I made a decision earlier tonight. One that just might prove futile, but nevertheless, I'm going to give it a go. I have decided that I will not participate in the abuse of the word "heart". Countless people, the majority being from the younger generation, are now using the word "heart" as a verb. Have you heard this? I blame TV. I was recently exposed to a horrid Disney commercial where the teens repeatedly said, "I heart Jonas", "Why do you heart your fans?", and so on and so on. That's when I had determined that enough is enough! I proclaimed to the TV (and to my kids watching the TV) "YOU CAN'T 'HEART' ANYTHING! IT'S AN ORGAN!"
So, in hopes of educating anyone reading this rant of mine, I wish to include a list of words that can and SHOULD replace the word "heart" as a verb:
LIKE
ENJOY
ADMIRE
LOVE
APPRECIATE
ADORE
RELISH
SAVOR
FANCY
There! Now that I have that off my chest (ha ha!), my heart can beat more regularly and I can now enjoy the rest of my evening.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
sweet family
Tonight my family and I went out to eat together. During dinner I brought up the subject of teaching my kids how to speak better. I mentioned this because of a video my daughter and I had viewed earlier.
After watching the video a couple of times, my daughter said that she didn't really understand all of it. So, I told the kids that I had an idea of how to teach them both to speak better. I suggested that they memorize and recite poetry. Oh, the looks I received! My son asked me if I thought they talked "dumb". I said that I wasn't criticizing them, but just suggesting a way for them to better themselves so that they will sound educated. My husband then instructed Dawson on how to better cut the steak that he was eating. He set down his knife and fork and said, "So do I have to EAT educated now, too?!" The look he had on his face was priceless! Dwight and I laughed and laughed. I actually started to cry I was laughing so hard! The kids were just looking at us like we were crazy. They didn't think it was all that funny, but I thought it was hysterical!
As we were leaving the restaurant, a couple stated, "You have such a sweet family", the woman said. "Yes, sweet family", echoed the man. I said, "Well, thank you very much." Ithen wondered out loud why they would say that, and Dwight thought it was because we prayed before we ate our meal. I told Haley that it might have been because we were all laughing and enjoying each other, plus, they might have been pleased to see a teenager who actually smiles. =0)
So overall we had a very enjoyable time together. The food was very good, but the company was very sweet.
After watching the video a couple of times, my daughter said that she didn't really understand all of it. So, I told the kids that I had an idea of how to teach them both to speak better. I suggested that they memorize and recite poetry. Oh, the looks I received! My son asked me if I thought they talked "dumb". I said that I wasn't criticizing them, but just suggesting a way for them to better themselves so that they will sound educated. My husband then instructed Dawson on how to better cut the steak that he was eating. He set down his knife and fork and said, "So do I have to EAT educated now, too?!" The look he had on his face was priceless! Dwight and I laughed and laughed. I actually started to cry I was laughing so hard! The kids were just looking at us like we were crazy. They didn't think it was all that funny, but I thought it was hysterical!
As we were leaving the restaurant, a couple stated, "You have such a sweet family", the woman said. "Yes, sweet family", echoed the man. I said, "Well, thank you very much." Ithen wondered out loud why they would say that, and Dwight thought it was because we prayed before we ate our meal. I told Haley that it might have been because we were all laughing and enjoying each other, plus, they might have been pleased to see a teenager who actually smiles. =0)
So overall we had a very enjoyable time together. The food was very good, but the company was very sweet.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
mental pictures
Many times God gives me mental pictures to help me better understand spiritual things. Today He showed me two different images. One relates to levels of spiritual maturity and the other relates to our dealing with struggles.
I've been a believer since I was about 10 years old. I am now, hmmm mmmm, 41 years old (there, I said it!). You would think that after 31 years of walking with Christ I would have "arrived" or nearly so. Well, I'm no where near having "arrived" and that's because I've diverted from God's path way too many times. You are probably familiar with the verses Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD. Even though I KNOW that God has plans for me, from time to time I have devised my own plans, which caused me to stray from the path He has marked me (Hebrews 12 comes to mind). But when I DO finally achieve a level of spiritual insight/understanding, I sometimes find myself frustrated with the people around me who still haven't "gotten it". Why is that? If it has taken me so long to get to a certain point, why should I expect everyone else to be on the same page? So here is the mental picture God showed me today. When God finally freed the Israelites from Egypt, there were millions of them, right? So it took quite some time for them all to travel. Now those who were at the head of the line would reach a destination long before those at the end of the line (duh, I know, but bare with me). Now the Israelites were not very patient or content (who is?) people, so they griped and complained - A LOT! I was picturing those who were at the head of the line being the instigators of the pity parties, while at the back of the line the people were just getting out, still celebrating their freedom and were probably wondering what all the fuss was about. Now, griping and complaining are not good things and it's not spiritually healthy, so what's my point? My point is, we don't all arrive at the same destination at the same time! It's not healthy for us to become frustrated with other believers just because they are not "seeing" a certain spiritual truth when we do. We need to stop looking at the people around us, and keep our eyes on God, Who is the One with the plan. Of course I totally expect some, if not all of you who are reading this to have already come to this understanding; but there might be others who have just arrived at this place, like myself, or are still headed in this general direction of understanding.
