I have never been much of a "garage-sale" shopper. However, this weekend is our city-wide garage sale and I have been looking forward to it all week. I plan on going out and about early tomorrow morning with a dear friend. But...the signs were just calling my name this morning and I found myself an hour "late" for work. I only got out of my vehicle once. And didn't buy one thing. But...I may be a little addicted already.
Garage-sale "experts" (both shoppers and sellers) are unique. And it seems as though they are all alike. I realize that is very stereotypical ...but this is all in fun. :) I was told that men are the first to arrive and they have just two things on their minds...fishing equipment and tools. I was blown away at how many vehicles I passed that I could tell were doing the exact same thing I was doing...making themselves late for work just so they could get the first pick on this rainy Friday morning! We slowly drove past each house that we could tell was in the making of a garage sale...scoping out our specific needs. And once we realized they didn't have what we were looking for, we quickly drove off, following the signs to yet another garage sale in the making. However, if we spotted something of interest...we quickly parked and rushed to make sure it wasn't bought from right under us. I, unfortunately, was unable to find exactly what I was looking for. But...there is always tomorrow! And if you're wondering...I'm specifically looking for outside toys for Rylie. Daddy isn't pleased because he thinks that I am going to "clutter" up our backyard. But I kindly remind him that we have a child now...and it's okay if our backyard looks like Toys-R-Us. :) This age will pass quickly and I'm sure that in, what will feel like a blink of an eye, we will be one of the couples attempting to organize our very own garage sale!
Wish me luck tomorrow. Hopefully before Rylie even wakes up for the day...she has a few "new" toys to play with. :)
Oh boy, I am obsessed.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Conviction.
Last Friday, a group of wonderful ladies from my church, myself included, and a few extra friends united with matching t-shirts and headed south to Falls Creek. We experienced an "interruption" from God that inspired us all to live a life full of joy, love, purpose and...Jesus! We attended the 2010 Oklahoma's Ladies' Retreat called "Interrupted." Their mission was to "encourage women to embrace and echo God's heart for the world." And let me just tell you...I was convicted.
It's fair to say that I didn't grow up in a Christian home. Please let me make it clear that there was (and still is) a lot of love, comfort and support in my family and we were, by NO means...non-believers. We believed in God. One of my favorite childhood gifts continues to be the Precious Moments Bible my mom gave me with my name engraved on the front cover. It will always have a place on my night stand. However, the real truth of the matter is...I didn't grow up going to church on a regular basis. I didn't pray consistently. I didn't always talk to my parents about God or all of the wonderful things that He continues to stand for. We didn't thank God for the life that we lived nor did we ask Him to help us live a life that glorifed Him. We just didn't. I didn't know God. I'm not upset about this. Nor do I blame my parents for not introducing me to Jesus any earlier. Do I think my values, morals and standards would have been different...yes. But in a very contradictory kind of way...I don't regret the way my younger years played out because it created the person that I am today. I have, since, talked to each of my parents about God and every conversation continues to be positive and good for the soul. They encourage my walk with our Savior.
It wasn't until one year ago that I experienced the magical essence of our Lord by truly inviting Him to be a primary part of my life. Brian and I were saved in the comfort of our very own living room, our Pastor by our side. And as I continue to grow, each and every day, as a Christian...the believer, wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend that I wish to be...becomes more apparent. I feel that when I put this in writing, it seems a bit "over the top." I'm not one who looks down on others for not attending church. Or one who preaches the bible to every person who crosses my path. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with that...as God has called each one of us to be His disciples...it's just not the way I share my beliefs. However, this is a place for me to journal about my own experiences (my new yearly goal is to print my blog off in a "book" so that I can save it and truly have a "journal" to reflect back on). So...I'm speaking the truth. My thoughts. My feelings. My salvation. My journey.
Last weekend, it became clear to me that I was missing a few important parts of my salvation. And I was convicted. The Bible is a Word of God. It is God speaking to us. It contains all the good news of what God has done and will do for us. And as we read it, it has a washing, cleansing effect upon our minds and lives.
My new goal is to spend more time reading the Word.
Prayer is one of the most important things that a Believer should do and it is a conversation between them and their God. In prayer, we do the following things: we praise and worship God. We ask Him to help us. We let Him know what our needs are. We pray for others.
My new goal is to spend more quality time in prayer.
It is important for Christians to testify to others about the wonderful things the Lord has done for them. We need to give others the good news of salvation, deliverance, healing and restoration that Jesus has provided them. We are told to witness everywhere. And to not be ashamed of witnessing to others.
I know that there is a place and time for sharing my beliefs and my goal is to be constantly mindful of that fact.
As Followers, each of us has our own individuality. We are personally known by God. He knows everything about us. Nature. Personality. Talents. Abilities. God sees them and has a very special plan and purpose in every one of our lives.
My goal is to always seek His will in everything I do...in everything we do as a family.
