ready, set... push, shove and dig?!

So, what are all these pretty's you ask? These are my scores from my trip monday to the Goodwill Outlet in St. Paul. It is a large warehouse with about 8 conveyor belts coming from the stock area. Shoppers ("stalkers") lined up with carts up and down the conveyor belts waiting for the workers ("stockers") to fill large bins with goods (i.e.: lots of junk, but a few hidden treasures!) and roll them down the conveyor belts. We all waited patiently until given the go-ahead(they literally hold people back and then it's like "ready, set, CONVERGE!") to start rummaging! It was good fun and also an enlightening people watching moment.

I'm not sure I would've bought these treasures had I been shopping at the store. But, how can you beat buying by the pound?! And as a side note, if you ever feel like being and adventurer, give me a call and I'll spot ya. I hear Monday's are the $0.99 per lb. days. Happy hunting!

ladies, what can we learn

9/6- Addendum of encouragement link: dating

Jon and Kate Plus 8.

Minus Kate or Jon.

Minus respect, good communication, and a God-centered marriage, husband first mentality.

Plus making kids the center of your world, marriage, and reason for living.

Minus good tone of voice, honor, and humility.

Plus, caring too much about an organized and planned out house and need for control; and making life activity driven...

EQUALS= brokenness, sadness and regrets, and more than one worn out single parent; desperate need for the Lord's healing.

I used to love this show. I'm fascinated by all the kiddo's conversations and the busy/crazy life with a large family. I can't say I would have done it all perfect myself. They've done well. But something I picked up on right away was the need for more respect and better tone of voice, and an overall less bit**y attitude from wife to husband. I do hate that they're being hassled still by the media. (part of the problem). I hate to come down too hard on them, I don't know all the details; but some I do, and can't ignore.

Note to self:

• My relationship with God needs to come first. Period. Stop.
• I need to focus on my husband and be his friend, helper, and lover always. -before any child's need.
• Although I highly value an organized life/house, relationships are more important.
• I need to have an attitude of humility towards all.
• It's OK to keep/pursue goals, work, idea's, beauty, health, job, friends, (it's healthy even), but not at the expense of my family.
• I need to communicate effectively, sweetly, and thoroughly ("fight" right) no belittling.
• Pray for healing in the Gosselins marriage.

( 1 Peter 3:1-6; Titus 2:4-5; James 1:3; Phil. 4:4-9; Matt. 20:26; Matt. 20:28 )

fancy pants

This year for Christmas I made my sisters and mom "Fancy Pants" P.J.'s. I found some great deals on some cute PJ pants and then fancied them up by adding different fabrics to the bottoms.  Some I added flat on and some I gathered to make it fluffy.

If you live in your comfy clothes like I do, you may wanna try whipping up a pair.  It's super easy.

lights!

Note to self.

Pick out the new lights more quickly than 9 months. Don't remove ugly old lights until the new ones are ready to be installed. Remember you hate being in the dark after sunset for months on end- you have no need to live like Little House on the Prairie days. You're blessed to have the luxury of at will lighting - many don't.

the frolicking five mi

Manda uses MotionX-GPS (app) on the iPhone 3G and is sharing with you the following track:

Name:	The frolicking five mi
Date:	Aug 26, 2009 9:14 am
Distance:	5.00 miles
Elapsed Time:	1:01:31
Avg Speed:	4.9 mph
Max Speed:	9.5 mph
Avg Pace:	12' 19" per mile
Min Altitude:	844 ft
Max Altitude:	984 ft

Start Time:	2009-08-26T14:14:45Z
Start Location:
Latitude:	45.055029º N
Longitude:	93.443847º W

End Time:	2009-08-26T15:16:16Z
End Location:
Latitude:	45.055163º N
Longitude:	93.444048º W

Click on this link to display the track in Google Maps. This link will be valid until Sep 25, 2009 8:19 AM PDT.

I just thought this was pretty cool, and thought I'd share (not that my speed/time ratio was very good today). But if you're a runner and have an iPhone, this is a fabulous application.

I'm on a sewing machine quest. The first one seems to be a lemon. I'm so frustrated by that sort of thing. Probably because sewing for me is a form of artistic expression, and when I can't do it the way I think it; it destroys the mood for me. I expect highest performance out of my machines. If anyone who sews often has a favorite, I'm open to suggestion.

Anyway, hopefully more interesting blogs to come very soon.

hugs.

pretty's

This morning I went away from my neighborhood to run my 2.5 miles. (I was getting bored with the same sights). French Park in Plymouth was the perfect cure for my running dun-drum.

I learned that:

• Running is much more difficult on unpaved hiking trails
• Running on said hiking trails with hills makes one's out of shape leggo's burn
• I don't like soggy running shoes
• I got to see a fawn enjoying some breakfast munchies
• I like summer- even running in the humidity and sweating like crazy
• I discovered that my broken heart is mending quite nicely. (I often do self inventory -on situations, emotions, life, etc when I run). I find myself thanking God for where He's taken us this this summer. It's been quite the journey. I do know I picked up a nugget of truth along the way...God wants my heart-in every situation. He wants me to want Him to have my heart. More than I desire anything else (and believe me, I want to be a mommy desperately!) more than I feel anything else. This is something I had started pondering while reading a great book mid-June before all this started called, Prodigal God. I don't want to live just a moralistic or irreligious life. I think I'll post some further thoughts on the book and what I learned in my next post.

girls summer bible study

This summer at church a bunch of gals got together to watch the true woman (2008) conference video's. The messages were great. And even better than that, we were given time to connect with each other after each message, to chat, discuss and pray together. I met some fabulous women, (of all ages), each uniquely different, strong and special in their own way, all striving to follow our Abba and know more of Him. Love you ladies, thank you for building my faith this summer!

