* I am thankful for the family time we got to spend together this week. Nearly a foot of snow and 40+ MPH winds will do that to a family.
* I am thankful that we are no longer snowed in. The plow came by about 11:30 this morning, so Shannon was able to work this afternoon.
* I am thankful for groceries. We made a trip into town tonight to stock up. My fridge is full, my pantry is full, and my belly is full.
* I am thankful for the tractor and blade to move all of the snow. Actually, Shannon is more thankful, because he has been the one out in the cold taking care of it. They boys helped, too.
"Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart," Proverbs 3:3
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Thankful Thursday
I'm thankful for Hudson. He will be three next month. He's all boy. He's loud. He's snuggly. He's messy. He climbs. He jumps. He helps himself to anything he wants. He's talking up a storm. He's just as happy wrestling with the big boys, as playing by himself. He loves blocks and cars.
Over, and over, and over. Giggling the whole time.
He makes me happy.
"In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death." Proverbs 12:28
Yesterday, this is what I found him doing.
Over, and over, and over. Giggling the whole time.
He makes me happy.
"In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death." Proverbs 12:28
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Thanksgiving 2009
We hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our home again this year. We only had 17 at the table, so in comparison, it was a smaller group than usual. Grandma Shirley and Papa Ken came, Papa Joe came, as well as Shannon's sister Carrie, her husband Jason, and their two boys, Will and Ben. We also invited Homer, a gentleman from our church, to spend the day with us. Bryce spent the weekend with my sister's family. It just didn't feel right not having him with us.
I started cooking and baking on Wednesday. The kitchen smelled yummy all day. I think we finished about 11:00P.M. I didn't take many pictures, because, well, I was busy cooking. Here are a few shots I did get.
...and after.
Blueberry Pie
We had two kinds of turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, applesauce jello, rolls, corn muffins, pumpkin pie, apple pie, blueberry pie, pumpkin cheesecake, upside down pear cranberry cake, cinnamon ice cream, crackers & cheese, and I can't think of anything else. It sure seemed like a lot of food.
Mom and I figured we had over 18 hours of cooking time involved. We were done eating in about 45 minutes.
The guys all went outside to play football after dinner. They were outside just long enough to work up an appetite for dessert.
All of our guests left by about 4:00P.M. We spent the rest of the day lounging around and planning our strategy for Black Friday shopping.
We're thankful for each one that was with us on Thanksgiving. Hope you all had a great holiday!
"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;" Proverbs 25:22
I started cooking and baking on Wednesday. The kitchen smelled yummy all day. I think we finished about 11:00P.M. I didn't take many pictures, because, well, I was busy cooking. Here are a few shots I did get.
Upside Down Pear Cranberry Cake before...
...and after.
Blueberry Pie
We had two kinds of turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, applesauce jello, rolls, corn muffins, pumpkin pie, apple pie, blueberry pie, pumpkin cheesecake, upside down pear cranberry cake, cinnamon ice cream, crackers & cheese, and I can't think of anything else. It sure seemed like a lot of food.Mom and I figured we had over 18 hours of cooking time involved. We were done eating in about 45 minutes.
Papa Ken always helps with the dishes.
Grandma Shirley played Yahtzee with the kids.
The guys all went outside to play football after dinner. They were outside just long enough to work up an appetite for dessert.
All of our guests left by about 4:00P.M. We spent the rest of the day lounging around and planning our strategy for Black Friday shopping.
We're thankful for each one that was with us on Thanksgiving. Hope you all had a great holiday!
"If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;" Proverbs 25:22
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Thankful Thursday
What more appropriate day is there to post a 'Thankful Thursday' post than today?
* I'm thankful for my God, the One True God. He alone is worthy.
* I'm thankful for Shannon. He is an amazing man. I love him thoroughly.
* I'm thankful for Alex. He's growing up too fast. It seems he's gone more these days than he is home. I miss him when he isn't here.
* I'm thankful for Jackson. He makes me smile. He's got freakishly long arms. I love him anyway.
* I'm thankful for Chase. He's a smartypants. He's snarky, and has a great sense of humor. He still tells me he loves me.
* I'm thankful for Bryce. He's spending Thanksgiving with my sister's family. I miss him like crazy. He should be here with us.
* I'm thankful for Colton. He's crafty. He's flighty. He's always thinking about something. He still sits on my lap.
* I'm thankful for Katie. She helped me cook all day yesterday. She chatters nonstop. She walks through the house on her tippy-toes. She likes to dance. She's growing up too fast.
* I'm thankful for Naomi. She really, truly believes that she is a princess. She wears a purple tiara. I'm not about to tell her any differently.
* I'm thankful for Hudson. I love the way he says "Yeah," when I ask him questions. I love it when he pats me on the back with his little hand. He's silly.
I have so incredibly much to be thankful for.
I have been blessed.
What an awesome God I serve!
"The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all." Proverbs 22:2
* I'm thankful for my God, the One True God. He alone is worthy.
* I'm thankful for Shannon. He is an amazing man. I love him thoroughly.
* I'm thankful for Alex. He's growing up too fast. It seems he's gone more these days than he is home. I miss him when he isn't here.
* I'm thankful for Jackson. He makes me smile. He's got freakishly long arms. I love him anyway.
* I'm thankful for Chase. He's a smartypants. He's snarky, and has a great sense of humor. He still tells me he loves me.
* I'm thankful for Bryce. He's spending Thanksgiving with my sister's family. I miss him like crazy. He should be here with us.
* I'm thankful for Colton. He's crafty. He's flighty. He's always thinking about something. He still sits on my lap.
* I'm thankful for Katie. She helped me cook all day yesterday. She chatters nonstop. She walks through the house on her tippy-toes. She likes to dance. She's growing up too fast.
* I'm thankful for Naomi. She really, truly believes that she is a princess. She wears a purple tiara. I'm not about to tell her any differently.
* I'm thankful for Hudson. I love the way he says "Yeah," when I ask him questions. I love it when he pats me on the back with his little hand. He's silly.
I have so incredibly much to be thankful for.
I have been blessed.
What an awesome God I serve!
"The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all." Proverbs 22:2
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Pancake School
Yesterday morning we made pancakes for breakfast. I got the creative idea from Becky's blog. I'm not one to get up early to make breakfast most mornings, but this time I felt inspired. We simply added food coloring to the pancake batter. Easy!
As all the children gathered around to help, we had the opportunity to learn a lot of things. In fact, I was almost convinced that after breakfast, we wouldn't even have to do any more school for the rest of the day.
Math: We multiplied the recipe by four, then measured all of the ingredients.
