I returned this morning at approximately 1 am from Women of Faith conference in Kansas City. I'm going to go through my notes & try to make sense of them & put into words all of the things that God is trying to teach me right now...this may take a few postings!
First of all, I had an AMAZING time with some AMAZING ladies from the Norton area who joined me for this trip. What a great time of fellowship, shopping, giggles, worshiping, & growing closer to Jesus together. I am so blessed!
One lady who spoke several times over the weekend was Sheila Walsh. Here is my notes/thoughts from the first message she gave to us! (I will try to put her words in "quotes" & then my own thoughts to follow)
"GUILT = you've DONE something wrong"
"SHAME = You ARE something wrong"
I have never heard these two words compared like this. What a difference....guilt can be used as a growing time & strengthening tool, while shame is much harder to work through & the wounds seem to be alot deeper & take longer to heal. This is so important to keep in mind in dealing with those I have relationships with. I NEVER want to inflict SHAME onto someone. I don't want to be the one who makes them feel worthless. I pray that I can help people past the guilt & not let it turn into shame.
"TRUST is what LOVE looks like" Oh how true this is & how it spoke to my heart. Trust & love almost define each other. Sheila challenged me to ask 3 questions of myself:
1-Do you feel the need to control what's going on around you?......yes
2-When the unexpected hits you are you more ruled by fear & anxiety or resting in the peace that God is in control?....probably fear
3-Do you ever feel a slight disconnect from God & those close to you, like there is a veil covering parts of who you really are?....Yes
OH ME OF LITTLE FAITH!!!! It is so hard to let go....but I was truly challenged when she said "Do you trust the hand of the ONE who is leading your life? " Well....based on my answers to the above questions, I would have to say "no" to this final question. But the truth is I do LOVE Jesus & as said earlier Trust is what Love looks like....so, I guess I need to start showing a little more of what my love for Jesus looks like. I want to trust Him. While talking with a couple friends, one challenged me to not try to fit God in a little box. But, if I would trust Him & watch to see His blessings come. Sheila next wove the story of Gideon (Judges 6-7)into this message. A few things that stood out to me were:
"Nothing is impossible...but you've got to stop pretending that everything is OK!" "God is wanting me to know that He is going to take care of me & all the stuff in my life, but that I need to back away, because it's ALL GOING TO BE HIM!" She stated that the Midianites were never the real enemy....the real enemy was the lack of trust in the sovereign GOD!!! Who/what do I see as my enemy....why do I let me dis-trust deceive me."
I recently told someone that sometimes I feel like I am "gifted" in worrying. So I was truly challenged by Sheila's words...I worry because of fear of the unknown, thinking I always need a plan etc....but really it is my NEED/WANT to feel like I am in control. Please pray for me to recognize that God is in control of my life & if I will just let go & let Him lead me I would be released from my worry.
Ok...well this is the first notes from what I am trying to learn from God. Stay tuned...more great stuff coming! I'm so excited to share with you....hopefully my rambling notes will share a little bit of a message with you & maybe even spark a change in your thinking as it has mine!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
I LOVE sparkpeople.com
Okay so...last week I discovered Sparkpeople.com. An awesome FREE website that includes nutrition tracking with menus, fitness tracking with online exercise videos & printable workout guides. It will track the number of glasses of water you drink each day, your total calories consumed & worked off (I haven't found just general everyday activity calories burned, but deliberate calories you can enter). DID I MENTION IT'S FREE????
Reasons Why I Love Sparkpeople.com
1. It's FREE!!!!
2. Meal/menu planning....all I have to do is print the grocery list, mark off what I already have, shop & then prepare & cook. Oh yeah, I can choose different things, search recipes, never cook something I wouldn't eat etc.
3. It helps me set practical goals that will provoke a lifestyle change!
4. They also have free apps for my Droid phone!!!
5. It's easy to use.
6. It's practical.
7. It's FREE!!!
OK. So, the first week was shaky, basically my laptop cord broke & then when my battery died I couldn't use it anymore...gotta order a new cord! Anyway, all I really accomplished the first week was I gave up drinking soda. I haven't even missed it. Just from reading some articles on sparkpeople.com I got to thinking about what I consumed & decided that soda was the least productive calories I took in. I am not saying I will never drink it ever again...but who knows. As for getting started, I needed to be drinking more water & this was an easy fix.
