i'll just share my favorite hymn on the occassion of this, the 100th blog post...in honor of the One who is Faithful....He's the only reason i have a blog in the first place...
i tried really hard to find a fabulous youtube version of this hymn...i wasn't met with much success. but here are 2 that i found that i like - (just copy and paste if you're interested)
http://youtu.be/0k1WhFtVp0o (chris rice)
http://youtu.be/n8nkCBKzKNo (philadelphia mass choir)
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
Great is Thy faithfulness!Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Great is Thy faithfulness!Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness!Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
this hymn is so special to me...i think it first "came alive" for me my last semester of college. God proved His faithfulness (not that He had to prove anything!) - He gave me His presence to cheer and to guide me...He gave me strength each and every day to get done what had to get done that day (and there was so much to get done!)...He was constantly showing me the bright hope that He had for my tomorrow - and He's been doing it ever since. this hymn has become a standard call to worship in my life. His is so very faithful...in the good and the bad....in the easy and tough...in the mundane and the spectacular...in ALL things and at ALL times and in ALL ways - HE IS FAITHFUL. and i am thankful.
31 May 2011
26 May 2011
thankful thursday. for reals.
- a friend like amy taylor who brought the phrase "for reals" into my life
- Teen Advisor Staff Retreat.
- walking on the beach with nick (or anyone...but especially nick)
- reading on the beach
- sitting on the beach
- throwing frisbee on the beach
- playing catch with a softball and gloves on the beach
- perfect playing in the ocean conditions (it doesn't take much: warm water + no sea weed)
- laughing...
- hearing my husband laugh
- playing "know your boo" with someone who is not my boo (and winning)
- proud points
- constructive critcism/productive brainstorming
- really good sandwiches
- gifts for the journey/praying for staff who are moving on to new places and stages
- having someone put a link to my blog in their blog. what a compliment.
- being trusted with secrets...especially secrets about a potential husband
- http://everydayrainbows.tumblr.com/
- pajama pants
- the way God worked it so that friends got back $1103 instead of paying the government $2800 like they thought they were going to have to. $2800 that they didn't have.....$1103 that is going to be put towards adopting a little one from Ethiopia.
the thought "He gives such good gifts" has been in my head and heart the past 24 hours. He really does lavish us with good things. what a wonderful Father. i love my life. i love the Giver of my life.
this is my 99th blog...the next one is going to have to be good. no pressure.
24 May 2011
blast from the past
so this was a "note" that i wrote on facebook a while back -- it was one of those "make a list of 16 things that people don't know about you" things....i re-read it...parts made me smile...parts made me laugh...parts made me thankful. thought it might be fun to share it again. updates are in orange.
1 – i hate and love things like this. i hate them because i immediately want to come up with THE most interesting things…the things that no one else knows…and i hate them because i don’t think there’s much about me that people don’t know…but then i love them because there IS stuff that people don’t know…and these things make me think…and help me realize that i really am happy to be me. still true.
2 – i love drinking from coffee mugs…no matter the drink…ironically, coffee may be one of my least favorite things to drink from a coffee mug. i haven't been drinkng as much from coffee mugs these days...just good old plastic cups. i still enjoy coffee mugs...just not quite as much.
3 - i cry every time i hear “i’m proud to be an american” (and i feel silly for crying every time…that lee greenwood will get you – I think that’s his name) still true.
4 - i’m taking 6 vitamins every day in the hopes that when i get pregnant again our baby will be whole and healthy. no more vitamins for me! i should still be taking them....but i don't have quite as much motiviation. our baby was indeed healthy and whole...now we're praying for another one that will be healthy and whole (or that God will bring wholeness to through our family). i wish there were adoption vitamins i could be taking.
5 - i like to watch the TV show “House”…nothing else. i haven't watched "house" in a while....i still consider it my favorite TV show -- but is it really my favorite if i never watch it any more? the tv may feel neglected for lack of use in my life.
6 – nick says that i talk in my sleep (the stuff I say is interesting…and incoherent) still true.
7 – it makes me so sad that the price of stamps keeps going up and up and up…letter writing really is going to be a lost art (mrs. parrish was right)…and getting a fun note in the mail is going to happen less than it already does. still true....but the post office has really improved on the "fun nature" of their stamps. way to go! (and i have a couple of fabulous friends who are faithful to send real mail every now and then. thank you!!!!)