Science: We talked about diffusion of the color throughout the pancake batter. When you stir and speed up the molecules, the color spreads faster.
Art: We mixed colors and made patterns in the pancakes.
Home Ec: cooking
Reading: We read the recipe from the cookbook.
Writing: If I had boys who liked to write, I would have had them write about the experience. That's girly. We don't do that.
We did end up doing all of our school work for the day. It was the right thing to do.
"Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety." Proverbs 11:14
As all the children gathered around to help, we had the opportunity to learn a lot of things. In fact, I was almost convinced that after breakfast, we wouldn't even have to do any more school for the rest of the day.
Math: We multiplied the recipe by four, then measured all of the ingredients.
Science: We talked about diffusion of the color throughout the pancake batter. When you stir and speed up the molecules, the color spreads faster.
Art: We mixed colors and made patterns in the pancakes.
Home Ec: cooking
Reading: We read the recipe from the cookbook.
Writing: If I had boys who liked to write, I would have had them write about the experience. That's girly. We don't do that.
We did end up doing all of our school work for the day. It was the right thing to do.
"Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety." Proverbs 11:14
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Alex's Golden Birthday
November 17th was Alex's 17th birthday. Wow.
His day started by getting up early and working his garbage route. Then he came home for awhile, and we had some birthday cake.
He requested chocolate cake this year. This recipe just happened to be in my inbox, so that's what I made. YUM! Only 961 calories per piece. Seriously.
We had bought him a new laptop the week before for a birthday present, so there weren't any gifts to open. Soon after, he went to basketball practice.
Alex is growing into a man. It is our desire that he continue to grow spiritually, and that he do all things for God's glory. I know he'll make us proud.
I really need it to slow down.
Happy birthday, Alex. We love you!
"A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel." Proverbs 1:5
His day started by getting up early and working his garbage route. Then he came home for awhile, and we had some birthday cake.
He requested chocolate cake this year. This recipe just happened to be in my inbox, so that's what I made. YUM! Only 961 calories per piece. Seriously.
We had bought him a new laptop the week before for a birthday present, so there weren't any gifts to open. Soon after, he went to basketball practice.
Alex is growing into a man. It is our desire that he continue to grow spiritually, and that he do all things for God's glory. I know he'll make us proud.
Time is flowing by so quickly.
I really need it to slow down.
I'm not ready to let go yet.
Happy birthday, Alex. We love you!
"A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel." Proverbs 1:5
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thankful Thursday
It's almost midnight, so I have to type fast--or as fast as I can one-handed, because Hudson is sleeping on me.
*I'm thankful for the miracles God performed in our friends the Kamberger's lives this week.
*I'm thankful for my home.
*I'm thankful for sunshine.
*I'm thankful for my family.
*I'm thankful we're healthy.
*I'm thankful I've lost 18 pounds so far.
"The LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6
*I'm thankful for the miracles God performed in our friends the Kamberger's lives this week.
*I'm thankful for my home.
*I'm thankful for sunshine.
*I'm thankful for my family.
*I'm thankful we're healthy.
*I'm thankful I've lost 18 pounds so far.
"The LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Time Away
We were able to take a little bit of time recently to spend a night away with the family. We went to the Wasserbahn Water Resort in the Amana Colonies. We also did a little shopping at the Tanger Outlet in Williamsburg.
It wasn't huge, but it was fun. The kids enjoyed the time away, and Shannon and I did, too.
Basketball practice starts November 16th. Games begin November 30th. There won't be much time for get aways until the season ends.
"For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD." Proverbs 8:35
It wasn't huge, but it was fun. The kids enjoyed the time away, and Shannon and I did, too.
Basketball practice starts November 16th. Games begin November 30th. There won't be much time for get aways until the season ends.
"For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD." Proverbs 8:35
Lincoln Logs
We have had Lincoln Logs for years. Some times they don't get played with for years, it seems. But once in awhile, usually after we have cleaned bedrooms and sorted through the toy boxes, the children will 'rediscover' them, and play with them.
One afternoon it occurred to me that Hudson was missing, so I went searching for him. I found him in Bryce and Colton's room, building grand things.
One afternoon it occurred to me that Hudson was missing, so I went searching for him. I found him in Bryce and Colton's room, building grand things.
He was quite pleased with himself.
"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old." Proverbs 8:22
Jodi's Diet Update
It's been a little over three weeks since I started my Forty by Forty campaign. My first week, I had a little progress.
I have been watching calories, and power walking three miles per day, with some pilates thrown in as time allows. I am not a very patient person, and expect immediate results. That wasn't happening as quickly as I wanted, so I decided to jump start things with a Master Cleanse.
I did this about two and a half years ago. You can google it for details, but it basically consists of fasting for 10 days, while drinking a mixture of lemon juice, grade B maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. Yum. I have found that I tolerate the cayenne better if I take it in capsule form, rather than adding it to the lemonade mixture. It tastes better, too. You can also have as much water as you want.
The theory is to detox the body, and remove all waste.
I haven't eaten since Monday evening, and I'm feeling great.
I weighed myself on Friday, and had lost 10 pounds since I had started dieting.
I feel great. I've not had any hunger pangs. Shannon has been great about taking over most of the cooking, so I haven't had to deal with that.
It's crazy how often I'll walk into the kitchen and automatically pick something up to eat, even though I'm not hungry. Although I'm not feeling hungry, food still looks good.
We brought home Papa Murphy's pizza for lunch today, and it was quite tempting to smell, then watch everyone eat it. I managed to mix and bake all of the sugar cookies last week without snitching any, which was a huge accomplishment!
I've been exercising normally, and although I felt a bit drained on Day 3, it has improved since then. I'll keep you posted on my progress.
I have been watching calories, and power walking three miles per day, with some pilates thrown in as time allows. I am not a very patient person, and expect immediate results. That wasn't happening as quickly as I wanted, so I decided to jump start things with a Master Cleanse.
I did this about two and a half years ago. You can google it for details, but it basically consists of fasting for 10 days, while drinking a mixture of lemon juice, grade B maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. Yum. I have found that I tolerate the cayenne better if I take it in capsule form, rather than adding it to the lemonade mixture. It tastes better, too. You can also have as much water as you want.
The theory is to detox the body, and remove all waste.
I haven't eaten since Monday evening, and I'm feeling great.
I weighed myself on Friday, and had lost 10 pounds since I had started dieting.
I feel great. I've not had any hunger pangs. Shannon has been great about taking over most of the cooking, so I haven't had to deal with that.