This week however, I decided I am going to walk every night after the boys are in bed. So, Monday = Day 1 + good friends = 2.5 miles walking at the track...oooh & we even did one set of stairs! Then I came home, logged onto sparkpeople.com & planned our meals for the week & made my grocery list (my printer is broken). Woke up early (for me), went to the grocery store before the boys woke up. Bad side is I spent almost double my grocery budget for the week! YIKES!!! Maybe it will get better....anyway! I some breakfast & then made some muffins. They smell & look amazing! They are Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins. And as much as I would love to dive into one, I will wait until breakfast for tomorrow! Then...if they taste as good as they look & smell I will share the recipe & nutrition info!
So, I LOVE sparkpeople.com
Check it out!!!
Reasons Why I Love Sparkpeople.com
1. It's FREE!!!!
2. Meal/menu planning....all I have to do is print the grocery list, mark off what I already have, shop & then prepare & cook. Oh yeah, I can choose different things, search recipes, never cook something I wouldn't eat etc.
3. It helps me set practical goals that will provoke a lifestyle change!
4. They also have free apps for my Droid phone!!!
5. It's easy to use.
6. It's practical.
7. It's FREE!!!
OK. So, the first week was shaky, basically my laptop cord broke & then when my battery died I couldn't use it anymore...gotta order a new cord! Anyway, all I really accomplished the first week was I gave up drinking soda. I haven't even missed it. Just from reading some articles on sparkpeople.com I got to thinking about what I consumed & decided that soda was the least productive calories I took in. I am not saying I will never drink it ever again...but who knows. As for getting started, I needed to be drinking more water & this was an easy fix.
This week however, I decided I am going to walk every night after the boys are in bed. So, Monday = Day 1 + good friends = 2.5 miles walking at the track...oooh & we even did one set of stairs! Then I came home, logged onto sparkpeople.com & planned our meals for the week & made my grocery list (my printer is broken). Woke up early (for me), went to the grocery store before the boys woke up. Bad side is I spent almost double my grocery budget for the week! YIKES!!! Maybe it will get better....anyway! I some breakfast & then made some muffins. They smell & look amazing! They are Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins. And as much as I would love to dive into one, I will wait until breakfast for tomorrow! Then...if they taste as good as they look & smell I will share the recipe & nutrition info!
So, I LOVE sparkpeople.com
Check it out!!!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Just thoughts.....
I often wonder
1- who reads my blog
2- is my blog for the reader or for me
Then I got to thinking about the blogs I read....undoubtedly when there is a new post I get excited to read it...thinking it was written for me or the reader in general. But I know that it is also written because the writer needs to write, share thoughts, sometimes vent, praise, etc. As I write this, I am doing it for me, but also thinking of you the reader & hoping that my words can fill a little spot, make you laugh, cry, or shout! So it can kinda run in a circle all the way around!
But, I really started to think that it is the same way with lots of things in life. For instance, at bedtime, Lincoln always wants to snuggle with Mama....I would rather snuggle when he comes sweetly into my room in the morning & wakes me up. So tonight, while laying in bed snuggling Lincoln, I was thinking about the whole thing. Thinking the whole time that I wanted to go clean up (what was I thinking), come down to my computer check facebook, maybe work on pictures etc., and thinking about his sweet boy who wanted to snuggle! After snuggling a few moments I told him "goodnight, I love you!" he wanted to "snuggle more." So, I gave in (rarely happens- at bedtime anyway) and stayed to snuggle, thinking about this sweet boy who needed his Mama & that this was all for him...I was fulfilling my mommy job & snuggling. At that moment, he reached his tiny little arms around my neck...one on each side & pulled me in tight. So close that his chubby little cheek was pressed tightly into my eye socket, so soft & squishy cute!! Then, I felt his eyelashes (they can make any girl jealous), batting up & down on my forehead. OH MELT MY HEART!!! Suddenly, these snuggles are not for him but for me! I LOVE BEING HIS MOMMY!!!! I AM SO SPOILED!!