The other picture that I had today was really more of a memory. When my daughter was around two years of age, she was diagnosed with asthma. After a scary episode that led to a hospital stay, she was prescribed albuterol in liquid form. This stuff was beyond nasty tasting! It was absolutely horrid! She fought so hard that it literally took her dad AND myself to hold her down to administer this medication. Remember, she was only two! She didn't realize/understand that this horrible tasting stuff was NECESSARY in order for her to be well. How many times do we struggle and fight against God because we are going through a difficult time that we don't understand? How many times has He promised that those difficulties WILL be worked out for OUR GOOD? How many times has He come through on His promises? EVERY SINGLE TIME! These struggles and difficulties that we face from time to time are NECESSARY for our spiritual well being. We don't like it. We don't want it. BUT IT'S NECESSARY!
So there you have it. God is so good, and faithful! Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." PRAISE YOU, LORD!!!
If you are on a difficult, tiresome journey, don't give up. Just SEARCH for GOD's PLAN, seek His face and FOLLOW Him. If you are going through a difficult time that puts a horrid taste in your mouth, just trust God to work it all out for your good (Romans 8:28).
I've been a believer since I was about 10 years old. I am now, hmmm mmmm, 41 years old (there, I said it!). You would think that after 31 years of walking with Christ I would have "arrived" or nearly so. Well, I'm no where near having "arrived" and that's because I've diverted from God's path way too many times. You are probably familiar with the verses Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD. Even though I KNOW that God has plans for me, from time to time I have devised my own plans, which caused me to stray from the path He has marked me (Hebrews 12 comes to mind). But when I DO finally achieve a level of spiritual insight/understanding, I sometimes find myself frustrated with the people around me who still haven't "gotten it". Why is that? If it has taken me so long to get to a certain point, why should I expect everyone else to be on the same page? So here is the mental picture God showed me today. When God finally freed the Israelites from Egypt, there were millions of them, right? So it took quite some time for them all to travel. Now those who were at the head of the line would reach a destination long before those at the end of the line (duh, I know, but bare with me). Now the Israelites were not very patient or content (who is?) people, so they griped and complained - A LOT! I was picturing those who were at the head of the line being the instigators of the pity parties, while at the back of the line the people were just getting out, still celebrating their freedom and were probably wondering what all the fuss was about. Now, griping and complaining are not good things and it's not spiritually healthy, so what's my point? My point is, we don't all arrive at the same destination at the same time! It's not healthy for us to become frustrated with other believers just because they are not "seeing" a certain spiritual truth when we do. We need to stop looking at the people around us, and keep our eyes on God, Who is the One with the plan. Of course I totally expect some, if not all of you who are reading this to have already come to this understanding; but there might be others who have just arrived at this place, like myself, or are still headed in this general direction of understanding.
The other picture that I had today was really more of a memory. When my daughter was around two years of age, she was diagnosed with asthma. After a scary episode that led to a hospital stay, she was prescribed albuterol in liquid form. This stuff was beyond nasty tasting! It was absolutely horrid! She fought so hard that it literally took her dad AND myself to hold her down to administer this medication. Remember, she was only two! She didn't realize/understand that this horrible tasting stuff was NECESSARY in order for her to be well. How many times do we struggle and fight against God because we are going through a difficult time that we don't understand? How many times has He promised that those difficulties WILL be worked out for OUR GOOD? How many times has He come through on His promises? EVERY SINGLE TIME! These struggles and difficulties that we face from time to time are NECESSARY for our spiritual well being. We don't like it. We don't want it. BUT IT'S NECESSARY!
So there you have it. God is so good, and faithful! Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." PRAISE YOU, LORD!!!
If you are on a difficult, tiresome journey, don't give up. Just SEARCH for GOD's PLAN, seek His face and FOLLOW Him. If you are going through a difficult time that puts a horrid taste in your mouth, just trust God to work it all out for your good (Romans 8:28).
Monday, December 28, 2009
AMAZING RESULTS!
