Monday, August 27, 2012

Weekends are for -

It is Monday - Monday it is!
The weekend is over and here are some things I'm thinking of thankfully

  • early morning quiet with coffee
  • lessons in living free of fear
  • upcoming changes which provide opportunities toward maturity
  • beautiful weddings 
  • friends safety in the midst of a hurricane
  • drizzle. Yep I said drizzle.

This weekend I didn't browse about the webby. I didn't unpack as I wanted, clean as I wanted, or visit as I wanted. This weekend I went with the flow (a lot) and forced myself to remember that the summer is fading fast... I read a little, I rested a little, I chatted a little, I indulged a little, I slept a little (ugh, lol!) and woke today ready to start a new work week! That is a good thing, I believe...

Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth - 1 John 3:18
Encourage someone today!


Saturday, August 25, 2012

Seven by Jen Hatmaker

This, my friends, is a book review. Or more like, my responses to a book.

The book, Seven, takes the reader through a season of life with Jen as she challenged herself to change seven things about her world.

Food. Clothes. Spending. Media. Possessions. Waste. Stress

Here are my responses to seven, in random order...  Literally taken from an email so this is my real voice, folks, not my fancy writing voice.

Firstly I will get rid of the excess stuff I've got - I don't need most of it! It causes me heart palpitations and I have to find places to put it; lets all store things just in case someday we turn into people who decorate for holidays/fix our cars/go skiing/garden... I am looking for places to take my things that will be beneficial to those in true need. Sorry Goodwill. I'm thinking of other avenues here...

Secondly I want to go to her church. I am 800% weary of church here, and she describes the tension that I feel about the american church in such a plain, non aggressive way. As she describes their church that is Exactly What I've Been Talking About. Too bad Texas is a couple (hundred) miles away from Oregon. lol. I dunno. Prayerful as God continues to reveal reasons to be hopeful for the american church.

Thirdly, food. I really need to start cooking more at home again, for both the budget and our health. I don't know if I can bring myself to buy organic (much) as financially it is NOT feasible, but I have been buying some things that way. I have been THE LAZIEST COOK for the past several months. I've even figured out ways to eat what I want ultra cheap and then just serve the girls top ramen or cereal. great parenting, eh? 

Fourth, stress. I've been on that band wagon for months. its been nice, when it works - it works very well :)

Media, ditto. I barely do anything media-centric but I married a gamer tv-aholic. Easy for me and impossible for the family. Carry on.

Waste is the easiest one for our family. I had to strongly convince the garbage company that a tiny trash can would be sufficient for our family. Living in Oregon, we recycle (alot of stuff) and since I haven't been cooking much, there isn't much packaging for the trash. But when I do cook, I tend to cook whole, fresh foods and they too have very little packaging. win-win.

Spending. ouch. OUCH. We have been talking dave ramsey, considering doing dave ramsey, and even started a budget for the first time ever. Which has failed for the month of August. Things were going well, until three things. One, the reality that my rebellion against the envelope system means that tracking spending (on food) is impossible, two, twelve cavities that needed fillings... in the mouth of just ONE daughter... and three, two emergency visits to the vet for our basset hound. Yep. The budget this month, my dear friends, was utterly blown. It isn't even the end of the month yet. It comes as no surprise to me that the first month we tried to follow a budget would include over $300 in veterinarian bills, even though in all of our years of dog ownership we have been incident free. Asia is 8 - this is a lot of years we are talking about here!

There is a ray of hope here! I have learned hard-core valuable lessons. Envelopes are required.
I am on a spending freeze, with the exception of budgeted groceries and household items (from a list!) we have need of nothing between now and Christmas. Rachel has a birthday in October and her gift is a visit to the DMV for her driving permit and a haircut. Sarah now has all of her required fillings so we are clear for another season as I hand out flossers and flouride.

There is my assessment. world = rocked.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

A little bit o truth

Many are the strange chances in the world, and help oft shall come from the weak when the Wise falter..

JRR Tolkien, the Silmarillion

I re-read the quote above about a week ago... In our moment by moment lives it is easy to lose sight of the simplest of truth. When presented with the choice of water or a frappacino, let me tell you, the frappacino wins more than it should. 
We are often presented with choices and chances that are far more important than a beverage, and yet, our wisdom falters and the voices of wisdom fade away from our mind at the smallest opportunity.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
Life is lived daily, to be met new every morning, for a very important reason. I believe that God himself, who created us and knows our weakness and passion and desire, provided us with the help we need if we seek.

Monday, August 6, 2012

The year of 35

Summer

Non stop and super slow
With late nights, heat,  and laughter.
Never forget the laughter,
It will last long after the warmth fades.

Girls are 14,13,12.
12,13,14. In a blink they will fly.
We talk college, careers, homes of their own
Lessons on cooking, on laundry, on being kind

I'm 35..
Finally able to operate a manual transmission
I laugh, I wear what I want, and I know what I like.

Forget the mocha - give me a strong house french.
Extra spinach in the salad
pepperjack cheese
People.

I'll take ethnic over american, please
Spices, variety, flavor fusion
Dancing, smiling, mischevious grins

Video games will be the death of family
So will texting 
Get off your PHONE!

City over country, although chickens are pleasant.
No green thumb, give me a windchime!
Sometimes I think, what will I really want to remember
The year I'm 40... 50...

I think, I want to remember laughter, people, joy.
The delight of hearing Emily tell of her favorite camp foods
Rachel's passion for the world
Sarah's mastery of cooking and baking and our shared love of people.