Toilet Time

Ok,
I hope you don't think I'm going all potty mouth blog on you; with a "P" and "toilet"  post back to back.  I promise my next post will have nothing to do with doo-doo!
I apologize, but I really couldn't think of a more appropriate title today. 
It seems that I'm doing alot of spiritual thinking and praying while going to the bathroom lately. 
I'm not trying to give TMI, just noting that I'm not quite sure what to make of this.  Is it sacrilige to mix the 3 P's?  Does this mean I am super spiritual (pray without ceasing) or a potty mouth?  Am I just a busy mother of 3 young kids who finds the only alone time in the day is found sitting upon the throne? (wait - any Mom will laugh at the thought bathroom time = privacy! ha ha ha!)
Or maybe.... gasp!  Maybe it means my priorities (once again) are misaligned.  Perhaps if I took time to pray in the morning during my quiet time, I wouldn't need quite so many toilet time prayers.
Yes, I've not been real consistent with quiet times again.  Sure, I've read my Bible - but spuradically.  I pray, but my prayers seem to be a bit more "emergency" and selfish in nature. 
Sure, I've had "stuff" going on in my life lately, and an in-house guest sleeping on the bonus room couch - my preferred quiet time spot.  But, let's be honest. Those are excuses.  God doesn't call me to make time for Him when all is well and convenient.  I am to make time to be with my maker. Period.
So-----
Here's to me cleaning up my act. 
Interactive:
Have you ever felt just a bit sacrilige for praying while on the toilet?  (Please don't tell me I'm the only one who ever does this!)
How are you doing with your quiet time consistency?

To P or not to P

And by "P", I mean PUPPY.
Several months ago we started chores for allowance around this house.
Two motivators were behind this decision:
1) We want to teach our children financial responsibility (I know, kind of ironic in light of this post!)  ;)
2) The kids (and me) are wanting a dog.  But dogs are a lot of responsibility and work, and we wanted to make sure the kids would be of consistent help.  (Yep, pooper-scooper will be added to the kid's chore chart!)
So we are discussing the whole puppy issue now.
Why now? 
Well, since we are not moving for awhile, seems as good a time as any.  And in a couple years, our carpet and kitchen linoleum will need replaced.  Would rather house-break a puppy on old carpet. :)
Currently, there are no long trips planned for several months. 
And, we are coming up on warmer weather (for frequent puppy potty breaks outside)

Cons:   Money (purchase, food, vet....)
            Messes - especially the stinky, brown variety on carpet.
            Misbehavior (had to think of another "M" word) - time to properly train the puppy.  I do NOT want
                                    a barker, "humper", or jumper!
Pros:    CUTE and CUDDLY
            Children responsibility training
            Crime prevention  - protection both when Dan is gone and walking with kids
            Children and Dogs just belong together.
            Calorie Burner - good motivator for kids and me to exercise  (need to walk dog...)

Breeds???    Pure-bred or Mut???

We want a medium-sized dog.  Big enough to offer some protection, but not so huge as to not fit in our house.... or eat us out of house and home!    I like the idea of a poodle not shedding, but not fond of pure-bred poodles.   We do not want a "yipper".   Obviously, we want a breed or mix-breed that is great with children.  Intelligent always nice (for ease of training).  I'm thinking I want the dog indoors.  (I know, Mom is happy...)  But I know if we do "outdoor" dog - we will ignore it more, which wouldn't be fair to the dog.  If we are going to get a dog, it's going to be part of the family.  Might be different if we lived on an acerage or farm with plenty for her to do, but we don't. (Yes, I said her.  I figure a female dog will be less inclined to hump everybody's leg that visits.  Am I wrong???)

So I guess what I am saying on this post is.... HELP!  I need your prayers and ideas!  This is a very major decision and we want to make a wise choice. 
Thanks for your prayers and input!

I'm ba-ack. Happy Happenings Post

Hello - for the second time in a 7 day period.  :()
Thank God (and I am not swearing here)  I finally feel a bit more chipper again!
(helps the hubby is home - yay)
So for those who endured the blah's lately - thanks, and this post is dedicated to you. :)
Happy Happenings:
* Dan is back from his recruiting trip to Iowa State University (Go Cyclones!). 
* Praise God, Dan's Dad comes home from the hospital today!
* Did anyone else watch Shaun White's Gold medal Snowboarding run last night?
      It was excellent.  Very fun to watch.
      Funny side note:  Papa and I were watching the competition and one of the riders wobbled in the air.
       We both thought it was a cool trick.  We later learned it was called the "kickin chicken" - and not
       a trick - but lack of control.  :)  Good thing we weren't judging :)

* Last night we went to church for Ash Wednesday.  Good reminder of our spiritual debt and our need for a Savior.  (sets us up for Easter....)  Anyway, the Happy thought was a memory from last year at Ash Wednesday service.   When it came time for the impartation of the ashes, Dan, myself, and our 2 little girls went up.  Our 6 year old son stayed sitting by himself - not wanting to go up.  We didn't force the issue.
When we got home, the girls and I washed off our foreheads.  My son noticed our clean foreheads and exclaimed, "It washes OFF!?!".  He hadn't wanted ashes on his head because he thought it was permanent!  :)