It's crazy how often I'll walk into the kitchen and automatically pick something up to eat, even though I'm not hungry. Although I'm not feeling hungry, food still looks good.
We brought home Papa Murphy's pizza for lunch today, and it was quite tempting to smell, then watch everyone eat it. I managed to mix and bake all of the sugar cookies last week without snitching any, which was a huge accomplishment!
I've been exercising normally, and although I felt a bit drained on Day 3, it has improved since then. I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Sugar Cookies--Assembly Line Style
Every year in November the city of Reinbeck hosts a Holiday Season kick-off called 'Miracle on Main'. Businesses on Main Street stay open late, have open houses, and activities are planned for community members to participate in. There is story time at City Hall, ornament making, visits from Santa, wine tasting, chain saw ice sculptors, horse-drawn trolley rides, and other small town festivities.
Shannon's office was chosen this year to host the drawing for $50.00 in Reinbeck Bucks, to be spent in local businesses. We were told to expect high traffic through the office as town folk signed up.
We have an open house for Miracle on Main every year, serving cookies and hot apple cider. We chose not to serve drinks this year, mostly because it gets really messy. As I planned how many cookies to bake, I just couldn't decide how many to make.
I started out making six batches of Betty Crocker's Soft, No-Roll Sugar Cookies. I'll include the recipe at the end of the post. They're easy, and yummy. Later that evening I mixed up four more batches, just in case.
At 8:00 p.m. we were ready to start baking. These are the times a large family really comes in handy.
and passed them to Katie and Colton, who rolled them in sugar.
Shannon was in charge of the ovens. He was baking three sheets at a time--two in the top oven, one in the bottom oven. Shannon was the photographer tonight, so we have no pictures of him.
Bryce was in charge of keeping Hudson off the kitchen table and keeping the guys up to the minute on the football game. Naomi helped here and there.
Two and a half hours later, we had scooped, rolled, sugared, squished, sprinkled, baked, cooled, tallied...........51 DOZEN cookies. Apparently Betty Crocker makes her cookies bigger than I do.
And we still had cookie dough in the fridge.
Friday morning I baked 14 dozen MORE sugar cookies. That's a total of 65 dozen cookies (780 cookies) , not counting those that broke or got a little too done along the way.
Needless to say, we had plenty of cookies. My mom made some cookies, too. We had tons of leftovers. They're all in my freezer now. Waiting for the next occasion to share.
Shannon's office was chosen this year to host the drawing for $50.00 in Reinbeck Bucks, to be spent in local businesses. We were told to expect high traffic through the office as town folk signed up.
We have an open house for Miracle on Main every year, serving cookies and hot apple cider. We chose not to serve drinks this year, mostly because it gets really messy. As I planned how many cookies to bake, I just couldn't decide how many to make.
I started out making six batches of Betty Crocker's Soft, No-Roll Sugar Cookies. I'll include the recipe at the end of the post. They're easy, and yummy. Later that evening I mixed up four more batches, just in case.
At 8:00 p.m. we were ready to start baking. These are the times a large family really comes in handy.
I manned the cookie dough scoop, and handed off to Alex.
Alex rolled them into nice little balls,
and passed them to Katie and Colton, who rolled them in sugar.
Jackson's job was to arrange them on cookie sheets, squish with a glass, then add red sugar sprinkles to the top.
Shannon was in charge of the ovens. He was baking three sheets at a time--two in the top oven, one in the bottom oven. Shannon was the photographer tonight, so we have no pictures of him.
Chase was in charge of removing the baked cookies from the sheets, cooling, then counting them as he packed them in tupperware.
Bryce was in charge of keeping Hudson off the kitchen table and keeping the guys up to the minute on the football game. Naomi helped here and there.
Two and a half hours later, we had scooped, rolled, sugared, squished, sprinkled, baked, cooled, tallied...........51 DOZEN cookies. Apparently Betty Crocker makes her cookies bigger than I do.
And we still had cookie dough in the fridge.
Friday morning I baked 14 dozen MORE sugar cookies. That's a total of 65 dozen cookies (780 cookies) , not counting those that broke or got a little too done along the way.
Needless to say, we had plenty of cookies. My mom made some cookies, too. We had tons of leftovers. They're all in my freezer now. Waiting for the next occasion to share.
Betty Crocker's Soft No-Roll Sugar Cookies
PREP: 20 min. CHILL: 2 hr. BAKE: 13-15 min per sheet
YIELD: About 3-1/2 dozen cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened (I use butter)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 large eggs
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar.
1. In large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar, the powdered sugar, butter, oil, milk, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with a spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Shape dough into 1-1/2 inch balls. Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in small bow. Roll balls in sugar. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls about 3 inches apart. Press bottom of drinking glass on each ball until about 1/4 inch thick (I don't squish them quite this much). Sprinkle each cookie with a little additional sugar.
4. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until set and edges just begin to turn brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
As I posted this, I realized we did not get any pictures of the finished product. Oops.
"So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine." Proverbs 3:10
PREP: 20 min. CHILL: 2 hr. BAKE: 13-15 min per sheet
YIELD: About 3-1/2 dozen cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened (I use butter)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 large eggs
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar.
1. In large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar, the powdered sugar, butter, oil, milk, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with a spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Shape dough into 1-1/2 inch balls. Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar in small bow. Roll balls in sugar. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls about 3 inches apart. Press bottom of drinking glass on each ball until about 1/4 inch thick (I don't squish them quite this much). Sprinkle each cookie with a little additional sugar.
4. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until set and edges just begin to turn brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
As I posted this, I realized we did not get any pictures of the finished product. Oops.
"So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine." Proverbs 3:10
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Thankful Thursday
+ I'm thankful that my husband likes to cook.
+ I'm thankful for lemons. More on that later.
+ I'm thankful for my laptop.
+ I'm thankful for sugar cookies. Lots of them.
+ I'm thankful that Shannon was Valedictorian of his high school class.
+ I'm thankful that Shannon knows how to do a magic square, or at least he did in high school.
+ I'm thankful that Hudson is talking so much these days.
+ I'm thankful that Jesus died on the cross for MY sins.
+ I'm thankful for our youth group kids.
+ I'm thankful we have enough vehicles to get us where we are going.
+ I'm thankful that BASKETBALL starts next week, even though it means the rat-race will begin again.
"The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, but He overthrows the words of the faithless." Proverbs 22:12
+ I'm thankful for lemons. More on that later.
+ I'm thankful for my laptop.
+ I'm thankful for sugar cookies. Lots of them.
+ I'm thankful that Shannon was Valedictorian of his high school class.
