My heart is so full! Here's some of my favorite verses from my quiet time today. I started to tweet them, but it was going to be too many posts, so I thought I'd put them here instead. They were all so good, I just couldn't narrow it down! :)
Prov. 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
Prov. 12:16 A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult
Prov. 12:20 There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.
Prov. 14: 7 Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
Prov. 14:15-17 A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless.A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.
Prov. 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
Prov. 15:18 18 A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.
Prov. 16: 2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Prov. 16: 4-5 The LORD works out everything for his own ends— even the wicked for a day of disaster. The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Prov. 16: 28 A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
8 things I am thankful for...
1. I get a front row seat to see all that God is doing in the hearts and lives of people all around me. I am thankful He chose me to be a part of what He is doing! Thank you, Lord, for calling me to serve you. It's a privilege.
2. I have a relationship with the God of the Universe through forgiveness of my sins. He loves me more than I can even imagine. Thank you, Lord, for forgiving me, loving me, teaching me, and changing me. You are more than enough!
3. A husband who walks with the Lord. He doesn't just talk about it on Sundays. I love that He meets with God daily and is constantly learning from His Word. He is my best friend and a wonderful father. If I had it to do all over again, I'd still choose him! :) Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to share my life with Sam. He is a reflection of You. You picked a good one! :)
4. A photography business that is growing is a slow economy. Yet another confirmation that when I will trust Him and do what He says, He will bless my obedience. Thank you, Lord, for Your faithfulness to provide for me and for giving me a gift I can use for Your glory. Thanks for showing me how to see the world and not just look at it. I'm amazed by You and Your creation.
5. Two beautiful girls who light up my life. Lord, thank you for entrusting Naomi and Lael to me. May they grow to know You and love You more than anything else in this world.
6. Sweet friends I can share anything with. Lord, you have proven that I was wrong about this one. Thank You for showing me that I can trust certain people and share my life with them. It's much sweeter this way.
7. Family that loves me and stands behind me. They are so supportive of whatever I do and it's pretty awesome. Lord, thank You for a mom, dad, and sisters that believe I can do anything You ask me to.
8. Our house. We've lived here just over a year and we love it. Lord, thanks for displaying Your majesty in the leaves that surround our house, all one million of them! :) You are so faithful to provide. Thanks for choosing this house just for us.
What are you thankful for?
2. I have a relationship with the God of the Universe through forgiveness of my sins. He loves me more than I can even imagine. Thank you, Lord, for forgiving me, loving me, teaching me, and changing me. You are more than enough!
3. A husband who walks with the Lord. He doesn't just talk about it on Sundays. I love that He meets with God daily and is constantly learning from His Word. He is my best friend and a wonderful father. If I had it to do all over again, I'd still choose him! :) Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to share my life with Sam. He is a reflection of You. You picked a good one! :)
4. A photography business that is growing is a slow economy. Yet another confirmation that when I will trust Him and do what He says, He will bless my obedience. Thank you, Lord, for Your faithfulness to provide for me and for giving me a gift I can use for Your glory. Thanks for showing me how to see the world and not just look at it. I'm amazed by You and Your creation.
5. Two beautiful girls who light up my life. Lord, thank you for entrusting Naomi and Lael to me. May they grow to know You and love You more than anything else in this world.
6. Sweet friends I can share anything with. Lord, you have proven that I was wrong about this one. Thank You for showing me that I can trust certain people and share my life with them. It's much sweeter this way.
7. Family that loves me and stands behind me. They are so supportive of whatever I do and it's pretty awesome. Lord, thank You for a mom, dad, and sisters that believe I can do anything You ask me to.
8. Our house. We've lived here just over a year and we love it. Lord, thanks for displaying Your majesty in the leaves that surround our house, all one million of them! :) You are so faithful to provide. Thanks for choosing this house just for us.
What are you thankful for?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Can't seem to shake it
So, it's late. This has been one of the longest weeks of my life, it seems. My grandfather passed away last Friday and it has been such a sad week. Sam preached at his graveside service and did such a great job. It was so special that he could share personal stories.
There's just something about losing him that has left a void. He was my last grandparent and I can't seem to shake the fact that I am no longer a granddaughter.