8 – bad smells in my house stress me out. they really bother me. this is still true...though we haven't had any bad smells (ie - dead things, leaky pipes, etc.) for a while. wahoo!
9 – i really like the way beer smells. i’ve never tasted it…unless you count when I was about 4 years old and would sneak sips from my dad’s -- i tried to drink as much as i thought i could without him noticing. still true.
10 – i could lay in bed and read karen kingsbury or lori wick books ALL day long if life permitted. i don't know about allll day. i could lay in bed all day...but the book quality may need to be improved upon (though i certainly still enjoy these ladies' writing. mindless, wholesome entertainment...that God uses to bless me!)(just waiting for the re-writes from mr. collins)
11 – i am particularly fond of haribo gummi bears, strawberry mentos and white chocolate covered pretzels these days. very true. and we can add hot tamales to the list (and could possibly take off white chocolate covered pretzels...i like them...but haven't had them lately)
12 – bunco is turning out to be a whole lot more fun than i ever anticipated (i think it helps that i haven’t lost any money yet...i’m still $45 on the plus side) my bunco days are over.
13 – i ride a scooter to work every tuesday and thursday morning…and the helmet is huge. my scooter days are over.
14 – my mom told me that she was surprised at what a good mom i’m turning out to be because i never played with baby dolls. she still comments on how surprising it is that i'm a "good mom."
15 – i held a state track record in high school yup.
16 – i really like to watch pro bull riding and listen to r&b music (not at the same time) now i like to do the 2 at the same time. just kidding. i haven't seen any bull riding lately...though i still like it...and my r&b like is still there - just not visited often.
1 – i hate and love things like this. i hate them because i immediately want to come up with THE most interesting things…the things that no one else knows…and i hate them because i don’t think there’s much about me that people don’t know…but then i love them because there IS stuff that people don’t know…and these things make me think…and help me realize that i really am happy to be me. still true.
2 – i love drinking from coffee mugs…no matter the drink…ironically, coffee may be one of my least favorite things to drink from a coffee mug. i haven't been drinkng as much from coffee mugs these days...just good old plastic cups. i still enjoy coffee mugs...just not quite as much.
3 - i cry every time i hear “i’m proud to be an american” (and i feel silly for crying every time…that lee greenwood will get you – I think that’s his name) still true.
4 - i’m taking 6 vitamins every day in the hopes that when i get pregnant again our baby will be whole and healthy. no more vitamins for me! i should still be taking them....but i don't have quite as much motiviation. our baby was indeed healthy and whole...now we're praying for another one that will be healthy and whole (or that God will bring wholeness to through our family). i wish there were adoption vitamins i could be taking.
5 - i like to watch the TV show “House”…nothing else. i haven't watched "house" in a while....i still consider it my favorite TV show -- but is it really my favorite if i never watch it any more? the tv may feel neglected for lack of use in my life.
6 – nick says that i talk in my sleep (the stuff I say is interesting…and incoherent) still true.
7 – it makes me so sad that the price of stamps keeps going up and up and up…letter writing really is going to be a lost art (mrs. parrish was right)…and getting a fun note in the mail is going to happen less than it already does. still true....but the post office has really improved on the "fun nature" of their stamps. way to go! (and i have a couple of fabulous friends who are faithful to send real mail every now and then. thank you!!!!)
8 – bad smells in my house stress me out. they really bother me. this is still true...though we haven't had any bad smells (ie - dead things, leaky pipes, etc.) for a while. wahoo!
9 – i really like the way beer smells. i’ve never tasted it…unless you count when I was about 4 years old and would sneak sips from my dad’s -- i tried to drink as much as i thought i could without him noticing. still true.
10 – i could lay in bed and read karen kingsbury or lori wick books ALL day long if life permitted. i don't know about allll day. i could lay in bed all day...but the book quality may need to be improved upon (though i certainly still enjoy these ladies' writing. mindless, wholesome entertainment...that God uses to bless me!)(just waiting for the re-writes from mr. collins)
11 – i am particularly fond of haribo gummi bears, strawberry mentos and white chocolate covered pretzels these days. very true. and we can add hot tamales to the list (and could possibly take off white chocolate covered pretzels...i like them...but haven't had them lately)
12 – bunco is turning out to be a whole lot more fun than i ever anticipated (i think it helps that i haven’t lost any money yet...i’m still $45 on the plus side) my bunco days are over.