+ I'm thankful that Shannon knows how to do a magic square, or at least he did in high school.
+ I'm thankful that Hudson is talking so much these days.
+ I'm thankful that Jesus died on the cross for MY sins.
+ I'm thankful for our youth group kids.
+ I'm thankful we have enough vehicles to get us where we are going.
+ I'm thankful that BASKETBALL starts next week, even though it means the rat-race will begin again.
"The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, but He overthrows the words of the faithless." Proverbs 22:12
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Thankful Thursday
*I'm thankful for Chase and his dry sense of humor.
* I'm thankful for cappuccino in my Kum & Go free refill cup. It gets me moving!
*I'm thankful for safety while taking a quick getaway with the family earlier this week.
*I'm thankful for the sunshine and weather in the 60's that's forecasted for this weekend.
*I'm thankful for hand-me-downs.
*I'm thankful that we were able to find basketball shoes in size 14 for Jackson--even if it meant having them sent to us from New York, and even though they charged my credit card twice. We're working on getting that resolved.
* I'm thankful for paper towels.
*I'm thankful for Shannon and my family.
*I'm thankful for the opportunity to spend some alone time with Shannon this weekend.
*I'm thankful for my Sunday School class. I enjoy discussing things with them, and getting to the 'meat and potatoes' of scripture and how it translates to everyday life.
*I'm thankful for ITBS and ITEDS. They help me evaluate how my students are progressing.
*I'm thankful for my dog. He loves me.
*I'm thankful for brownies. Colton baked some for breakfast this morning, and it made everyone smile.
"There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD." Proverbs 21:30
Friday, October 30, 2009
Words of Wisdom
I have several blogs that I follow regularly. Some are local friends, some live far away.
Once in awhile a post will hit me, and I think to myself, "I could have written those words!". Generally, these other bloggers are much more eloquent than I, so today I am copying and pasting a post from MckMama's blog.
I don't recall how I first came to find her blog, but I like it. She's real. She tells it like it is. She takes great photos. She loves her kids. She's not afraid to post about the everyday, hard things in life.
This is long, but it's good. Don't read too much into this, and assume that Shannon and I are heading off to marriage counseling. Shannon is a super-duper wonderful guy, and I love him tremendously. But there are times he really gets on my nerves. We fight, and we've gotten really good at it. We've been married long enough to know what jabs really hurt, and which ones merely glance off the other person. I'm not proud of that, it's just the way it is sometimes.
So. Here are MckMama's words of wisdom.
I have unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you want to look at it) given my husband ample opportunities to learn to forgive over the course of our six year marriage. That might sound really benevolent, for me to offer him so many chances to practice forgiveness. But really, if you were a fly on the wall of our marriage, you'd feel differently. Trust me.
You see, at my best, I can be picture perfect, witty and cute, organized and together, a great mother and a charming hostess. I may be a photo editing fool and weave long (interesting?) tales about outings with our children on my blog. When I am on, I am a good wife, kind and loving to my husband, seeking to submit to him the way God wants me to and striving to honor him with my words and actions.
But when I am off, believe me, I am off. In the darkness of private disagreements I'd much rather forget than blog about*, I have sworn like a sailor at my beloved. At my worst, I can be pompous and self righteous, a know-it-all who would rather shove what I think to be right down my husband's throat than listen with an open ear to his side. I can be rude and condescending, unwilling to be the first to repent and to forgive my spouse. There have been times when, should my husband have decided to do so, he would have had every justification to call the cops on me for harassing him. There are times when things haven't been pretty between us. And I am going to share today some of the things I have learned through living in the trenches like my husband and I have.
What I said above (*) begs the question, then. If, indeed, I would much rather forget arguments that I've had with my husband than blog about them, then why on earth am I blogging about them instead of just forgetting them!? Great question. You see, I would rather just brush the truth about my disagreements under the rug and call it good, moving along to a fun post about what a happy family we are. But if I have learned one thing since becoming a wife and a mother it is that it does no one any good to lie to others about the reality of our lives.
I'll say that again. It does no one any good to lie, either overtly or by omission, to others about the reality of our lives.
I am certainly not saying that I think it is good or profitable to share all the intimate details of one's marriage. Some private struggles should be just that: private. And I believe very strongly in building up our spouses and speaking well of them. But as hard as it can sometimes be to expose ourselves, if both spouses are on board with sharing, then I think we do ourselves and our fellow man good when we share the truth about life's hard times, even if it hurts.
For example, there is mother truth like, yes, having a newborn is wonderfully fantastic and beautiful, but also your nipples hurt like heck, your body is sloughing off hormones and making you a raging mess, your husband just doesn't understand and is a big fat sissy when it's time to get up in the night, your baby's crying that others think is cute makes you insane and bonding with a newborn may not happen instantly, especially when your perineum hurts like a mother.
Sometimes, it can be beneficial for you and for those you share with to be honest, to share the real deal about life, without sugar coating it as my pride sometimes causes me to do.
And so, even if it might be embarrassing, my husband and I have decided to share truth about marriage with others when we are given the chance. Sure being married is great, finding your soul mate or whatever you want to call it is fantastic, having a partner for life makes you feel complete and experiencing true, deep love is the most amazing feeling ever. But what about the hard truths about marriage, too? We think those are important to share as well. I think they are important to share so that we don't lie to ourselves, fooling us into thinking we are somehow better than others, and so that we don't discourage others who may be walking similar, unspoken paths.
In my experience, for as great as marriage definitely is, it also can really suck. Being paired with the same person for life can be overwhelming when you consider all of your spouse's many flaws that you are just going to have to put up with, forever. Talk about de-romanticizing marriage! Life is not all sugar and dewdrops after you say I do. The distant feelings, slamming doors, cold shoulders and talk of divorce that creep into in many marriages are not welcome additions to the happily ever after any of us envisioned when we first got engaged.
But additions they are, at least for my marriage. And I truly see no real point in glossing over the painful parts of marriage to those I speak to or blog with. Why would I? So I can avoid embarrassment? And then leave you all feeling like you must be the only one who sometimes feel disillusioned with marriage?
Sorry, not gonna do it. I am pretty sure God didn't allow me to have a widely read blog so I could blow sunshine about how cute and perfect my children and marriage are. I mean, of course I love to focus on the positive. I am by nature an optimist and that is how I choose to parent and (for the most part) act as a wife. I feel strongly about being neither gloom and doom nor a Negative Nelly. But sometimes, this time being one of them, I think it is good to share the hard truths about marriage.
