Dusting off the ole blog...

It's been a whirlwind of crazy busy days the last few months, and I'm just now dusting off the ole blog.  I was at least keeping up with InstaFriday for a little bit (and am still snapping Instagrams like a crazy person), but those fell to the wayside too.

 

With the holidays approaching, I had been wanting to get back into the swing of blogging regularly, solely because it keeps me grounded.  Everyone's busy and have their own life to tend to, but I find major therapy in pounding the keys of my laptop.  It's a great outlet...even if no one cares to hear about my ramblings.

 

 

This post was intended to be an update, but I can't shake that there's more I need to say.  I started a new Bible study through my Good Morning Girls group just this week.  It's a short 4-week study based on the Advent and focused on Jesus' birth.  The study alone has been great so far, but there are weekly family activities included as well, which makes it not just a personal Bible study, but one that can easily be turned into family time.  And isn't that what family worship is about?  Living life day in and day out focused on Jesus, on grace, and on glorifying Him, even in the mundane. 

 

To be honest, I've failed in the family time this week, but weekdays are just an odd routine for us.  So I'm looking forward to the weekend to really be able to drive home what I've been absorbing from the Word this week.

 

Which brings me to the real reason for this post...

 

Today's reading really hit me hard.  I've neglected my God time lately and it shows.  Actually, it screams out.  My patience is shot, joy is minimal, and I feel like I'm trudging through the day.  That's no way for a Believer to live.  We're called to live and walk and do life with joy! 

 

Today's verses actually focused on Old Testament prophecies predicting the birth of Jesus, specifically Jeremiah 33:15-16.  My Bible cross-referenced Isaiah 11:1-5, which drove it home even further. 

 

When thinking about the Christmas story, the fact that it was foretold many years before it actually occurred is a fact that I sometimes forget.  As amazing at the events of that day were, it's moreso amazing when you realize that His coming was specifically prophesied years before...multiple times -- not just by Jeremiah and Isaiah!  God had a plan in place -- a perfect plan -- before the foundations of the earth.  And every step toward that glorious Bethleham night and every step since that night are for a specific reason; to bring redemption.  What a beautiful picture of grace!

 

I had to break down and ask forgiveness for my attitude lately...to much impatience and snappiness, not enough gratitude and joy.  And we just wrapped up Thanksgiving...seriously.  In this study for this week, we're focusing on hope and the joy that we can have because Jesus brought hope to our world with His birth, and every day since.  If my heart were truly focused on the miracle and grace that was poured out at Jesus' birth, then my heart can only be overjoyed.  Forgive me for losing focus.  Help me, today and every day, to not lose sight of the manger because it leads to the cross and is the very definition of redemption.  Redemption on an undeserving, messy world.  Redemption for my undeserving, messy self. 

 

 

 

If you're interested in jumping in with this study, it's not too late!  Visit www.goodmorninggirls.org and click on the Advent study.  The plan and accompanying eBook are completely free when you subscribe for email notifications. 

InstaFriday

It's Friday and I nearly forgot about InstaFriday.  It's my favorite post of the week (and apparently the onl bit of blogging I've done all week).  Linking up with Life. Rearranged.  So though it's later than usual, here's a rundown of our week....

 

 

 

Silly boy on a Saturday morning.  Nevermind the wreck of a house behind him.  Just keep'n it real.

 

B and Grandad stopped by for a quick visit on their drive home from Atlanta.  They brought the boys real Coke.  Like in a glass bottle.  If Coke was foreign to these kids as is, having it in a glass bottle was just crazy!

 

I've been terribly ill this week.  Yesterday the only thing appetizing for lunch were pizza rolls.  With a side of pretzels and a dill pickle = nonhealthy.  I've tried to make up for that today with better choices, including this green smoothie.  Looks like baby poo but tastes good!

 

This boy conned Daddy into testing out the bikes at Wally World.  What a sucker.  And disregard the fact that he doesn't match.  This was obviously Daddy's doing.

 

Mess # 37.468 courtesy of Brigdon.  A nearly-full bottle of baby powder that nots so very full any more.  Empty actually.  BUT -- my bathroom now smells baby fresh.

 

Warm Hawaiian sweet bread fresh from the machine...mmmm.

 

We'd planned on buying this critter his very own bike for his upcoming birthday, but a friend of ours just happened to have one they no longer needed.  He is lovin' his new (new to him) bike!  Keeps calling it his "dirt bike."

 

Hope your week's been great!

InstaFriday

Me again...it's finally Friday, which means...InstaFriday!

Linking up with Life.Rearranged. for a quick rundown of our week through the grainy lens of Instagram.