Now, I'm not saying it always happens like tonight, but all I know is that when I was willing to give him a little more of me that he needed....I was the one more immensely blessed than I could have thought!
I want to be this way more in my life. When I think I have nothing left to give, I want to give anyway. Not because of the blessing that could come, well kinda because of the possible blessing, but more because I want to give more. I like the blessings, but the feeling of knowing how much I enjoyed that sweet moment with my little boy, how much more it meant to him. Also, I didn't leave him crying in his room not wanting to go to bed yet!
1- who reads my blog
2- is my blog for the reader or for me
Then I got to thinking about the blogs I read....undoubtedly when there is a new post I get excited to read it...thinking it was written for me or the reader in general. But I know that it is also written because the writer needs to write, share thoughts, sometimes vent, praise, etc. As I write this, I am doing it for me, but also thinking of you the reader & hoping that my words can fill a little spot, make you laugh, cry, or shout! So it can kinda run in a circle all the way around!
But, I really started to think that it is the same way with lots of things in life. For instance, at bedtime, Lincoln always wants to snuggle with Mama....I would rather snuggle when he comes sweetly into my room in the morning & wakes me up. So tonight, while laying in bed snuggling Lincoln, I was thinking about the whole thing. Thinking the whole time that I wanted to go clean up (what was I thinking), come down to my computer check facebook, maybe work on pictures etc., and thinking about his sweet boy who wanted to snuggle! After snuggling a few moments I told him "goodnight, I love you!" he wanted to "snuggle more." So, I gave in (rarely happens- at bedtime anyway) and stayed to snuggle, thinking about this sweet boy who needed his Mama & that this was all for him...I was fulfilling my mommy job & snuggling. At that moment, he reached his tiny little arms around my neck...one on each side & pulled me in tight. So close that his chubby little cheek was pressed tightly into my eye socket, so soft & squishy cute!! Then, I felt his eyelashes (they can make any girl jealous), batting up & down on my forehead. OH MELT MY HEART!!! Suddenly, these snuggles are not for him but for me! I LOVE BEING HIS MOMMY!!!! I AM SO SPOILED!!
Now, I'm not saying it always happens like tonight, but all I know is that when I was willing to give him a little more of me that he needed....I was the one more immensely blessed than I could have thought!
I want to be this way more in my life. When I think I have nothing left to give, I want to give anyway. Not because of the blessing that could come, well kinda because of the possible blessing, but more because I want to give more. I like the blessings, but the feeling of knowing how much I enjoyed that sweet moment with my little boy, how much more it meant to him. Also, I didn't leave him crying in his room not wanting to go to bed yet!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Oh Summer!!!
It came so fast & it is leaving even faster!! Seems like school just got out & here we are thinking about all the back 2 school stuff!! YIKES!!! Where does the time go?!?!
Well, a few weeks ago we went to BOONDOCKER! What a fun camp! The boys & I take the camper (while the JR HI kids are sleeping in tents)...I know we're spoiled! Mike was the dean, I taught a class & played nurse! LET ME TELL YOU...what an adventure! I am amazed at the things kids will come to the nurse at camp for...seriously guys...a scraped knee that I wouldn't even bandage for my 2 year old & these 13 & 14 years old boys were wanting it cleaned out & medicated & bandaged! THEN...they shudder with pain from the peroxide while I was cleaning it! OH MY!! Then I had a girls who caught an air soft bi-bi in her lip....and acted like it was no big deal...she was just bleeding! It was crazy! I had kids wanting band-aids for mosquito bites!!! HA!!! My sympathetic side went out the window very quickly!! Oh well!!!
My class was fun though!! We (my high school helpers & I) gave JR HI girls pedicures & then we talked about pretty piggies! I reminded the girls that the Bible says " beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!" I told them that this is what our purpose was & that we needed & wanted pretty feet, so as a reminder when we see our pretty feet or when we are painting those piggies to think about what we are doing to bring the good news & have beautiful feet like God wants us to! It was so much fun! The girls LOVED getting spoiled & pampered at the "rough" camp!!