I hate that neither of my children are old enough to remember him. I drove by his apartment yesterday and wanted to drop by to see him, but I know he's not there.
I am thankful that he is no longer in pain and has been healed. Still trying to deal with the reality that he's gone. I was looking at my list of who I still needed to buy Christmas gifts for today and his name was still on the list. I just couldn't bring myself to cross off his name.
It's just so sad.
Here's a few pics I found of both girl's at 4 months old with him.
I'm not even sure I have any pictures of me with him. I never think about it because I'm always the one behind the camera.
Naomi
Lael
There's just something about losing him that has left a void. He was my last grandparent and I can't seem to shake the fact that I am no longer a granddaughter.
I hate that neither of my children are old enough to remember him. I drove by his apartment yesterday and wanted to drop by to see him, but I know he's not there.
I am thankful that he is no longer in pain and has been healed. Still trying to deal with the reality that he's gone. I was looking at my list of who I still needed to buy Christmas gifts for today and his name was still on the list. I just couldn't bring myself to cross off his name.
It's just so sad.
Here's a few pics I found of both girl's at 4 months old with him.
I'm not even sure I have any pictures of me with him. I never think about it because I'm always the one behind the camera.
Naomi
Lael
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Grace
Today, I was frustrated when Naomi did something once, we discussed it, settled it and then she did it again a few hours later. I was correcting her and telling her exactly what I thought about the situation. She was crying and saying how sorry she was. She said, "I sowwy, mom. I didn't mean to." I wanted to respond by giving her the spill about the first time it might have been a mistake, blah, blah, blah. Instead, I told her that we all make mistakes, that I forgave her and still loved her. She said, "Will you give me a kiss?" I love her.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Some quiet time thoughts....
2 Peter 1:5-8
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self control; and to self control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Have you ever thought about the fact that we are to be building character qualities in increasing measure? I guess most of the time I'm thinking about how I'd like Naomi to show more kindness when sharing. I don't know that I have thought about myself growing in these now that I am an adult. Don't get me wrong, I know I haven't arrived! What I'm trying to say is that sometimes as a parent, I'm more focused on where I'd like to see my children grow than I am about my own growth.
I have read some interesting opinions recently that have taught me more than ever that I need to bite my tongue. There isn't much good that comes from "telling it like it is". You may feel better, but it didn't solve anything. That's a phrase people use to verbally throw up on others and justify it in their minds. As Christians, we should be biting our tongue more and more often as we grow in Christ!
Did you notice that perseverance is to be added to self control? When someone is talking trash about me, am I going to seek revenge and tell my side to everyone I see or am I going to forgive and refuse to say negative things about them? It doesn't come natural to turn the other cheek, but the One who asks us to do that, knows all that the other person is doing and saying!
One of the hardest lessons I have learned as Christians is that I need to forgive others even if they are not sorry. It's certainly not easy, but completely necessary! The person who has hurt me may never ask for forgiveness, but I should forgive them anyway. When I forgive, I am giving control of the circumstance to the Lord. I am saying that He is trustworthy and can handle whatever is going on. There's also the added benefit of not becoming bitter.
I choose to forgive the people in my life who are hard to love, difficult to get along with, are always complaining, and are gossiping about me or my family! When I don't forgive, I am an ineffective and unproductive Christian! When I'm focused on others instead of Christ, I'm not doing anyone any good! When I forgive and focus on Christ, I realize that His opinion is the only one that matters and He knows who I really am. I become more like Christ through forgiving them.
There will always be people who are bitter in our lives. They are always looking for someone to "tell it like it is". You are probably thinking of that person in your life right now! We need to pray for them and do what we can to grow in goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. It's not our job to point out the faults in others. We're not their Holy Spirit! We need to pray for the Holy Spirit to soften their heart and show them the error of their ways, just as He is showing us our faults.
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self control; and to self control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Have you ever thought about the fact that we are to be building character qualities in increasing measure? I guess most of the time I'm thinking about how I'd like Naomi to show more kindness when sharing. I don't know that I have thought about myself growing in these now that I am an adult. Don't get me wrong, I know I haven't arrived! What I'm trying to say is that sometimes as a parent, I'm more focused on where I'd like to see my children grow than I am about my own growth.
