-for item should be no surprise. I wish we had this house.

if you want more details on how the house-buying adventure is going, check out my other blog:

http://buyingandsellingourhome.blogspot.com/

I wish I had my very own, brand new laptop.

I haven't done any research yet. This is just a pic I found online. All I know is I want one that's mine. Not FireMan's. Not my work's. Mine. And one that can Skype.

I wish I had a DSLR camera.

Again, I haven't really done any research or picked one out yet, but I have convinced myself that I could take much better pics if I had a DSLR camera.

And one that I don't have to share either. It's just that FireMan really likes taking pics (so do I!), so when we're together we both want to have a camera, and one of us ends up "losing" and not getting to take pics.

And as always, I wish I had more time.

It just seems like lately there isn't enough time in the day, and I'm always having to pick & choose what I get done. I'd like to get it all done.

Another alternative, would be that I wish I had more energy.

Not trying to make any sort of political statement by using this cartoon, just sometimes I feel like the blue-world guy, being crushed by my obligations in life.

So more energy would be good. Would help with the time issue. Seems like lately if I do have some moments of "free" time (as if time were truly free), I'm so exhausted I still don't get anything done. Even better, sometimes I pass out on the couch. I'm famous for "I'll just watch the news until the next commercial, then get up and .... Zzzzzzzzzzz..................."

So those are my wishes for this Wednesday. What are yours?

I heart messy houses...

...that aren't mine.

Last night I dropped off some Pampered Chef items at a friend's house. I've never been to their house before, and couldn't stay I just peeked thru the doorway, and was relieved to see that it was messy.

Same thing when we dropped by my cousin's house a few weeks ago.

I realize that this might sound mean or something, but I don't intend it that way. It just reassures me that I'm not alone. That I'm not the only one that doesn't always have a neat house. That maybe, just maybe, our cozy little mess is, in fact, normal.