I am absolutely positive that weather directly affects a person's mood. Madison woke up today in a great mood. The second we went outside to pick up her brother and head to Costco she started to complain. And Whine. And cry. She was very upset that we were living in Washington and NOT Texas. When I asked her what she missed about Texas she said she missed her friends. I think she is REALLY missing being in school right now. I wonder if there is a way to remedy that and get her some social interaction? I'm going to seriously make sure that we make time to see our friends soon.
I think maybe the rain affected everyone around us too. Everywhere we went it took WAY longer than it should. Not many were smiling in Costco but once Madison got inside she was happy again and it showed. She made a LOT of people smile and laugh and made many new friends. So much for "strangers". Everyone is her best friend! Two hours of waiting on meds at Costco with two youngsters is not fun. At least we had hotdogs to distract us for a little bit as well as allll the samples (YUM). We did get to talk about Jesus and attitudes so that was a good learning lesson.
Also had a sneak Facebook post from someone I hadn't seen in at least 10 years that knew I was at Costco. Hmmmmmmmmm guess we were seen??
I'm a little frustrated with myself. I'm trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Besides a mom =-) I really really love computer games and figured I would try to go into something with computer game development or animation (another passion I have). Unfortunately Spokane is NOT the place to be to make games. Yea, that would be in AUSTIN TEXAS WHERE WE JUST LEFT (*cough*). hmmmmm so I took a look at what classes I had already taken and whats left for a Bachelors. I can get a Bachelors in Business with emphasis in Information Systems or maybe something in Human Resources? I then talked to a friend of mine who is getting her Bachelors in Health Administration with an emphasis in IT. So I checked it out and REALLY liked the idea! I did Admin stuff for MANY MANY years before I had kids and loved it. So now I need to see some advisors. I wonder if I can get the Bachelors Majoring in Health Service Administration with a Minor in Human Resources. Anyone that knows me knows I'm great with people. But I love kids too. Maybe I could go work at the Children's Hospital? I guess I need to ask God what direction he wants me to take.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Stand For You – Jonny Diaz
So long politics it’s time to start being me
Take the chains off my lips it’s time to set my tongue free
Some might just turn their heads but some will raise a fist
And You told me to stand so I won’t back down from this…
They say there are no absolutes but are they absolutely sure
Take the chains off my lips it’s time to set my tongue free
Some might just turn their heads but some will raise a fist
And You told me to stand so I won’t back down from this…
They say there are no absolutes but are they absolutely sure
In a world that tries to water You down
Where beliefs cannot be spoken to loud
I’ll stand for truth
Where they claim Your way isn’t wide enough
And they do their best just to cover You up
I’ll stand for You
Where beliefs cannot be spoken to loud
I’ll stand for truth
Where they claim Your way isn’t wide enough
And they do their best just to cover You up
I’ll stand for You
Hello reality it’s time we embrace honesty
Teach me to speak with truth and love and with humility
You made a promise that You’re coming back to Earth
So how selfish am I if I don’t go tell the world
They say just be sincere but could they all just be sincerely wrong
Teach me to speak with truth and love and with humility
You made a promise that You’re coming back to Earth
So how selfish am I if I don’t go tell the world
They say just be sincere but could they all just be sincerely wrong
They might remove Your name from money
But You own it all the same
They kicked You out of school that’s funny
Cause how could You go away
In a land that’s built upon Your Word
It’s amazing You’ve been banned
To think that we control You is absurd
So for Truth I’m here to stand!
But You own it all the same
They kicked You out of school that’s funny
Cause how could You go away
In a land that’s built upon Your Word
It’s amazing You’ve been banned
To think that we control You is absurd
So for Truth I’m here to stand!
Why?
edited note: This started off as a short little blog and turned into something a little longer. I can't promise this won't happen often as I DO tend to talk A LOT...about ANYTHING! Feel free to join in!
__________________________________________________________________________________
Now that I decided to blog it seems the idea's of what I want to blog about overflow. Thats a good thing right?? I spent a good hour watching TV trying to come up with a blog title that adequetly describes my house. "Dirty Toilets" was already taken, so was "Burnt IS A Spice" and someone already had my signature name that everyone knows me by, Titaniummom, the MOM OF STEEL. I thought to myself that if it's sooooo hard to come up with a title how the heck am I going to come up with things to talk about. Forgetting of course that I have a full life of things to talk about.
