Speaking Gold and Silver

Sometimes I am a failure of epic proportions. I don't say this because I am having a bad day or a low self-esteem moment. We are all victims of this thinking from time to time. No matter how hard we try to do everything right, sometimes we manage to mess up a two car funeral. I wake up everyday determined to have patience and speak kindly to my husband and my children, but inevitably by the end of the day, I have spoken something to hurt someone's feelings. No matter what stage of life you're in, you have to deal with people and dealing with people can sometimes get ugly. We hurt the ones we love, the ones we live with, the ones we work with and play with. We hurt our friends and we hurt those we hardly know. But there's good news - we cannot take back the hurtful things we say, but we can ask for forgiveness. Better yet, we can grant forgiveness. Just as we hurt others with our words and actions, we have been hurt by the words and actions of others. After all holding on to a grudge hurts you more than the person who inflicted that pain on you. There's a verse in Proverbs I especially like. It says that "a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." I got a clearer picture of that a few years ago when silver and gold jewelry became popular. It was just the right mix and made both the silver and gold stand out beautifully. That is what our "fitly spoken" words are. Beautiful. I hope today that someone speaks kindness to you and that you have the opportunity to speak kindness to others. You might not get it right every time, as I'm sure I won't, but words spoken in love can make something beautiful.

Wordless Wednesday: When No One Was Looking

A False Start

Well, my last blog entry was about starting to use my blog to share more than just stories about my kids. I am supposed to be using my blog to share my heart, to share the things God is showing me. I guess I was off to a "false start." I kept thinking of things to share, but I just haven't taken the time to blog. At first my excuse was the holidays but that came and went. Now my excuse is I don't have enough hours in the day. I don't have enough time for Facebook, Pinterest, eBay,cooking, cleaning, caring for my children and husband and blogging. Add to that I have an incredible urge every January to buy every possible organizational thing advertised and reorganize something. This year I set my sights on the computer room, cubbies, and snack cabinet. None of those are finished, but they are at least a work in progress.

So enough of excuses...update time. Our new year has been off to a good start. Corey and Donnie and a few friends went to the Capital One Bowl and had a BLAST! Not only did they have a fun time, they got to watch an awesome game! Corey really wanted an XBOX 360 for Christmas, but Santa brought him tickets to the game instead. I am sure it was an experience he won't forget! Also Hannah was able to contacts, instead of glasses, which she has been begging me for since last year's eye exam. Thankfully she was a good candidate for them and after a few days of stress about not being able to get them in, she has the hang of it. Allie has started taking ballet lessons, and she loves it. It is so fun to watch her. Soon enough I will remember to bring my camera so I can share pictures. Jon Tyler is just enjoying hanging out with me, I suppose. At least that's what I gather from the fact that he is very reluctant to leave his momma.

School started back on the 9th. Some people assume that I am thrilled when they go back to school, but it is usually the opposite. It is so much calmer around here during the day, but I pay for it at night when everyone has homework and is grumpy from being in school all day. This is the longest nine weeks we have - literally - they actually have to go 11 weeks. State testing interferes with our schedule since we aren't a traditional school. Believe me when I say those 2 extra weeks are really L-O-N-G.

I am...well, I'm trying without success to find time to do everything I need and want to do. My earlier kidding aside, I am trying to find time to work on my novel that has been floating around in my head and for the first time in years, I have actually put more than a paragraph on paper. (well, in the computer, anyway. I really miss actually writing, but that's a side note and yes, I know I'm a nerd.) I also am toying with a way to start a small (maybe tiny is the better word) card and craft business. This is probably a phase, but I would love to find a way over the next two years to make enough money at that not to have to go back to work full time. It think it would be best for my family if I can be on a flexible schedule even when they are all in school.

Well, unless you are one of my kids' grandparents, you probably found this post incredibly boring. I apologize for that. But stay tuned...Wordless Wednesday is coming.

Starting Where I Am

Our Sunday church service was wonderful, and I was very glad to be a part of it. There was a spirit of worship, and I was able to stand back and see God work in several ways. We have been talking about our calling. So many people get hung up on this word. It tends to make people think of being in ministry when, in fact, it can be as simple as doing what you are doing where you are. Donnie and I and about 15 other people were part of a presentation where we shared our calling. We had to write our calling on a large piece of cardboard and hold it up for the congregation to read. I shared that mine is to be a stay at home mom (which I am) and a future writer (which I am working on and have been for a very.long.time.) When we got there and were running through our presentation, Hannah came to me frantically reminding me that we had KidsJam (aka Children's Church). I had traded with a friend and didn't realize that our time was so soon. I had nothing planned. Nothing. And we had the older kids (1st through 3rd grade). If you've never worked with kids you may not realize that no plan means they will eat you for lunch. My topic was peace, and suddenly I felt anything but peace. I had about 15 minutes to pull together something. I prayed (begged God for an idea) and I grabbed my Nook and searched my Bible for peace, finally settling on the story of Mary as she annointed Jesus feet with oil. When we left the auditorium I realized what a large group I had. Preparing to be eaten, I got everyone settled and started into the lesson. We started with a game of Hangman and talked about peace and what came to mind when we thought about peace. The more we got into the lesson, the more I realized what a sweet peace was there. The kids were attentive and everything flowed amazingly well. It was one of the best lessons I had ever taught. After the lesson was over we returned for the end of the service and there was a challenge by our pastor to take our calling out into the world. He ended the service with a candle lighting service and it was beautiful. It was beautiful not because of all the candles being lit but because of what it signified. I was standing at the end of a line and one of our youth came by and asked me to light her candle. After a few minutes passed, one of the kids I just taught asked me to light his candle. Then in just another minute, Allie, my youngest tugged on my shirt and asked me if she could hold my candle. It was amazing to watch that...to realize we are not only called to take the light out of the church and into the world but we are also called to pass it down from generation to generation. My final moment in Sunday's service was a message that has changed the way I look at my blog. I was thinking about the word "future" on my card, and I was bothered by that. I want to write one of these novels floating around in my head. Then God spoke very clearly to me. "Start where you are." That leads me to my blog. This is where I am. Yes I love sharing the funny things I see and hear in my day to day life, and I will still share those. But I also want to use this as a way to share some deeper thoughts, some insights God has given me, and some things to prayerfully encourage someone. I hope you will look forward to reading! Please check back and leave a comment!!

Funniest Threat I've Ever Overheard a Momma Threaten

Our town has its very own redneck entertainment every Friday night - amateur wrestling. Only don't tell the die-hards I used the term amateur. I do still have to live here. Friday night I was leaving the Fall Festival with my kids when there was a family in front of us. The oldest child looked to be about 6 and was wailing, just crying hysterically. This continued all the way to the parking lot. Now I will admit, I had an "If that was my child..." moment. She said nothing to this child and I began to wonder if she was just going to ignore her forever. But we were nearly to the car when the momma looked over to the kid and said, "Do you wanna go to wrestlin'?" The little girl nodded. "Then hush," came her reply. I have threatened a lot of things, but that has to be the funniest thing I've ever overheard.

Wordless Wednesday: Because I Tortured Them & Made Them Turn Off the TV

Three Years

Today we celebrated Jon Tyler's third birthday. (Where has the time gone?) We enjoyed lunch at McDonalds and had supper, cupcakes, and presents. His party is Friday. He enjoyed his cupcake and after three years has perfected the blowing out the candles process.






Allie made him a special present just from her. He gave her the biggest hug after.




She also helped him open his other presents.





We are also super excited that he has caught up on his speech. At three he "aged out" of the speech program he was in and was tested by the school district, and that testing showed he didn't need additional therapy. Praise God!