2 Corinthians 5:17-19 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation."
I recently blogged about my fast from Facebook for Lent, and the revelations I had for myself during that time. As I have continued to ponder that experience, one other thing that has been prominent in my mind is the number of Facebook friends I have that only knew me in person before I came to know Christ. Since the time period that they were a part of my life, our paths have changed and perhaps they didn't know that I became a Christian.
Disclaimer-I was baptized in a Baptist church when I was 7 years old. I have always believed in God, and Jesus, but I did not develop a personal relationship with Him until I was 18 years old, almost 19.
I often make posts on my Facebook that reflect my love for Christ, or Scriptures.. and I make plenty of posts that are not about faith as well. I can see how many that only knew me when I was in a self-destructive phase of my life might be confused, or put off by the life that I now lead. I won't bore you with the details of my past, but will sum it up to say that I was incredibly lost and seeking to fill a void and find love in so many different ways that were never sufficient, and the best way I can describe it is that I was on a path of self destruction. Satan had his hands all over my life. During that time, I know now that my mother was praying for me constantly, as well as others, I'm sure. Her prayers were answered when I met someone (my future husband) that gently steered me back to reality and helped me to see the forgiveness and love that Christ had to offer me. Love that compares to no other kind of earthly love. That said, I know I have a dirty past. A past that I am not proud of owning, but a past that I am so grateful for being saved from. I don't believe that I am better than anyone, other than the person that I used to be. I am not perfect, I am still a sinner, but I gave up choosing a daily life of sin, to choosing a daily life of seeking Christ and trying to walk like Him. I am by no means sinless or perfect. But I am a new creature in Christ, and I can't imagine not having a life without His love ever again. That said, if you only knew me before my relationship with Christ, I can see how you might think I am a hypocrite. I'm not a hypocrite, I was just once lost, and now I am found. I don't deny my past, but I have claimed my future with Christ.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
Why there are two parents...
Among many other, very important and normal answers to that question...I have this to add:
There are two parents so that the one that isn't good at research papers and science projects (in this case, that would be me!) can rely on the other parent to take up the slack.
What?! Like you haven't been excited that your spouse was around to help out in those situations because it's not really your forte. I'm am quite certain that my children's teachers know when the creative parent was around and when he wasn't due to the finished product they submit. My son has a research paper AND a science project due in about 4 weeks. I refuse to hold his 5th grade hand and ask him every night if he is doing the work required for each project. I am actually quite impressed that his teachers have given them detailed suspense requirements that they have to meet. I think it's a great way to remind them they have to do a little bit at a time to get it finished. The research paper he is doing good on...the science project hasn't been touched. It's due May 17th. I'm scared. I'm scared of getting stuck with a panicked attempt to throw something together at the last minute...and my husband not being here to help. I'm pretty sure I will have nightmares about this very thing until the projects are turned in. To give you an idea on how creative I am...I did a "science" project in middle school on textiles. There was no scientific experiment or comparison...I wrote a little paragraph about each textile I had a sample of, there were like 8 or 9 that I used, and stapled them to my project board. They didn't grow mold or crystals or spew lava or generate electricity. They just hung on the board for the judges to feel of and read what they were used for in our society. I'm pretty sure I did not place in that science fair. Another year I used my older sister's project on constellations that she had used at a different school. I wrote a new report, but used the same display that she had. Again, there was no objective or experiment. My kids are doomed if they have to rely on my scientific expertise!! Thank God for Google and the internet for ideas!! Bud's teacher sent home a few links that provide ideas for science projects...one was http://www.sciencebuddies.com/ and it has tons of suggestions. My other biggest fear is duplicity in projects..I want him to have something original and unique. Suggestions are welcome and appreciated!!! Please pray that he has something better than a board of fabrics or poorly displayed constellations (think blue spraypainted plywood with those silver star stickers as the constellations..see how scary that could be!?!)
There are two parents so that the one that isn't good at research papers and science projects (in this case, that would be me!) can rely on the other parent to take up the slack.
