Just a Reminder

My friend, Jaime Gibbs, is a wonderful writer. This was on her blog yesterday, and it so ministerd to me, I thought I would share it with you. Thank you Jaime for your sensititity to the Lord.

Just in case you needed some encouragement this evening... Let me remind you that God IS listening to you. He knows your hurts, He knows all the things you've done and thoughts you've had in the past. He is transforming your life everyday, sometimes in big, noticable ways and other times in small, quiet ways. If you've entrusted your life to Him, He is very carefully, very thoughtfully, very lovingly making you the person HE wants you to be. There is something hidden in you that your family and the world around you desperately needs. Although you may not see it right now, God is at work in your life. His strength is being made perfect right in the midst of your weakness.

Have a beautiful and blessed evening.

Girls of Grace

Our church offers a program for girls ages 10-12 called Girls of Grace. Sis. Cheryl Vaughan and Sis. Pam Knapp care for this group of budding women, leading them in all things feminine and proper. Last month, Sis. Vaughan asked me if I would teach them how to properly TEA. (Used as a verb.) I had to pray and think about it. After about 15 seconds, I felt like He said yes. I accepted. The girls were a joy.



On that Saturday morning, we met at the church, had our time of tea instruction, ate quiche and sipped tea.


Promptly at 10:30, the van left with the girls for our 11:00 reservations at Into My Garden Tearoom in Plano.
What a delightful afternoon we had sipping tea and learning proper etiquitte!

Thought for the Day

Borrowed from my friend's blog:

Bread & water can easily be made into toast and tea.

Thanks Rebekah.

Tea Time, Tee Time, and "T" Time

Written by Anne Bower

Time is something that is easily slipping through our fingers. Each day brings something that can rob us of precious time. I have learned in this fast-paced life that we must take some Tea Time. One of the most enjoyable parts of your day can be putting the kettle on for a cup of tea. It has been said that you can read a Psalm during the boiling process, which is approximately 2 minutes.


Tee Time... A little golf anyone? I am not one who has gone to play any type of golf except mini-golf, but I do find that the process itself can be refreshing. The time it takes to stand and watch others hit that little ball can give you just enough time to reflect on the activities of the day, or better yet a breath of fresh air to fill your lungs and reflect on the beauty of God's creation.


And now the other "T" Time. We as women sometimes need to go out and buy that ugly, sloppy t-shirt, put it on, and proclaim "T" Time! Doing something out the ordinary can break the monotonous feeling that life just isn't going to get any better. I once had a t-shirt that proclaimed "You Can Do It" when I knew at that precise moment I could not do it and neither did I want to do it, but proclaiming to the world that I could do it sure made me feel like a winner.


Well, girlfriend, find a little T Time for yourself and surely you will be able to get through another day of whatever it is you've got to get through. Whether it's a Psalm, a golf outing, or a shopping day for that outlandish t-shirt, have yourself some T!



---


Anne Bower is a pastor's wife in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Roses

Our family devotions this morning were interupted by a knock on our door and then the chime of our doorbell. The kids ran to see who it might be, and there laying on the ground was a long box. They quickly brought the box in and tore into it. There before us lay 18 of the most beautiful roses--sent to me expressly by my pastor and his wife for mother's day.

I arranged them in the beautiful vase they came in, and then set our dining room table with our china. I was so excited that the colors in the roses EXACTLY MATCH MY OLD COUNTRY ROSES CHINA!!!



I am still in awe, and so humbled by such a generous gesture. "Thank you Jesus for putting us in a church with such a capable and loving pastor."

Ladies Conference 2007

What a great weekend we had!

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Grandma Ellison

There'll be no sorrow there. No more burdens to bear.
No more sickness no more pain. No more parting over there.
And forever I will be with the One who died for me.
What a day, glorious day that will be.


She wasn't really 'our' grandma, but she claimed us all. The first time I met her--July 22, 2001, she let me know, "I am the church grandma, and you can call me grandma." Every year she never failed to send each of my 3 kids a card on their birthday complete with a $5 bill. We all recognized what a sacrifice that was on a limited social security income, and this past year, Bethani returned the favor to grandma on her birthday with her own $5 bill.

She was our biggest fan. It didn't matter how things were going. Even when it seemed the world was against us, she would tell us, "You are the best pastor. I love you." She was a pastor's dream. She believed the best about people. Always the encourager and as faithful as the day is long. When the church doors were open, she was there.

She loved the ladies of our church, and whatever we were doing, she wanted to be right in the middle of it. None of the ladies that went with us to my mom's house for a 'pampered ladies weekend' will ever forget the 'Suzuki' incident where Susan Smith and I rescued grandma from drowning in the jacuzzi. :) She loved to have fun.

There never lived a more genuine christian lady. She is with Jesus now. At last she has made it to that place that she so often sang and dreamed of. She has been rewarded with all of heaven's best now that she is safely in the arms of her master.

Richmond will not be the same without her. I will miss her terribly. Thank you grandma, for living such a godly example. We will see you again--what a day that will be.

A Few Things to Ponder

Just a few things to ponder in your spare time . . .