I figured this post would probably start out about something silly my kids did but no, and here's why. I belong to a WONDERFUL group of ladies in an email type group. It started out as a playgroup that would meet for our kids. Then I think it evolved to meeting for us too. And now, I no longer live in the same town but am so very thankful to still be a part of these ladies lives. One of the awesome benefits that has come from the closeness and trust we share is that we can also share out lives, our pain, our prayer requests, our joys. Lately it seems that the pain is a little more often than the joy. Or maybe the trust has grown to share the pain more. Either way, it's a GREAT opportunity to intercede on behalf of our friends. Our prayers MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
My friend forwarded a daily devotional that I am going to post. It's not my intention to do that often but when something really strikes me, I have to follow what I believe God is telling me to do. And this is one of those times. I'm trying so hard to do the right things in my own life and I know that I fail miserably at doing it. I have so many questions for God about WHY WHY WHY things happen. I am one of those people that don't like bad surprises. I try to look at things with a silver lining, cup is half full type of look, but I know that sometimes I just want to wallow and cry out to God and ask Why in the HECK would he allow these things to happen, why let His children go through pain?? Why?
3 years ago I had a miscarriage at 20 weeks. I felt her, loved her. But from the moment I knew of her I knew that everything would be ok. It was the strangest sense I had. With the other 6 kids I never really had that sense...it just kinda was there. This time I knew I SHOULD be worried about all kinds of things like finances, how will the kids handle it, how will I handle being a mom of 7 etc...and yet...this overwhelming sense of peace that everything will be ok. And then we lost her. And it didn't seem ok! And yet now, 3 years later, everything IS ok with that. It's still painful when the day of her birth roles around. It's still painful to wonder WHY she was taken so soon. But it's peaceful knowing where she is.
I have friends who's parents have died in terrible ways, or friends who have also lost children. I have friends who are scared for siblings and other relatives, for their lives and for their hearts. I have no answers as to why God allows these things. I've been asked if God is soooo loving, why would He do this or allow this? What I do know is this. Pain and suffering from change and uncertainties of life often leave people confused, angry and grief stricken. It seems that when in a time of pain there is no end to the helplessness. Maybe the question should be instead, is pain necessary and does it have a purpose?
Here's a great quote about pain:
"If you've ever endured sleepless nights and agonizing days because of unending pain, you're acutely aware of the following reality: We weren't designed for this! "Life wasn't meant to be this way!" we cry. While in Eden, our ancestors experienced a life free of pain, insecurity, and anxiety. Suffering entered the world because of sin. Facing the fallen world requires great courage and a belief in life beyond this earthly existense. Nothing could be more senseless than purposeless pain. In the grand scheme of things, is there an ultimate purpose for suffering and pain? YES! Through the agony of our souls, we experience God and may eventually realize that this pain-filled life is short in comparison to a pain-free life of eternity with God. Pain reveals our hearts' desires and shows if our hearts are prepared for eternity. "
In Romans 8, Paul equates the groaning and suffering of creation with childbirth, not death. Our pain, like that of childbirth, exists for what comes after the pain. And because we often forget that God knows what that is, it's not easy to trust him in the midst of the pain. I'm trying to learn to trust. I hope this devotional gives anyone in pain some verses to help turn to God and find Him when all seems hopeless and without purpose.
~Heather
David Wilkerson Today
MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2010
THE WAY UP
I have known of great Christians who have experienced a trial so dark and deep
that life itself seemed almost not worth living. In his very darkest hour,
Jeremiah discovered a glorious truth that brought new hope and assurance to his
mind. It was something he already knew about God, but it didn't touch his soul
until he came to the end of himself. He discovered that at the very bottom, God
was there! The farther down he went, the more God was to be discovered. God was
not to be discovered up there in some blissful soaring into untroubled skies,
but in the shadows of grief and despair. When Jeremiah hit bottom, he bumped
into God! He fell hard against the faithfulness of a compassionate God. Listen
to his discovery:
"God is a God of compassion...his compassions for me cannot fail.... They are
new every morning...great is his faithfulness..." (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Little by little, Jeremiah came to realize great truths that can only be
discovered by those who are down.
