Deep Thoughts!!!

Ok, my friend Crystal just wrote about her bible study and what she has learned from this week's study in her blog and it has got me thinking...so, I am sharing what she shared and asking you what you think on this topic!

Her basic thought inspired by A.W. Tozer was that God--who created us in His own image--is like us and wants to be loved for who He is--not just what He does for us. I know that I feel this way--I really don't like to be "liked or enjoyed" b/c I do something for someone. I want someone to enjoy me--my personality, my strengths, my thoughts despite my flaws(although God has none of these). So, how do I tell God that He is amazing without just thinking He is amazing for the miraculous things He does for me and others. Do you have any thoughts on this? Could you write out a line or two of praise to Him for who He is in my comment section? I would love some inspiring thoughts of praise to Him.

Here's one of mine... You are the kindest and most comforting friend I know. You never give up on me and always are so smooth in how you change my imperfections without condemnation. I love you!

Ok, even this...is something that He does for me. So, do we praise Him for character traits? Holiness, Loving, Forgiving, Truthful...even some of these involve Him giving to us. Hmm...

So, what are your praise lines and/or your thoughts on this subject. Type away. If you don't know how to leave a comment, just click on the comment link and type your thoughts...then either sign in or pick the button of anonymous and you don't have to sign in. If you do this option, just sign your name in your text so we know who it's coming from.

Passing the baton?

I have to say that my favorite day of the entire year is Mother's Day! John is the absolute best at making me feel that it is my special Day! He even gets the kids to sing a revised Dora song(we don't do Dora , but it's an applicable song)...It's Mom's Special Day, un dia especial!!!--They tell me all day long...we hope you are having a great Mother's day and John doesn't have me do any work at all, unless I choose to , of course!

This year I received my favorite bath and body works honey suckle lotion/spray/wash (Thanks to Diana Smith for helping me discover this scent!!)and a tote(I've secretly wanted a new tote---didn't even have to tell my honey!!) and chocolate and my European wedding band---did you know that in Europe and Russia and many countries surrounding these, the men and women wear their rings on their right hand and they are simple gold or silver bands...no diamonds? So, I have one of their type of rings now---I love it!!! It's even comfort fit!!

Ever since Katie was born, Mother's Day is such a special day for me(selfishly). Of course, growing up and before kids, I honored my mother and mother in law only, but now, I am added to the mix:). I was thinking yesterday, my mom and my mother in law celebrate differently now that all the kids have left the nest. They might have one or none or some of us come in town for the weekend, but mostly they celebrate with their hubbies and phone calls. So, I am reminded to enjoy the days now, b/c when my girls marry and become moms and my boys marry and become dads...then, the mother's day and father's day batons are passed down and I will celebrate my kids as the moms and dads!

Our Favorite Things!!

My friend Julie, who is about to become a mother of six--adding three to her current three, tagged me and others to do a list---so you get to learn more about us now. Katie went with her type of favorite's...b/c oh, the list, if you had to pick three from everything! The other kiddos picked out of everything, not prompted at all--well, maybe Matthew was a little!!

My favorite things:
1. Favorite color: RED---the deeper apple red!!
2. Favorite past times: reading and cooking--nope, couldn't pick just one!
3. Favorite place to relax: Outside alone!!!

Hubba's list:
1. Favorite food: Beans (whole or any variation). They are like a mullet, all business in the front and all party in the back.
2. Favorite vacation spot: Cold and in the mountains. With fair skin, I've not really gotten into looking like a lobster on the beach.
3. Favorite sport: Aggie Football. I will go out of my way to watch every game I can.

Katie's list
1. Favorite color: "I only have two" baby blue and pink
2. Favorite animal: dog (we don't care if they are not so smart:) )
3. Favorite time of day: evening--"I get to play with my neighbor."

Melissa's list
1. Favorite food: Pizza--mind you, we don't have this a lot!
2. Favorite animal: kitten
3. Favorite thing about school is: MATH--boy, is she my daughter or what(I didn't even put her up to the topic!!)

Mark's list
1. pets
2. favorite toy: "pet toys"
3. cheese

Matthew's list
1. pets---pronounced "pettus"
2. God
3. Bob the builder

So, now you all are tagged if you so choose to follow our example! Ali and Jenny, Lauren, Tori, Kay, Lori(although your daughter in law has already tagged you...I will put this link, Ginger--you have already done the list, but I will include a link just for fun, Hannah and Jessica! If I missed anyone...just leave a comment and I will have to add you to my "favorites" list of blogs to check during the week.