Above everything else...my new goal is to begin living a life that is more "Christ-like." I am a mother who wants her children to know God and to confidently trust that He is a part of our daily life. I want my children to see me walking the path of a loyal Christian and hopefully, help inspire them to do the same. Thankfully, our God knows that we all fall short of His glory. I am not perfect. Never have been. Never will be. Never will try to be. I'm positive that I will have failed attempts. I'm positive that what I see as "Christian" will be different than what others see. And I'm okay with that. We each live our own lives the way we see fit.
And most importantly, we all need to be content in our own walk!
It's fair to say that I didn't grow up in a Christian home. Please let me make it clear that there was (and still is) a lot of love, comfort and support in my family and we were, by NO means...non-believers. We believed in God. One of my favorite childhood gifts continues to be the Precious Moments Bible my mom gave me with my name engraved on the front cover. It will always have a place on my night stand. However, the real truth of the matter is...I didn't grow up going to church on a regular basis. I didn't pray consistently. I didn't always talk to my parents about God or all of the wonderful things that He continues to stand for. We didn't thank God for the life that we lived nor did we ask Him to help us live a life that glorifed Him. We just didn't. I didn't know God. I'm not upset about this. Nor do I blame my parents for not introducing me to Jesus any earlier. Do I think my values, morals and standards would have been different...yes. But in a very contradictory kind of way...I don't regret the way my younger years played out because it created the person that I am today. I have, since, talked to each of my parents about God and every conversation continues to be positive and good for the soul. They encourage my walk with our Savior.
It wasn't until one year ago that I experienced the magical essence of our Lord by truly inviting Him to be a primary part of my life. Brian and I were saved in the comfort of our very own living room, our Pastor by our side. And as I continue to grow, each and every day, as a Christian...the believer, wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend that I wish to be...becomes more apparent. I feel that when I put this in writing, it seems a bit "over the top." I'm not one who looks down on others for not attending church. Or one who preaches the bible to every person who crosses my path. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with that...as God has called each one of us to be His disciples...it's just not the way I share my beliefs. However, this is a place for me to journal about my own experiences (my new yearly goal is to print my blog off in a "book" so that I can save it and truly have a "journal" to reflect back on). So...I'm speaking the truth. My thoughts. My feelings. My salvation. My journey.
Last weekend, it became clear to me that I was missing a few important parts of my salvation. And I was convicted. The Bible is a Word of God. It is God speaking to us. It contains all the good news of what God has done and will do for us. And as we read it, it has a washing, cleansing effect upon our minds and lives.
My new goal is to spend more time reading the Word.
Prayer is one of the most important things that a Believer should do and it is a conversation between them and their God. In prayer, we do the following things: we praise and worship God. We ask Him to help us. We let Him know what our needs are. We pray for others.
My new goal is to spend more quality time in prayer.
It is important for Christians to testify to others about the wonderful things the Lord has done for them. We need to give others the good news of salvation, deliverance, healing and restoration that Jesus has provided them. We are told to witness everywhere. And to not be ashamed of witnessing to others.
I know that there is a place and time for sharing my beliefs and my goal is to be constantly mindful of that fact.
As Followers, each of us has our own individuality. We are personally known by God. He knows everything about us. Nature. Personality. Talents. Abilities. God sees them and has a very special plan and purpose in every one of our lives.
My goal is to always seek His will in everything I do...in everything we do as a family.
Above everything else...my new goal is to begin living a life that is more "Christ-like." I am a mother who wants her children to know God and to confidently trust that He is a part of our daily life. I want my children to see me walking the path of a loyal Christian and hopefully, help inspire them to do the same. Thankfully, our God knows that we all fall short of His glory. I am not perfect. Never have been. Never will be. Never will try to be. I'm positive that I will have failed attempts. I'm positive that what I see as "Christian" will be different than what others see. And I'm okay with that. We each live our own lives the way we see fit.
And most importantly, we all need to be content in our own walk!
Friday, April 9, 2010
18 Months.
Dear Rylie,
Yesterday...you turned 18 months old! Yippee!! This is such a fun stage...not that all the other stages haven't been fun, but you are turning into this "little person" and I'm loving it.
Some of the basics:
You...
*wear size 4 diapers
*wear size 12 month shorts (it's spring...yay), 18 month dresses and tops and size 4 shoes
*probably weigh close to 22-24 pounds (I haven't weighed you in a while)
*have curls...and bright green eyes...and the most perfect little lips
*LOVE to be outside
*like to repeat words after me...momma, daddy, ma-maw, pa-paw, granny (which you pronounce "nanny"), gramps (which you pronounce "PS!" because I over-emphasize the gramPS...just for fun), grandma, grandpa, book, shoes, bath tub...ah heck! You're saying quite a few words these days so this list could go on and on...