But you don't have to take it from me. I'm not a marriage expert. I'm just a married person who has been in the trenches. Sometimes that's where I still am. I am definitely not here to preach, advise or counsel. So you definitely don't have to take it from me. In fact, please don't take it from me. Take it from God, listen to Him, hear what He just may be trying to tell you about your marriage through our story.
And what a story it is.
You see, my husband has also given me plenty of chances to hone my own forgiveness skills as well. And hone them I have been, slowly but surely. I won't say that it's been an easy road for us, because it hasn't, this learning to forgive. The reasons we have had so many chances to forgive each other is because we have wounded each other deeply. There is absolutely no excuse or reason for being so unkind to one's spouse, but I will admit that the issues we've faced have seemed insurmountable at times. In the past year and a half alone, we've faced a very poor prenatal diagnosis for our baby, sudden financial hardships and relationship struggles of majestic proportions. My husband and I have had altercations I would never wish on another that ended with police involvement. I have been awful to him; he has been awful to me. We have endured a separation and even, in our anger, seriously considered divorce a little over a year ago.
It was the most pain and hurt and disillusionment I have ever felt in my entire life.
But we chose to stay together. We decided not to get divorced. And then we started going to marriage counseling. Slowly, God began to rock our shattered world. And every Wednesday, as we have for well over a year now, we still go see Dr. R, who himself has rocked our world by helping us uncover many truths about marriage, too. I have learned to submit, to forgive and to duck.
What's that? After all we've been through, do I still believe in submission as I wrote it in this post?
Hell yes.
I apologize if my use of profanity offends, but that is simply how strongly I feel about this. Whether my beliefs on submission that I have blogged about and that I chose to (try to) abide by are understood by others or not, they are right, they are Biblical, and they work.
The fact that my marriage is alive (and very well!) after what my husband and I have been through is proof of that.
Submission is not being a doormat. Submission is not just rolling over and accepting bad behavior. Submission is not turning the other cheek on an abusive spouse who refuses to get help. Submission is not a life sentence for women to feel inferior.
Quite the contrary. For me, submission is beautiful. Submission has meant freedom for me. Living with the knowledge and emotional freedom that I do not control my spouse has been liberating for me. Gone (or, going) are the days when I struggle to try to change my husband. I have given up trying to show him the error of his ways. You see, I think that as wives, it is not our job to fix or punish our husbands with our judgements, cold shoulders or loud decrees. Instead, as I once heard it put, it is our job to simply duck so that God can punch our husbands when they need it.
And so I have been practicing ducking.
By getting out of the way of what God wants to teach my husband, I remove distractions that may be in my husband's way for him to hear God directly. Distractions like my really annoying behavior when I would try to get my point across to my husband about what a louse he was being.
And a reciprocating effect is in place. I am not really sure who started it. My husband and I both have learned immeasurable amounts in counseling. We have both gotten out of trying to be each other's consciences. We are each trying to hard to focus on ourselves and on what we can each do, individually, to help our marriage. Because five years of blame, finger pointing and always wanting to make it the other person's fault got us nowhere.
Well, it didn't get us nowhere. It got us somewhere, that's for sure. But separated, filled with hate and on the verge of divorce was nowhere we wanted to be. So we got the heck outta Dodge. With all the glory for that due entirely to God. Well, almost entirely. Many thousands of thanks also go to to Dr. R, our superb marriage counselor.
So is our marriage 100% healthy? Are we entirely out of the woods now? Nope. I'm not sure, but I wonder if any marriage really ever is. Staying married, being determined to love, submit, respect, honor and forgive our spouses is a daily fight for us, as I imagine it might be for you, too. Choosing to act and think out of love toward our spouse instead of wanting to crack the whip of control or shout cries of fairness and equality is a moment by moment decision, an ever present struggle.
But don't get me wrong. It has gotten easier during this past year and a half, though, to act right towards each other. The more I respect my husband, the more he shows love to me. The more my husband forgives me, the easier it becomes for me to show him forgiveness in return. It is a beautiful circle when it works the way I believe God wants it to.
But hear me now: I have learned that it is of paramount importance for us to love, respect and forgive our spouses even when they are not doing the same for us.
Indeed, especially when they are not doing the same for us. I know, I know. That can sound like such decades old drivel. So against what seems fair, right and just. So doormat inducing and just plain wrong.
But all I know is that what I have learned in that statement has worked for us. Our marriage has been revolutionized, brought back from the dead, and I fully believe that my decision to trust what God says about marriage will always work, because like it or not, He does know what He's talking about.
Do I want you to stay in a marriage if you are being beaten, just laying there like a doormat? Heavens no! Please don't misinterpret what I am trying to say here. There are certainly situations that require dramatic rescue. A domestic abuse hotline, a Biblically based Christian counselor, a separation, getting immediately out of danger....these things may need to take place before true healing can come. And there are, unfortunately, times when healing is not at all possible for the marriage, if one party refuses to change. There are times when one spouse just needs to get out because the situation is simply not safe. But in those cases, there can still be individual healing for that person, even if the marriage was lost and the relationship ends.
But there is hope and healing for hurting marriages that are still intact, too. Even dreadfully wounded marriages that are bleeding all over the place while the spouses try to pretend like things are not really that bad. There is hope for those marriages, too. I know, because my husband and I have been there.
And now, we are here. And we are beyond thankful and amazed at the miracle that we believe God performed in our hearts and in our marriage.
So, I've talked about ducking and letting God shape our spouse, about what I believe it means to Biblically submit to our husbands, and now I would like to leave you with a few of the most important things about forgiveness that I have learned to be true for my life and have most impacted my marriage.
And then I'll be done. I promise.
Forgiveness is a choice.
Whether or not I feel forgiveness in my heart is not an indicator of whether or not I should forgive my husband. I used to hold back my forgiveness until he came to me with forgiveness first, or until enough time passed that I was not mad anymore, or until I just plain felt like forgiving him.
But I have been slowly learning that to forgive my husband is a choice I must make. A wise woman once told me that the feelings of forgiveness often follow that choice. But even if they don't, forgiveness has still been the best choice for me to make, simply because God tells us to forgive (and because He has forgiven us much!).
Forgiveness is for me.
Before we went to marriage counseling, I used to think that forgiveness was a gift I could bestow upon my husband. Something I could give to him when I was ready, dissolving the guilt of his wrongdoings for him. And, conversely, I could also withhold forgiveness, continuing to be cold, heaping guilt for his actions upon his shoulders in a failed attempt to show him the error of his ways so he would be repentant.
Um, that like so totally did not work.
