What to pAst?

Hmmmmm,
What to post?  What to post? I have to post something,  or I won't make my goal of at least two posts a week.
Maybe I should write about my past as three times straight, I keep accidentally typing "pAst" instead of "pOst"......
I don't particularly find my past that interesting, except to realize that I now have more of a past than I would like to admit.  I turn 34 this year.  I think I can remember when 30 seemed old.   I assure myself that it's true what I've heard - 40 is the new 30 ;) 
Time sure is relative, isn't it? 
I remember 3 years ago when a friend introduced me to an older woman at a community function.  I remarked that I had 3 children, at which point the older woman's jaw dropped in shock to learn I was old enough to have 3 children because I looked so amazingly young (ok - that part might be a teensy bit exagerated, but the next part is true) - and so she asked me how old I was.  Honest to goodness my mind froze.  I.  could.  not.  remember.  Thoughts of college days flashed before my eyes and they didn't seem that far away, so I stupidly stuttered - (and I quote) -  "23,...  27,.. I,..  I mean 30!  I'm 30!"
I think older lady went away pretty impressed with this brunette bimbo.  I hope so, because this brunette bimbo went home a bit depressed.  I was no longer in my 20's and college days suddenly seemed a looooong time back.  I realized I was in a new stage of life, never to relive the 20's.

BUT -I am now comfortable being a 30-something.  I'm married to a wonderful man who I realize with each passing year I am unworthy of (trust me, I used to think it was the other way around, but that's another topic).  God has blessed us with 3 healthy, happy children.   We know of Jesus love for us.  We are blessed to live in a free country.  I could go on and on, but this is not about blessings, this post is about me being in my 30's.

So as I was saying, I am now in my 30's.  And 30's are good.  (right 30-somethings?)
I may sag and bag a bit more, but it's from bearing 3 children.  I might not be able to stay up quite as late as often as I used to, but fortunately there are no more mid-term exams that require me to.  I may be driving a fancy, sporty mini-van, but at least it's not the old '77 Vega which required 1 quart of oil a week.  Yeah, I bought oil by the case.  And my big shopping sprees may now revolve around kids clothes and toys (even when I attempt to shop for me), but those things are for my kids.  Kids I used to only dream about and make up names for as a child and wonder what they would someday look like.

I'm grateful for where I am at in life.  I am in the young family stage.  My children still think I am the coolest thing on earth.  I'm still young enough to play with my kids at the park or run up and down the stairs 100 times in a day.  Yet I'm a bit wiser than when I was in my 20's.  I'm that many more years in love with a wonderful man.  That many more years I've seen God's goodness and faithfulness in my life.

Thanks Lord for my life.  Help me make the most of it -  decade by decade, year by year, and most importanty,
Moment by Moment.

Enjoy your day.  Enjoy your moments.  Before you know it, they will be your past.
Hope you enjoyed this pAst :)

Interactive:
What is the best thing about being in your 30's (or in some other decade) that you didn't expect when you were younger?   And as always, feel free to comment, even if it is not in response to the "interactive" question.

Off-Balance

Realizing I have not been very consistent with my blog posts so far in 2010 - sorry :(
And I havn't been very good at consistent "quiet times" with God, either.
But I have been pretty joyful.   Does that count?

Seems like I can only manage 2-3 things really well at a time -- and the rest slide.
Right now I feel I am doing really well in the following areas:
1) homeschool    
2) SS teacher,   and   
3) organizing the upcoming AWANA store (kids spend points they've earned on little prizes). 
(Oh - and #4 would have to be reading a really great book:  The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follet)

Quality play time with kids?  B-
Quality time with Dan?  B  (partially not my fault - work has kept him busy lately)
Clean House?   C+  (mainly 'cuz my Dad is visiting and doing dishes, and the kids do chores now)
Updating this blog?  B- (?)
Updating my family blog with pictures?   D
Exercise?  D

Yep, it is the age-old life balance thingy-majiggy.  (there is a much more intelligent word on the tip of my brain, but I am too time unbalanced right now to go look it up....)

How is everyone else doing with a balanced life in 2010?

