Go. Be. Do.

"Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; give me life in Your ways." Psalm 119:37 I read this verse early this morning and thought it was very fitting for today...every day, really. That is my prayer. I fail. I succeed. I try to stay focused on the important things. As I thought about this month of blogging through each day and finding the gifts in each and every one of them, I realized that this very thing has been a gift. You see, this month has held some very difficult days for me. Had it not been for the nudge from the Holy Spirit to keep up and follow through with what God placed on my heart to do on this blog, I would have allowed many days to go by without seeing and appreciating their gifts. Each day is a blessing in one way or another. I truly believe this. The rough days still had a blessing in them. I just had to intentionally seek them out. I had to be looking for the good and letting the distractions fall to the wayside. I had to turn fro...

Thursday, May 30th Truth be told, I am very thankful that Friday comes in the morning. Yes, it is my birthday, but more so because we have survived week one in 900 sq. ft. with a wee bit of sanity remaining. Living in a constant state of tight corners takes its toll on a person. I personally am thankful for God granting us grace through these days. They linger ahead for a time and we are all longing for a bit of home sweet home again. In the afternoon hours today, we went to our new library. It is really our old library, but the boys were only 2 and 3 when we relocated across town and to a new library. There were a few moments of wavering faith in this new adventure. The boys loved the Central Library. Thankfully, it did not take long to find their favorite authors and discover even more books at this library than at Central. Nothing like a good book to make a day better! We were also thankful for the puzzle section in the library. The hours flew by once we sat down and...

Wednesday, May 29th How does time go so slowly and quickly at the same time?!? Twenty-nine days into this birthday season with only two to go...bittersweet! Today's gifts... Grass (one day no grass, the next...presto!! We have a yard!) Love it already...but I haven't had to do anything to it yet. :) Crickets and frogs (they are happily chirping and croaking themselves into my heart.) Fishing with my sister and niece (very thankful the bass were hungry today!) Playing Uno with the family...so much fun! Last, but not least, I was able to check off something on my to-do list of things before I leave. Success is due to my wonderful sister taking the kids to eat ice cream and a few other things that an aunt does for her nephews that her sister won't...like go to the candy store in town...while I shop for window coverings. It amazes me how some things one dreads end up being not so bad afterall.

Tuesday, May 28 Could you tell by all my mistakes that I was tired when typing my last post? I really cannot wait to be on my laptop again. My thumbs are threatening an early retirement.  I also just realized it's now Thursday, so I am officially two days behind on blogging through my birthday season...will have to keep this short. I will say, though, I had just looked at the posts to make sure of which day I left off on and am amazed at the number of people reading along. Not much happening since school is out? :) It blesses me, so I thank you. As for Tuesdays gifts...more warm weather, family time at my in-laws, swimming, and many laughs . My boys have said some pretty funny things these past couple of days! Wish I could remember them all...but I can't, so you will have to take my word on it. Spent time chatting with my sister last night. I love her and her laugh! Makes me wish we lived closer still...but at least there are moments like these.

Monday, May 27th Happy Memorial Day! A day where those who have lived, served, and died for our country are remembered and honored. This morning we finished up our school year. Happy summer vacation!!! This in itself is a gift , but I am even more blessed by the gift of homeschooling the boys. It works for us and we all enjoy our time together. The boys made all A's the entire school year and retain the info so well. They make me so proud to be their mom. In other news today, family came in for a visit, the paint is almost all up on the walls of the house, and it is warm outside!

Typing up posts on my phone is a challenge, so please forgive any typos that I miss correcting. Editing on my phone is even more difficult than typing. :) Also, the new paragraphs never show as new paragraphs...everything runs together. [I have now edited most posts to show the breaks.] Just a little fyi for those who are like me and proofread things before going for content. Now you know a little quirk of mine. Today, it was good to worship and be with fellow believers. After church it was so wonderful to have some time to relax...and eat homecooked food! Today's gifts include finding a whole bunch of worms, having time to go fishing with found worms, catching a few fish, and hooking the largest snapping turtle I have ever seen. Thankfully, he straightened out the hook enough to get off on his own. It was cool to see such a creature! His head was larger than my fist. Well, let me just add another gift...as I was typing the above stuff, Alex came in banged up from a mo...

Saturday, May 25th The final few items were retrieved from the house this morning...happy dance! We had all the final things unloaded by noon and were off to enjoy the afternoon swimming with Nana (my m-i-l). She surprised me with an early birthday celebration! I felt so loved! Can I say that being outside never felt better or more relaxing than after a week of packing and moving? Today, the gift was family time fun in the sun. I am blessed. God is good!

Friday, May 24th A few thoughts on moving: One never has enough boxes. Packing takes twice as long as one thinks it will. Just when you think you have an area all cleared out, something mysteriously appears. Eating becomes an option as time allows and if food can be found. Toward the end anything goes in a random box or laundry basket or garbage bag to be sorted out later. You will look through at least two boxes trying to find something you need. It is possible to get tired of eating out. Dust bunnies come to life when you try to sweep them onto the dustpan. You faintly remember promising yourself that you would hire a moving company "next time." Things of interest are found and distract you from packing. As the hours turn into days, one questions his or her status in the hoarding community. One marvels at the simplicity of one's grandparents living in one house their entire married life. No matter how big the sale/donate pile gets, there is always more st...

