Not a holiday that I enjoy celebrating. Not because I don't love and want to be loved. Mostly because my birthday is a week before and our anniversary is the week after. That's too many gifts to give and/or receive. Not to mention my mom's birthday is a day before mine and our daughter's birthday is two days after. That's a lot of "gifting" going on. So, needless to say, Valentine's Day is just overlooked in our house.
Actually, I enjoy giving so much that it is hard to not give in some way or another. So last night I spent the evening baking chocolate chip cookies for our 9 year old to take to school for his all-boy Valentines Party. Then I baked some cinnamon muffins for my family for breakfast this morning. After they cooled, I placed them neatly on a cute little make-shift 2-tiered platter on the bar and then put a little wooden cutout that I found at Michaels that says "Love Muffin". I got up this morning and only two muffins were gone. I KNOW it was my husband who ate them both, because I had to keep him out of them last night. I don't think my kids appreciated my "love" gesture. I also made their lunches last night. I neatly used a knife and cut out a heart shape in one of their slices of bread....made their sandwiches and put them neatly in the fridge with their initials on the baggies. Again, I got up this morning with two of the three sandwiches STILL in the fridge. UGH! So much for my efforts that got ignored and shunned. Maybe this is why I don't like Valentines Day. It's just disappointing.
On the flip side, yesterday's sermon was about being thankful. It got me thinking that I have just been pretty grumpy lately. Not necessarily being grumpy to others, just feeling grumpy and ungrateful. As I sit here alone in my house, the sound of the washing machine in the background, I am overwhelmed with all that I need to be thankful for. SO MUCH! So, for today, here is my top ten:
1. My amazing husband that I have loved since I was 14 years old! He's my best friend, the love of my life, my hero, my supporter, my partner, etc. We will be married 17 years on the 25th. I love you, Jason
2. My wonderful kids. Even though it's the toughest job I'll ever have and most of the time it's really, really hard, it's all worth it! I love you Cody, Peyton and Sam!
3. Shelter. A beautiful house to live in, with the most important people in my life. It's not just a house, it's become our home!
4. Friends. Wow, what would I do without my friends? I have so many wonderful friends who I can laugh with, cry with, share my feelings with. I love my friends!
5. My mom. She has been there for me in so many ways. To encourage, love and support. She is a strong women whom I wish I could spend more time with and give her the hugs she deserves! I love you, mom! (if it wasn't for her encouraging me, I may not have been married to my hubby today. She's the one that encouraged me to tell him how I felt)
6. My church. I can't even put into words what our church family means to us. Our amazing family of God.
7. Living in Colorado. Ever since I was a really little girl I have wanted to live in Colorado. We would come out to Denver and Loveland to visit my uncles and family and I always knew I wanted to live in this beautiful state. THANK YOU GOD, for allowing this to happen!
8. For my wonderful craft room that my hubby just helped me redesign and organize. I love crafts. Scrapbooking, jewelry making, holiday decorations, etc. I love it all. And now I have a little piece of heaven right on the other side of the wall where my hubby and family gather to watch television.
9. For my health. Most of you know that I have recently lost 42 pounds since the end of August. I feel great. I now love to take care of this body that God designed just for me!
10. Last, but most important. I am thankful beyond any comprehension for the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father. October 2005 I gave my life to Christ. My life has new meaning since then. I don't know how people can go through life without Him in their lives. I mean IN their lives. Not just in their minds and saying, "Yeah, I believe in God". I mean really IN every little part of everything they do each and every day, hour and second. He has given me unconditional love (remember what Jesus did for us? Read John 3:16 & 1 John 3:16 Now THAT'S LOVE), power and strength that only comes from Him, comfort, encouragement, hope, joy, happiness.....I could go on forever. I cannot imagine my life without being able to kneel at His feet daily and just talk to Him. My favorite way to think about praying is thinking about a little kid crawling up on his/her daddy's lap and having an intimate conversation about anything! THAT IS MY GOD! MY HEAVENLY FATHER! AND HE LOVES ME! I can crawl up into His lap at any moment, and He is there to listen, help, encourage, love. How can we not be thankful for that?