What?! Like you haven't been excited that your spouse was around to help out in those situations because it's not really your forte. I'm am quite certain that my children's teachers know when the creative parent was around and when he wasn't due to the finished product they submit. My son has a research paper AND a science project due in about 4 weeks. I refuse to hold his 5th grade hand and ask him every night if he is doing the work required for each project. I am actually quite impressed that his teachers have given them detailed suspense requirements that they have to meet. I think it's a great way to remind them they have to do a little bit at a time to get it finished. The research paper he is doing good on...the science project hasn't been touched. It's due May 17th. I'm scared. I'm scared of getting stuck with a panicked attempt to throw something together at the last minute...and my husband not being here to help. I'm pretty sure I will have nightmares about this very thing until the projects are turned in. To give you an idea on how creative I am...I did a "science" project in middle school on textiles. There was no scientific experiment or comparison...I wrote a little paragraph about each textile I had a sample of, there were like 8 or 9 that I used, and stapled them to my project board. They didn't grow mold or crystals or spew lava or generate electricity. They just hung on the board for the judges to feel of and read what they were used for in our society. I'm pretty sure I did not place in that science fair. Another year I used my older sister's project on constellations that she had used at a different school. I wrote a new report, but used the same display that she had. Again, there was no objective or experiment. My kids are doomed if they have to rely on my scientific expertise!! Thank God for Google and the internet for ideas!! Bud's teacher sent home a few links that provide ideas for science projects...one was http://www.sciencebuddies.com/ and it has tons of suggestions. My other biggest fear is duplicity in projects..I want him to have something original and unique. Suggestions are welcome and appreciated!!! Please pray that he has something better than a board of fabrics or poorly displayed constellations (think blue spraypainted plywood with those silver star stickers as the constellations..see how scary that could be!?!)
Monday, April 9, 2012
I gave up Facebook for Lent.
Now that Lent is over, and I can peruse Facebook again..I am processing the last 40 days of life without Facebook. Yesterday, my daughter asked me "Mama, are you happy you can get on Facebook again?" I realized I didn't have an immediate answer for her and just told her "I don't know, I'm still thinking about that. Here a few things I have decided about Facebook...(keep in mind this is my personal outlook and the result of fasting from it for 40 days, after having been an avid daily user for several years now)
1) It gives you a false sense of friendships. I have 619 "friends" on Facebook. These are family members, friends that I grew up with and friends that I have made as an adult. During that 40 day fast, I can count on less than 10 fingers the number of those "friends" that I had contact with. And to be honest, in a regular week of using Facebook, I don't have real conversations with most of those people. I actually renewed an old friendship with my friend Amy, who also gave up Facebook for Lent. Our daily contact and random texts with our "facebook thoughts" quickly turned to more personal conversations about things that we probably would never have posted on Facebook for everyone to see...which leads me to....
2) Facebook is a form of permissive voyeurism. When you add someone as your friend, you are permissively allowing them to be privy to any part of your life that you share in that forum. I know entirely too much about some people's personal woes due to the freely shared information on their pages. (This could be the same for blogging, although, you don't have as much control over who views your blog, as this is open to anyone that might google a topic you have blogged about.)
3) I can get a lot more done around my house without Facebook in my daily routine. How stupid and silly to say that I have allowed Facebook to consume so much of my daily life. But I can honestly say, I wasn't aware of it until I removed it from my daily activities. I got way more laundry and housekeeping done! I had lots more real conversations with my children because I wasn't distracted from checking everyone's posts. Really? What could anyone have to say on facebook that could possibly be more important than the conversations I could be having with my children?
I'm still processing my hiatus from Facebook, and I may come up with more revelations, but for now these are the top 3. Am I going to give up Facebook forever? Probably not. I do enjoy keeping in touch with long distance family and friends in this manner..but I do know that the last 40 days definitely made me re-evaluate my priorities, even the ones that I didn't realize I was making priorities. I know who my real live friends are that I can contact for the good and bad in my life. And my laundry pile is considerably smaller now than before Lent. I don't feel the need at this point to fill my mind with other people's random thoughts on a regular basis, and am kind of embarrassed that I didn't realize that was what Facebook was to me...a way to fill the silence. There are many things that the Lord dealt with me during this time, and I know it's because I finally gave Him the time to consume my thoughts instead of pushing Him to the side. I don't want to give that up and go back to replacing Him. I will have Facebook...but it will continue to be in a limited forum. And if I feel myself getting back into that rut, I will fast again.
This is the first time I have fasted from anything for that amount of time, I'm wondering what else in my life I could fast from and find God patiently waiting for me?
1) It gives you a false sense of friendships. I have 619 "friends" on Facebook. These are family members, friends that I grew up with and friends that I have made as an adult. During that 40 day fast, I can count on less than 10 fingers the number of those "friends" that I had contact with. And to be honest, in a regular week of using Facebook, I don't have real conversations with most of those people. I actually renewed an old friendship with my friend Amy, who also gave up Facebook for Lent. Our daily contact and random texts with our "facebook thoughts" quickly turned to more personal conversations about things that we probably would never have posted on Facebook for everyone to see...which leads me to....
2) Facebook is a form of permissive voyeurism. When you add someone as your friend, you are permissively allowing them to be privy to any part of your life that you share in that forum. I know entirely too much about some people's personal woes due to the freely shared information on their pages. (This could be the same for blogging, although, you don't have as much control over who views your blog, as this is open to anyone that might google a topic you have blogged about.)