1. When I am at the very lowest point; when troubles flow over my heart like
water, and I say, "I am cut off," God draws near and whispers, "Do not fear!"
(Lamentations 3:54-57).
2. When God seems to have "covered himself with a cloud, so that my prayers
could not pass through," he will still see my oppression and will “judge my
case” (Lamentations 3:44, 59).
3. If the Lord allows grief and sorrow, he will at the same time uphold me with
abundant compassion and love (Lamentations 3:32).
4. God is not against me, trying to crush me under his foot when I'm down like
a prisoner in trouble (Lamentations 3:34).
5. God is not trying to sabotage any of my plans; he is not causing my
confusion; he is not working against me (Lamentations 3:35-36).
6. Even in my despair and bitterness, when I hated to face a new day, his
compassion failed not. His mercies were waiting for me, new each morning
(Lamentations 3:22-23).
7. Because God is always faithful, he will not cast me off. He will do right by
me and save me (Lamentations 3:25-26).
8. When I am at my lowest, I have nowhere to turn but to God, so I will lift up
my heart and my hands, and thank him for his faithfulness! (Lamentations
3:40-41).
9. Being down has spent my strength and hope. I am left empty and humbled, so
now I depend totally on his mercies! (Lamentations 3:18, 20-22).
Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/
__________________________________________________________________________________
Now that I decided to blog it seems the idea's of what I want to blog about overflow. Thats a good thing right?? I spent a good hour watching TV trying to come up with a blog title that adequetly describes my house. "Dirty Toilets" was already taken, so was "Burnt IS A Spice" and someone already had my signature name that everyone knows me by, Titaniummom, the MOM OF STEEL. I thought to myself that if it's sooooo hard to come up with a title how the heck am I going to come up with things to talk about. Forgetting of course that I have a full life of things to talk about.
I figured this post would probably start out about something silly my kids did but no, and here's why. I belong to a WONDERFUL group of ladies in an email type group. It started out as a playgroup that would meet for our kids. Then I think it evolved to meeting for us too. And now, I no longer live in the same town but am so very thankful to still be a part of these ladies lives. One of the awesome benefits that has come from the closeness and trust we share is that we can also share out lives, our pain, our prayer requests, our joys. Lately it seems that the pain is a little more often than the joy. Or maybe the trust has grown to share the pain more. Either way, it's a GREAT opportunity to intercede on behalf of our friends. Our prayers MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
My friend forwarded a daily devotional that I am going to post. It's not my intention to do that often but when something really strikes me, I have to follow what I believe God is telling me to do. And this is one of those times. I'm trying so hard to do the right things in my own life and I know that I fail miserably at doing it. I have so many questions for God about WHY WHY WHY things happen. I am one of those people that don't like bad surprises. I try to look at things with a silver lining, cup is half full type of look, but I know that sometimes I just want to wallow and cry out to God and ask Why in the HECK would he allow these things to happen, why let His children go through pain?? Why?
3 years ago I had a miscarriage at 20 weeks. I felt her, loved her. But from the moment I knew of her I knew that everything would be ok. It was the strangest sense I had. With the other 6 kids I never really had that sense...it just kinda was there. This time I knew I SHOULD be worried about all kinds of things like finances, how will the kids handle it, how will I handle being a mom of 7 etc...and yet...this overwhelming sense of peace that everything will be ok. And then we lost her. And it didn't seem ok! And yet now, 3 years later, everything IS ok with that. It's still painful when the day of her birth roles around. It's still painful to wonder WHY she was taken so soon. But it's peaceful knowing where she is.
I have friends who's parents have died in terrible ways, or friends who have also lost children. I have friends who are scared for siblings and other relatives, for their lives and for their hearts. I have no answers as to why God allows these things. I've been asked if God is soooo loving, why would He do this or allow this? What I do know is this. Pain and suffering from change and uncertainties of life often leave people confused, angry and grief stricken. It seems that when in a time of pain there is no end to the helplessness. Maybe the question should be instead, is pain necessary and does it have a purpose?