Right before Boondocker, we went on a little adventure to look at a suburban for Mike...we drove 2.5 hours to see it...It is a 1966 Suburban....it's pretty cool! We bought it & drove it home! So fun for us! The little boys LOVE it....Justice giggles every time you step on the gas!!! Too cute!!
We had a great 4th of July! Celebrating with friends & family! We spent most of the day at our friends house...backyard party...so much fun! They boys played in the pool, enjoyed sack races & lots of food & fun!! Later we went to Mike's parents house to shoot off fireworks! The boys did great! So much fun!!!
On Saturday, Mike left on the annual youth mission trip! He took kids to the mountains above Denver, to a conference called NYR...nationwide youth roundup...they have main sessions, speakers & worship. Then part of the day they travel down to work at the Salvation Army. They help with day camps...playing with kids, then they do whatever work projects, or cleaning that needs done! They are having a great trip so far!
I am missing my hubby terribly! BUT....he has been so good about calling me! A couple of times everyday so far! This is good for me...sometimes I feel like he goes away & is so busy that he kinda forgets us (mostly just so busy)....so as hard as it is, I like when he calls to say hello & tells us how much he loves & misses us! The boys are doing very well so far...my plan is to keep them busy, busy, busy, so that they don't miss daddy too much! Can't wait until he gets home on Friday!
A few exciting things are keeping us busy! I got a new camera yesterday!!! So fun!! I took 170ish pictures today, just playing with it & watching my sweet boys! It is also fair week here in Norton, so we went down to have some fun tonight! Riding rides & hanging out with friends. We stayed out a little late....so the boys got to bed later than usual...hopefully they will sleep in a little! We will probably indulge in a few more fair activities this week! There is a petting zoo tomorrow, then we can go to regular story hour at the library, & more carnival nights.
OH...and ....we bought a new to us swimming pool! It has been so nice having it...I hardly knew it was 100 degrees today!
Well, a few weeks ago we went to BOONDOCKER! What a fun camp! The boys & I take the camper (while the JR HI kids are sleeping in tents)...I know we're spoiled! Mike was the dean, I taught a class & played nurse! LET ME TELL YOU...what an adventure! I am amazed at the things kids will come to the nurse at camp for...seriously guys...a scraped knee that I wouldn't even bandage for my 2 year old & these 13 & 14 years old boys were wanting it cleaned out & medicated & bandaged! THEN...they shudder with pain from the peroxide while I was cleaning it! OH MY!! Then I had a girls who caught an air soft bi-bi in her lip....and acted like it was no big deal...she was just bleeding! It was crazy! I had kids wanting band-aids for mosquito bites!!! HA!!! My sympathetic side went out the window very quickly!! Oh well!!!
My class was fun though!! We (my high school helpers & I) gave JR HI girls pedicures & then we talked about pretty piggies! I reminded the girls that the Bible says " beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!" I told them that this is what our purpose was & that we needed & wanted pretty feet, so as a reminder when we see our pretty feet or when we are painting those piggies to think about what we are doing to bring the good news & have beautiful feet like God wants us to! It was so much fun! The girls LOVED getting spoiled & pampered at the "rough" camp!!
Right before Boondocker, we went on a little adventure to look at a suburban for Mike...we drove 2.5 hours to see it...It is a 1966 Suburban....it's pretty cool! We bought it & drove it home! So fun for us! The little boys LOVE it....Justice giggles every time you step on the gas!!! Too cute!!
We had a great 4th of July! Celebrating with friends & family! We spent most of the day at our friends house...backyard party...so much fun! They boys played in the pool, enjoyed sack races & lots of food & fun!! Later we went to Mike's parents house to shoot off fireworks! The boys did great! So much fun!!!
