Random Life...

1. Now that school is back in session, we are starting to live a somewhat scheduled life again. I don't like minute by minute schedules, but I sure do enjoy a good routine. I love breaking it sometimes, too. :)

Living in routine after a pretty carefree summer has meant re-newed discipline in my daily life. I am a pretty laid back person, that, as Monk my favorite OCD detective would say, is "both a blessing and a curse." (Casey that one's especially for you :))

As I've been praying through some goals and desires for my life and our family lately, God keeps nudging me toward really paying attention to some places that I've just plain lacked discipline in. You know that whole being faithful in the little things concept. Pumping up the self discipline is not super fun, really, not fun at all, but deep down I know it's good. Necessary.

The re-newed areas of disciple have included getting up earlier for an "appointment" quiet time- it helps me to think of it that way. Not a duty, but a date. An appointment.  Also, faithfully keeping my gratitude journal, making daily to do lists, monthly meal planning, exercising, drinking more water, paying attention to how much time I actually use on things like facebook and pinterest and disciplined spending in the smaller areas. Those may sound like little things, but I had gotten pretty lazy and I just wasn't living intentionally. Sometimes those small adjustments are the most irritating to me because they have to be deliberate, every day choices. A lot of the time I just don't want to change and I can get grumpy when I have to do something I don't want to do- He's been working on that, too. :) I'm a little slow, but I am thankful for His loving direction.

2. Gabe is officially potty trained.  I hadn't really planned to even start working on it until he was 3 1/2 (in November), but he was ready and it just came together. For about a week he woke up every morning with a dry diaper, so we started there and it just took. There is still the occasional accident, but over all he is doing great!

*Be warned, when you see him, he may feel the need to inform you of what super-hero is on his underpants.

3. Grant has moved up into the Logic School-6th grade. At our school, that means lockers, 6 teachers, 8 class changes, longer day and more responsibility. We are three weeks in now and so far, so good. He was pretty worn out that first week. He comes home and wants about a half hour to just chill out in his room by himself- play on his ipod, read, etc. Since Grant gets his "recharge by time alone" personality trait from me, I understand that need. Gabe, who really misses his "bubby" while Grant is at school, does not really understand that need. It has taken some adjusting, but we're getting there. 

4. Grant went to his first dance on August 20. Yes. A dance. It was so sweet and gave me another reason to be thankful for the school God lead us to for him.

I'm learning that letting him spread his wings at this age is a pretty important part of parenting.  It's hard. I don't trust the world with my child. I want to keep him close until I'm sure he is ready to make godly, wise decisions. While there are things he doesn't need to hear and see yet, he does need some space to grow- in safe places. I'm just thankful for a school that had a fun dance with old fashioned dancing (waltz, fox trot, some line dancing,) clean (but still relevant) music and teachers/chaperones that all want the same thing- safe, fun, wing stretching experiences.

5. My ladies' bible study and our community group will be starting back up again this Wednesday.  I've missed consistent community with those two groups of friends.

6. Todd has some looming deadlines at work that have put some pressure on him. He's done a good job balancing it all, but there are days he is really worn out. I'm ready for this big project to be behind him so he can breathe easy.

7. Grant is part of the robotics team at school this year. This is our school's first year to compete at the Blazer BEST Robotic Tournament at UAB in October. It has been pretty time consuming so far, but he is really loving it. Their team has 17 members and will compete against at least 23 other teams in a robotic competition. I was surprised (and excited) that he wanted to join since building/engineering type stuff has never been his favorite pass-time, but he has enjoyed it.

8. In the last few months our church has hired a new youth minister and a new music minister. It is a blessing to see things coming together again.

9. Because of the "renewed discipline" project, I've had some time to really visit with some friends over the last few weeks. New friends and old friends. Lunch dates, coffee dates, play dates at the park with our kids and stay up til 1am solving the problems of the world dates. Friendship is a true gift. I don't ever want to take any of these precious people for granted.

That is the condensed version of the last month. I can hardly believe it is already September.

Life is Precious

Wes King was one of the first Christian artists I saw in concert. I loved his music, his humility and his gentleness that came across in the songs he wrote.

Yesterday as I was praying for a family that lost their two year old daughter in an accident a year ago, one of Wes' songs kept coming to my mind. It seemed strange since I hadn't listen to any of his stuff for a long time (all I had were cassettes.)

Life is Precious.

While I do believe that life is precious, from the bottom of my heart, there are times when the car breaks down or the boys are arguing because the other one is touching/looking/trying to touch them or someone has hurt my feelings or there is so much to do, I do not act like I believe that life is precious. I suck things up and get it done, but not always with joy and gratitude.