Here's a great quote about pain:
"If you've ever endured sleepless nights and agonizing days because of unending pain, you're acutely aware of the following reality: We weren't designed for this! "Life wasn't meant to be this way!" we cry. While in Eden, our ancestors experienced a life free of pain, insecurity, and anxiety. Suffering entered the world because of sin. Facing the fallen world requires great courage and a belief in life beyond this earthly existense. Nothing could be more senseless than purposeless pain. In the grand scheme of things, is there an ultimate purpose for suffering and pain? YES! Through the agony of our souls, we experience God and may eventually realize that this pain-filled life is short in comparison to a pain-free life of eternity with God. Pain reveals our hearts' desires and shows if our hearts are prepared for eternity. "
In Romans 8, Paul equates the groaning and suffering of creation with childbirth, not death. Our pain, like that of childbirth, exists for what comes after the pain. And because we often forget that God knows what that is, it's not easy to trust him in the midst of the pain. I'm trying to learn to trust. I hope this devotional gives anyone in pain some verses to help turn to God and find Him when all seems hopeless and without purpose.
~Heather
From: DAVID WILKERSON TODAY <no-reply@lists.
Date: April 12, 2010 6:01:06 AM CDT
Subject: THE WAY UP
Reply-To: devotions@davidwilkerson.org
MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2010
THE WAY UP
I have known of great Christians who have experienced a trial so dark and deep
that life itself seemed almost not worth living. In his very darkest hour,
Jeremiah discovered a glorious truth that brought new hope and assurance to his
mind. It was something he already knew about God, but it didn't touch his soul
until he came to the end of himself. He discovered that at the very bottom, God
was there! The farther down he went, the more God was to be discovered. God was
not to be discovered up there in some blissful soaring into untroubled skies,
but in the shadows of grief and despair. When Jeremiah hit bottom, he bumped
into God! He fell hard against the faithfulness of a compassionate God. Listen
to his discovery:
"God is a God of compassion...his compassions for me cannot fail.... They are
new every morning...great is his faithfulness..." (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Little by little, Jeremiah came to realize great truths that can only be
discovered by those who are down.
1. When I am at the very lowest point; when troubles flow over my heart like
water, and I say, "I am cut off," God draws near and whispers, "Do not fear!"
(Lamentations 3:54-57).
2. When God seems to have "covered himself with a cloud, so that my prayers
could not pass through," he will still see my oppression and will “judge my
case” (Lamentations 3:44, 59).
3. If the Lord allows grief and sorrow, he will at the same time uphold me with
abundant compassion and love (Lamentations 3:32).
4. God is not against me, trying to crush me under his foot when I'm down like
a prisoner in trouble (Lamentations 3:34).
5. God is not trying to sabotage any of my plans; he is not causing my
confusion; he is not working against me (Lamentations 3:35-36).
6. Even in my despair and bitterness, when I hated to face a new day, his
compassion failed not. His mercies were waiting for me, new each morning
(Lamentations 3:22-23).
7. Because God is always faithful, he will not cast me off. He will do right by
me and save me (Lamentations 3:25-26).
8. When I am at my lowest, I have nowhere to turn but to God, so I will lift up
my heart and my hands, and thank him for his faithfulness! (Lamentations
3:40-41).
9. Being down has spent my strength and hope. I am left empty and humbled, so
now I depend totally on his mercies! (Lamentations 3:18, 20-22).
Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/
Is there anything else to do besides clean my dirty toilet AGAIN?!?!
This post was my favorite so it definatly deserves a little rewrite and repost here:
Lately, I have really been wondering what God has wanted me to do with this stage in my life. The old "but I'm just a mom, what can *I* do". At a Women's Meeting of my church in Texas we were going around talking about prayer requests and so on. One of mine was for a best friend. But then someone in the group said "now now, keep your mind open, it might be a group of friends" and I laughed and said I would. Then we were joking around while still taking prayer requests. I said something about how I love to talk, to get up and say something. I jokingly said I wanted to be a famous national speaker but I didn't know WHAT I would be speaking about!! As each took her turn with their prayer requests this really sat on my heart. I wanted to say something, but WHAT? How? And it kept coming back to me that God would show me what and how…I just had to ask him. But I have been a little afraid to ask. In my minds eye, people that stand up to talk are funny, have stories that make people laugh, cry or really think about things. What did I have? I knew I wanted to serve but how. So that has been on my mind and heart a LOT lately.