On Saturday, Mike left on the annual youth mission trip! He took kids to the mountains above Denver, to a conference called NYR...nationwide youth roundup...they have main sessions, speakers & worship. Then part of the day they travel down to work at the Salvation Army. They help with day camps...playing with kids, then they do whatever work projects, or cleaning that needs done! They are having a great trip so far!
I am missing my hubby terribly! BUT....he has been so good about calling me! A couple of times everyday so far! This is good for me...sometimes I feel like he goes away & is so busy that he kinda forgets us (mostly just so busy)....so as hard as it is, I like when he calls to say hello & tells us how much he loves & misses us! The boys are doing very well so far...my plan is to keep them busy, busy, busy, so that they don't miss daddy too much! Can't wait until he gets home on Friday!
A few exciting things are keeping us busy! I got a new camera yesterday!!! So fun!! I took 170ish pictures today, just playing with it & watching my sweet boys! It is also fair week here in Norton, so we went down to have some fun tonight! Riding rides & hanging out with friends. We stayed out a little late....so the boys got to bed later than usual...hopefully they will sleep in a little! We will probably indulge in a few more fair activities this week! There is a petting zoo tomorrow, then we can go to regular story hour at the library, & more carnival nights.
OH...and ....we bought a new to us swimming pool! It has been so nice having it...I hardly knew it was 100 degrees today!
OK, I guess I will quite for tonight! I have lots to do tomorrow! The boys & I will be leaving Sunday for a trip to Grand Teton National Park & Yellowstone. My whole family will be getting together for a few days out there! So excited!!!!!!
Monday, June 28, 2010
High school camp @ Lakeview
So...I promised to update throughout our summer craziness and as I'm sitting here at Boondocker, I realized that I had not posted anything about our first week of camp.
Anyway, that was a few weeks ago & it was awesome!!! The boys & I stayed in our camper, they did great!! They loved playing at camp. We all had a lot of fun.
I led a family group of girls! They were so much fun...just fabulous!!!
I love how real Jesus becomes to the students at camp. It is so amazing to see Him work in their lives!
The sunset picture, I took walking to chapel one night. There are several things I love about the pic! I love the pretty sunset & how the light shining links like a cross next to the wooden cross. I love the view if the chapel over the lake. Most of all I love seeing the group if men gathered in prayer. They were praying for the evening speaker & lifting one another up! I love the commitment that these men have for sharing Christ with the students.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Our craziness begins!!!! SUMMER!!!!!
Ok....for those of you who don't know(I'm guessing, if you're reading my blog you know this, but just in case)...my husband Mike is a youth minister & summer is CrAzY!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway our summer is in full swing & the busyness starts!!!
This week we are getting ready for our first week of church camp! We leave for high school camp on Sunday afternoon. I will be going & taking the boys. We will stay in our camper & have lots of fun! We will still get to see Mike everyday & even hang out with him some! Which is WAY better than staying at home & not even seeing him a little bit! My little boys kinda like their daddy! So, that means I am busy getting the camper cleaned, loaded, stocked, etc...ready for the first trip of the year! Also, laundry, shopping list for food, snacks, sun/bug stuff, toys, etc! I TAKE SO MUCH STUFF!!! Gotta be prepared! Oh & a trip to Kearney to pick up supplies & such. I am doing a jewelry making class at camp! We will be making earrings out of soda cans....lots of fun!
Oh & part of our trip to Kearney is because Saturday is our 11th anniversary!!!! Where does the time go?!?!??! 11 years is a long time! It's amazing! So anyway, hopefully, we will get to spend some quality time together getting ready for camp, doing a little shopping & I think we are going to finish the day off with yummy Prime Rib dinner @ Cunningham's Feed in Arapahoe...oooh...maybe I will see what movie is playing too!
Soo for the rest of our summer we will be busy as well! I'm sure I will write more later, but here's a preview!!
June 5th - 11th ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!
June 6-11 HS Camp @ Lakeview
June 12 - Inflatable Game Rental
June 13 - My Parents ARRIVE!!! (sometime this week I think)
June 19 - my baby sister turns 13 & Mike has a wedding to do!