3) I can get a lot more done around my house without Facebook in my daily routine. How stupid and silly to say that I have allowed Facebook to consume so much of my daily life. But I can honestly say, I wasn't aware of it until I removed it from my daily activities. I got way more laundry and housekeeping done! I had lots more real conversations with my children because I wasn't distracted from checking everyone's posts. Really? What could anyone have to say on facebook that could possibly be more important than the conversations I could be having with my children?
I'm still processing my hiatus from Facebook, and I may come up with more revelations, but for now these are the top 3. Am I going to give up Facebook forever? Probably not. I do enjoy keeping in touch with long distance family and friends in this manner..but I do know that the last 40 days definitely made me re-evaluate my priorities, even the ones that I didn't realize I was making priorities. I know who my real live friends are that I can contact for the good and bad in my life. And my laundry pile is considerably smaller now than before Lent. I don't feel the need at this point to fill my mind with other people's random thoughts on a regular basis, and am kind of embarrassed that I didn't realize that was what Facebook was to me...a way to fill the silence. There are many things that the Lord dealt with me during this time, and I know it's because I finally gave Him the time to consume my thoughts instead of pushing Him to the side. I don't want to give that up and go back to replacing Him. I will have Facebook...but it will continue to be in a limited forum. And if I feel myself getting back into that rut, I will fast again.
This is the first time I have fasted from anything for that amount of time, I'm wondering what else in my life I could fast from and find God patiently waiting for me?
Wonderful Easter Weekend!
This weekend was fabulous! We didn't travel anywhere, and didn't have any family visit, so it was just the four of us; and while we missed seeing family, it was really nice to have some downtime just for us. Friday, the kids were out of school and they got to hang out with me all day.
Saturday started out with us going to the country house to fish the pond. We were there for about 2 hours and caught about 15 fish, to include bass and bream. We kept 8 of the bass, and threw the rest back. My husband is in charge of the status of the fish population in that pond and decides what we keep and what we throw back. I will try to get him to write a blog soon that explains the rules of this game. Anyway, after fishing, we came home and got cleaned up to head out to the Easter egg hunt at our church. Here's a few pictures from that:
Saturday started out with us going to the country house to fish the pond. We were there for about 2 hours and caught about 15 fish, to include bass and bream. We kept 8 of the bass, and threw the rest back. My husband is in charge of the status of the fish population in that pond and decides what we keep and what we throw back. I will try to get him to write a blog soon that explains the rules of this game. Anyway, after fishing, we came home and got cleaned up to head out to the Easter egg hunt at our church. Here's a few pictures from that:
Rachel patiently waiting for the start command...
It was a mad dash to pick up eggs...no real hidden ones on this field..
It's hard to get Bud to smile right for pictures these days...
Sunday morning, my sweet daughter helped me make beignets for breakfast. She read off the instructions, and I quickly learned that she is not real familiar with how to read fractions yet (1/2 tsp of baking soda became 1 1/2 tsp...)
She used a biscuit cutter to cut them out...
We had a huge plate of them when we were finished cooking...
My husband read us the Resurrection story from the Bible, and we discussed the events of that story with our children. We talked about how hard it must have been for God to give up His only child to take on the punishment for our sins and give us the opportunity to have eternal life in Heaven. It's too big for me to fathom as a mother. The kids asked lots of questions, especially Rachel...who also professed her love for Jesus and said that she wanted to pray the prayer of salvation. I couldn't have asked for a greater blessing that morning that to listen to my husband lead her through this prayer and listening to her ask for forgiveness for her sins and asking Jesus to come into her heart and lead her through life according to His will. Amazing.
After the excitement of the morning, we quickly realized that we were going to have to go to the late service at church. Here's my sweet babies with the obligatory "sun is in my eyes" Easter picture. Aren't they precious?