Lately, I have really been wondering what God has wanted me to do with this stage in my life. The old "but I'm just a mom, what can *I* do". At a Women's Meeting of my church in Texas we were going around talking about prayer requests and so on. One of mine was for a best friend. But then someone in the group said "now now, keep your mind open, it might be a group of friends" and I laughed and said I would. Then we were joking around while still taking prayer requests. I said something about how I love to talk, to get up and say something. I jokingly said I wanted to be a famous national speaker but I didn't know WHAT I would be speaking about!! As each took her turn with their prayer requests this really sat on my heart. I wanted to say something, but WHAT? How? And it kept coming back to me that God would show me what and how…I just had to ask him. But I have been a little afraid to ask. In my minds eye, people that stand up to talk are funny, have stories that make people laugh, cry or really think about things. What did I have? I knew I wanted to serve but how. So that has been on my mind and heart a LOT lately.
Tonight I was scrolling through some email and came across a devotional I didn't read yesterday. I'm going to post it here in just a sec. I read it and it all came clear in one of those ways that God just hands you everything perfectly. I wanted to share this because I know as mom's we all struggle with the daily doldrums of "is there anything else to do besides clean my dirty toilet AGAIN" (wait, that sounds like a book title!!!). I look at my life and I see boring. But I'm not looking at my life as Jesus see's it. He has given me such wonderful things to talk about! Healing, Money, Kids. We ALL have a testimony…even if it's about dirty toilets. I actually have a friend that takes pride in how clean her toilet it is. But you know….I can't count how many times Jesus has come to me while ON the toilet…hahahahahaha. Or for each of our kids. How many times have our children been sick…right in those toilets…and we reach out a hand to them and ask Jesus to heal their tummies. Everything in our lives can be used! Who knows, maybe someday I will be a famous speaker. Of course, I may only be famous to my friends or family…but that's ok! I just wanted to encourage everyone that even the least of what we do is GREAT in God's Kingdom. You never know who's life you might touch…even your own.
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So I HAD A Blog This Day
I totally laughed rereading this blog I'm about to post. This blog is about 2 years old and STILL applies to my life today. Nothing has changed...So goes the life of THIS mom.
I'm sitting here writing a blog, detailing the things going on, random thoughts about WHY school hasn't started yet and do the powers that be that determine the start day of school realize that they actually want children to attend, not just dead bodies from mothers who are going crazy over 3 MONTHS of summer. Haha, ok, so 3 months is a LONG time. Don't they get that?? So anyways, i'm blogging away and "ring ring goes my phone" Hi Mrs. Collins this is so and so's mom and my daughter is having a sleepover and can your daughter come and can we get her in 15 minutes? ummm OK! Get up, rush rush rush (kiera kiera she called, get in the shower, find your brush, I put your jammies here, dont wear that shirt tomorrow, where are your shorts I told you to get, did you find your flip flops, oh sorry I poked your eye out with said brush, and yea, did you put panties on??) and ding dong she is here. Then sit and talk to the mom about the girls for 10 minutes, cats for 5 (we have REALLY COOL cats if anyone wants one) and then the rain for another 2 as I'm walking h her to her car under the umbrella. Get back inside and low and behold (really NOT a surprise) my 3 yr old is "PLAYING GAMES MOM!" arrghh, where did my blog go? Yes, it was taken over by giant trucks smashing smaller trucks amongst the screams of delight by my 3 yr old. So ok, I'll blog later tonight or tomorrow IF I get the chance!