-If people can have triplets and quadruplets why not singlets and doublets?
-Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.
-Atheism is a non-prophet organization.
-I asked a bookstore saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
-If a mute swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?
-If a man is standing in the middle of the forest speaking and there is no woman around to hear him, is he still wrong?
-If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?
-Is there another word for synonym?
-Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?
-Where do forest rangers go "to get away from it all"?
-What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant?
-If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?
-Would a fly without wings be called a walk?
-Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid someone will clean them?
-If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?
-Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
-Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?

Remembering 2006...

We have made it through yet another year. Here are some highlights of 2006. Enjoy!

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Five Things

Five Things

It is Monday morning and I am feeling hopeful about the week. Nothing has gone wrong with school yet, and I am still optimistic.

I am borrowing these questions from a friend. This is how I am feeling today:

If I had five minutes to myself today, I'd:

1. Stroll downtown Wylie by myself, just to browse.
2. Sit in my pink chair and read something hilarious from an 'only a mom would understand' kind of book.
3. Have a spot of tea and relax. (maybe in my pink chair)
4. Surf the web

5. Count my blessings and then thank God for them.

If I were to spend $5 today, I'd:

1. Have tea in a quaint little cafe with a friend. Just tea and conversation, nothing fancy.

2. Buy something for my kids to let them know how much I love them. (Of course, it wouldn't be much for only $5.)

3. Run my car through the car wash.

4. Buy a spicy California sushi roll from Albertsons

5. I probably wouldn't spend it at all. I would stash it in my wallet until I could add to it and get something I've been waiting for.

Five Items I'd love to get rid of:

1. About 10 pounds. I'm with you Staci.
2. Our antiquated family stereo system that we bought second-hand that has always had an annoying high-pitched background squeal whether something is playing or not. (Said squeal has gotten progressively worse through the years.) Because we use it daily, it would have to be immediately replaced which is why it is still part of our family.
3. Sometimes I would love to get rid of this computer. Although it does connect me with the outside world and my friends from all over the world, many times it separates me from the people right here in my own house.

4. Some of the clutter that has accumulated around our house.

5. Negative words around our house.

Five Items I wouldn't part with:

1. My Holy Ghost. It is the only thing that keeps me on track.
2. My family
3. Our family pictures
4. My rice cooker (I use it constantly)
5. My sewing machine.

Five Words or Phrases I'd love to hear:

1. "Thanks mom for teaching me. I love you for it."
2. "Honey, I've arranged a babysitter, let's have lunch at Tokyo One"
3. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

4. "Thank you for all you do."

5. "I love you."

The Yard Sale

This weekend we are gearing up for one of those chores of life that I dread. This is our YARD SALE weekend, and for the past week and a half we have been digging, sorting, cleaning, purging, and now pricing things in our life that are really unnecessary and/or redundant.

It has been an adventure to say the least. Just last night I ran across some old (ah hem, 15 year old) college notes. It was a certain walk down memory lane. Craig has been right there helping to: "move this box over there--no, let's put it over there." "You know that box you brought in last night, well, um, it needs to go back out." I thank God for my patient husband.

I must say, as painful as it is to part with comfortable things that never get used, it is an incredibly freeing experience. When we finished with Bethani's room, I just wanted to hang out in there. Everything was so fresh and clean and pure.

It kind of makes me wonder what it would be like to purge my room. And then there is my heart...

What would happen if I were to dig, sort, purge and clean my heart? What if I got rid of all the things I have been hanging on to that I should have gotten rid of a long time ago. My flesh wants to hang on to them, just because they have been there for so long. They are comfortable things. But I don't need them. In fact, they are taking up valuable space that could be used for something better. Much better. I find myself (oh this is hard to admit) wanting things for myself (would that be called selfish?) instead of 'preferring my brother.' If I could just get rid of some pride, how effective would I be in helping other people? If I were to think in terms of 'othering' would I find relationships that I otherwise would have missed? What am I doing with my time? Is it really profitable or could I get rid of some of my "unnecessary and/or redundant activities in order to create more free space everyday just for Him.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Oh how I want God to just "hang out" in my "room" because He feels comfortable there.

I've got to say that I will be so happy when Sunday comes and all of this work will be behind me. I know that when it is all said and done, I will look back and be so glad I made the effort. After that? Then I will have room for new things. Shopping anyone?

25 Random Things About Me

25 Random Things About Me

1. I was born in Belleville, IL in 1969.
2. I am a health nut.
3. Exercise is NOT my strong point.
4. I am the mother of three, wife of one.
5. I am not a good cook.
6. I vacuum my house almost every day.
7. I am too strict with my kids.
8. I don’t eat cake, but I wish I did. (Refer to #2)
9. My favorite restaurant is any Chinese buffet, and I always overeat.
10. I don’t like animals.
11. My husband is a hunk.
12. I’m picky.
13. My favorite book of the Bible is Philippians.
14. I have been a homeschool mom for 9 years.
15. I drive the speed limit. (most of the time)
16. My favorite color is white.
17. I have one brother, no sisters.
18. I am too bossy.
19. I have a mashed overripe banana in plain yogurt almost every morning for breakfast.
20. I am too selfish.
21. Sometimes I am carnal.
22. I am very cold natured
23. I enjoy long, scalding hot baths in the winter. (Refer to #22)
24. I am not very creative, but I copy other people well.
25. I have been a child of God for 25 years.