I have read some interesting opinions recently that have taught me more than ever that I need to bite my tongue. There isn't much good that comes from "telling it like it is". You may feel better, but it didn't solve anything. That's a phrase people use to verbally throw up on others and justify it in their minds. As Christians, we should be biting our tongue more and more often as we grow in Christ!
Did you notice that perseverance is to be added to self control? When someone is talking trash about me, am I going to seek revenge and tell my side to everyone I see or am I going to forgive and refuse to say negative things about them? It doesn't come natural to turn the other cheek, but the One who asks us to do that, knows all that the other person is doing and saying!
One of the hardest lessons I have learned as Christians is that I need to forgive others even if they are not sorry. It's certainly not easy, but completely necessary! The person who has hurt me may never ask for forgiveness, but I should forgive them anyway. When I forgive, I am giving control of the circumstance to the Lord. I am saying that He is trustworthy and can handle whatever is going on. There's also the added benefit of not becoming bitter.
I choose to forgive the people in my life who are hard to love, difficult to get along with, are always complaining, and are gossiping about me or my family! When I don't forgive, I am an ineffective and unproductive Christian! When I'm focused on others instead of Christ, I'm not doing anyone any good! When I forgive and focus on Christ, I realize that His opinion is the only one that matters and He knows who I really am. I become more like Christ through forgiving them.
There will always be people who are bitter in our lives. They are always looking for someone to "tell it like it is". You are probably thinking of that person in your life right now! We need to pray for them and do what we can to grow in goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. It's not our job to point out the faults in others. We're not their Holy Spirit! We need to pray for the Holy Spirit to soften their heart and show them the error of their ways, just as He is showing us our faults.
Coupons for Christmas!
I just found a couple of coupon links from Leap Pad I thought I'd share! Merry Christmas early!
$10 off Tag Reading System (Ages 4 to 8) AND $5 off Tag Junior (Ages 2-3)
http://www.leapfrog.com/etc/medialib/leapfrog/coupons/additional_coupons.Par.63631.File.tmp/10%20off%20Print%20Coupon%20For%20Tag.pdf
$5 off Tag Book and other coupons (You have to scroll down to see the coupons.)
http://www.leapfrog.com/en/landingpages/new_toys_coupons.html?siteID=lw9MynSeamY-ApGnO836TBv7gpwQCTn9PQ
$10 off Tag Reading System (Ages 4 to 8) AND $5 off Tag Junior (Ages 2-3)
http://www.leapfrog.com/etc/medialib/leapfrog/coupons/additional_coupons.Par.63631.File.tmp/10%20off%20Print%20Coupon%20For%20Tag.pdf
$5 off Tag Book and other coupons (You have to scroll down to see the coupons.)
http://www.leapfrog.com/en/landingpages/new_toys_coupons.html?siteID=lw9MynSeamY-ApGnO836TBv7gpwQCTn9PQ
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Whew!
I have been so busy. I don't say that like you haven't been busy, because there is a really good chance that you have been, but I am having to learn to slow down.
Last night, we had some friends over for dinner and played games. It was fun and relaxing. I didn't edit pictures, I didn't take pictures, and I didn't work on the website. It was nice to just hang out for a while. I really love photography and I am still learning so much, but like anything, it can become all consuming.
I am finding that I need to allow some of my pictures of my kids to be just okay pictures. You know, they can't all look like they belong in my portfolio. This is hard for me, but it is necessary!! Here's a couple of them playing, not technically perfect, but great for the scrapbook!
Lael (I love her little toes)
Naomi (She looks so tall to me in this one)
Last night, we had some friends over for dinner and played games. It was fun and relaxing. I didn't edit pictures, I didn't take pictures, and I didn't work on the website. It was nice to just hang out for a while. I really love photography and I am still learning so much, but like anything, it can become all consuming.
I am finding that I need to allow some of my pictures of my kids to be just okay pictures. You know, they can't all look like they belong in my portfolio. This is hard for me, but it is necessary!! Here's a couple of them playing, not technically perfect, but great for the scrapbook!
Lael (I love her little toes)
Naomi (She looks so tall to me in this one)
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