Come On In And Sit A Spell

Well hello there to all of you who are new around these parts! I'm glad you're here! (Hi to those of you that having been hanging out here for a few years too.)

I started this blog in 2008 mainly as a scrapbook for our family. Unfortunately, after Claire came along, my time of making "real, hold in your hand with precious stickers and scalloped edges" scrapbooks ended. Two kids will do that to you. However, I couldn't stand the thoughts of not keeping a record for us somehow. Blogging was kind of newish back then, but I decided to give it a try. Honestly, it's a true miracle that this little blog has made it so long. Somehow, it's still alive and kickin'!

Like I said, I mostly post pictures of our family and the things we do throughout the year. I also like to share recipes and some of our travel experiences. Every now and then, I write something with a little more meaning and EXTREMELY OFTEN my super silly side comes out. I don't worry too much about editing and such, so please don't judge. #thankyouverymuch Feel free to leave a comment anytime if you have any thoughts or just want to say hi. I'm glad to have some new friends reading along! 

Eternal Significance

It will probably be on my tombstone. The question I ask over and over again to family and friends and most importantly to myself. I'm pretty sure that people get tired of hearing me say it.

"Does it have eternal significance?"

So many times I find myself getting all up in a tizzy over something going on in life. It could be something small like traffic that slows me down. Maybe it's something that seems even a bit more important such as a large bill arriving in the mail or an unexpected job change or loss.

We know that Jesus cares about every tiny detail in our lives. Nothing is too minor for Him. In fact, he wants us to talk to Him about all of these things. He is our best friend after all...isn't that what best friends do?

Here is one of my favorite reminders from Scripture:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6

Did you notice it says "in every situation"? It doesn't say "when you get desperate" or "when the situation is important enough". No! It says "EVERY". That means that Jesus wants to hear about it all. The laundry. The dog. The burnt dinner. The exciting surprise. The test results. The birthday party. Everything.

Isn't it so wonderful to know that we don't have to figure out which life events or situations are big enough or important enough to talk to God about? They all are!

I do want to share everything with Jesus, but God has also given me a little litmus test to keep my own emotions in check moment by moment too. It's that original question up there. Does it have eternal significance?

When I feel my blood pressure rising or hear a report of bad news, I try to remember to ask myself, "Does it have eternal significance"? Often, the answer is no. I've only lived 39 years (I am clearly very young), but I've learned that most things that we get upset about are not eternally important. That doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't important at all. For example, choosing a school for your children is certainly an important decision that may affect their lives here on earth. But will it matter in eternity???

It helps me to keep things in perspective. What really matters on this earth is our relationship with Jesus and how we share His love and the message of salvation with others. And that's about it.

When I arrive in heaven, it won't matter one bit how much that broken washing machine cost. What's going to matter is my personal relationship with Jesus and the way He used me through relationships with other people.

So I'll keep praying and telling Jesus all about the seemingly big things AND the small ones, and I know He will keep reminding me what is eternally significant along the way.

39: Things Not To Do While I'm 39 Edition

My first list of 39 was goals for the upcoming year. So I figured, why not make a list of things I don't want to accomplish during the next year. Here we go!