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8
But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
~Happy Valentine's Day~
Monday, February 14, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Another week...gone!
Well, I made it through another week. It is now Friday. It's been an okay week. The temperature is rising, which makes everything sloppy, but on the plus side, I hate wearing a coat and was able to leave the house without a big bulky coat on. Yeah for temporary warmness.
Monday was my birthday. I have mixed feeling about my own birthday. It's exciting, but very disappointing. It's just not the same as when I was a kid. You know when you are really excited about an upcoming event and then it doesn't happen and then you have to go thru a let-down. I am not sure what I was expecting. Actually I wasn't expecting anything. I did get a few nice surprises from some of my good friends, got to go out to lunch with some other friends and my hubby took me to a burger joint. So, now I'm another year older.
Wednesday was my 15 year old daughter's birthday. Wow, I don't really feel old enough to have a child that old....but actually I have a 17 year old too, so that's even worse.
We've had to cancel both our women's bible study and our small group for two weeks in a row now because of cold temps and cold. I just found out today that I'm going to have to miss next Tuesday's women's bible study too. Confession time. I have not opened my bible for two weeks. And I can tell it. I have been kind of grumpy and just blah and that is how it always goes when I don't spend time with God, and reading the bible. So, now to get back on track!
I am currently doing 3 studies and just added another one on top of that. When in the world will I ever find the time to get them all done! But they are all ones that I really want to finish...so off I go to get some reading done.
Have a great weekend.
Monday was my birthday. I have mixed feeling about my own birthday. It's exciting, but very disappointing. It's just not the same as when I was a kid. You know when you are really excited about an upcoming event and then it doesn't happen and then you have to go thru a let-down. I am not sure what I was expecting. Actually I wasn't expecting anything. I did get a few nice surprises from some of my good friends, got to go out to lunch with some other friends and my hubby took me to a burger joint. So, now I'm another year older.
Wednesday was my 15 year old daughter's birthday. Wow, I don't really feel old enough to have a child that old....but actually I have a 17 year old too, so that's even worse.
We've had to cancel both our women's bible study and our small group for two weeks in a row now because of cold temps and cold. I just found out today that I'm going to have to miss next Tuesday's women's bible study too. Confession time. I have not opened my bible for two weeks. And I can tell it. I have been kind of grumpy and just blah and that is how it always goes when I don't spend time with God, and reading the bible. So, now to get back on track!
I am currently doing 3 studies and just added another one on top of that. When in the world will I ever find the time to get them all done! But they are all ones that I really want to finish...so off I go to get some reading done.
Have a great weekend.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Good day
Well, today was a good day.
Took my oh-so-close-to-15 year old daughter to open a checking account, and then took her to the outlet mall to do a little birthday shopping. Hubby and small fry (our youngest son) came along also. By this time the snow was starting to really, really come down. Came home and had a really late lunch and then headed out to church.
On Thursday around noon, the fire sprinkler pipes froze and burst. Water was all over. Down walls, in the ceiling, on the majority of the carpet, etc. So the deacons, and a few other men and women, met out there to set things up for tomorrow's service. By this time the roads were really, really bad. But we got it all set and made it home. The evening was spent with Jason and Small Fry playing with Legos on the floor, me on the computer, our daughter in her room and Large Fry was working. We met him at work to make sure he made it home fine and he did a great job driving on the slick roads. I think I'm getting used to having a son who drives, which is a huge improvement from when he first got his permit.
God is good all the time! All the time God is good! I have really been focusing on this the past few days. Especially with all that has been going on with our kids, some other things in our life, and with the situation out at church. In all things God works for the good of those who love Him. Romans 8:26
Feeling very blessed to have friends who have encouraged us and given us some great advice in the past few days.
Tomorrow, is my wonderful mom's birthday. And Super Bowl Sunday. Go Packers!
