Friday Funny

Click here for a laugh!

JibJab has some really fun stuff on their site - and the cool thing is that if you create an account (free!) then you'll be given 50 credits so you can play with their personalized "sendables." You don't use your credits until you hit send, so you can preview other stuff for free. The kids have gotten a big kick out of this! :)

Choosing Joy

We're having an interesting couple days - the kids are being really mean to one another, and I'm pretty sure that our daughter is getting sick (she's currently napping, which is definitely out of the ordinary). Learned of another death in the family. Started the process of getting that crown (so my mouth is now really sore) and also discovered we'd have to pay out of pocket rather and get reimbursed rather than paying directly out of our FSA account.

In the midst of it all, I've started re-reading Naked Fruit. I know it was used in MOPS, but it was before my time. Anyway, I finished the chapter on joy while I was eating lunch. Some thoughts to share:

"Happiness comes from the root hap, which means chance. Happiness is circumstantial. It has to do with life going the way we want it to go and the feeling we experience when that happens...

The fruit of joy is confidence in God. Joy is confidence in God's grace, despite circumstances - despite what happens. Joy is the ability to hold up because we know we are being held up. Joy is the conviction that God is in control of every detail of our lives even when those details appear to be out of control...

Naked joy is vulnerable... It's not about us getting what we want when we want it. It's about God and his character - and what we really believe about him... Naked joy reveals to us what we believe about God. Further, it reveals what we believe about God to those who are watching and wondering how we'll respond when life happens to let us down."

I made this frame last fall, as a reminder to keep things in perspective when things don't go "my" way. It's in the kitchen, where I see it daily. I have so much to learn.

Resting and Recharging

Well, yesterday was our MOPS Spa Day. We all came in our jammies, and then we had a lovely time planned: a little ice breaker activity, and then four stations that allowed for some simple pampering and chatting. The moms all seemed to really enjoy it, and I'm thinking this may become an annual event. I was talking with a friend as we were milling around, and she shared that the day was really a blessing, and that part of her hadn't wanted to come to MOPS and "learn how to be better" - she didn't need to be challenged but simply refreshed. Seems that many of us are in the same place! Anyway, thought I'd share the little handout I prepared (it includes the recipes that I used to create several of the stations - and of course I'll be adding my 2 cents now :)

Personal Pampering

OK, we all know how crazy life gets… but taking just a few minutes for yourself can be a good thing. Here are a few ideas:

Exfoliating Hand Scrub (also great for feet!) – Combine 1 cup white sugar, 1/3 cup honey, 2 Tb brewed tea and 2 drops vanilla. Massage into hands, then rinse off. Follow up with a good lotion. This works best if your hands are just a bit wet first. The moms were really skeptical about this, but it really does work!! You don't need much, so you could store this in a covered container in the fridge and just nuke for a few seconds when you want to use it. And if you don't already have a great lotion, I'd highly recommend Neutrogena Hand Cream. That little tube lasts forever!

Facial – Mash up a banana and spread over clean face. Allow to sit for ten minutes, then wash off.

Foot Massage – Cover the bottom of a basin with marbles, smooth stones, or even golf balls. Cover with approx 2-3 inches of warm water, then soak your feet. Roll your feet across the bottom for a gentle massage. For an extra special touch, add a drop or two of essential oil, tea, or fresh herbs (mint is great!).

Chocolate Milk Bath – Combine 1/2 cup powdered milk, 1 Tb unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Sprinkle into your bath – bonus points for bathing by candlelight! (This also makes a very nice gift – make a large batch and package it up into small bags or jars) This supposedly is used at the Hershey Spa - I'm not sure whether that's true, but I will say that it smells heavenly. This seriously would be a great gift for a friend: baby food jars or frappucino bottles make great containers!

Hot Oil Hair Treatment – Combine 2 Tb olive oil and 1 Tb honey in small plastic sandwich bag. Warm bag by placing in a mug of nearly boiling water for 30 seconds. Apply warm oil to DRY hair, working it all through your hair. Cover your head with a shower cap or damp warm towel & leave for 15 minutes, then wash hair as usual.

And the best way to rejuvenate? Take some time to read your Bible and pray. Your Heavenly Father does not want you to be stressed out!

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls. Matthew 11:28 (Amplified)
- - - - -
We also made lip balm using the base from Majestic Mountain Sage. We used the vegan one, and it feels so rich and creamy. Love it! In fact, I may make up some more of it to use as Christmas gifts. We finished off the day with our Mentor Mom sharing from Psalm 61:1-2:
Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer
From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

What a blessing to have that rock to cling to. It's so easy to become overwhelmed by life's circumstances, but thankfully the Lord is so much bigger than all of that. He is unchanging, unaffected by pounding rain or battering waves.

EDITED TO ADD:
I just received word that one of our MOPS moms had a fire (electrical issue in their basement) last night - thankfully their home was not completely destroyed, but they did lose all their kids' toys as well as other precious things, and they'll have to stay in a hotel for at least a month while the damage is repaired. A very vivid reminder that nothing in this life is certain. Please pray for the K family.