39 Things I Do Not Want To Do

1. Eat green beans

2. Waste time

3. Care what others think

4. Cook the same things over and over

5. Be fake

6. Get another crack in my windshield (It's already happened twice)

7. Worry

8. Be sick

9. Gain weight (obviously)

10. Lose my patience

11. Miss opportunities

12. Compare myself to others

13. Stay up too late

14. Sleep in too late

15. Eat licorice (gag)

16. See a snake

17. Dream about a snake

18. Find a snake

19. Step on a snake

20. Watch a show/movie about a snake

21. Be bitten by a snake

22. Drink Diet Coke (Diet Pepsi is fine. Even Coke Zero. But not Diet Coke.)

23. Write with blue pens (It's ridiculous. I know.)

24. Get more wrinkles

25. Waste money

26. Eat at Quizno's (I had a very bad Quizno's experience one time)

27. Make excuses

28. Have my house infested with brown recluse spiders (or any spiders for that matter ~ did you see that news story???)

29. Be lazy

30. Be disorganized

31. Complain

32. Be discontent

33. Procrastinate

34. Run a marathon (no thank you)

35. Have chicken pox (I've never had it)

36. Be trapped (claustrophobic am I)

37. Clean the bathtubs (that's Brian's job) :)

38. Watch The Walking Dead (WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!?! Gross!)

39. Ignore God's prompting

*** Edited to add: I SAW A SNAKE!!!!! It was right across the street from our neighborhood which is entirely too close for comfort. Prayers appreciated.

39: Goals Edition

In honor of my 39th birthday, I decided to make a little series called 39. Original, right?! I spent hours coming up with that title. I thought I might add to the series every once in a while with a new list of 39 on varying topics. If you have a fun idea for my next list of 39, let me know!

To get this little 39 series started, I thought I would make a list of 39 goals for this year. Some serious, some silly. Just like me.

1. To know Him (Chirst) and make Him known (This is my life goal!)
2. Get up earlier (eeek!)
3. Be more intentional about how we spend our time at home
4. Experiment with new recipes
5. Finish Christmas shopping early
6. Learn to like green beans (Nah! Yuck! Never mind!)
7. Blog more often
8. Memorize more Scripture
9. Paint my nails more often
10. Write
11. Change our living room furniture arrangement
12. Organize the garage (Why am I doing this to myself?)
13. Catch up on Nashville (the tv series)
14. Actually read the books I check out from the library
15. Return the library books on time
16. Drink even more water
17. Stop being so hard on myself
18. All the time! (That one needed two spots!)
19. Worry less
20. Trust more
21. Tell others I love them more often
22. Encourage others
23. Live in the moment
24. Finally complete unfinished scrapbooks
25. Floss more often
26. Stand up straight (ugh)
27. Continue my Pinterest ministry (wink, wink)
28. Paint the kids' bathroom
29. Update what's on our walls
30. Update a thousand other things in our house (Does anybody want to give me a loan?)
31. Talk Brian into another puppy
32. Serve
33. Eat circus peanuts
34. Listen
35. Learn to like coffee
36. But still drink lots of hot chocolate
37. Watch more movies
38. Spend more time with friends
39. Remember to breathe


"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."       Philippians 3:13-14

What I've Been Reading...

It's been quite a while since I've done an update on what I've been reading.  I actually read quite a bit believe or not.  Finding the time is the main problem, but I really enjoy it.  I mostly enjoy nonfiction books, but an occasional fiction book suits my fancy too.

Quite a while back (like last summer) I read Loving Frank.  It's based on the life of Frank Lloyd Wright.  To be honest, I didn't really like it.  It just didn't end well.  Since it holds pretty close to the actual story of his life, I guess the ending just is what it is.  Or was what it was I suppose.  So, I really don't recommend it.  If you want to read it anyway after that glowing review, here you go! Ha!

There's also been a big slew of books that I either started and didn't finish OR skimmed through and read parts that looked interesting.  For example,

I can't remember why I read some of this one.  Quite possibly, it was recommended on a random blog that I came across.  That's where I get most of my book recommendations.  I only read part of it.  There was a little bit of bad language, and it just didn't really fit my interests at the time.  But if you must, here you go!

Then for some reason that I don't even understand myself I read two books about the Kennedy family.  Come to the Edge was about John F. Kennedy Jr. and his girlfriend.  It was pretty interesting. 

Once Upon a Secret was interesting to read too.  It's written by one of JFK's supposed mistresses.  Of course, he's not here to back up (or deny) her story, but it sure sounded convincing! Also, you should know I am fairly naive and easily convinced.

Then the teacher in me read (parts of) these two books: Hope Against Hope and The Smartest Kids in the World

Both were informative, especially for those of us who work in education.

Somewhere along the way, someone recommended Girlfriends to me.  I'm always interested in the topic of friendship, so I read some of it too.  It was ok but didn't keep my attention very well.