Here's some of the things that stood out to me, no particular order. (I'll try to note the message they were from, all the info is available at the link above if ya wanna check it out).

• (The Ultimate Meaning of True Womanhood) Wimpy theology makes wimpy women. I don't wanna be a wimpy woman! Womanhood is a distinctive calling of God to display the glory of Jesus in ways that would not be displayed if there were no womanhood. Every moment has a purpose. I want to honor and affirm my hubby's leadership and carry it through with the gifts God has given me. Marriage is temporary and not the main thing, focus on my relationship with Jesus. "interdependence"
• (From Him, Through Him, To Him) I heard this on June 24, right before Bennett was born... Rom. 11:33-36. God's wisdom and knowledge is inexhaustible and limitless, a depth that's unmeasurable. God's wisdom found a way (Jesus!) for me to stand before Him (Holy and pure as He is). "There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still," Betsy Ten Boom. In every situation God is always doing 1,000 different things that I cannot see and I do not know! Rom. 11:34. I'm not the Lord's advice-giver. God owes me nothing. I owe Him everything. To resent or resist our circumstances is ultimately to resist or resent God Himself. All situations are planned by God and are planned out of His wisdom, I need to think about the greatness of God during challenges and bow before His will. "From Him..." He is The Source, holding the universe and my life together "To Him and Through Him are ALL things!" I want to live a God-centered life, trusting God, and say 'Yes Lord!' (He's not my Lord unless I'm saying 'yes Lord'. He can/will redeem past failures!
• (You've Come a Long Way, Baby!) Hold current culture in one hand and envision the future. Hold the knowledge of our times in one hand, and the truth, clarity, and charity of the Word of God in the other. God is concerned about my heart. Who I am, and how I relate to my hubby and others reflects to those around me who I am inside. My whole purpose is to live for the glory of God. No man can fulfill all my needs and desires I need to point all desires towards the One who created those desires. I want a heart that says yes to Him and agree that the way He created me is perfect and any lifestyle sacrifice is worth it. Selfless, sacrificial loving, laying down my life for others in imitation of Christ is where I'll find ultimate happiness and fulfillment. Christ is my solution.
• (A Woman after God's Own Heart) This is the first study I returned to after Bennett died...1 Sam. 1:5-10 THE LORD closed Hannah's womb. (It was His perfect plan). Hannah cried out to God in earnest, and my Abba loves it when I pour out my heart to Him. Our children are not now, nor have they ever belonged to us; they are God's. She Gave him willingly back to God. (Because she was God-centered, not self-centered and because she trusted God). Is. 49:15 mother nursing her child is temporary, God is not temporary and doesn't forget me. I am a spiritual model to somebody. Pray. God answers the prayers of His women! Trust Him completely. Of the things God has given me, what do I need to dedicate back to Him?
• (God's Jewels) Mal. 3:16 The Lord's people are called jewels and He cares about us. He wants us to shine, Zech. 13:9. God chooses to give my soul (and my soul can stand) a good scrubbing every now and then. My soul is not as delicate as I might like to think. Jewels are a hard stone. I need to be scrubbed because I've not 'arrived'. Trouble is the textbook that will teach me who I really am...God cares most, not about making me comfortable, but about teaching me to hate transgression and grow up spiritually to love Him. He wants to do good towards me (but that means the good is to make me more like Jesus- not easy). God's grace abounds where suffering abounds. God wields suffering to break apart my rocks of resistance, pride, and stubborn rebellion, the hurting and hammering will not end until we become like Jesus. (in Heaven). Heaven = No pain, no sorrow, no tears, no death, and because I know that my light momentary afflictions are achieving for me a glory in eternity that will far outweigh them all-my suffering is not wasted. Zech. 9:16 I put my life in the hands of the Master Jeweler.
• (For Such a Time as This) How does God want to use my position , my season of life, my place in life to fulfill His Kingdom purposes in this world? I can Trust Him because He sees the whole eternal span of the picture. That's what I want to look at. God wants (gives me ways yo become) desperate for Him. God Doesn't need me to accomplish His purpose(s). Esther was a woman of prayer, preparation and always kept her emotions in check and under control. My life should show God's power under control, through gentleness and meekness of spirit. Don't judge the outcome of the battle by the way things look right now. God writes the final chapter. Esther was raised up at such a time, to make a huge difference in her world.

Hope all that didn't feel like rambling to ya. But I thought it was especially neat how God timed each message perfectly for my summer. He knew before I did just what I'd need to hear. If you get a sec, check the true woman site out and listen to the messages and see what God might have for YOU. Share with me what you learn!

I plan to attend a fall bible study at church; still debating between two- Biblical Womanhood in a postmodern culture or Christian Counseling: How people change... They both sound great! Join me if ya live around here. :-)

Hugs.