*point to your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, belly button...when asked where they are
*are starting to understand the concept of please and thank you a bit more
*pat your chest when you say "please" due to a failed attempt at teaching you proper sign language
*will eat cheese quesadillas, tortillas, lunchables, mac-n-cheese, fettucini alfredo, corn, fish sticks, chicken strips, grilled cheese sandwiches, peaches, pears, bananas...but still won't eat veggies or meat (other than the occasional ham, turkey or chicken)
*sing your ABC's (not completely fluent yet...but we're working on it)
*pat the back of the person you are hugging and sigh, "aahh!"
We celebrated Easter last weekend and you had a blast!! The Easter Bunny was extremely generous this year and left you with six...SIX...Easter baskets. And you hunted for eggs several times. We captured most of this on video camera and I took a ton of pictures. You also discovered the fun of sidewalk chalk and learned that if you smile real pretty...your grandparents will spoil you rotten! You were terrified of Santa Claus last year and to my surprise...you were still terrified of the "puppy" they had at the Easter egg hunt. We were never able to find the Easter Bunny this year...but as you can imagine , I'm sure he was extremely busy. Maybe next year?!
In the next few months, daddy and I plan on taking you to the zoo for the very first time (I know...you should have been by now). But we also have plans on taking you to the park! And over Memorial Day weekend...we are taking you to the Great Wolf Lodge!! Lots of exciting things to come, Rylie Bug! :) Thank you, for helping mommy and daddy turn into children again. It's quite fun!
We are members of a local church and you really enjoy the nursery. They moved you up to the "older" kid's classroom and I love to see what you bring home each week. It's hard to decide what to keep and what to throw away...but honey, you can't expect me to keep everything, can you?! Your daddy would have a fit. But the arts and crafts that you bring home simply tug at my heart...they're all so precious! I love that you enjoy the nursery because you are going to be spending a lot of your Sunday mornings there. Your daddy and I want to teach you the name of Jesus and help you know Him and all of the good that He stands for!
Rylie, my love will NEVER stop growing for you...and sometimes, my heart even feels a bit overwhelmed with all of the pride and joy I find in you. You have changed our lives forever...and I couldn't be more grateful to God for making me your mommy!
Hugs and kisses.
Love,
Mommy
Yesterday...you turned 18 months old! Yippee!! This is such a fun stage...not that all the other stages haven't been fun, but you are turning into this "little person" and I'm loving it.
Some of the basics:
You...
*wear size 4 diapers
*wear size 12 month shorts (it's spring...yay), 18 month dresses and tops and size 4 shoes
*probably weigh close to 22-24 pounds (I haven't weighed you in a while)
*have curls...and bright green eyes...and the most perfect little lips
*LOVE to be outside
*like to repeat words after me...momma, daddy, ma-maw, pa-paw, granny (which you pronounce "nanny"), gramps (which you pronounce "PS!" because I over-emphasize the gramPS...just for fun), grandma, grandpa, book, shoes, bath tub...ah heck! You're saying quite a few words these days so this list could go on and on...
*point to your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, belly button...when asked where they are
*are starting to understand the concept of please and thank you a bit more
*pat your chest when you say "please" due to a failed attempt at teaching you proper sign language
*will eat cheese quesadillas, tortillas, lunchables, mac-n-cheese, fettucini alfredo, corn, fish sticks, chicken strips, grilled cheese sandwiches, peaches, pears, bananas...but still won't eat veggies or meat (other than the occasional ham, turkey or chicken)
*sing your ABC's (not completely fluent yet...but we're working on it)
*pat the back of the person you are hugging and sigh, "aahh!"
We celebrated Easter last weekend and you had a blast!! The Easter Bunny was extremely generous this year and left you with six...SIX...Easter baskets. And you hunted for eggs several times. We captured most of this on video camera and I took a ton of pictures. You also discovered the fun of sidewalk chalk and learned that if you smile real pretty...your grandparents will spoil you rotten! You were terrified of Santa Claus last year and to my surprise...you were still terrified of the "puppy" they had at the Easter egg hunt. We were never able to find the Easter Bunny this year...but as you can imagine , I'm sure he was extremely busy. Maybe next year?!
In the next few months, daddy and I plan on taking you to the zoo for the very first time (I know...you should have been by now). But we also have plans on taking you to the park! And over Memorial Day weekend...we are taking you to the Great Wolf Lodge!! Lots of exciting things to come, Rylie Bug! :) Thank you, for helping mommy and daddy turn into children again. It's quite fun!
We are members of a local church and you really enjoy the nursery. They moved you up to the "older" kid's classroom and I love to see what you bring home each week. It's hard to decide what to keep and what to throw away...but honey, you can't expect me to keep everything, can you?! Your daddy would have a fit. But the arts and crafts that you bring home simply tug at my heart...they're all so precious! I love that you enjoy the nursery because you are going to be spending a lot of your Sunday mornings there. Your daddy and I want to teach you the name of Jesus and help you know Him and all of the good that He stands for!
Rylie, my love will NEVER stop growing for you...and sometimes, my heart even feels a bit overwhelmed with all of the pride and joy I find in you. You have changed our lives forever...and I couldn't be more grateful to God for making me your mommy!
Hugs and kisses.
Love,
Mommy
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