Thursday, May 23 Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced, you His servants, the descendants of Abraham, His chosen ones, the children of Jacob. He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. Psalm 105:1-7 Today, I am celebrating wonderful memories that we have had in our home these past 6+ years.  As I sit here in the living room where I have for so many years now, though usually on the couch instead of the floor, a smile cannot help but come. God was so good to have brought us here when the boys were about to turn 3 and 4.  Alex celebrated his 4th birthday the day we moved in.  Tim enjoyed a Nemo birth...

"Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes." Zig Ziglar Wednesday, May 22 Baseball, great American pastime.   Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet. Take me out to the ball game... So many iconic sayings and songs about the game of baseball make it seem like the greatest thing ever. Tonight, it was for the Rays. Put one in the win column! It was a great gift to end out the season for Alex...and for his wears-her-heart-on-her-sleeve mom. Every mom should like to see her son play well, enjoy what he's doing, and succeed individually and as a team.  Success doesn't mean they win every game, but that they learn something as they play and perform better than when they began. Long, difficult seasons do not always bring out the best in people.  On the ball field or off. May God give us all an extra measure of grace and compassion through the difficult seasons in our lives.  We all have them.  We all have a chance to...

Tonight I am tired.  Been on the go, with more "going" to do tomorrow. And the next. And the next. Today I celebrate getting more boxes packed. Tomorrow I will celebrate the same thing. This is my life right now.  Sleep. School. Pack. Pack more. Eat when you can find something to enjoy and something to maybe cook it with.  Not eating very consistently right now.  It's kind of the thing that goes to the way side when you're packing up your entire kitchen for storage.  It has to get packed and there is no "good" time to do it. Funny thing:  I have to pack my suitcase for Alaska before we move out.  Alaska is 15 days away, but I pack, as if leaving, tomorrow.  Sure am glad that it has finally warmed up enough to stop having to wear my AK wardrobe here! Is it Monday yet?  I could use a good holiday about now.

Sunday, May 19th Usually, one celebrates the little things in life that bring joy and make life a little easier.  Today is the day to celebrate the big things that make all the difference in the world to me! My relationship with Jesus Christ, my Redeemer and Savior! My church family and especially our pastor who preaches the Truth, speaks the Word that cuts to the heart, and is not ashamed to call sin, sin. My husband, who knows my every strength and weakness, and loves me anyway.  He works incredibly hard to provide for us each and every day! My boys...oh, am I ever thankful for my boys!    My family and friends across the miles.  They are wonderful and I love getting a chance to visit with them whenever possible! I could not find the words to type last evening as there were so many things going through my heart and mind.  It's a crazy time in life right now.  A big week ahead for us with many activities and finishing up packing for move...

"I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he-she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights."  Maya Angelou Today has been a productive day.  Packing up more of the house was so much easier knowing it was raining outside.  We were even fortunate to move some of our boxes inbetween rain showers.  We couldn't move them into the new house, yet, so we relocated them to the school room until we get our certificate of occupancy.  It could be awhile. That being said, we are in the final week of living in our current home.  By this time next Saturday a new family will be settling in and making memories here.  We moved here in the fall of 2006, when the boys were 2 & 3 years old.  I remember how excited we were to move here...all the room, the woods, the large yard.  A mama's dream come true to see the boys have room to run and play and grow. I remember, though, the hurt o...

Thankful for the gift of love today. Enough said. ♥♥♥

Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Acts 4:11-12 Two ministries that are near and dear to my heart are about to begin their summer outreach programs.  The last week in May, God's Word is going to begin to be poured into the hearts and minds of children and adults alike across the US for the summer months. What I love about both ministries is that the name of Jesus is spoken...is called upon...is praised!  Be involved with either (or both) ministries and you will experience Jesus in a way like never before in your life.  An true encounter with Jesus will ruin life as you know it.  Then as you experience Jesus, you'll be thankful it did!  Others will see the difference, too...and want it for themselves. But only when it's Jesus they see. If it's anything but Jesus, it will wear off and peopl...

Today had its ups and downs. Great times and disappointing news. Having just dropped some things off at the farm, I was about to take off again when I heard something outside that has been missing for some time. Croaking. The frogs were croaking again after a very long winter/cold spring. It was soothing and refreshing; a sure sign of better days to come. I needed that. God is good!

Having spent the day in the car yesterday, today was a bit off.  I thought it was Monday all day.  We had a good morning doing school, finishing earlier than usual because the boys worked ahead yesterday while in the car all day. We went to the new house after school to see what all was happening there these days.  I had not been there since the pool and driveway concrete were poured.  Today, the hardwood floors were being installed, the landscapers were distributing topsoil around the flower beds, and the pool guys were around, too.  Busy day at the farm! Ended up being there 3 hours, looking around and figuring things out with the flooring guy and landscaper. ( I am so ready for the decision making process to move on to the next phase of moving in!) Driveway in...getting closer to move in day! Today's gifts were both from my boys.  In working ahead yesterday and in being patient today while the hours drug on, they were great!  They make me so...

May 13, 2013 Awoke to sunny skies and a little bit warmer temperatures. Alex had on the agenda to play Uno with Grandma that morning.  He loves getting up early and playing games with Mom before the rest of us are around.  He was the sleepyhead this morning, though, so we all were up and able to join in on the games. After the games, I began loading up the car so we could get on the road to home.  It is always a bittersweet moment to pull out of the driveway...want to stay, want to go.  A few tears always make their appearance from someone in the car. The Cookie Monster Driving this route so many times over the past 11 years, I know good places to stop along the way.  Many times these places do not come at a timely hour to stop.  However... Today was the day for perfect timing! It was lunchtime.  We were in KY about to get onto I-65 South when I saw the sign of all signs that could make my day. Cheddar's!!! It has been my favorite restauran...