Philly-Land

OK, I know I'm amazingly chatty today, but we use msn as our homepage, and this caught my attention.

Such a proud moment.

(I do want to clarify that we are in suburbia-land, but people do tend to lump this entire region together. And well, we're not exactly known for our graciousness.)

Signing off from (near) The City of Brotherly Shove

Contentment, Materialism, "Needs" and other babblings

I came across this quote last week:

"Patience to wait does not come from suffering long from what we lack but from sitting long in what we have." - Beth Moore

A lot to chew on there; patience is definitely something I need to work on. But this quote also said a lot to me about contentment. (Along the lines of Sheryl Crow: "It's not having what you want, but wanting what you've got" :) This is another area I struggle with, because I'm always thinking of things we could do to the house, items I'd like our kids to have, etc. But all that SHTUFF is just foolishness (to quote Niecy from Clean House - who our son very seriously suggested last night could help us pick up all our clutter)...

And yesterday's message was about giving. A really good reminder that it's all HIS. Whatever we may have is only through his amazing grace, so why on earth am I being greedy? Two more great quotes to ponder:

"A checkbook is a theological document; it tells who and what you worship." - Billy Graham

(cough - craft supplies - cough, cough)

"I have held many things in my hands and have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God's hands - that, I still possess." - Martin Luther

I Timothy 6 says so much about money, and keeping the proper perspective. It sort of kicks off with verse 6: "Godliness with contentment is great gain." It culminates in verses 17-19:

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everythign for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

I definitely want to "take hold of the life that is truly life." This entire passage will be on my daily reading list for awhile.

So where is all this coming from anyway? We've recently been evaluating the budget and making adjustments. Not a fun task, but very necessary. And frankly I'm having a hard time with it. I've had a lousy attitude, and have been acting like a spoiled child (and I've been reminded that our 3 YO comes by her amazing ability to pout quite honestly). But God - and my husband - is gracious. And I'm learning, even if it's millimeter by millimeter. And let me tell you, God continues to amaze me by providing even things that are completely unnecessary.

Meet our entertainment center. We purchased it when we'd only

been married a few months. It was affordable (cheap to start with, plus we purchased it at a going out of business sale!) - one of those particle board items that comes in a huge, flat box. It's met our needs, but is in rough shape. The last time we had to move it (to replace some wires) it nearly snapped in two. The bottom drawer had broken years ago. And then you'll notice the lovely spot on the bottom where our son had picked off the sticker that we'll generously refer to as veneer. It's huge, and has become the landing place for all sorts of junk. We didn't like it, but we weren't about to purchase another one.

Enter Freecycle.

Yesterday afternoon, hubby was checking email and mentioned that someone had posted an oak entertainment center, with armoire type doors to cover the TV. Would I like it? Of course! But I figured it would already be taken - I've responded to these types of postings before, but they're always gone very quickly. But the poster replied that it was ours. So we all loaded up in the truck, and headed over. Spent last night figuring out what fit where, and doing some purging. Still not done, but it already looks so much better!

Here you can see the stacks that are still around our couch area. Guess what I'm working on today?

Anyway, I went to bed humbled, reminded that God does so much more than meet our needs. He is a loving Father, and He delights in giving to His children - that's not always material things, but this cabinet that I see every day will serve as a reminder.

Our little girl

Snapped a few pictures of our daughter yesterday before we left for church. She has changed so much in the past 2-3 months, and all traces of toddlerhood are gone. She's a little girl.


I'm not quite sure what she was doing when I snapped this first one - but I love how she looks so pensive. But the zany screwball is well-represented in the second shot :)

Those days...

Woke up on the wrong side of the bed,
The wrong side of the room,
The wrong side of the world.
Can’t put my finger on the mood.
It’s not melancholy, anger or the blues.
I love my husband, my house, my job.
Couldn’t be any better, and really what else is there?
Then I realize I’m forgetting God, and that’s the root of all my misery.
Lord first of all, how is it between you and me?

Chorus:
How is it between us?
How is it between us?
When did I talk to you last, and what has happened since?
How is it between us?
How is it between us?
When did I talk to you last, and what has happened?

When I wake up I am on my way, reinventing the wheel and saving the day.
I have learned this lesson a thousand times, I am the branch and you are the vine.
Apart from you we are mice and men,
With our fancy dreams of grandeur and no way to get there.
Oh I can think about you now and then, or I can make a mark on eternity.
Lord first of all, how is it between you and me?

Chorus

So let the wicked prosper,
Let the oceans roar,
Let the mountains crumble,
And fall into the sea.
There’s something more important weighing on my mind.
Lord first of all, how is it between you and me?

Chorus

The song “How is it between us” by Sara Groves (off the album Conversations) is always a good reminder for me. I so often go about my day, crossing off things on my mental to do list, but don't stop to pray until things start unraveling. When will I ever learn?!?

Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.
For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;
Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.
I will glorify your name forever.
Psalm 86:1,3-6, 10-12

(originally posted on my Y!360 blog May 19, 2006. Why rewrite something that I'd already expressed?)