Have you ever wanted to have a makeover, but just didn't have the funds or the guts to go to a professional? No worries! Now, you can have a make-over in the privacy of your own home! That's right! I have devised a new plan to help those of us who don't get out much to lose 5-15 lbs. without diet or exercise! Amazingly the results are practically instantaneous. I call it the "No Sweat Makeover" plan. The steps are simple: DON'T WEAR SWEATS! That's all there is to it. Well, that and taking a shower, shaving, applying makeup, fixing your hair and actually putting on a dress and heels, but other than that - nothing to it! With this simple plan, you too can go from frumpy, bored housewife to half-way decent looking, bored housewife! I know, it sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? But it isn't! Act now before it's too late. Some restrictions apply.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Christmas Crash
Well, Christmas has come and gone. Much to be thankful for: faith, family, friends, etc. Today I feel completely depleted. I was going to write today about being an introvert, but I looked back in my posts and saw that I already had. Here's the link to that post. However, I'm going to write about it again today. ha ha!
Many people look forward to the holidays. So do I - to an extent. I thoroughly enjoy being with family and friends. However, it completely drains me! After shopping for gifts all week and being with extended family the past two days in a row, I feel lifeless. I have absolutely no energy, no drive, no desire to move. And that is very inconvenient. I mean, my house is a wreck and I NEED to clean it up! I have backed up laundry that needs to be washed. But those things seem so insurmountable to me today. All I really want to do is stay in my PJ's in the bed and watch mindless entertainment. I don't want to think, clean or cook.
I wish I were more like my husband. He is a work horse! If he knows something needs to be done, he just does it! He's also one who enjoys being around people. Social gatherings do not tire him like they do me. He doesn't understand how just simply being around a group of people can wear me down. Here's a quote from the book I talk about in the aforementioned post: "In general, extroverts don't spend much time stuck in a rut. They are up and going before they even think about it. But for the introverts, getting going can be like scaling Mt. Everest." That is so true!
Other interesting (to me) points made in the book on introverts is this: "Many introverts don't feel as if they know enough about a subject until they know almost everything." Again - so true! I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to do something, but didn't dare try until I "researched" it. I spend so much time on research when I could actually DO what I wanted to in the first place. Another quote from the book: "Extroverts like to experience a lot, and introverts like to know a lot about what they experience." I think I drive my husband and kids crazy because I want to know the history behind things. When we go on vacation, I want to see the historical buildings and read up on the culture of the area and so on. They, however, just want to GO and DO things!
Out of curiosity, I would like to know if you are an introvert or an extrovert, and what you think about the people who are opposite of yourself. If you need a little help to figure out what you are, here is a 'quickie quiz' that is taken out of the book I keep mentioning (which, by the way, is titled THE INTROVERT ADVANTAGE, HOW TO THRIVE IN AN EXTROVERT WORLD by Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D.):
QUICKIE QUIZ
Qualities A
Qualities B
So, how did you score? I would like to hear your thoughts/feelings. If you're an extrovert, what do you tend to think about introverts and vice versa? I look at extroverts with envy. I truly wish I could just get up and go, go, go! I also wish that I could go up to any person and strike up a conversation. However, I tend to observe people for a bit and try to figure out where they're coming from before I feel comfortable talking to them for any extended amount of time. I've always said about my husband that he "has never met a stranger", and I wish I could say the same thing about myself.
Well, since I started writing today's post, I've actually set it aside to go start a load of laundry, unloaded/loaded the dishwasher, cleared the 'hot spot' in the kitchen, and dusted my bedroom. That is much more than I expected to get today. Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg of what really needs to be done around here, but for now I'll allow myself to consider it a small victory.
Many people look forward to the holidays. So do I - to an extent. I thoroughly enjoy being with family and friends. However, it completely drains me! After shopping for gifts all week and being with extended family the past two days in a row, I feel lifeless. I have absolutely no energy, no drive, no desire to move. And that is very inconvenient. I mean, my house is a wreck and I NEED to clean it up! I have backed up laundry that needs to be washed. But those things seem so insurmountable to me today. All I really want to do is stay in my PJ's in the bed and watch mindless entertainment. I don't want to think, clean or cook.
I wish I were more like my husband. He is a work horse! If he knows something needs to be done, he just does it! He's also one who enjoys being around people. Social gatherings do not tire him like they do me. He doesn't understand how just simply being around a group of people can wear me down. Here's a quote from the book I talk about in the aforementioned post: "In general, extroverts don't spend much time stuck in a rut. They are up and going before they even think about it. But for the introverts, getting going can be like scaling Mt. Everest." That is so true!
Other interesting (to me) points made in the book on introverts is this: "Many introverts don't feel as if they know enough about a subject until they know almost everything." Again - so true! I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to do something, but didn't dare try until I "researched" it. I spend so much time on research when I could actually DO what I wanted to in the first place. Another quote from the book: "Extroverts like to experience a lot, and introverts like to know a lot about what they experience." I think I drive my husband and kids crazy because I want to know the history behind things. When we go on vacation, I want to see the historical buildings and read up on the culture of the area and so on. They, however, just want to GO and DO things!