Reading through the Bible

Ok, I am doing it...I am starting in Genesis and reading straight through! I have started so many times and gotten through the books that most people dread...and I love--like Leviticus...and then I stop eventually. But, yesterday I just started the OT once again and I going to keep pluggin' til I finish--I don't care how long it takes me! I have started the NT months ago and I am in Luke(yes, I read fiction fast, but I like to digest the word--not just skim!:0) ).

So, here we go on a wild Bible adventure...will you join me? I am using my favorite Bible to do this...my ESV Journaling Bible...it has sections on the side where you can jot your notes...I have the one pictured below...the brown one. John gave it to me and I love it!!! It' s right up there with the NAS version as close to the original meaning as you get. I have researched it, so that's why I mention it. I am not an amplified or message or living Bible girl...I am straight up an original text girl(another black and white detail of myself!)--if I could read Greek and Hebrew I would go to the real originals!! Maybe I should take those up as my next languages? I digress, I have to tackle Russian now, so they will have to wait.

The I's of Me--

i am: unique--many people would be surprised what goes on in my brain!
i think: all the time.
i know: that my hubby loves me.
i want: a pair of jeans that are long!
i have: more than enough!
i wish: I was never nervous about life and it's issues.
i hate: pride--funny how we hate things that we might struggle with ourselves.
i miss: my girls.
i fear: God.
i feel: freedom from school this week--the girls are with my parents in Florida.
i hear: Full House on the downstairs tv.
i smell: grilled cheesse.
i crave: frappucinos and quiet time.
i search: for knowledge in the health field.
i wonder: how our world became so much about "I, Me, Myself".
i regret: what I say or how I say it when I get upset.
i love: to read and to blog.
i ache: for nothing.
i care: that people read or don't read my blog:).
i always: check email and the mailbox.
i am not: a perfectionist, but I love order!
i believe: in Christ Jesus and the Word of God very strongly.
i dance: with my kiddos when our blog music comes on.
i sing: worship songs and Hannah Montana and Emily? songs("I don't think about it"--can you tell I have girls who are fans!)
i don’t always: remember to floss every night like I should!
i fight: going to sleep when John is not home.
i write: in a journal, my Bible and here on this blog and comment on others!
i win: at mad gab.
i lose: at spades and most games, unless it's against my kiddos.
i never: have had an inside furry pet.
i confuse: my mom and others when I try to explain myself--better to just not say anything--I end up confusing myself too!
i listen: to many deep conversations from another room(did this growing up...it's easier to not say too much when you aren't in the room---I 've also heard probably too much that was about me and wasn't intended for me to hear b/c I happened to be in the other room!!)
i can usually be found: on the computer or in the kitchen--cleaning or cooking.
i am scared: when I don't rely on Christ.
i need: Jesus!!! every day.
i am happy about: summer!

If you want to do the same I list...comment and I will check your list out on your blog:)

Thursday Thoughts

Since I didn't remember to do a Wordless Wednesday...I am posting a thought today. More a prayer, but what can I say...Prayer Thursday is not an alliteration!!

Please pray for these three people, right now as you read this post. On the left is Nancy(our Louisiana friend who led our first Russian mission trip in April 2007)--she has been in Russia for 6 weeks ministering to many orphans that need God's love so dearly...she is leaving on Saturday and is going through a lot of teariness saying "goodbye" to all of them...she returns several times a year, but saying goodbye is hard each time.
The middle one, I haven't met yet, but her name is Liza...here's a story about her from Nancy's blog---Liza, a precious young girl of 12, told Lena that she was praying the prayer until Victor said "...and give me a new heart, oh God" at which time she said she stopped because she didn't think she needed to go that far - she said her heart beat just fine and she didn't think she needed to get a new one. Lena explained to her what he had meant and Liza laughed and said, "Oh, well, then, yes, I want THAT new heart!" Sometimes we forget that the Christian phrases we use are like a foreign language to people who weren't raised in the church.
Anya is on the right--what can I say---we just love Anya!!! She is coming over to Humble, Tx to intern this summer, we think, in a children's department of a church. She loves loves loves the Lord so much and wants to share the love with all kinds of orphans, like herself. She works in a children's orphan hospital just so that she can care for them. She has quite a sense of humor and my kids just love her and can't wait to see her again!
Please lift them up to the Lord in prayer right now...Thank you! from them!

Is God Big or what?

This is about a 12 minute video...so when you have that amount of time, this is worth the watching! Janice, my friend from church, sent this to me and I am so humbled that God is such a loving God and takes care of us. Here is a link to a shorter version, if you don't have the time...this one is about 3 minutes. His website is...http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/

I was tagged...I feel so loved!!

I was tagged(meaning ...asked to post about this topic) by Amelia over at Parkersanity--see side link.