Took my oh-so-close-to-15 year old daughter to open a checking account, and then took her to the outlet mall to do a little birthday shopping. Hubby and small fry (our youngest son) came along also. By this time the snow was starting to really, really come down. Came home and had a really late lunch and then headed out to church.
On Thursday around noon, the fire sprinkler pipes froze and burst. Water was all over. Down walls, in the ceiling, on the majority of the carpet, etc. So the deacons, and a few other men and women, met out there to set things up for tomorrow's service. By this time the roads were really, really bad. But we got it all set and made it home. The evening was spent with Jason and Small Fry playing with Legos on the floor, me on the computer, our daughter in her room and Large Fry was working. We met him at work to make sure he made it home fine and he did a great job driving on the slick roads. I think I'm getting used to having a son who drives, which is a huge improvement from when he first got his permit.
God is good all the time! All the time God is good! I have really been focusing on this the past few days. Especially with all that has been going on with our kids, some other things in our life, and with the situation out at church. In all things God works for the good of those who love Him. Romans 8:26
Feeling very blessed to have friends who have encouraged us and given us some great advice in the past few days.
Tomorrow, is my wonderful mom's birthday. And Super Bowl Sunday. Go Packers!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
One step forward, two steps back!
Well, I thought things were going to be okay for a while. But I am reminded tonight that we have TWO teenagers in the house. Which means we REALLY don't know anything and we are the WORST parents in the world who NEVER let our kids do ANYTHING!
Tonight, our 17 year old son came upstairs and asked if he could go to a concert next week. We asked what we THOUGHT were typical parent questions:
1. Where is it?
2. When is it?
3. Who are you going with?
4. Who is playing in this concert?
Are we wrong for asking these questions?
So we get partial answers. It's in Colorado Springs on a Tuesday night at 7:30 at a bar. Of course we'll let our 17 year old son go! We'd be the worst parents in the world if we said no, since ALL of his friends can go. ha ha, NOT! We then got on the Internet to look up this "venue". As Jason looked into things, in the comments was one comment that went something like this:
Great place to get crack and find some hookers in the parking lot. Well, duh, of course we'll let him go! NOT! So of course he got extremely angry and asked why. So we proceeded to tell him it is a parents job to ask these questions and protect our children. We then asked if he was in our position if he would let his kids go. OF COURSE HE WOULD! UGH! I need a super duper LONG mom cry, and then a vacation, far, far away! I want to give up!
Tonight, our 17 year old son came upstairs and asked if he could go to a concert next week. We asked what we THOUGHT were typical parent questions:
1. Where is it?
2. When is it?
3. Who are you going with?
4. Who is playing in this concert?
Are we wrong for asking these questions?
So we get partial answers. It's in Colorado Springs on a Tuesday night at 7:30 at a bar. Of course we'll let our 17 year old son go! We'd be the worst parents in the world if we said no, since ALL of his friends can go. ha ha, NOT! We then got on the Internet to look up this "venue". As Jason looked into things, in the comments was one comment that went something like this:
Great place to get crack and find some hookers in the parking lot. Well, duh, of course we'll let him go! NOT! So of course he got extremely angry and asked why. So we proceeded to tell him it is a parents job to ask these questions and protect our children. We then asked if he was in our position if he would let his kids go. OF COURSE HE WOULD! UGH! I need a super duper LONG mom cry, and then a vacation, far, far away! I want to give up!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
A Better Day
Well, yesterday and today were better days than Sunday. Today we had a "snow" day because of the extremely cold temps.... 21 below zero as I'm typing this. Jason worked from home today too so we were all home and enjoyed snuggling by the fire, watching tv, playing on our computers and just relaxing. No school again tomorrow.
Jason and I just finished our 55 minute work-out. Whew am I loving this! Feels so good to get moving. We have been doing this work-out for over a week straight, minus 1 day when I was gone scrapbooking. 5 weeks to go!
Tonight I got all my card making supplies out and started making cards. 12 down....I love it when I get a creative streak and just whip out a bunch of cards in no time. It's really relaxing to sit in my craft room, watching Biggest Loser, and crafting away while my 9 year old sits at the desk playing on the computer. What a nice evening!