First week of 2010

Wow!  Is it really already Thursday?
Thanks be to God, this week has been a good week.  Mind you, not all that super productive, but I figure just getting back in the swing of things is accomplishment enough this first week of the new year :)
Homeschooling is going well.  Only 1.5 meltdowns this week.  (That is 1 total meltdown from my kindergartner on Monday and a .5 meltdown from my 2nd-grader on Tuesday).  But then on Wednesday I saw (yet again) an answer to prayer concerning homeschool.  It was a simple prayer:  "Lord, help me find ways to make school interesting and fun today, amen."   Then, of course, I forgot about the prayer until I was prepping for the healthy food unit study during the kids' recess time.  Surfing the web for a nice food pyramid to print out, I came across a food pyramid rocket launch game. 
It was a total hit with the kids.  (I have added the site to the homeschool sub-blog sidebar under "games")
Thank you, Lord, for caring about the education of my children!
And, then that same day (yesterday) a good friend called me up and invited herself/husband over to our house to play a board game that evening.  (Their oldest can babysit their kids, so it made sense they come over here).  Anyway, that was an unexpected and really fun mid-week surprise! (I almost won..... lost to Dan)
Sooooo,
Just wanted to check in with you and let you know I have survived my first week of the new year.
May I even say it has been - joyful?!  :)

Thank You, God, for a joyful start to 2010 :)

Interactive:
Anyone else have unexpected surprises or blessings this first week of 2010 ?

Joy to my World

This is my last evening of freedom. 
Well, that is a bit over-dramatic as there will be more weekends and holidays, but my 2 week all-family staycation is rapidly drawing to a close :(

However, I am determined (at leat attempting to be determined) to have a positive outlook tomorrow morning.  Monday morning.  Monday morning after 16 days of vacation.  Getting up and out of pajamas by 8:00...... a.m.

I think one of the things God is laying on my heart recently is JOY.   You know, finding my happiness in HIM and in His blessings.  Joy in living.  I want people to look at me and see the Joy of the Lord - not some dour-faced, doomsday old prune.  I think know God wants the same for me.  He keeps sending me hints.  Christmas was just last week, so of course I expected to hear "Joy to the World" several times, but little darts of Joy keep poking through my conscience from every angle.  A song, a radio sermon, a blog posting.  Today I finally hung up the 2010 calendar.  Guess what the verse for January was?

Nehemiah 8:10 -- The Joy of the Lord is your strength.

Yep.  I guess I might as well submit now to what God is trying to teach me about joy.  My year is marked.
And I am glad.............er, I mean JOYFUL  :)

Here is to a Joyful 2010!

Interactive:
How have you been saying 2010?   
"Twenty-ten"   OR   "two-thousand ten"?   (No one says "Oh-ten", do they?   :)

Merry-Happy Time

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.  I did.  I really enjoyed participating in our church's Christmas Eve services.  Watching the kids open their presents.
But now I am enjoying having a break from church obligations for a week.   I'm enjoying spending time with my Dad, who is visiting.  And since my Dad is visiting, the kids are enjoying having a grandparent around to spoil them with attention.  (Which means I am spoiled.  Extra time to myself while knowing my children are getting that special attention.)  Dan is still on vacation, which means I get to see him practically all the time.  (Good thing)  :)
So for me, this week between Christmas and New Years is fully blessed.  I'm past the "pressures" of Christmas and just waiting for the New Year.  A time to relax with family.
That is where "Merry-Happy Time" comes in.  It is past Merry Christmas, but not quite Happy New Year, yet I feel this special time should have SOME sort of expression.
So:
This week between holidays, this week of transition from 2009 - 2010, my prayer for you is that you will experience a 
MERRY-HAPPY TIME :)
God's Blessings,
Britt

INTERACTIVE:
What is your favorite time of this season?  Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, Merry-Happy Time, other?  
(Note - for this question you are not allowed to factor in that Christmas Day is celebrating Jesus.  I'm purely talking about your personal feel-good holiday/time of the season.  It could be a day or tradition.  Something tangible or abstract)

Christmas Fruit Cake

Merry Christmas!
Hey!  I finally made homemade cinnamon rolls!  They turned out yummy, but I have a long way to go until they are perfected and gift-giving worthy ;)
So since my rolls weren't out-of-family shareable AND the pesky fact I couldn't send you one via cyberspace anyway, I have decided to whip up a batch of Christmas Fruitcake.   The kind I can share with you via the internet.   Enjoy!  (I probably won't post for a few days, so just like the real thing, you can nibble off small bits over the next few days). :)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22,23

Love - For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life. - John 3:16      This is what Christmas is all about.  That very first Christmas, God gave us the perfect gift of His Son.  Jesus came as a baby, fully human, so that when He grew up He could bear our human sins on the cross.  But  because He was also fully God and perfect, death could not hold Him down and Jesus rose victorious - forever conquering death!  All because a baby was born on the first Christmas....