I'm sitting here writing a blog, detailing the things going on, random thoughts about WHY school hasn't started yet and do the powers that be that determine the start day of school realize that they actually want children to attend, not just dead bodies from mothers who are going crazy over 3 MONTHS of summer. Haha, ok, so 3 months is a LONG time. Don't they get that?? So anyways, i'm blogging away and "ring ring goes my phone" Hi Mrs. Collins this is so and so's mom and my daughter is having a sleepover and can your daughter come and can we get her in 15 minutes? ummm OK! Get up, rush rush rush (kiera kiera she called, get in the shower, find your brush, I put your jammies here, dont wear that shirt tomorrow, where are your shorts I told you to get, did you find your flip flops, oh sorry I poked your eye out with said brush, and yea, did you put panties on??) and ding dong she is here. Then sit and talk to the mom about the girls for 10 minutes, cats for 5 (we have REALLY COOL cats if anyone wants one) and then the rain for another 2 as I'm walking h her to her car under the umbrella. Get back inside and low and behold (really NOT a surprise) my 3 yr old is "PLAYING GAMES MOM!" arrghh, where did my blog go? Yes, it was taken over by giant trucks smashing smaller trucks amongst the screams of delight by my 3 yr old. So ok, I'll blog later tonight or tomorrow IF I get the chance!
Silly Laughs From The Kitchen
Okay, so I have been thinking of starting a blog for a long time. Figured family and friends could read about the silly things the kids do and say. Which is a lot! I really should have started this many many years ago. If I had, I think I would probably have about 3 books full of crazy and fantastic things about silly kids. So, I guess it's just better to finally start than not start at all. These first few blog posts are going to be old ones I started that need a home...and still apply today. Btw, this is NOT a blog about cooking! For those that know me, Burnt is my special spice! hehehe
I have to say that staying at home with the kids is NOT easy. Having 6 is NOT easy. However, I firmly believe that God does not give more than we can handle...so obviously God has faith in me that I can handle 6 kids. In turn I put my faith in Him that he will give me the strength to get through each and every day with all the challenges it brings.
It's amazing the things that kids teach us. A few years back Mason taught me something. He was 7 and it had been a long time since I had tickled him. So I reached over and found those oh sweet spots of tickle joy! Of course he has to yell the customary NOOOOOOOOO MOM STOOOOOP but when they throw themselves at you, you know they want more. I guess them growing up is two fold. I don't want to see them grow up but in some ways I do treat them as if they are because I don't play silly things with them so much anymore. Guess I need to do that a lot more.
Madison teaches me lessons daily! All day long I hear "help, mommy, help me" because Maddy has gotten herself "stuck" somewhere. Her latest adventures include climbing the cat tree to almost the top and then yelling help at the top of her lungs because she can't get down. And not 5 minutes later she was doing it again. Why oh why must they do things 50 times before they learn it's not a good idea. huh. As I write that I think about my life and think gee, why must I do things 50 times before I learn them. Guess we all still have the baby in us. I wonder if God ever gets frustrated at us like we do our children who keep getting themselves "stuck". Brian, I hear a sermon here!!!!
Well, as I'm writing this I'm hearing awful things from the kitchen with silly laughs. Guess I better go see where Madison is stuck now.
I have to say that staying at home with the kids is NOT easy. Having 6 is NOT easy. However, I firmly believe that God does not give more than we can handle...so obviously God has faith in me that I can handle 6 kids. In turn I put my faith in Him that he will give me the strength to get through each and every day with all the challenges it brings.
It's amazing the things that kids teach us. A few years back Mason taught me something. He was 7 and it had been a long time since I had tickled him. So I reached over and found those oh sweet spots of tickle joy! Of course he has to yell the customary NOOOOOOOOO MOM STOOOOOP but when they throw themselves at you, you know they want more. I guess them growing up is two fold. I don't want to see them grow up but in some ways I do treat them as if they are because I don't play silly things with them so much anymore. Guess I need to do that a lot more.
Madison teaches me lessons daily! All day long I hear "help, mommy, help me" because Maddy has gotten herself "stuck" somewhere. Her latest adventures include climbing the cat tree to almost the top and then yelling help at the top of her lungs because she can't get down. And not 5 minutes later she was doing it again. Why oh why must they do things 50 times before they learn it's not a good idea. huh. As I write that I think about my life and think gee, why must I do things 50 times before I learn them. Guess we all still have the baby in us. I wonder if God ever gets frustrated at us like we do our children who keep getting themselves "stuck". Brian, I hear a sermon here!!!!
Well, as I'm writing this I'm hearing awful things from the kitchen with silly laughs. Guess I better go see where Madison is stuck now.
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