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Planning Ahead
This past week was Spring Break for my kids and my husband from school. It was a rather boring one for them since we didn't go anywhere special, mainly because I had sinus surgery on Thursday to repair 6 of my 8 sinuses. We had originally planned to go visit family in Louisiana the last part of the week so that I could help my mother with hosting a bridal shower for my nephew's fiance, but when I had my visit with the ENT on the 20th, he squashed those plans with the news we had kind of expected. So anyway, I have spent the last few days recovering from the surgery, which I pray I don't have to repeat. I was lucky in that he didn't have to touch my septum, so the facial pain has been a minimum. Mostly, the discomfort I have had was from not being able to breath through my nose the first 24 hours post surgery due to the packing, and then from removing the packing and the irritation it created in my nasal cavity. Ouch!! I have to admit, I cried when I had to take it out and I hope it's something I never have to do again. Anyway...today I am feeling somewhat back to normal, but trying to take it easy still. (I need to be able to work tomorrow!) So, I stayed home from church this morning and embraced the new plan we have for budgeting for our groceries, and created a supper menu for the next two weeks, along with a shopping list. The first week of the menu is based off of the meat products I all ready had in my freezer (boneless-skinless chicken breasts, a pork shoulder, tilapia filets, boneless country style pork ribs, a whole chicken, and shrimp). Easter Sunday and the second week will be items that I will be purchasing on this shopping trip. Here's my menu:
Sunday 04/01-Fried Chicken, green beans, rice and gravy, salad and rolls
Monday 04/02-Crockpot pork shoulder, Lima beans, rice and salad
Tuesday 04/03-Tilapia Tacos with carribean style rice, guacamole and chips
Wednesday 04/04-Chicken Parmigian, Salad and Garlic Bread
Thursday 04/05-Leftovers!! If there aren't any, we'll have sandwiches
Friday 04/06-Grilled Country Style Pork Ribs, baked potatoes with fixings, and salad
Saturday 04/07-Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya, garlic bread and salad
Sunday (Easter) 04/08-Smoked Brisket, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, homemade macaroni and cheese, rolls and apple pie
Monday 04/09-Leftovers from Easter
Tuesday 04/10-Chicken Alfredo Tortellini, salad and garlic bread
Wednesday 04/11-We'll eat dinner at church this night
Thursday 04/12-Grilled ribeyes, Pioneer Woman's creamy rosemary potatoes and salad
Friday 04/13 (oh, just realized that's Friday the 13th!!)-Family night out for dinner
Saturday 04/14-Crawfish Pie, salad
I have made menus and coordinating grocery lists in the past, and I always find it makes my week so much easier knowing ahead of time what I'm planning to cook and I tend to stick to the shopping list much easier than going in the store and blindly purchasing food items without a real plan for them. It also cuts down on the time spent in the grocery store because I get what's on the list and only what's on the list. Something I did this time that I don't normally do is clip coupons specifically for items that are on my list. We don't get a Sunday newspaper, so I did all my coupon clipping online. I plan to go to the grocery store tomorrow (not quite up for it today), and I'll let you know how much I spent and how much I saved with coupons. I haven't quite figured out the art of coupon shopping that maximizes the use of a coupon, and can't say that I'm interested in shopping mulitple stores to find the best savings. I plan to purchase my meat products at Costco and most of the produce, dairy and other food items at Walmart. I like the quality of the meat at Costco, and I like the idea of buying them in bulk, as I recently blogged about, and re-packaging them in the portion sizes I will use later.
So that is the plan, and I am really hoping to stick to it! I also have a recipe from Southern Living for a lemon-blueberry cream pie that I plan to make at some point this week, possibly tomorrow. I have been craving something lemon...this beautiful spring weather must be responsible!
Sunday 04/01-Fried Chicken, green beans, rice and gravy, salad and rolls
Monday 04/02-Crockpot pork shoulder, Lima beans, rice and salad
Tuesday 04/03-Tilapia Tacos with carribean style rice, guacamole and chips
Wednesday 04/04-Chicken Parmigian, Salad and Garlic Bread
Thursday 04/05-Leftovers!! If there aren't any, we'll have sandwiches
Friday 04/06-Grilled Country Style Pork Ribs, baked potatoes with fixings, and salad
Saturday 04/07-Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya, garlic bread and salad
Sunday (Easter) 04/08-Smoked Brisket, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, homemade macaroni and cheese, rolls and apple pie
Monday 04/09-Leftovers from Easter
Tuesday 04/10-Chicken Alfredo Tortellini, salad and garlic bread
Wednesday 04/11-We'll eat dinner at church this night
Thursday 04/12-Grilled ribeyes, Pioneer Woman's creamy rosemary potatoes and salad
Friday 04/13 (oh, just realized that's Friday the 13th!!)-Family night out for dinner
Saturday 04/14-Crawfish Pie, salad
I have made menus and coordinating grocery lists in the past, and I always find it makes my week so much easier knowing ahead of time what I'm planning to cook and I tend to stick to the shopping list much easier than going in the store and blindly purchasing food items without a real plan for them. It also cuts down on the time spent in the grocery store because I get what's on the list and only what's on the list. Something I did this time that I don't normally do is clip coupons specifically for items that are on my list. We don't get a Sunday newspaper, so I did all my coupon clipping online. I plan to go to the grocery store tomorrow (not quite up for it today), and I'll let you know how much I spent and how much I saved with coupons. I haven't quite figured out the art of coupon shopping that maximizes the use of a coupon, and can't say that I'm interested in shopping mulitple stores to find the best savings. I plan to purchase my meat products at Costco and most of the produce, dairy and other food items at Walmart. I like the quality of the meat at Costco, and I like the idea of buying them in bulk, as I recently blogged about, and re-packaging them in the portion sizes I will use later.
So that is the plan, and I am really hoping to stick to it! I also have a recipe from Southern Living for a lemon-blueberry cream pie that I plan to make at some point this week, possibly tomorrow. I have been craving something lemon...this beautiful spring weather must be responsible!
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