Does anyone else have trouble reading Proverbs. I think it is a love hate relationship. Every word speaks directly to my heart. I am spurred on but also so convicted. I think of myself as "Good", but none of us are.
15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
I think I am able to offer gentle answers to my husband and even my friends. But my children . . . their questions come a mile a minute. It is so hard to answer those questions gently, when they are asking question instead of getting their shoes on. Please Lord show me how to answer and speak to my kids gently when my heart isn't in it.
15:13 A Joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when a heart is sad, the spirit is broken.
This makes me wonder. There are people I meet, mostly at church who also have a smile on their face. If my heart is Joyful (even when there isn't a lot to be joyful about) will my face naturally glow? Give me that Joyful heart so that others can see the Joy you give us.
Well just those two I think are enough for me to focus on you. Does Proverbs challenge you as much?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
2010 20 Qs
1. The Best Thing that Happened this Year?
Ummmm. Is it Sad I can't think of something? I can't think of just one thing. I feel better organized this year. I feel better about myself too.
2. Most Challenging thing this year?
Learning to teach Nika in a way that speaks to her.
3. Unexpected Joy?
I am happy! But what about? I don't know. I love my husband! I am truely amazed at how I do love him more each year. He and my kids bring me so much joy. But is that unexpected? I don't think so, or it shouldn't be. I guess I come back to finding Joy in seeing how I have grown in my ability to organize my house better. I think a lot of my organization had to do with going from having three kids down to two.
4. Unexpected Obsticle?
I hoped that Nika's difficulties in learning should not have been unexpected. But I was praying against it. But I am sort of proud of how I am learning to teach her in a way that is helping her. Teaching takes patience which as a Mom is hard to come by.
5. Three Words to Describe 2010?
Steady- Because we are working on the same things as last year
Up Hill - Because of challenges with Nika's learning
Same Old - Because this years seems the same as last year.
6. Guess Spouse's three Words.
Steady - because we are working on the same things as last year.
Rewarding - Matt excels at work and it is rewarding to have others notice.
Blessing - God Blesses us beyond what we would imagine.
7. Best Books of 2010
I am ashamed I didn't read as much I would like. But I read several young adult books I really enjoyed and listened to several books on Audio I enjoyed.
The Help
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Entire Percy Jackson Series
And the book I wished I finished before 2010 was Parenting By the Book
8. Most Valuable Friendships
This year has been a blessing in new Friendships.
The Richardson
The Gosnells
Old Friendship Grow
Rowles
Hammonds
Lundes
But I don't feel I have really been there for anyone or anyone has really been there for me.
9. Biggest Person Growth January to December
Less Disorganized and more confident.
10. Emotional Growth
I doubt myself less. I think Marriage humbled me. I thought I was pretty hot stuff. Marriage helped me to see my faults more vividly. I think I don't take my fault as personally as I use to. Just as areas of growth instead of "holes in my person."
11. Spirtual Growth
I wish I could say I had made spiritual growth a focus point this year. But I didn't. There was a period of time longer than any other before that I found myself capable of finding time to pray and read the Word. But it was not long lasting. I do yearn for that but find the lure of a warm bed so strong.
12. Physical Growth
This has been a good year for physical growth. For the first time ever I find myself spending more time thinking about what I eat and how much exercise my family and I are getting. But physically I have suffered with induring injuries. Back and Hip problems are been making daily housework painful.
13. Friendship Growth
I have seen a lot of friendship growth. New Friendships and Old ones deepen. But I still would like to have that one or two friends who I have such a strong relationship with that they challenge me to grow and I feel the freedom to challenge them to grow.
14. Enjoyable part of my Work
I had an oportunity to expand my work as a swim instructor to manage the swim lessons for four months. It was nice to see my excell at managing. I think it gave me a lot of confidence that I am not just a MOM, but I am a valuable resource to the community also. My work as a Mom and Wife has been more rewarding than ever before as I am seeing my kids learn and receiving complements from my husband on cleaning of cooking that I didn't hear before.
15. Biggest Challenge in my work
It was hard to see Matt and I working so much. Matt would work most tuesday and thursdays the last several months while I would work at swim lessons and we were able to connect on the weekend or a couple of workdays. There is just to much to do in such a small amount of time.
16. Biggest Waster
FACEBOOK. I did quit for a while. Maybe I should quit again. Thoughts?
17. Best Time Saver
Thank YOU Motivated MOM Checklist. You have made my year!
18. What I learned.
God takes me as I am.
19. Catch Phrase
Ummmm. I don't think there was one.
20. Summary
I don't want to do all this for my own glory. I had a great year, but what did I do for HIM. Did I do it in my strength? Yes. What can I do in 2011 if I do it in His strength? I will be unstoppable.