13 – i ride a scooter to work every tuesday and thursday morning…and the helmet is huge. my scooter days are over.
14 – my mom told me that she was surprised at what a good mom i’m turning out to be because i never played with baby dolls. she still comments on how surprising it is that i'm a "good mom."
15 – i held a state track record in high school yup.
16 – i really like to watch pro bull riding and listen to r&b music (not at the same time) now i like to do the 2 at the same time. just kidding. i haven't seen any bull riding lately...though i still like it...and my r&b like is still there - just not visited often.
19 May 2011
euphemisms.
eu·phe·mism (noun) [yoofa mizzem ] a word or phrase used in place of a term that might be considered too direct, harsh, unpleasant, or offensive
caroline was passing out spoons the other night at the dinner table...apparently she gave emma the wrong spoon. caroline said "shoot. i gave her the wrong spoon." i said "did you say shoot?" she said "yes. but at least i didn't say holy shoot."
i can post this one because i KNOW she didn't learn it from me - not quite sure who she picked this one up from...but it wasn't me (that's not one of my euphemistic curse words of choice)!
she's also been known to say "what the heck" "dang it" and a f heavy "fiddlesticks" (only one of those is from me....)
ahh....the things they soak in. may our words be ones that honor Him...even in the euphemisms
caroline was passing out spoons the other night at the dinner table...apparently she gave emma the wrong spoon. caroline said "shoot. i gave her the wrong spoon." i said "did you say shoot?" she said "yes. but at least i didn't say holy shoot."
i can post this one because i KNOW she didn't learn it from me - not quite sure who she picked this one up from...but it wasn't me (that's not one of my euphemistic curse words of choice)!
she's also been known to say "what the heck" "dang it" and a f heavy "fiddlesticks" (only one of those is from me....)
ahh....the things they soak in. may our words be ones that honor Him...even in the euphemisms
shepherding image bearers of the Creator God - sacred parenting
I’m not sure I’ve ever really blogged about how much I love and appreciate the book “Sacred Parenting”(I think I’ve shared some quotes from it before) – I do believe it is my FAVORITE parenting book thus far….not because it gives step by step instructions (‘cause it doesn’t) and not because it gives lots of practical tips and advice (‘cause it doesn’t) (and typically those are 2 requirements of a really good parenting book!) – it’s my favorite because it’s real and honest and raw…and it talks about parenting being HARD and how you get angry sometimes….and how it’s frustrating…and it talks about how it is HOLY…and it is a part of God’s work in our lives…and it talks about parenting has a form of honoring our Perfect Father (and because He is perfect we don’t have to be!).
I can already tell that this blog entry really isn’t doing the book justice…and that’s ok – just read it if you’re interested in a really good parenting book!!
I tried to buy Sacred Parenting a few weeks ago – a copy for me and a copy for one of my very best friends in the whole world! And, now for the 2nd time, I ordered the wrong thing from ebay (or half.com or somewhere) (the other time I ordered the wrong book for nick at Christmas – I got a commentary on The Cost of Discipleship rather than the actual book). This time I ordered the “participant’s guide” to Sacred Parenting - who knows, maybe one day it will come in handy. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the participant’s guide (the book is so good that even the guide that’s meant to go along with dvd’s - that I don’t have - is helpful stuff…!)(I think some of these quotes may have been in the book, too)
“whatever stage of life you find yourself in, each season provides spiritual blessings and benefits that many Christians remain unaware of. It’s my belief that family life is one of the most spiritually formative experiences in all of human existence.”
“the “earthy” process of changing diapers, educating toddlers, and raising teens is actually a sacred enterprise and a continual act of worship.”
“…we believe you are a God of providence, and whether we gave birth to these children or welcomed them through adoption, we trust that you knew what you were doing when you called us to become our children’s parents.”
“honestly embracing our historical insignificance will free us up to focus on relationships and eternal significance…”
“in God’s delightful irony, embracing your temporal insignificance leads to the greatest eternal significance.”
“having children is humble acceptance of our own limitations.”
