Happiness is...

...found in ORGANIZATION!

I'm just a little bit obsessed with organization. More than one friend reminds me of my motto - "A place for everything and everything in its place."

In fact, one of my top Needs in life is ORDER. I just can't function without it. If things are OOC (out of control), messy, disorganized...I can't concentrate on anything except what's OOC, messy, and disorganized.

Thanks to my mom (who pretty much took pity on me and my inability to focus on just about everything lately), I was able to organize all of my scrapbooking materials, craft supplies, my tools (for projects Scott's not around to say "no" to :), office supplies, etc. 

Now, this is in our storage room...so there's only so much that can be done. But I still did it.

Is it sad that I had lots of FUN doing all of this???

 

(Can I just admit that that one bottle of glue sitting out drives me crazy? I left it out to return to my MIL, but it drives me crazy in this pic. Ahem, I told you I was obsessive.)

That's better!

The cutest little cell phone dock. Target. $16.

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. It feels so good. :)

Make Love a Verb

What do these words all have in common?

*Run

*Hop

*Skip

*Love

Give up?

These words are all VERBS. The definition of a Verb is: a word that denotes an action, an occurrence, or a state of being.

So, what's love got to do, got to do with it? (Thank you, Tina!)

Love is a verb. Love is something you do for someone else. Contrary to popular/cultural belief, it's not a feeling; it's an action.

Andy Stanley did a message series called Staying In Love about a year ago at Browns Bridge Community Church. This message series did more to bloom my marriage with Scott than any book, lesson, talk, etc. We are both very excited to go through the series again now with our small group. Hoping even more positive blooms come forth. The entire premise of Andy's message is that we need to MAKE LOVE...A VERB. Implication intended. :)

Andy concentrates on this passage of scripture:

Philippians 2:3-8"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human being, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!"

It's the first part of these verses that strikes me the most..."Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves..."

Wouldn't the world surely be a different place -- wouldn't our marriages be different -- if we all valued others above ourselves?

Last week in our small group, we had an amazing discussion about "mutual submission." Submission is such an ugly word in today's society, but it's quite the opposite in light of how God intended submission to be.

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition." Don't do something to make sure you win, you get your way, you manipulate your spouse...hmmm.

"Do nothing out of vain conceit." Don't do something your spouse doesn't appreciate (or has asked you out right not to do) simply because you want to, you can, you think you have the right to...ouch.

"In humility value others above yourselves." Treat your spouse as though he is more important than you are. 

Sound too hard to do? Well, just imagine this:

How different would your marriage be if your husband treated YOU as if YOU were more important than him? Think about that for a minute...would you treat your husband better? would you be sweeter? more thoughtful? more intimate?

Turn that around one more time...if you treated your husband as if HE was more important - do you think he would treat you better? would he be sweeter? more thoughtful? more romantic?

Now, just imagine if you BOTH valued one another above the other. THAT is the jackpot! That is what mutual submission truly means.

It's worked for us :)

 

And, in the words of Andy Stanley...if you make love a verb, you'll make love more often. :)

Snow much fun!!!

After thought and encouragement from a good friend, I have decided to watermark any pictures that have to do with my kiddos from here on out. Internet safety is such an important thing, and I encourage you to do the same. Wackos can copy images left and right these days...and they sure aren't going to get one of my kiddos without my stamp on them! The watermark should not be distracting, just a claim to my precious little ones.

---

I came home today to a winter wonderland!

 

We came out with the kiddos and had some fun!

 
This is Landon's first real snow. He just took it all in!

 
And then Ella Beth and Landon decided to take it all in together! :)

 
Big smile from my happy girl!

 
Big smile from my happy fella!

Two big smiles, and Mommy is in a picture!!!

And then...Ella Beth decided she had enough! (After a snowball fight, sweet thing's mittens were frozen with snow and not doing her any good.)

So we headed in, and I took one more glance back. :)

A New "Me" Resolution

It was kinda weird going to church this morning because I felt as though the pastor had read my journal and was speaking from it.

Well, kinda. I mean, Andy Stanley is a much better communicator than I am. ;)

But...his message this morning was about determining "WHO you want to be rather than determining what you want to do." His main point was that who we are determines what our actions are.

**The first resolution that I made this year was to be a better friend. Last year, Scott and I were blessed over and over again by friends (old and new). During the month of March, especially, friends brought meals to the hospital - that was WAY out of anyone's way, friends supplied meals for weeks after we were home and still adjusting (and having relapses with Ella Beth). While I was in Kenya, friends made sure Scott was never overwhelmed by having to cook anything. And, just throughout the year, many friends called to check in on the kiddos, on us, and just did what friends do.

Well, for me, I've decided to pay it forward. I want to be a friend that my friends can depend on and can look back on times and known that I was there. There are times in my life (as well as everyone's!) where I just get overly-wrapped up in my own life. I forget to call, return email, or just check in. My excuse is always that I'm too busy. But who isn't?

Therefore, one of my New "Me" Resolutions is to simply be a better friend. 

**My second resolution is to give up carbonated drinks. All year. Even DP. Oh boy.

This resolution is two-fold really. 1) To just consume less calories and sugar. 2) To save money. 

(Can I say that this may be my most difficult goal to keep? Last night I dreamed that I was out to eat and was slurping down Dr. Pepper re-fill after re-fill!!!)

**My last resolution is my favorite, and my most important.

For Christmas, I got Scott a Men's devotional Bible, and I got myself a Women's devotional Bible. :) Since they are published by the same printer (Zondervan), they both have the same reading plans.

(And, aren't they just too cute?!?! I know Scott is going to love coordinating not only his reading plans, but his stylish Bible with mine. ;)

So, my resolution is to read my Bible every day. 

This is my favorite resolution for two reasons: 1) Because spending time in God's word keeps me close to Him (even when I don't feel that closeness), reminds me of His promises, and provides the direction and encouragement that I need. 2) I am reading my Bible with my husband. We are growing together. And, that's something that makes my heart happy. This "Me" resolution is simply helping me to grow into the woman that I desire to be. A woman whose heart is after the heart of my Savior. A woman whose desires are Godly, and wants only the will of God in her life.

I feel that my other "resolutions" (to be more patient, more generous, healthier, etc.) will be a result of this "Me" Resolution. And that's all I can ask for. :)

--

Have you made any "You" Resolutions for this year?

2009 in Photographs

January -

February -

March - (all pictures taken with my cell at Scottish Rite; pics taken over a 3 1/2 week span)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(leaving from the first visit; back 3 days later)

 

 

 

(Before being dismissed. I just noticed that Ella Beth has on the same shirt both times at the hospital. Looking back, maybe I should have seen that as a bad sign.)

April -

 

May - (family garden)

 

 

 

(annual lake trip with Scott's family to my mom's)
 

 

 

June - (this Mama takes her heart to Kenya, Africa, and leaves a big piece of it behind)

 

 

 

July -

 

August - 

September -

 

 

 

October -

 

 

November -

 

 

December -

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!