What will tomorrow bring? Two straight days stuck in the house all together. I'm hoping for another great day with my kiddos!
Hope everyone is staying warm and safe!
Jason and I just finished our 55 minute work-out. Whew am I loving this! Feels so good to get moving. We have been doing this work-out for over a week straight, minus 1 day when I was gone scrapbooking. 5 weeks to go!
Tonight I got all my card making supplies out and started making cards. 12 down....I love it when I get a creative streak and just whip out a bunch of cards in no time. It's really relaxing to sit in my craft room, watching Biggest Loser, and crafting away while my 9 year old sits at the desk playing on the computer. What a nice evening!
What will tomorrow bring? Two straight days stuck in the house all together. I'm hoping for another great day with my kiddos!
Hope everyone is staying warm and safe!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Failure
Have you ever had those days, or weeks (or even months) when you just feel like you have failed or are failing at everything you do? I sure hope I'm not the only one!
Today was a really, really bad day in the parenting category. I won't go into much detail, but today I am feeling like I have failed at being a parent. Teenagers can be so mean and difficult some times. Just when you think you are doing something to be a good parent, they throw it back in your face and make you feel like the worst parent in the world. They say mean things, do mean things and then turn around in the next breath and say, "what's for dinner?" REALLY?! You really expect me to cook you dinner after how you just acted? Go make your own money so you can buy your own food so you can fix your own dinner! BUT, as a parent we can't say or do that. Where is their respect? Where is their gratitude? What am I doing wrong????
This was all thrown on top of the heap of other stresses in our life. Why does it feel like I'm in a sinking hole with no way out?
On a positive note, I got to spend the weekend with some of my favorite friends scrapbooking. Great conversations, good laughs and 22 pages finished. Thank you, God for blessing me with these amazing friends!
Today was a really, really bad day in the parenting category. I won't go into much detail, but today I am feeling like I have failed at being a parent. Teenagers can be so mean and difficult some times. Just when you think you are doing something to be a good parent, they throw it back in your face and make you feel like the worst parent in the world. They say mean things, do mean things and then turn around in the next breath and say, "what's for dinner?" REALLY?! You really expect me to cook you dinner after how you just acted? Go make your own money so you can buy your own food so you can fix your own dinner! BUT, as a parent we can't say or do that. Where is their respect? Where is their gratitude? What am I doing wrong????
This was all thrown on top of the heap of other stresses in our life. Why does it feel like I'm in a sinking hole with no way out?
On a positive note, I got to spend the weekend with some of my favorite friends scrapbooking. Great conversations, good laughs and 22 pages finished. Thank you, God for blessing me with these amazing friends!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Forgiveness
Having a hard time forgiving myself this morning...or just letting it go. Last night we finished dinner early and had about an hour and a half before Jason and I had to be at small group. So we got this crazy idea to go to Chilis to have dessert. UGH! Really? I haven't had much sugar or starches for over a month so this idea appealed to me, but in the back of my mind I kept calculating how much cardio I needed to burn this off. I justified doing this by thinking this was a little get-away date with the hubby...we like to do things spur of the moment and we haven't had the funds to do much of this lately. So off we went to Chili's, told the hostess we only needed a dessert menu and were lead to our table.
We ordered.
It came.
A large, heaping helping of chocolate lava cake with a beautiful mound of vanilla ice cream covered with hard chocolate on top. I stuck in my spoon and out poured that lovely chocolate lava. Yep....I filled the spoon, and before I knew it, that spoon was in my mouth, along with all that amazing chocolate and ice cream. YUM! Before I took another bite, I mentally drew a line in that cake to mark my portion of what I was going to allow myself to eat. I savored every bite of my portion and enjoyed my hubby's company on our little get-away date.