“it takes tremendous courage to undergo a task that you know will reveal your limitations, weak spots in your character, and occasional lapses of wisdom…”
“we are not raising robots; we are shepherding image bearers of the Creator God who live with the freedom of choice, their own wills, and a personal responsibility of their own. It seems to me that we tend to take too much credit for kids who turn our good, and too much blame for kids who turn out bad.” (this is one of my favorites!)
“it’s particularly brilliant on God’s part to school us in the art of sacrifice by giving us children whom we love so much – and who require so much sacrifice to raise.”
“…give God pleasure today….love his children.”
“…pause for a moment to bask in God’s great affirmation.”
i dare you to do that last one - pause for a moment to bask in God's great affirmation. He loves you SO MUCH. He's so glad He made YOU. He is delighted - DELIGHTED!! - in you. He thinks you are doing a great job!!! He is so pleased with you. Bask in His opinion of you...but be careful...that much love and acceptance can bring one to tears.
I can already tell that this blog entry really isn’t doing the book justice…and that’s ok – just read it if you’re interested in a really good parenting book!!
I tried to buy Sacred Parenting a few weeks ago – a copy for me and a copy for one of my very best friends in the whole world! And, now for the 2nd time, I ordered the wrong thing from ebay (or half.com or somewhere) (the other time I ordered the wrong book for nick at Christmas – I got a commentary on The Cost of Discipleship rather than the actual book). This time I ordered the “participant’s guide” to Sacred Parenting - who knows, maybe one day it will come in handy. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the participant’s guide (the book is so good that even the guide that’s meant to go along with dvd’s - that I don’t have - is helpful stuff…!)(I think some of these quotes may have been in the book, too)
“whatever stage of life you find yourself in, each season provides spiritual blessings and benefits that many Christians remain unaware of. It’s my belief that family life is one of the most spiritually formative experiences in all of human existence.”
“the “earthy” process of changing diapers, educating toddlers, and raising teens is actually a sacred enterprise and a continual act of worship.”
“…we believe you are a God of providence, and whether we gave birth to these children or welcomed them through adoption, we trust that you knew what you were doing when you called us to become our children’s parents.”
“honestly embracing our historical insignificance will free us up to focus on relationships and eternal significance…”
“in God’s delightful irony, embracing your temporal insignificance leads to the greatest eternal significance.”
“having children is humble acceptance of our own limitations.”
“it takes tremendous courage to undergo a task that you know will reveal your limitations, weak spots in your character, and occasional lapses of wisdom…”
“we are not raising robots; we are shepherding image bearers of the Creator God who live with the freedom of choice, their own wills, and a personal responsibility of their own. It seems to me that we tend to take too much credit for kids who turn our good, and too much blame for kids who turn out bad.” (this is one of my favorites!)
“it’s particularly brilliant on God’s part to school us in the art of sacrifice by giving us children whom we love so much – and who require so much sacrifice to raise.”
“…give God pleasure today….love his children.”
“…pause for a moment to bask in God’s great affirmation.”
i dare you to do that last one - pause for a moment to bask in God's great affirmation. He loves you SO MUCH. He's so glad He made YOU. He is delighted - DELIGHTED!! - in you. He thinks you are doing a great job!!! He is so pleased with you. Bask in His opinion of you...but be careful...that much love and acceptance can bring one to tears.
16 May 2011
conversations.
God gave me an idea...it came in the middle of the night so i know it was from him and not from me (i just woke up with the idea sunday morning...had to have been from Him) - the basic idea is that i want to spend time with each of my kids where i just let them talk -- i will not interrupt, i will not ask unnecessary questions, i will not try to "guide" the conversaton -- i'll just let them talk! (some of you are going - and this is just now occuring to you, dianna?). my "goal" is 10 minutes each week with each kid (at first i thought 10 minutes each day...but i think 10 minutes each week is more realistic). of course - of course - i'm spending more than 10 minutes a week talking to my children and interacting with them -- this is just 10 solid uninterrupted minutes for them - 10 minutes where they have the freedom to say ANYthing they want...to talk about anything....10 minutes for me to practice listening....10 minutes each week that will hopefully lay the foundation for hours of trusted conversations in the future.
i had my first go round yesterday. i explained to caroline what i wanted to do...that i just wanted to give her a few minutes to talk about anything she wants - that i want to hear her thoughts and heart...that i want to practice listening and giving her my undivided attention (no multi-tasking!!). so i said "talk to me...about anything you want." and here are the first words out of the girl's mouth: "well....i've had kind of a rough life..."