June 27-July 1st - BOONDOCKER CAMP
July 4th - Extravaganza with our super duper awesome friends...SOOO EXCITED!!!!
July 24-30...Mike has mission trip (not sure what me & the boys are doing yet! We might go visit him)
August 1-6,7,8, or 9 - Me & boys & Bri (super great youth group girl to help me) will be traveling across Nebraska & Wyoming to the Tetons for a little Roelfsema Family Vacation/Reunion. We will probably do Yellowstone to!!! Pretty excited about this trip! Sad Mike can't come but WAY excited that Bri is willing to come help me with the boys....it's a LONG WAY to the Tetons from here!
Anyway, I will *hopefully* write about each of these events along the way! Pleas be in prayer for all of this! Pray for our ministry to change lives & reach kids! Summer is crazy, but a super influential time in the lives of these youth! We LOVE this!!!! YAY for summer & CAMP!!!!
This week we are getting ready for our first week of church camp! We leave for high school camp on Sunday afternoon. I will be going & taking the boys. We will stay in our camper & have lots of fun! We will still get to see Mike everyday & even hang out with him some! Which is WAY better than staying at home & not even seeing him a little bit! My little boys kinda like their daddy! So, that means I am busy getting the camper cleaned, loaded, stocked, etc...ready for the first trip of the year! Also, laundry, shopping list for food, snacks, sun/bug stuff, toys, etc! I TAKE SO MUCH STUFF!!! Gotta be prepared! Oh & a trip to Kearney to pick up supplies & such. I am doing a jewelry making class at camp! We will be making earrings out of soda cans....lots of fun!
Oh & part of our trip to Kearney is because Saturday is our 11th anniversary!!!! Where does the time go?!?!??! 11 years is a long time! It's amazing! So anyway, hopefully, we will get to spend some quality time together getting ready for camp, doing a little shopping & I think we are going to finish the day off with yummy Prime Rib dinner @ Cunningham's Feed in Arapahoe...oooh...maybe I will see what movie is playing too!
Soo for the rest of our summer we will be busy as well! I'm sure I will write more later, but here's a preview!!
June 5th - 11th ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!
June 6-11 HS Camp @ Lakeview
June 12 - Inflatable Game Rental
June 13 - My Parents ARRIVE!!! (sometime this week I think)
June 19 - my baby sister turns 13 & Mike has a wedding to do!
June 27-July 1st - BOONDOCKER CAMP
July 4th - Extravaganza with our super duper awesome friends...SOOO EXCITED!!!!
July 24-30...Mike has mission trip (not sure what me & the boys are doing yet! We might go visit him)
August 1-6,7,8, or 9 - Me & boys & Bri (super great youth group girl to help me) will be traveling across Nebraska & Wyoming to the Tetons for a little Roelfsema Family Vacation/Reunion. We will probably do Yellowstone to!!! Pretty excited about this trip! Sad Mike can't come but WAY excited that Bri is willing to come help me with the boys....it's a LONG WAY to the Tetons from here!
Anyway, I will *hopefully* write about each of these events along the way! Pleas be in prayer for all of this! Pray for our ministry to change lives & reach kids! Summer is crazy, but a super influential time in the lives of these youth! We LOVE this!!!! YAY for summer & CAMP!!!!
Ok....I lied!
So I lied! I said I would never mow the lawn again...but I did...and I kinda liked it! Last week we were getting ready to go for a youth ministry leadership retreat & Mike was super busy & so I though I can do it. He had given me a few pointers after the last fiasco with mowing...so I tried again! The backyard was pretty easy! The boys played in the sand box for most of the time while mowing! The front yard however seemed to take forever! I was constantly having to stop to tell Justice "don't eat the sidewalk chalk...its icky" & to pick Justice up when he fell down. Lincoln does pretty good, except when he's trying to talk to me and I can't hear him! So anyway...I said I kinda liked it! I did! I'm thinking it was HARD work & our yard is much bigger when you're mowing than it is when you're playing! I actually enjoy using the weed eater! Anyway, I do need to mow again before we leave for camp on Sunday! So maybe....I might really like it this time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)