First thing I did after getting the kids off to school this morning was check out all the work-outs on our on-demand. (I have lots of work-out videos that I rotate doing on a daily basis, but wanted to try something different) I decided to try Jillian Michaels' SHRED. 30 minutes of a great work-out and 300 calories burned. Then I headed to the computer to record this in my daily SparkPeople exercise journal. THEN...I made the mistake of going to the Chilis website to look up the "nutritional" info on the lava cake! Holey Buckets!!!! Only 1020 calories!!! Good thing I only ate about a third, which is still horrible.
So, I fell off the wagon and am feeling a little bruised, but all I can do is focus on what I put in my mouth today, get another work-out in this evening and crawl back up into that weight loss wagon I will travel thru the rest of my life on.
Forgiveness. God so graciously gave me this gift...and forgives me. I know some people who have sinned, and can't seem to get past it and accept God's forgiveness. I feel this is offending God. Kind of like if you give a friend a gift and they hand it back to you and say, "no, I don't deserve this, I'm too horrible of a person to accept it", but only multiply this times thousands. I'm not saying it's okay to sin knowing that you can later ask for forgiveness, but we are all human, and all sin. Jesus died on the cross for us so that we are washed clean of this sin. Don't ignore it, confess it....and God will forgive.
Going back to the chocolate lava cake. I don't believe this was a sin against God. But I did a little research on the word sin. One of the definitions I came across: the state of having commited a violation. Eating this cake was a violation against me and my commitment to getting healthier. But I also know it's not healthy to dwell on this. I also know it was a time of spending some quality time with my hubby, which makes our relationship healthier. So, I forgive myself for eating this yummy dessert, and am glad I got to spend this time with my wonderful hubby.
Forgiveness is a healthy thing.
If you are holding on to something today, confess, and give it to God. He is a Forgiving God!
We ordered.
It came.
A large, heaping helping of chocolate lava cake with a beautiful mound of vanilla ice cream covered with hard chocolate on top. I stuck in my spoon and out poured that lovely chocolate lava. Yep....I filled the spoon, and before I knew it, that spoon was in my mouth, along with all that amazing chocolate and ice cream. YUM! Before I took another bite, I mentally drew a line in that cake to mark my portion of what I was going to allow myself to eat. I savored every bite of my portion and enjoyed my hubby's company on our little get-away date.
First thing I did after getting the kids off to school this morning was check out all the work-outs on our on-demand. (I have lots of work-out videos that I rotate doing on a daily basis, but wanted to try something different) I decided to try Jillian Michaels' SHRED. 30 minutes of a great work-out and 300 calories burned. Then I headed to the computer to record this in my daily SparkPeople exercise journal. THEN...I made the mistake of going to the Chilis website to look up the "nutritional" info on the lava cake! Holey Buckets!!!! Only 1020 calories!!! Good thing I only ate about a third, which is still horrible.
So, I fell off the wagon and am feeling a little bruised, but all I can do is focus on what I put in my mouth today, get another work-out in this evening and crawl back up into that weight loss wagon I will travel thru the rest of my life on.
Forgiveness. God so graciously gave me this gift...and forgives me. I know some people who have sinned, and can't seem to get past it and accept God's forgiveness. I feel this is offending God. Kind of like if you give a friend a gift and they hand it back to you and say, "no, I don't deserve this, I'm too horrible of a person to accept it", but only multiply this times thousands. I'm not saying it's okay to sin knowing that you can later ask for forgiveness, but we are all human, and all sin. Jesus died on the cross for us so that we are washed clean of this sin. Don't ignore it, confess it....and God will forgive.
Going back to the chocolate lava cake. I don't believe this was a sin against God. But I did a little research on the word sin. One of the definitions I came across: the state of having commited a violation. Eating this cake was a violation against me and my commitment to getting healthier. But I also know it's not healthy to dwell on this. I also know it was a time of spending some quality time with my hubby, which makes our relationship healthier. So, I forgive myself for eating this yummy dessert, and am glad I got to spend this time with my wonderful hubby.
Forgiveness is a healthy thing.
If you are holding on to something today, confess, and give it to God. He is a Forgiving God!
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