I'm @susan7610 if you'd like follow me. :)

 

 

(I'm posting this from my phone -- go me! So apologies if it's a lil wonky)

Have been working my fanny off redoing what used to be our dining room table turned kitchen table.  It's country chic and I love it.  (My family's glad to have the table back too)

 

Loads of sewing this week...and more to come.  Stitched these shirts for my boys to wear for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween party at Disney in a few weeks.  They love hte camo!

 

Remember that baby girl shower gift I threw together last week?  Ended up going back and adding sweet ruffles to the bum.  Is there anything cuter??!

 

Slurping on a kiddie Frosty while waiting in the pick-up line for Harrison on early out day.  The Frosty was Brig's bribe to stay away until we got home (cat nap in the car = no real nap at home = cranky boy).  He was passed before we even made it to Wendy's. 

 

Had my first baby doctor appointment and celebrated with my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season -- thank goodness they don't sell these year-round.

And out come the maternity clothes.  At 7 weeks.  Woah.  That didn't take long.

 

This Crazy picked out his birthday present...a Spiderman bike.  Hard to believe he's almost 3!

 

7 weeks "bump"...except technically that's not a bump, it's bloat.

Wordless Wednesday

InstaFriday

It's InstaFriday...whoop whoop!

 

Linking up with Life. Rearranged. for a brief rundown of our week through the lens of grainy Instragram pics.  If you'd like to follow me, I'm @susan7610. 

 

 

 

Pancakes for lunch?  Yes, please.  (and let me clarify that I'm Southern, which means I eat peanut butter on my cakes...it's the Southern thing to do)

 

 

We spent Saturday grillin' and muddin' with friends.  Pretty sure the kids had just as much fun as the adults.

 "Somethin' bout a truck..." 

 

Dirt daubber #1

 

Muddin' hot Mamas!

 

Dirt daubber #2

 

Nice job, McDonald's with the new menu, featuring calorie counts in plain view!  It made me think twice about iced coffee and a sausage burrito...opted for an egg mcmuffin and diet coke instead.

 

I've been waiting for this beauty to arrive in the mail for weeks...and it finally came!  My very own bubble necklace.

 

Housework Day + Misbehaving Briggy = Exhausted Mama

He finally chilled out with 21 minutes of Yo Gabba Gabba on Netflix before naptime

 

Put together a few girly things as part of a baby shower gift, and I'll be darned if it adds fuel to my baby girl fever!

 

This boy loves the chalkboard (thanks, B!) -- When I asked what he was drawing, he said..."a helicopter."  Right.

 

Yes.  That's 2 lines.  Which means our life's about to change.  Welcome baby #3 -- we're so happy to have you!!

InstaFriday

Hooray for the end of the longest week ever -- it's Friday!  That means InstaFriday.  It's been a hairy week around here, and probably dull to most folk.  Changes and new things and cooler weather!

 

Linking up over at Life. Rearranged.

 

 

My aunt got married in a sweet sunset lakeside ceremony Saturday evening.  This boy enjoyed the dance floor a lil too much and crashed minutes after we left. 

 

Sunday afternoon meant boy-time practing the bow.  Guess it's that time of year again. 

 

And this was Daddy's method of keeping Brig out of the way during bow practice.  He thinks he's "in charge" and judging each shot.  Coziest seat in the house, actually.

 

My littlest boy started preschool on Tuesday!  It's just part-time at two days a week, but he loved it and his teacher said he did great.  I managed to get a lot accomplished while he was gone, but that all came crashing down when he spent the hours between pickup and bedtime in a foul mood.  Over-stimulated and over-tired will do it every time. 

 

His bags are packed (and he looks so darn grown up!)

 

I'm nearly 29 years old and just realized that wearing the next day's gym clothes to bed the night before is genius.  Wake up and ready to go!

 

It was a crisp 69 degrees this morning -- woo hoo!  I knew if I put out all the fall decor, cooler weather would come.  The day quickly warmed up, but we left the windows in the house open as long as we could.  Well, that was until we were infested with love bugs. 

 

Saw this on Pinterest as a clever way to store fruit in the kitchen.  Had a couple of these plantars in the shed, so I cleaned it up and got that fruit off the counter.  It's so smart that I wish it was my original idea.

 

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday Truth

 

With this date marking the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 tragedies, I had planned over the weekend to write something to the affect of remembrance for this

Tuesday Truth. 

 

But. 

 

With other spiritual struggles looming, I feel led to pursue a different route.  Not to cheapen the tragedy that took place on that September day by any means.  It's a day burned into my brain -- one I hope to never relive and one I will never forget. 