Ok.  Better go make lunch for the kiddos.  Have a great day.
Britt :)

Suffering Joy

Obviously, I did not meet my goal of posting at least twice last week.  My apologies.  I'm still developing discipline in writing..... and it was kinda a rough week.   Dan was out of town for business.  And Dan's Dad was in the hospital in a lot of pain.  Turns out he (my Father in law) has a torn carotid artery (yah - the juglar) and a clot had formed - putting pressure on a nerve that paralyzed his tongue and gave him intense, painful headaches :(
So I have been husbandless all week and worried about my Father-in-law.  (Not to mention other stresses that seem to have piled on top of my mind this week:  Homeschool issues, no new house, husband has been super busy and working long hours at work all year, wanting my Dad to get a job out here - soon......)
ANYWAY - guess what I have realized?
It. Is. Not. About. Me!
Yah, I know - shocker!
Yes, I might feel as if I am having a rough week and my life is so horrible right now  (yes, that is an exageration :) but truly, I am NOT suffering very greatly.  Just the little things adding up.
There are people who truly ARE suffering right now.  Like my Father-in-Law.
GOD IS GOOD.
Remember I mentioned Dan's business trip?  He was recruiting college grads for work at our alma mater just 2 - TWO-hours away from his parents!  Dan is currently able to spend a few days with his Mom, siblings, and visit his Dad in the hospital.  This would have been very cost prohibitive if he had not already been on his business trip so close to "home".  Thank you God, for your perfect timing!
So yes - part of my stress is that I miss my husband.  But I thank God Dan is able to see his family during this trying time in their lives.  I'll choose to *suffer* a few more days in JOY, knowing that God is in control of ALL circumstances.
JOY JOY JOY   (Sure feels God is testing me to see how serious I am about wanting 2010 to be a year of Joy!)  :)

Praying God's Joy for your life and mine,
Britt :)

Spiritual Warfare - Finances

Good weekend, Ladies,
I gotta be real here.  I'm feeling pretty emotionaly shredded and bruised today.
If you have followed this blog for a little while, you probably have noticed that I currently reside in an under 1400 sq. foot house and would love, Love, LOVE to be in a bigger, nicer house.  It is probably my biggest struggle with covetesnous at this stage in my life.  You may also have read recently that I was content.  And I was.... until these past couple of weeks when we (Dan and I) started considering making the leap to the next level of house. 
Yah.  I was pret-ty excited :)  We met with our Mortgage company.  We met with a really awesome real estate agent.  I (Dan has to work yet another Saturday today) was scheduled to go looking at houses with said realator this morning.
It did not happen.
After prayerful consideration and Dan and I taking a HARD look at our finances last night, we realized this would not be a wise move (pun intended) on our part.
So yes.  I am VERY dissappointed.  But I am also very at peace.
I believe God has brought us safely through a test.  (I don't necessarily mean a test of God's design, but more a day in day out living our life test). 
Satan knows my weakness: House.  Satan is very crafty and deceitful.  He knows what we want to hear.
And I fell for it. 
By the grace of God, we (Dan and I) recognized the lies we were believing before serious damage was done.
It wasn't just a financial decision.  It was spiritual warfare.  Submitting ourselves to God's direction/plan for our lives instead of believing Satan's lies and deception.
We needed to re-evaluate our current spending and financial stewardship. We found ourselves lacking.  If we had stayed on that path, financial stress - even potential ruin - were on the horizon and we had turned a blind eye.   A new and bigger house now would most certainly lead us to severe finanacial stress or ruin.  Not to mention the implications for major marital stress.
So Praise God. 
I don't feel happy or joyful about it.  (Drats, why, oh why did I pray for the Joy of the Lord.  Didn't HE know I ment give me a house and I would be joyful?!?!?)
But I do feel at peace and secure in God's goodness and blessings that we DO have. (We have many)
I praise God that HE brought us safely through a tough financial decision that has far-reaching consequences.
Just thought I would share.
-Britt :)

PS - Thought I would take a quick moment and share a few blessings in my life:
Jesus Christ as my Lord, Savior, and Friend
Healthy Family
Wonderful Husband who treats me extremely well
Children who love Jesus
Great Friends
Godly heritage to bolster me when I am personally feeling weak
THIS HOUSE.  It is a good home and I am thankful for it
Food on the table every day every meal
My new digital piano
Money for kids to play soccer and do Awanas and Cub scouts
I am able to stay home with my Children
While we are not moving into a new house, we are not being evicted from this one
...
...

Interactive:
What blessings in your own life has God made you aware of lately?  And if not, can you take a moment and count them?  Trust me.  It is much more encouraging than wallowing in what we do not have :)

Hello, Jon Acuff!

Sorry, Ladies.
I gotta be real here.
This post is not for you, but for me.
You see, I really enjoy reading a blog entitled Stuff Christians Like.  The author of this site (and a soon to be released book by the same title) offered to guest post on a few people's blogs.
I signed up. 
I am really hopeful as I was comment number 696  :()
Anyway,
If you are reading this, Jon, thanks for taking the time to stop by.  Especially since I just now realized I think I missed the deadline by a day!
Ha ha ha.
Well, at least this gave me something to write about today.
Hope everyone is having a blessed week!
Britt :)