Out of curiosity, I would like to know if you are an introvert or an extrovert, and what you think about the people who are opposite of yourself. If you need a little help to figure out what you are, here is a 'quickie quiz' that is taken out of the book I keep mentioning (which, by the way, is titled THE INTROVERT ADVANTAGE, HOW TO THRIVE IN AN EXTROVERT WORLD by Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D.):
QUICKIE QUIZ
Qualities A
- Like to be in the thick of things
- Relish variety, bored of sameness
- Knows lots of people, consider them friends
- Enjoy chitchatting, even with strangers
- Feel stoked after activity, eager for more
- Speak or act without needing to think first
- Are generally quite peppy
- Tend to talk more than listen
Qualities B
- Prefer to relax alone or with a few close friends
- Consider only deep relationships as friends
- Need rest after outside activities, even ones you enjoy
- Often listen but talk a lot about topics of importance to you
- Appear calm, self-contained, and like to observe
- Tend to think before you speak or act
- Experience mind going blank in groups or under pressure
- Don't like feeling rushed
So, how did you score? I would like to hear your thoughts/feelings. If you're an extrovert, what do you tend to think about introverts and vice versa? I look at extroverts with envy. I truly wish I could just get up and go, go, go! I also wish that I could go up to any person and strike up a conversation. However, I tend to observe people for a bit and try to figure out where they're coming from before I feel comfortable talking to them for any extended amount of time. I've always said about my husband that he "has never met a stranger", and I wish I could say the same thing about myself.
Well, since I started writing today's post, I've actually set it aside to go start a load of laundry, unloaded/loaded the dishwasher, cleared the 'hot spot' in the kitchen, and dusted my bedroom. That is much more than I expected to get today. Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg of what really needs to be done around here, but for now I'll allow myself to consider it a small victory.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
a nice day
Today the kids and I went to my grandmother's house for one of our Christmas get-togethers. It was a nice day, except that we didn't really have a long enough visit. I only see most of this side of the family once or twice a year, and an hour or two at a time really doesn't suffice. This year, my cousin Bryan and his wife bought us a gift, which isn't the norm. The gift was right up my alley! It was a basket of tea, coffee and chocolate with two mugs. It's as if they read my mind! ;0) I will thoroughly enjoy it.
They also bought my kids shirts - which they both really like.
Bryan is a hoot! He always entertains us with his silliness. He has an elf hat with elf ears that he wears.
The kids and I had to leave the family get-together a bit early. Haley had a piano recital in town. She has practiced her piece for a long time now and so she didn't want to miss the recital. She played "Concerning Hobbits" from the Lord of the Rings and she nailed it!
This is Haley, her piano teacher, Quentin, Jeff, Dawson's guitar teacher, and Dawson.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
To shop or not to shop...
I don't normally go out shopping on "Black Friday" because I can't stand the crowds and the stress. PLUS - I'm not a morning person, as most of you know, so getting up at 0-dark-thirty does NOT work for me. However, there are a couple of things on my kids' lists that will be at pretty good prices this coming Friday. I now find myself torn. To shop or not to shop? Online shopping is much more appealing, but I don't know if these same deals will be available online. A friend and fellow blogger, Mandie, informed me of the website that shows all BF ads, so that's how I found out about the great upcoming deals.
Another thing that I'm going back and forth on is a ministry opportunity that our Jr. High minister has offered. He has suggested that a group of people go with him to these BF sales and offer hot chocolate and snacks to the people waiting in line. He says this would be a great way to demonstrate the love of Christ, by being there to give rather than to get. I agree. I think it's a great idea! Again, I think of dragging myself out of bed in the wee hours of the middle of the night (is it OK to use those terms together?) and trying to overcome my grumpiness to demonstrate love. I'm not sure it would work. It would be like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker fighting! I'm ashamed to say that at that time of the day, I would look much more like the cold, angry shopper than the loving, humble Christ who died for my sins. I hate to admit it, but there it is.
I do believe that I have grown quite a bit spiritually in the last few years. However, I have a LONG way to go. A friend and I are currently reading the book, You are Gifted (see previous post). In the second chapter one of the discussion questions was "Do you feel you have already 'arrived' spiritually"? Heck no! I don't see how anyone could answer that one affirmatively this side of heaven.
Well, after talking this out with you all, I still don't know what I'll be doing on Friday morning. How about you? Are you going to venture out into the cold dark of night/morning to wait in line for awesome "deals"?
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