 

Over the course of the last 7 or 8 months, I've started to feel a lull in my life in the spiritual sense.  I believe that all Christians go through phases where the "heat" waxes and wanes.  Not to say that we turn away or forget about Christ, but moreso just that there are times when what we assume to be more pressing matters take center stage, and vice versa. 

 

I feel like I'm in the middle of one of these seasons right now.  To be honest, feeling overwhelmed by all of the "church" I'm doing, but still unfulfilled at the end of the day.  It's like I'm missing the big picture -- Jesus.  Redemption.  Joy.  Peace.  Fruitfullness.  

 

But that's only part of the picture.  The bigger part is me needing an attitude 180.  Little by little, certain things and situations surrounding "church" have irked me.  To the point where I've mentally tallied a pro/con list.  Yeah, because "church" revolves around me obviously.  I know that it doesn't and that it's impossible to please everyone. 

 

But there was a time not long ago where I woke up on a Sunday morning and couldn't wait to get to church and learn the Word.  Same for Wednesday.  I haven't felt that feeling in months, but still week after week, I'm there. 

Going through the motions?  Perhaps. 

Because it's the right thing to do?  Definitely. 

 

Still with all the volunteerwork and hours spent at "church," shouldn't I be fulfilled? 

 

True to my Type A nature, instead of sulking about things I obviously cannot change, it's time to turn around and focus on something I can change -- me. 

My attitude, my outlook, you name it. 

 

So things aren't going my way?  If I don't get that "it's all about me" attitude in check, I'll never feel satisfied. 

 

Is it worth searching for a new church home and the work of starting over somewhere new if I haven't exhausted all efforts in my current situation?  Definitely not. 

 

Step 1 in this attitude makeover is serious time in confession.  Asking for forgiveness.  Marking off my laundry list of sin one by one.  Painful but humbling. 

 

Pride, selfishness, worry, distrust, ungratefulness, anger. 

Ugly stuff. 

 

On a whim (who am I kidding, there are no whims with the Holy Spirit), I flipped to Psalm 32.  Written by David expressing the joy of forgiveness.  True forgiveness from a God who wants to forgive, pouring out His grace, eager to clear the slate. 

All I have to do is ask. 

 

Verse 1:  "Oh what joy for those who disobedience is forgiven,

whose sin is put out of sight!" 

 

Verse 3:  "When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away and I groaned all day long."  <-- sounds vaguely familiar  

 

Verse 4:  "Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide my guilt...And You forgave me!" 

 

And now comes the best part...

 

Verse 8:  "The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life, I will advise you and watch over you.' " 

 

It's like God says, now that you've done the hard part, you wanna see what comes next??  Here, I'll show you.  I always have your best interest at heart.  Let me advise you.  Let me watch over you. 

 

I like the picture shown in verse 9:  "Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control." 

Some people refuse to let God take the reigns (I've been one of them), and they stubbornly leave God only one option -- my way or the highway.  So, as a way to refine us and make us more like Christ, it's like asking for discipline.  No doubt that God prefers to take the other route -- for us to let Him fully take the reigns and guide us step by step on the path that He wants for us.  One that doesn't involve discipline or stubborness. 

 

Thank you, Jesus, for loving me enough that You won't leave in the pitiful place I am now.  Thank you for grace and mercy, which never end.  Thank you for being eager to forgive me, even when I'm not eager in extending that forgiveness to others.  Thank you for lettting me be real and loving me anyway -- the good, the bad, the ugly. 

 

This life is hard and days will come when tragedy strikes and our world is shaken (such as the events of September 11, 2001), but Your Word reminds us to

"Take heart, for I have overcome the world!"  (John 16:33) 

Vintage Back-to-School Portraits

Even though I don't have little girls, few things bring me as much joy as dolling up my "guinea pigs" and shooting portraits of them.  A few months ago, we inherited a vintage school desk from my Aunt Wendy that is just the coolest thing.  When I saw it, my mind immediately went to portraits.  I tinkered with ideas on location and outfits and then on a spur-of-the-moment Saturday afternoon, we decided to throw it all together. 

 

I had stiched up these matching faux bowties to drive home the "vintage" theme and the rest (with the help of the desk) fell together. 

 

I'm in love with how the pictures turned out and will no doubt be blowing a few of these up.  Can't help but smile every time I browse through them.

 

Harrison - 6 years old - Wants to be a dirt bike racer when he grows up

 

Seriously, Mom.

 

Sweet-souled boy

 

Brigdon - Age 2 - Wants to drive an ambulance when he grows up

 

 

They really do love each other

 

 

Because Brig can't be serious for longer than 9 seconds.

 

They look nerdy here, but I think it's cute.  Chicks dig nerds.

 

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