A huge 1000 watt lightbulb went off in my head when our counselor told me that forgiveness is for me. As it relates to human forgiveness, forgiveness is for the forgiver, not for the forgiven. Whether my husband ever changed or not, I was going to want and need to forgive him so that I didn't live a long life of unhappy bitterness. And the same went for my husband. He has had to work very hard at forgiving me for inflaming situations in the ways I have and for countless other grievances.
But learning that forgiveness is for me has been revolutionary to my way of thinking.
Forgiveness is not a one time act.
Like it or not, when I forgive my husband for whatever it is he has done to hurt me, that may not the end of it for me. Feelings of hurt and anger can still creep back in, hours, days, even months later. Just as it is a process to daily die to ourselves and our own selfish desires, so is it with forgiveness. I sometimes must daily return to my decision to forgive my husband for not being perfect even when I am starting to not feel like it again.
So, dear readers, take all this with a grain of salt for your own marriage, if you want. After all, my husband and I are far from perfect. But after having lived a while ourselves in the trenches, we have decided we feel no reason to either hide the painful truth about how difficult marriage can be or to keep the sweet gems of knowledge we are starting to learn about healing a hurting marriage and learning to find contentment with one's spouse to ourselves.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to do some more ducking so I can allow God to work on my husband, while I focus on daily forgiveness and Biblical submission. After all, the only thing I can control is what I can do to help my marriage. Spending time on trying to fix him would be pointless anyway. You see, I am learning to stop longing for a changed husband, and I long now for a heart soft enough to hear and receive what God wants to teach me about becoming the wife He wants me to be.
Walking hand in hand with my husband as he, too, is growing to become more of the husband God wants him to be has just been the icing on the cake.
MckMama
She's got some good stuff, huh? Please forgive me if I've broken some 'blog plagerism' rule, but I have attempted to give all credit to MckMama for the above words. I think that's three time's I've linked back to her, just for the record.
While we're on the subject of MckMama (4), please take some time to pray for her son, Stellan. He's is a sick little boy right now. You can learn more by stopping by her blog (5).
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
Once in awhile a post will hit me, and I think to myself, "I could have written those words!". Generally, these other bloggers are much more eloquent than I, so today I am copying and pasting a post from MckMama's blog.
I don't recall how I first came to find her blog, but I like it. She's real. She tells it like it is. She takes great photos. She loves her kids. She's not afraid to post about the everyday, hard things in life.
This is long, but it's good. Don't read too much into this, and assume that Shannon and I are heading off to marriage counseling. Shannon is a super-duper wonderful guy, and I love him tremendously. But there are times he really gets on my nerves. We fight, and we've gotten really good at it. We've been married long enough to know what jabs really hurt, and which ones merely glance off the other person. I'm not proud of that, it's just the way it is sometimes.
So. Here are MckMama's words of wisdom.
marriage, submitting, forgiving and ducking
I have unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you want to look at it) given my husband ample opportunities to learn to forgive over the course of our six year marriage. That might sound really benevolent, for me to offer him so many chances to practice forgiveness. But really, if you were a fly on the wall of our marriage, you'd feel differently. Trust me.
You see, at my best, I can be picture perfect, witty and cute, organized and together, a great mother and a charming hostess. I may be a photo editing fool and weave long (interesting?) tales about outings with our children on my blog. When I am on, I am a good wife, kind and loving to my husband, seeking to submit to him the way God wants me to and striving to honor him with my words and actions.
But when I am off, believe me, I am off. In the darkness of private disagreements I'd much rather forget than blog about*, I have sworn like a sailor at my beloved. At my worst, I can be pompous and self righteous, a know-it-all who would rather shove what I think to be right down my husband's throat than listen with an open ear to his side. I can be rude and condescending, unwilling to be the first to repent and to forgive my spouse. There have been times when, should my husband have decided to do so, he would have had every justification to call the cops on me for harassing him. There are times when things haven't been pretty between us. And I am going to share today some of the things I have learned through living in the trenches like my husband and I have.
What I said above (*) begs the question, then. If, indeed, I would much rather forget arguments that I've had with my husband than blog about them, then why on earth am I blogging about them instead of just forgetting them!? Great question. You see, I would rather just brush the truth about my disagreements under the rug and call it good, moving along to a fun post about what a happy family we are. But if I have learned one thing since becoming a wife and a mother it is that it does no one any good to lie to others about the reality of our lives.
I'll say that again. It does no one any good to lie, either overtly or by omission, to others about the reality of our lives.
I am certainly not saying that I think it is good or profitable to share all the intimate details of one's marriage. Some private struggles should be just that: private. And I believe very strongly in building up our spouses and speaking well of them. But as hard as it can sometimes be to expose ourselves, if both spouses are on board with sharing, then I think we do ourselves and our fellow man good when we share the truth about life's hard times, even if it hurts.
For example, there is mother truth like, yes, having a newborn is wonderfully fantastic and beautiful, but also your nipples hurt like heck, your body is sloughing off hormones and making you a raging mess, your husband just doesn't understand and is a big fat sissy when it's time to get up in the night, your baby's crying that others think is cute makes you insane and bonding with a newborn may not happen instantly, especially when your perineum hurts like a mother.
Sometimes, it can be beneficial for you and for those you share with to be honest, to share the real deal about life, without sugar coating it as my pride sometimes causes me to do.
And so, even if it might be embarrassing, my husband and I have decided to share truth about marriage with others when we are given the chance. Sure being married is great, finding your soul mate or whatever you want to call it is fantastic, having a partner for life makes you feel complete and experiencing true, deep love is the most amazing feeling ever. But what about the hard truths about marriage, too? We think those are important to share as well. I think they are important to share so that we don't lie to ourselves, fooling us into thinking we are somehow better than others, and so that we don't discourage others who may be walking similar, unspoken paths.
In my experience, for as great as marriage definitely is, it also can really suck. Being paired with the same person for life can be overwhelming when you consider all of your spouse's many flaws that you are just going to have to put up with, forever. Talk about de-romanticizing marriage! Life is not all sugar and dewdrops after you say I do. The distant feelings, slamming doors, cold shoulders and talk of divorce that creep into in many marriages are not welcome additions to the happily ever after any of us envisioned when we first got engaged.
But additions they are, at least for my marriage. And I truly see no real point in glossing over the painful parts of marriage to those I speak to or blog with. Why would I? So I can avoid embarrassment? And then leave you all feeling like you must be the only one who sometimes feel disillusioned with marriage?