Joy - But the angel said to them (shepherds), "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord." - Luke 2:10,11

Peace - "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace." - 1 Corinthians 14:33   (This verse in context is referring to how people within a congregation shouldn't talk over one another in a disorderly fashion)  But I thought it appropriate during this season of so many "to-do" lists, shopping chaos, and scramble of places-to-be.  Remember amidst all the hustle and bustle that God is a God of peace.  Take a moment to just breathe and remember Christ this season.  May God's peace be with you this Christmas.

Patience - Anyone else struggle with this one?  I'm pretty sure we don't have it as rough as Paul did.....
               Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurnce; in troubles, hardships and distresses, in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love - 2 Corinthians 6:4-6a....
O-kay.  I suppose in light of that, I can be a bit more patient with my children. Or patient while God works out circumstances in a far better way than my limited mind could ever imagine!  (But can it hurry up and be time to open presents?!  I can't wait to see what I got....)

Kindness - And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomprable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - Ephesians 2:6-8. 
Oh.  I thought I at least had this fruit down.  I mean, I am kind. I share a piece of gum with a bad-breathed friend.  I hold the store door open for an elderly person.  Many times I bite my tongue when an unkind comment is on the tip of it.  But measured against the kindness of God in sending His only Son to die for me?  Well, I guess it puts a whole new light on "kindness".   

Goodness -  Test everything.  Hold on the to good. - 1 Thessalonians 5:21
                    Yes, there are lots of stresses this time of year.  Time and schedule stress.  Money stress.  Extended family stress.  For several there is also great sadness.  Loss of loved ones this past year. (My sympathies and prayers go out to you). Family far away and unable to gather around the same table for Christmas dinner. While we probably all have something getting us down this season,  I encourage us to look for the good God has placed in our lives.  May you truly have a Merry Christmas.

Faithfulness - What if some did not have faith?  Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?  Not at all! - Romans 3:3    and    I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.  I will declare that Your love stands firm forever, that You established Your faithfulness in heaven itself. - Psalms 89:1,2
 I pray you personally have faith in Jesus Christ.  That you believe He loved you so much he died on a cross and rose again - paying the penalty for all our sins. But even if you are reading this and haven't come to that point of trust and faith, know that God is faithful.   If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
And for those of us who already believe, may we remember this verse on faithfulness, taken from the parable of the man who used his talents wisely:  Matthew 25:21 -  "His master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant".  Oh to hear Jesus say that some day....

Gentleness - Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near. - Philippians 4:5.  What is gentleness?  This is what comes to my mind:  Gentle is opposite of harsh.  Gentle is a mother holding her newborn babe.  Gentle is not pushing my way around.  Gentle is Daddy tenderly kissing his girl's cheek goodnight while tucking her cuddlies in around her.  Gentle is a breeze of fresh love-air in a harsh world. Gentle is the King of Kings coming to mankind as a baby.

Self-Control - I don't know about you, but I really struggle with this one!  Self-control in not over-eating.  Disciplined self-control to exercise regularly.  Self-Control in my thoughts and actions toward others. The list could go on and on. I think my problem is that I truly expect it to be Self-control.  When what I need is Spirit-control.  By myself I am weak, uncontrolled, and truth be told, anti-everything in this fruitcake.  Fortunately, as a child of God I do have the Holy Spirit.  I just need to remember to let the Holy Spirit be in control.  Because I sure don't want to be like Proverbs 25:28 -   Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.  

Well, I hope and pray you enjoyed your Christmas fruitcake.  I realize my cyber fruitcake might have been a bit dense like the real thing.  Sorry.  There were lots of fruit nuggets to cram in.  Each ingredient alone is really a whole post - or book.  Oh well.  Christmas comes but once a year.  If I couldn't insert a really long post today, when could I?!?

Merry Christmas!  May God's blessings and  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control  be yours today and always.  :)
-Britt