i'm still laughing about that. luckily i didn't laugh at her in the moment - i just swallowed my smile and said "oh you have? tell me about it..." and she proceeded to tell me about how her brother hit her that one time...and the little boy she tried to make friends down at the park threw sand at her....and how it's hard when she doesn't get her way.
sweet caroline. she's right...it is rough when people aren't so nice to us....and we get sand thrown at us....and we don't get our way.
so i kept listening and she kept talking....and the conversation ended with her teaching me a dance. not sure how we got from her tough life to dancing in kitchen....but that feels like a pretty good picture of what God does for us - takes us from sharing all our woes and troubles to letting us dance with Him. He's such a good dancer.
i had my first go round yesterday. i explained to caroline what i wanted to do...that i just wanted to give her a few minutes to talk about anything she wants - that i want to hear her thoughts and heart...that i want to practice listening and giving her my undivided attention (no multi-tasking!!). so i said "talk to me...about anything you want." and here are the first words out of the girl's mouth: "well....i've had kind of a rough life..."
i'm still laughing about that. luckily i didn't laugh at her in the moment - i just swallowed my smile and said "oh you have? tell me about it..." and she proceeded to tell me about how her brother hit her that one time...and the little boy she tried to make friends down at the park threw sand at her....and how it's hard when she doesn't get her way.
sweet caroline. she's right...it is rough when people aren't so nice to us....and we get sand thrown at us....and we don't get our way.
so i kept listening and she kept talking....and the conversation ended with her teaching me a dance. not sure how we got from her tough life to dancing in kitchen....but that feels like a pretty good picture of what God does for us - takes us from sharing all our woes and troubles to letting us dance with Him. He's such a good dancer.
14 May 2011
should-ing, ridiculous sentences & other random feisty nonsense
So…I’ve been wanting to blog all week. Or maybe the more accurate truth is the I’ve felt like I should** blog….and I’ve had things in my head and heart to share…but, for whatever reason, whenever I looked at my computer and thought about blogging, all desire to type anything melted away like a popsicle in summer. That last sentence is the most ridiculous thing I’ve written in a long time – primarily because it’s full of run-on-ness and grammatical errors…but also because I don’t really speak in similes as corny as that one. (my similes are far more random)
**I first heard this fabulous quote from my fabulous sister (a principle to live by if ever I’ve heard one!) – “don’t should on yourself…and don’t should on others.” So I shouldn’t have should-ed on myself. ha. But, honestly, feeling like I “should” is probably the very reason that I didn’t….I often rebel in my own little way against things I “should” do…(consider yourself warned).
Boy, I’m being a little feisty in my writing (or at least it feels feisty even if it’s not coming out that way!).
Here are the things I’ve wanted to blog about but haven’t:
--An adoption update
--The Mama Project
--Ugliness
--Colossians
--Eminent quotes
--Sacred parenting quotes
--Being married to my best friend for 9 years
--My left “alt” key is missing
--Irony
--Temporary yuck (nastiness, selfishness, harshness, ugly reactions) is completely different from evil character
--New neighbors (that’s a brand new development….one of them is playing in eli’s room right now) (he thinks my name is indiana. close.)
--Painting toast
If only I allowed comments on this here blog I’d take a poll and find out “what the readers want.” Ha. (I’m not really convinced that I have enough readers to poll!) I’m just laughing all over myself today. it feels good to laugh…sure beats feelings of discouragement and sadness!
For now I’m not going to blog about any of them…but I’ll definitely give an adoption update soon (with a fantastic fishing analogy) and the sacred parenting quotes are already typed – so they’ll make it into the annals of my blog (I credit lee mcbride for teaching me – and many other TA people – the fun use of the word annals)….and I have a feeling that painting toast will be coming soon – it’s too fun and easy and cheap not to share!
In other news: I’ll have friends over for dinner any night of the week if it means getting two 12 packs of cherry coke....now to show some self-control...
09 May 2011
honored to be a part
Mothers share stories of their lost children for Mother's Day - WTVM.com - News Leader 9, Columbus, GA
http://capturephotosite.com/blog/?p=734 (you may have to copy and paste...sorry it's not a link)
http://capturephotosite.com/blog/?p=734 (you may have to copy and paste...sorry it's not a link)
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