Ummmm. Is it Sad I can't think of something? I can't think of just one thing. I feel better organized this year. I feel better about myself too.
2. Most Challenging thing this year?
Learning to teach Nika in a way that speaks to her.
3. Unexpected Joy?
I am happy! But what about? I don't know. I love my husband! I am truely amazed at how I do love him more each year. He and my kids bring me so much joy. But is that unexpected? I don't think so, or it shouldn't be. I guess I come back to finding Joy in seeing how I have grown in my ability to organize my house better. I think a lot of my organization had to do with going from having three kids down to two.
4. Unexpected Obsticle?
I hoped that Nika's difficulties in learning should not have been unexpected. But I was praying against it. But I am sort of proud of how I am learning to teach her in a way that is helping her. Teaching takes patience which as a Mom is hard to come by.
5. Three Words to Describe 2010?
Steady- Because we are working on the same things as last year
Up Hill - Because of challenges with Nika's learning
Same Old - Because this years seems the same as last year.
6. Guess Spouse's three Words.
Steady - because we are working on the same things as last year.
Rewarding - Matt excels at work and it is rewarding to have others notice.
Blessing - God Blesses us beyond what we would imagine.
7. Best Books of 2010
I am ashamed I didn't read as much I would like. But I read several young adult books I really enjoyed and listened to several books on Audio I enjoyed.
The Help
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Entire Percy Jackson Series
And the book I wished I finished before 2010 was Parenting By the Book
8. Most Valuable Friendships
This year has been a blessing in new Friendships.
The Richardson
The Gosnells
Old Friendship Grow
Rowles
Hammonds
Lundes
But I don't feel I have really been there for anyone or anyone has really been there for me.
9. Biggest Person Growth January to December
Less Disorganized and more confident.
10. Emotional Growth
I doubt myself less. I think Marriage humbled me. I thought I was pretty hot stuff. Marriage helped me to see my faults more vividly. I think I don't take my fault as personally as I use to. Just as areas of growth instead of "holes in my person."
11. Spirtual Growth
I wish I could say I had made spiritual growth a focus point this year. But I didn't. There was a period of time longer than any other before that I found myself capable of finding time to pray and read the Word. But it was not long lasting. I do yearn for that but find the lure of a warm bed so strong.
12. Physical Growth
This has been a good year for physical growth. For the first time ever I find myself spending more time thinking about what I eat and how much exercise my family and I are getting. But physically I have suffered with induring injuries. Back and Hip problems are been making daily housework painful.
13. Friendship Growth
I have seen a lot of friendship growth. New Friendships and Old ones deepen. But I still would like to have that one or two friends who I have such a strong relationship with that they challenge me to grow and I feel the freedom to challenge them to grow.
14. Enjoyable part of my Work
I had an oportunity to expand my work as a swim instructor to manage the swim lessons for four months. It was nice to see my excell at managing. I think it gave me a lot of confidence that I am not just a MOM, but I am a valuable resource to the community also. My work as a Mom and Wife has been more rewarding than ever before as I am seeing my kids learn and receiving complements from my husband on cleaning of cooking that I didn't hear before.
15. Biggest Challenge in my work
It was hard to see Matt and I working so much. Matt would work most tuesday and thursdays the last several months while I would work at swim lessons and we were able to connect on the weekend or a couple of workdays. There is just to much to do in such a small amount of time.
16. Biggest Waster
FACEBOOK. I did quit for a while. Maybe I should quit again. Thoughts?
17. Best Time Saver
Thank YOU Motivated MOM Checklist. You have made my year!
18. What I learned.
God takes me as I am.
19. Catch Phrase
Ummmm. I don't think there was one.
20. Summary
I don't want to do all this for my own glory. I had a great year, but what did I do for HIM. Did I do it in my strength? Yes. What can I do in 2011 if I do it in His strength? I will be unstoppable.
Facebook instead?
My Sis in Law is always giving me a hard time for not doing my Blog. But I thought everyone had gotten out of the habit. Well apparently not everyone! I had forgotten the joy in reading my friends blogs. For some reason Facebook had replaced my time spent surfing through my friends blogs (and my friends of friends blogs). Is it the need to quickly connect with my friends lives instead of hearing their heart. Is it a need to connect with as many friends as possible instead of connecting on a deep level with my friends. I don't know, but I am not happy about it. And most of it just seems like a bunch of "Friends" of mine hoping someone out there cares about them. I admit on "Hard days" I update my status just hoping someone cares enough to comment. So Sad!
Well this is my commitment to you fellow bloggers to spend more time reading you and less time reading marketing and snapshot status updates.
Well this is my commitment to you fellow bloggers to spend more time reading you and less time reading marketing and snapshot status updates.
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