What three skills or hobbies would you learn if you had all the time, tools, and money you needed?

1. Gardening--my friend Alisa keeps me inspired in this area, but I need more than inspiration...I need time, tools(no, I do have those), and money for it!

2. Writing--I would like to be an author--and co-write with my hubby!! We already have a book idea--bet you didn't know that about me! We even have the title already...but I won't tell the secret yet.

3. Nutritionist or a Herbal Doctor--OH how I would love love love to do this one the most!
For this, I would need time, tools, and money!!

So, will you be next in posting...Lauren, Kay, Ginger, Tori, Hannah or any of my blogging friends??? Leave a comment if you are going to post!

Thin Tuesday Tips

What do you do to stay fit? Do you exercise? Do you eat certain things? Here is a short list of some of the things I do...some regular, some not so regular.

Eat a lot of fiber(sometimes I mix fiber in hot cocoa!, sometimes, I get the real thing in foods, sometimes I take Juice Plus--Fiber Thins--these are made from fruits and veggies and have something called absorbolean in them)

Eat loads of veggies--I have started to love them!!! I cook them, eat them raw--whatever!!

Fruit shakes with gse(grapefruit seed extract) in them and sometimes extra vitamin C powder for some boost to the immune system.

Drink a lot of water!!!!

Count my calories--I am not doing Weight Watchers online or at their company, but I do use their concepts to take some pounds off. I like it, but I pray that soon I will acquire more tastes for God's foods that are natural and eat for the health not the points.

Exercise--this is not regular for me...someday maybe, but not yet.

Leave a note below as to somethings you like to do...

NEED your HELP!! Any advice? Ideas?

I have two "w" sayers when they should say "r"...any advice or ideas on how to work on saying r's correctly?? I have researched this online, but have yet to find any good ideas for practicing saying r's correctly. Here is an example of what is happening when the kids say their r's...instead of sounding like rabbit, it sounds like wabbit. I would not be concerned so much, but my six year old has not grown out of this, so I don't think my four year old will either. Have an idea, leave a comment:).

Why do I blog--asked by my blog friend Lauren!

Lauren, over at another blog, wrote a list of why she blogs...she had her 100th post, so she wrote kind of a cheers to it! I love it! So, I am writing about why I love to blog and linking it to her post so you can read her reasons.
1. First of all, I will have to say that I love to read and in loving to read, I have developed the love to write(well, type). I don't like to handwrite things, b/c then my hand just gets too tired. I love putting my thoughts to print, although it can and has gotten me in big trouble(well, not so big, but some). If I ever become an author--which I have thought about, this is my rough draft and practice time!
2. I like to give people an update on our family and I am not a phone lover! There are a few times when I do chat on the phone, and the conversations are long winded. I love talking to my friends and family, but then where does the time go. I type faster than I talk and more precise.
There will come a time when I won't see all my close friends and family as much as I'd like and this is a great way, I think, to keep in touch!
3. You can't send a picture over the phone, unless you have a digital frame! I like pictures--they help the stories!
4. I like creative cute things and this is a FREE easy way to have them!
5. I don't have the time, space, energy to scrapbook and this is my online scrapbook! I love it!

If you have a blog, you answer why you blog! If no blog, why not try to start one! I can help you if you would like!

What did you learn from church today or last night?

Our pastor has been teaching on Life According to Monopoly! He is showing that we shouldn't live according to the rules of Monopoly b/c in the end everything ends up in the box! I think my favorite part was last night when he went through lists of things that were temporary and things that were forever...here are some of the things that were examples--see below...are they your emphasis or just bonus in your life.

These extras are not bad, unless your focus is them. He said that none of us would actually be tempted to go by a new bed or lampstand for a hotel room we were staying in...b/c the hotel room is not our home, but is temporary. Well, we are on this earth temporarily so keep that in mind. It was good to have a visual(I am such a visual learner!). He either had the stamp TEMPORARY or FOREVER on the pictures. I am not so computer savy that I know how to do that so you just get the pictures!
The first two were pictures of the Hurst Castle(this was built over 88 years and all the man can say now(from eternity) is that people pay to see his stuff!! He is gone from this earth and someday his stuff will be too.)
Are these Temporary or Forever?

Date Ideas...leave me your idea!

I just sent an email to our Honeymooners(young marrieds) class at church with some date ideas and thought I'd see if any of you readers have any more great date ideas...Here is what I came up with...leave a comment and tell me any ideas that you might have!