Sorry, not gonna do it. I am pretty sure God didn't allow me to have a widely read blog so I could blow sunshine about how cute and perfect my children and marriage are. I mean, of course I love to focus on the positive. I am by nature an optimist and that is how I choose to parent and (for the most part) act as a wife. I feel strongly about being neither gloom and doom nor a Negative Nelly. But sometimes, this time being one of them, I think it is good to share the hard truths about marriage.
But you don't have to take it from me. I'm not a marriage expert. I'm just a married person who has been in the trenches. Sometimes that's where I still am. I am definitely not here to preach, advise or counsel. So you definitely don't have to take it from me. In fact, please don't take it from me. Take it from God, listen to Him, hear what He just may be trying to tell you about your marriage through our story.
And what a story it is.
You see, my husband has also given me plenty of chances to hone my own forgiveness skills as well. And hone them I have been, slowly but surely. I won't say that it's been an easy road for us, because it hasn't, this learning to forgive. The reasons we have had so many chances to forgive each other is because we have wounded each other deeply. There is absolutely no excuse or reason for being so unkind to one's spouse, but I will admit that the issues we've faced have seemed insurmountable at times. In the past year and a half alone, we've faced a very poor prenatal diagnosis for our baby, sudden financial hardships and relationship struggles of majestic proportions. My husband and I have had altercations I would never wish on another that ended with police involvement. I have been awful to him; he has been awful to me. We have endured a separation and even, in our anger, seriously considered divorce a little over a year ago.
It was the most pain and hurt and disillusionment I have ever felt in my entire life.
But we chose to stay together. We decided not to get divorced. And then we started going to marriage counseling. Slowly, God began to rock our shattered world. And every Wednesday, as we have for well over a year now, we still go see Dr. R, who himself has rocked our world by helping us uncover many truths about marriage, too. I have learned to submit, to forgive and to duck.
What's that? After all we've been through, do I still believe in submission as I wrote it in this post?
Hell yes.
I apologize if my use of profanity offends, but that is simply how strongly I feel about this. Whether my beliefs on submission that I have blogged about and that I chose to (try to) abide by are understood by others or not, they are right, they are Biblical, and they work.
The fact that my marriage is alive (and very well!) after what my husband and I have been through is proof of that.
Submission is not being a doormat. Submission is not just rolling over and accepting bad behavior. Submission is not turning the other cheek on an abusive spouse who refuses to get help. Submission is not a life sentence for women to feel inferior.
Quite the contrary. For me, submission is beautiful. Submission has meant freedom for me. Living with the knowledge and emotional freedom that I do not control my spouse has been liberating for me. Gone (or, going) are the days when I struggle to try to change my husband. I have given up trying to show him the error of his ways. You see, I think that as wives, it is not our job to fix or punish our husbands with our judgements, cold shoulders or loud decrees. Instead, as I once heard it put, it is our job to simply duck so that God can punch our husbands when they need it.
And so I have been practicing ducking.
By getting out of the way of what God wants to teach my husband, I remove distractions that may be in my husband's way for him to hear God directly. Distractions like my really annoying behavior when I would try to get my point across to my husband about what a louse he was being.
And a reciprocating effect is in place. I am not really sure who started it. My husband and I both have learned immeasurable amounts in counseling. We have both gotten out of trying to be each other's consciences. We are each trying to hard to focus on ourselves and on what we can each do, individually, to help our marriage. Because five years of blame, finger pointing and always wanting to make it the other person's fault got us nowhere.
Well, it didn't get us nowhere. It got us somewhere, that's for sure. But separated, filled with hate and on the verge of divorce was nowhere we wanted to be. So we got the heck outta Dodge. With all the glory for that due entirely to God. Well, almost entirely. Many thousands of thanks also go to to Dr. R, our superb marriage counselor.
So is our marriage 100% healthy? Are we entirely out of the woods now? Nope. I'm not sure, but I wonder if any marriage really ever is. Staying married, being determined to love, submit, respect, honor and forgive our spouses is a daily fight for us, as I imagine it might be for you, too. Choosing to act and think out of love toward our spouse instead of wanting to crack the whip of control or shout cries of fairness and equality is a moment by moment decision, an ever present struggle.
But don't get me wrong. It has gotten easier during this past year and a half, though, to act right towards each other. The more I respect my husband, the more he shows love to me. The more my husband forgives me, the easier it becomes for me to show him forgiveness in return. It is a beautiful circle when it works the way I believe God wants it to.
But hear me now: I have learned that it is of paramount importance for us to love, respect and forgive our spouses even when they are not doing the same for us.
Indeed, especially when they are not doing the same for us. I know, I know. That can sound like such decades old drivel. So against what seems fair, right and just. So doormat inducing and just plain wrong.
But all I know is that what I have learned in that statement has worked for us. Our marriage has been revolutionized, brought back from the dead, and I fully believe that my decision to trust what God says about marriage will always work, because like it or not, He does know what He's talking about.
Do I want you to stay in a marriage if you are being beaten, just laying there like a doormat? Heavens no! Please don't misinterpret what I am trying to say here. There are certainly situations that require dramatic rescue. A domestic abuse hotline, a Biblically based Christian counselor, a separation, getting immediately out of danger....these things may need to take place before true healing can come. And there are, unfortunately, times when healing is not at all possible for the marriage, if one party refuses to change. There are times when one spouse just needs to get out because the situation is simply not safe. But in those cases, there can still be individual healing for that person, even if the marriage was lost and the relationship ends.
But there is hope and healing for hurting marriages that are still intact, too. Even dreadfully wounded marriages that are bleeding all over the place while the spouses try to pretend like things are not really that bad. There is hope for those marriages, too. I know, because my husband and I have been there.
And now, we are here. And we are beyond thankful and amazed at the miracle that we believe God performed in our hearts and in our marriage.
So, I've talked about ducking and letting God shape our spouse, about what I believe it means to Biblically submit to our husbands, and now I would like to leave you with a few of the most important things about forgiveness that I have learned to be true for my life and have most impacted my marriage.
And then I'll be done. I promise.
Forgiveness is a choice.
Whether or not I feel forgiveness in my heart is not an indicator of whether or not I should forgive my husband. I used to hold back my forgiveness until he came to me with forgiveness first, or until enough time passed that I was not mad anymore, or until I just plain felt like forgiving him.
But I have been slowly learning that to forgive my husband is a choice I must make. A wise woman once told me that the feelings of forgiveness often follow that choice. But even if they don't, forgiveness has still been the best choice for me to make, simply because God tells us to forgive (and because He has forgiven us much!).
Forgiveness is for me.