Of course, there have been lots of cookbooks.  I ALWAYS read cookbooks.  In fact, it's kind of an obsession with me.  I own way too many, and I love to read them.  I read them like a novel.  It's a little disturbing.  I'm sure it all just links back to my crazy love of food.

So recently, I got on an Ina Garten kick.  I'm sure she's a lovely lady and chef, but she was just never one of my favorites.  I think she just seemed a little fancy for my little East Tennessee self.  Since I try hard not to get above my raisin' (because my brother Mike likes to remind me not to), I had never read any of her books.

Then I checked them out at the library.  And read them all.  There are eight.  And yes,  I read them all. I kept checking out the next one and then the next until Brian finally asked, "So what in the world is up with all the Ina lately?"  Ask me how many of her recipes from those eight cookbooks I've actually made.  On second thought, don't.

I also read parts of these two cookbooks too.

I read most of Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies.  I didn't get to finish it because I renewed it the maximum number of times at the library, and the mean library ladies made me return it.  (They aren't really mean.  In fact, they know me by name because I am in there so much.  I also check out lots of books that I use in my classroom, and they have my number on speed dial to tell me my books are in! I'm pretty sure I keep the local library in business.)

I haven't read this one yet, but it's already on my nightstand.  So many writers I am familiar with have recommended it.  I am not a great writer by a long stretch, but I am interested...

Now, we need to talk about Bread & Wine.  Again, it was a book that I heard about from various blogs I read.  I just can't say enough about this book.  I loved it.  Loved. It. I had checked it out from the library instead of buying it.  Again, I renewed it the maximum times before my library friends pried it from my hands.  I'm going to stop here because it deserves it's own post. So stay tuned... 

I fell so in love with Shauna Niequist (see above) that I ordered my own copy of Bread & Wine as well as two of her other books (below).  I can't wait to read them!

I just finished Quitter today! I've been familiar with Jon Acuff for quite a while.  I read his first book and follow his blog.  He's a hilarious writer!

This is another one of his that I have already checked out and hope to read soon.

I couldn't wait to read The Antelope in the Living Room.  I've read Melanie's blog for years.  I was excited to meet her back in the fall.  She was just precious in person too!  Seriously y'all, I laughed out loud over and over again while I read it.  I finished it in one day because it was just that good. Her first book was just as funny, so I knew I wouldn't be disappointed. I highly recommend it.

I also bought Love Does recently, but I haven't started it yet.  Unless, of course, you count the times I've read big chunks while sitting in Barnes and Noble.  I have my highlighter ready and seriously can't wait!

When I ordered Love Does, I also ordered Hands Free Mama.  I "previewed" it at B&N too, and I can tell it will be right up my alley.

On the fiction front, these are next on my list: 

What Alice Forgot is about a women who wakes up from a fall to realize she's forgotten ten or so years of her life.  I actually started it a while back then got side-tracked by some other books.  Then the library ladies came calling.  As usual.  So I've checked it back out, but I have so many others currently in progress or waiting in the wings.  I hope I can get to it before they make me give it back. 

(Sidenote: When I started reading it, I had a dream that I couldn't remember important people and events in my life.  It was scary, so I hope finishing it won't make me have more scary dreams!)

I also already have this one checked out, but I doubt I'll get to it in time.  We'll see!

Oh, and this one too.  I've checked it out at least twice before this time.  I still haven't started it, but I keep getting it because so many people have said it's great.

And last, but oh so not least, there's Restless.  I am in the middle of this one now, and it is rocking my world.  When I first heard about it, I knew I needed to read it.  I'm SO GLAD that I am.  Most days I only read one chapter.  Since I'm using it to go along with my Bible study time, I am really taking my time with it.  I want to let it all sink in and am praying that God will really use this book to speak to me in some specific ways.  Like I said, I haven't finished it yet, but I really love it so far.

I think that just about catches me up on my reading list. Whew!

So, what have you been reading lately? I'd love some more ideas for books I should read!