Batting cages (have done)
Starbucks(b/c after this, it’s toooooo much money to go out to eat!—haha!)
Ice Skating
Movies/Dinner (have done)
Just Dinner---dress up in 50’s clothes and go to a diner! (have done)
Go dancing!(Can you tell I went to TEXAS A&M and went to Denim and Diamonds??? Country and Western Dance Hall!) (have done)
Donut shop
Go eat breakfast for dinner
Cook a meal and have a candle light dinner. (have done)
Go out for a coke/root beer/diet drink—whatever is your pleasure!Go swing at a park

La Boca Grande

Title interpretation: The Big Mouth in Spanish!

I am amazed how the mouth gets people in trouble! I love to talk and that is not a great thing sometimes. I think that one of my horrible flaws that I do is take the mother role with people...when they aren't asking for advice---I GIVE IT anyway! I know I must drive them nuts and I am working on trying to be aware and listen rather than advise...but advising is so much fun!! I have thought of going into school counseling before, but I don't think I ever will. Maybe I could host a Dr. Karen show(like the Dr. Laura show--not that I like her harsh blunt tactics) and have an avenue of giving advice!! Today, after opening my mouth too much with a friend of mine, I read my Floridian blog friend's entry and it was many quotes about the mouth. So, I am going to be posting mouth/word quotes to the right when I think of it! I think my favorite is this one:
The only substitute for brains is silence. I am going to start with that one and another one. If you have any good ones, leave me a comment and I will add it to my list to use!

How BIG is GOD since He made these?!

Hmmm...makes our problems seem even smaller!

A poignant prayer

Our prayer to the Lord...I just read it in the book mentioned below. I thought it was so thought provoking, that I posted it.

"I do not know what to say!
God, you are my refuge--please protect me.
You are my strength--I am entirely weak.
You will give me peace and comfort--please see me through the days ahead." from the final entry of Susie Van Ryn (taken from Mistaken Identity by the Van Ryns and Ceraks)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23824767 The families involved in this book are being interviewed at this link.

Old Fisherman Story

My friend Amanda Johnson sent this to me, and I thought it was a great story, I had to post it!

THE OLD FISHERMAN

Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore . We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out-patients at the Clinic. One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. 'Why, he's hardly taller than my eight-year-old,' I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red and raw Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, 'Good evening. I've come to see if you've a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there's no bus 'till morning.' He told me he'd been hunting for a room since noon but with no success; no one seemed to have a room. 'I guess it's my face. I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments... For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: 'I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning.' I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. 'No thank you. I have plenty' And he held up a brown paper bag. When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It didn't take a long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury. He didn't tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was prefaced with thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going. At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children's room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded, and the little man was out on the porch. He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, 'Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won't put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair.' He paused a moment and then added, 'Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don't seem to mind.' I told him he was welcome to come again. And on his next trip he arrived a little after seven in the morning. As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they'd be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4 a.m. , and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us. In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden. Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these and knowing how little money he had made the gifts doubly precious. When I received these little remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he left that first morning. 'Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!' Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice But, oh! If only they could have known him, perhaps their illness would have been easier to bear. I know our family always will be grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God. Recently I was visiting a friend who has a greenhouse. As she showed me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, 'If this were my plant, I'd put it in the loveliest container I had!' My friend changed my mind. 'I ran short of pots,' she explained, 'and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn't mind starting out in this old pail. It's just for a little while, till I can put it out in the garden.' She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven. There's an especially beautiful one,' God might have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman. 'He won't mind starting in this small body.' All this happened long ago -- and now, in God's garden, how tall this lovely soul must stand. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'

St. Patrick's Day

Today is a historically celebrated day...do you know some facts about it?(Make sure you click on the link for the veggie tale history!)

The picture above is the Chicago River that they dye green for St. Patty's Day!!

The St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin, Ireland is part of a five-day festival; over 500,000 people attended the 2006 parade. The largest St. Patrick's Day parade is held in New York City and it is watched by over 2 million spectators. The St. Patrick's Day parade was first held in Boston in 1761, organized by the Charitable Irish Society. Traditionally, people eat Irish foods and/or color their foods green, like green potatoes!!

Recreating Blog

I got fancier with my blog and ended up deleting things in the process:(. So, I must redo some things!!! I think I have to figure out how to change back grounds without deleting things called Widgets--if anyone is computer savy , and know what to do, please let me know! I might just have to stay with the green grass.

Comment Tutorial

For all those inquisitive minds that want to learn a new art---The comment maker on blogs!!

So, to leave a comment, you need to scroll that mouse on over to the end of the post where you see #comments and left click. Then, you may type in a comment. If you have a google acct, you can sign in or just pick Anonymous and sign your name so I know who you are:).

That's it folks! Now, you can move into the computer era and into The Herd+.

Thank you to all who have ever left a comment!!! I love them:).