Instead, in those moments, I take life for granted.

Every day is a gift. It really is. It's not promised. There are no guarantees. Just right now. I want to live with that perspective. Fully, obediently, joyfully.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Life Is Precious
by Wes King

Sometimes I drive too fast
Sometimes I risk it all
Sometimes I'm reckless
An act like I'm made of steel
But I'm just flesh and bones
A product of the Fall
Still I have purpose
And this I know to be real

CHORUS:
Life is precious, life is sweet
like the earth beneath my feet
Though I know I'm passing through
I know I belong to You
Life is precious, life is sweet
And this truth makes it complete
Knowing Jesus died for me
Life is precious
Life is precious, life is sweet

I can't see past myself
When I get depressed
I take for granted
This life You've given me
There are a million ways
I've been so richly blessed
I can't imagine
Not being able to see

CHORUS

And this life I live the body
I live by faith in the One who gave Himself for me

Book Fair

Old books, new books, fiction books or true books, doesn't really matter what type, I just love books. So when the opportunity to help out with the book fair arose, I signed up.

As one of the volunteers, I helped to pick out, sort, price, organize, and set up the books to sell. I knew when I signed up there would be responsibilities, but my passion for books is why I got involved.

But some days, all the jobs that had to be done to get the books ready to sell, prevented me from seeing the wonderful books we had.

It was when we started to put the books on display, that I really saw exactly what books we possessed. Beautiful nature books, fun picture books, chapter books, biographies, and so much more. Then I began flipping through the pages of the brightly colored books and reading poems from the poetry books. I stared to gain information about what was inside. Now I had lots of things to share with the students when they came to purchase the books. What would I have missed if I only worked on the details?

I would have missed the reason for the book fair.

Don't get me wrong, I wanted to do the work to make the book fair a success. It needed to be done. The books won't sell packed up in boxes. And I want the books to sell. Not just because the money will benefit our school, but because the books can change the lives of the kids who read them.

So....I started pondering and saw that it corresponded with some things I have been working out in my spiritual life.

When I "signed up" for the Christian life it wasn't for the busy work that often comes with it. Teaching Life Group, going to Bible studies, doing nursery, etc. all important, but not the reason I became a Christian.

It was because of God~ His love, His justice, His mercy, His grace, His faithfulness. It was because of Jesus~ His sacrifice, His love, His forgiveness.

If I'm so busy doing, doing, doing that I don't sit at His feet and enjoy Him, so busy that I don't nurture my relationship with Him, so busy that I don't take the time to love others the way He does, so busy that I don't really see who He is, so busy that I walk out of the steps He has planned for me, what am I missing? Even if the work is meaningful, what am I missing?

There is definitely work to be done. I can't say no to everything, don't even want to, but I want to be like Mary~ she chose the one thing that what was most important. I want to be like Jesus, He chose to consult the Father on everything before He set out to do the work of the day.

I want to reflect Him. I want to sit at His feet. I want to fully live the life He has purposed just for me.

Everyday Gratitude

Several years ago, Oprah did a show on living a life of gratitude. She gave an assignment that day during the show. She suggested keeping a gratitude journal. Each day you were to write five things you were thankful for. Little or big, silly or serious, it didn't matter. The goal was to change the focus from what you wanted or what was lacking in your life, to the things you had and the good that surrounded you. According to Oprah, recognizing the good in your life was the first step to a living a life of gratitude.

She was right. I love my journals. There have been many days that just acknowledging what I had, changed my perspective and brought true gratitude to my heart.

But as much as I like Oprah, the idea for living a life of gratitude didn't originate with her. It originated with the Giver of all good things. He may not have told us to write them down in a journal, instead He took it a step further by telling us (through the words of Paul) to, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." or as the Message Bible says it "Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him!" Phil.4:4

I'm thinking a good way to celebrate Him is to recognize all the good in the life He has has given to me. So, here's what I'm rejoicing for today.........

1. My boy. He is a bright spot in every day. Here's what he told me tonight, "Mom, these black eyed peas are so good, you must have worked hard to make them. How did you do it? They are just so good. You are such a good cook." After I revealed my secret to him (I opened the can and dumped then in a pan), he said, "Well, you sure picked out a good can. Good Job!" That pure gratitude made my heart smile.

2. Coffee

3. Clean dishes, the rest of the house still needs work, but the dishes are clean.

4. A sweet note from my husband.

5. A God who loved me so much that He did not spare even His only Son so that I could live every day in the fullness of His love. Not just now, but for all eternity.

6. For the moment, the puppy is sleeping and not chewing a single thing.