Before we went to marriage counseling, I used to think that forgiveness was a gift I could bestow upon my husband. Something I could give to him when I was ready, dissolving the guilt of his wrongdoings for him. And, conversely, I could also withhold forgiveness, continuing to be cold, heaping guilt for his actions upon his shoulders in a failed attempt to show him the error of his ways so he would be repentant.
Um, that like so totally did not work.
A huge 1000 watt lightbulb went off in my head when our counselor told me that forgiveness is for me. As it relates to human forgiveness, forgiveness is for the forgiver, not for the forgiven. Whether my husband ever changed or not, I was going to want and need to forgive him so that I didn't live a long life of unhappy bitterness. And the same went for my husband. He has had to work very hard at forgiving me for inflaming situations in the ways I have and for countless other grievances.
But learning that forgiveness is for me has been revolutionary to my way of thinking.
Forgiveness is not a one time act.
Like it or not, when I forgive my husband for whatever it is he has done to hurt me, that may not the end of it for me. Feelings of hurt and anger can still creep back in, hours, days, even months later. Just as it is a process to daily die to ourselves and our own selfish desires, so is it with forgiveness. I sometimes must daily return to my decision to forgive my husband for not being perfect even when I am starting to not feel like it again.
So, dear readers, take all this with a grain of salt for your own marriage, if you want. After all, my husband and I are far from perfect. But after having lived a while ourselves in the trenches, we have decided we feel no reason to either hide the painful truth about how difficult marriage can be or to keep the sweet gems of knowledge we are starting to learn about healing a hurting marriage and learning to find contentment with one's spouse to ourselves.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to do some more ducking so I can allow God to work on my husband, while I focus on daily forgiveness and Biblical submission. After all, the only thing I can control is what I can do to help my marriage. Spending time on trying to fix him would be pointless anyway. You see, I am learning to stop longing for a changed husband, and I long now for a heart soft enough to hear and receive what God wants to teach me about becoming the wife He wants me to be.
Walking hand in hand with my husband as he, too, is growing to become more of the husband God wants him to be has just been the icing on the cake.
MckMama
She's got some good stuff, huh? Please forgive me if I've broken some 'blog plagerism' rule, but I have attempted to give all credit to MckMama for the above words. I think that's three time's I've linked back to her, just for the record.
While we're on the subject of MckMama (4), please take some time to pray for her son, Stellan. He's is a sick little boy right now. You can learn more by stopping by her blog (5).
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Forty by Forty
That's my goal.
I'd like to lose 40 pounds by the time I turn 40. That date is fast approaching. I have about 15 weeks left.
This is my last ditch effort to "go public" and try to keep myself accountable.
In ten days I've walked 30 miles and lost 3.5 lbs. That's not quite the progress I would like for my first week, but I feel good and seem to have more energy. I suppose if I maintain that rate each week, I'll be on target.
I'm not posting any before photos. Maybe, if I'm successful, I'll post an after photo in February. If unsuccessful, maybe I'll end up measuring 40" X 40".
"Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit." Proverbs 25:16
I'd like to lose 40 pounds by the time I turn 40. That date is fast approaching. I have about 15 weeks left.
This is my last ditch effort to "go public" and try to keep myself accountable.
In ten days I've walked 30 miles and lost 3.5 lbs. That's not quite the progress I would like for my first week, but I feel good and seem to have more energy. I suppose if I maintain that rate each week, I'll be on target.
I'm not posting any before photos. Maybe, if I'm successful, I'll post an after photo in February. If unsuccessful, maybe I'll end up measuring 40" X 40".
"Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit." Proverbs 25:16
Thankful Thursday
I don't know why it's been so long since I last blogged.
Life has been somewhat less busy as football slowly dwindled to an end. Our last game was last Friday, with a disappointing end to our varsity season with a loss to Grundy Center, our long-time rivals. It was a game we probably shouldn't have lost, but alas, it is what it is.
~~I am thankful that my laundry is caught up (nice segue from the previous one, huh?).
~~I am thankful that soccer will be over on Saturday.
~~I am thankful that we were able to get the garage cleaned on Tuesday.
~~I am thankful that I'm married to Shannon.
~~I am thankful that we finally got the cracked windshield fixed in the van. I can think of a lot of other ways I would have liked to spend $250, but it sure is nice not to have to look around the crack while driving/riding. Pray that this is the last time we'll have to fix the windshield, although I'm not holding my breath, as we live on a gravel road.
~~I'm thankful for the warmer weather we had earlier in the week.
~~I'm thankful for the opportunity to join a Book Club and the chance to get together with some awesome ladies.
~~I'm thankful for healthy little children who can climb trees.
Life has been somewhat less busy as football slowly dwindled to an end. Our last game was last Friday, with a disappointing end to our varsity season with a loss to Grundy Center, our long-time rivals. It was a game we probably shouldn't have lost, but alas, it is what it is.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.
Psalm 107:1
~~I am thankful that I no longer have football pads and uniforms strewn throughout my house/cars/garage. I'm not missing the extra laundry, either.Psalm 107:1
~~I am thankful that my laundry is caught up (nice segue from the previous one, huh?).
~~I am thankful that soccer will be over on Saturday.
~~I am thankful that we were able to get the garage cleaned on Tuesday.
~~I am thankful that I'm married to Shannon.
~~I am thankful that we finally got the cracked windshield fixed in the van. I can think of a lot of other ways I would have liked to spend $250, but it sure is nice not to have to look around the crack while driving/riding. Pray that this is the last time we'll have to fix the windshield, although I'm not holding my breath, as we live on a gravel road.
~~I'm thankful for the warmer weather we had earlier in the week.
~~I'm thankful for the opportunity to join a Book Club and the chance to get together with some awesome ladies.
~~I'm thankful for healthy little children who can climb trees.
"Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Homecoming 2009
Last weekend was Gladbrook-Reinbeck's Homecoming. The Rebels beat Nashua-Plainfield in the football game Friday night. The Homecoming Dance was scheduled for Saturday evening, and both Alex and Jackson chose to attend.
These are some pictures I took prior to them leaving to pick up their dates.
Gosh. When did they get so big? Or so handsome? I'm entitled to say these things. I'm their mom.
This is the picture of Jackson and Abbie taken at the dance. Very cute. Alex took his friend Jordin to the dance, and because they're 'just friends', he didn't spend the funds to get a professional picture taken with her.
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17
These are some pictures I took prior to them leaving to pick up their dates.
Gosh. When did they get so big? Or so handsome? I'm entitled to say these things. I'm their mom.
This is the picture of Jackson and Abbie taken at the dance. Very cute. Alex took his friend Jordin to the dance, and because they're 'just friends', he didn't spend the funds to get a professional picture taken with her.
"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17
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