Angie's Ad Lib

P365 Reboot

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 22:09:00 +0000

My Dad passed away July 2, 2016, and since then, the only writing I have done is in my journal. I haven't felt like expressing myself on a public platform. However, after the first anniversary of his death, I've been feeling down and unmotivated. After googling, second year of grief, it seems common to have a "what now?" phase. It was acceptable to be caught up in grief during the first year, getting through each "first," but the second year you realize your loved one is truly gone and you have to make new memories, find a new path. It's sad.

I was uploading photos from my phone to my computer and realized I am enjoying life and making memories, but I'm struggling to recognize the beauty and vitality of life right now. Make sense? So I thought I'd reboot the P365 - where I take a picture each day and share it with you. Maybe that would help me see the blessings that surround me each day. What do you say? Want to help me enjoy life again?

Hope you enjoy the pictures...

peonies from Trader Joes - divine!
Can you smell them? Mmmm

yummy classic!

pecan toffee from Charleston - a gift for Mark (and me!)

looking forward to a new study

I read a sweet article in Magnolia Journal

and purchased some Alabama Sweet Tea

A Quilty Peek and An Amazing Sermon

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 16:59:00 +0000

I have thought about you, my blog readers, several times over the last few days. I have a yearning to write, to share my life, although I often worry about over-sharing and/or grammar. Many issues hold me back from sharing, some right, some not-so-right, but when I do share it fulfills a need within me. I just love making connections through the written word.

I have had a great weekend! What a blessing to have a few quiet days while my girls were away. It truly filled my empty tank and I'm ready to face August and get some things done. It's just what I needed.

I spent the last four days working on this

It's a queen-size quilt I had hoped to make for my daughter and son-in-law for their wedding five years ago. Yes, five! Over the past 4 days I pieced the top. I now have to add borders and a backing and then it will be sent away to be professionally quilted. I would love to show you the whole thing; it's pretty spectacular, but I don't want Ashley to see it until it's complete so a corner is all I can show you. I hate keeping secrets!! It's one of those projects I can't even believe I've accomplished! Very fulfilling.

While I was working on the quilt, I listened to a message by Matt Chandler on YouTube. He preached a message in 2014 entitled, "Motivations for Obedience." If you have the time to listen to it, click the link on the message title. This message was timely in it's application for me.

The gist of the sermon is that our primary motivation to obey the Lord should be our love for Him. He then gave points and an illustration that went something like this.

So what keeps me from cheating on my wife? You would hope I would say that I love her so much I would never cheat on her. But if you’ve been married for any length of time, you know that your feelings of love can wax and wane. You may not always feel in love with her and you may be tempted by another woman. However, there are secondary motivations that keep me from cheating on my wife, as well. I only have a Master’s of Divinity degree which isn’t too valuable in the business world so if I cheated on my wife, I would also be out of a job. That’s somewhat motivating, but other men have given into temptation and were willing to throw away their jobs.

I also have three children. If I cheated on my wife, it would potentially destroy my children’s lives. They would have issues for decades and probably have trouble in their own relationships when they became adults. I don’t want to do that to my kids. So when I’m in a desert place, so to speak, in my marriage, my secondary motivations are there to help me through it. The same is true in our relationship with the Lord. I should be motivated by my primary motivation, my love for Him, but sometimes I’m in a dry place and I’m not feeling it. Sometimes I need secondary motivations to help me through those times.

One secondary motivation is the fear of the Lord. God is in control of everything from the sub-cellular level to the exploding stars in the universe and everything in between. He is terrifying! In the Bible everyone who encountered an Angel of the Lord or experienced God himself fell on their faces and were terrified. We should be afraid of Him! We make God into this nice guy who wants to do nice things, but He is a Mighty God and He wants His children to obey Him. He will discipline those He loves. That should motivate us to obedience!

Another motivation is that the Lord brings things into our life that are for our benefit, our good. He does not give us things to harm us. What He asks of us, He asks because it will bring us LIFE- ABUNDANT LIFE. He is all about giving us things that bring us life, not robbing us, not taking things away from us that we think are good. (Me-our addictions, if we admit in our heads, we know are not life-giving, yet we hang on to them for their instant gratification. That’s death in so many ways. He came so that we could have abundant life – give up your own will/way and trust that He wants to give you life!)

Now, you don’t want to live in the desert place forever. I wouldn’t want to stay married to my wife just for the kid’s sake for the rest of my life. No, you want to get back to your primary motivation – your love for that person. When you are motivated by your primary motivation, then obedience is easier. If you are in a desert place, use your secondary motivations to help get you through it, but get calloused knees asking God to restore your primary motivation, your love for Him.

Isn’t that amazing! It seemed like perfect timing for my efforts in self-discipline during August. I could certainly relate to his example! There's more in the actual video, of course, but I wanted to share the main points. I hope you will be motivated to seek the Lord, long for His love and live abundantly in Him!

Blessings,

Half A Year Down and an Olympic Strategy

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 15:37:00 +0000

My girls have gone on a mission's trip for the next four days and I have the house to myself during the daytime. Bliss!

I posted in January that I wanted to get back to blogging on a regular basis, but since that was only three posts ago, you can see it didn't happen as I had hoped. I had health issues and travel throughout January, February and March. Then in April and May, I went to my parents' house in Virginia to help out as much as I could. I returned in mid-June to help care for my Dad in the hospital, which I did for over two weeks, but sadly, he passed away on July 2nd. I then spent a couple more weeks with my mom helping her through the funeral, with events in two states, and then in transitioning to living alone. I came home this past weekend. At this point, 2016 has been a blur.

Have you ever had years like that? I'm weary. Weary, but not without hope or peace. My father was a strong believer in Jesus Christ and longed to go to heaven. I miss him desperately; we were kindred spirits and he was the one person in my life who "spoke my language."(meaning "blunt!")

I know grief takes time and that the amount of crying will diminish, but I came home with the desire to LIVE. I journaled today that I'm tired of my procrastination, excuse-making and apathy. I'm tired of the sabotages, by others, but mostly by myself. I'm tired of my sinful disobedience. I've thought that I'm being too hard on myself during this time of grief, but I don't think so. I think I need to use it as a wake-up call. If not now, when? I am giving myself grace each day; I'm not striving for perfection, but I am striving for growth. Striving for more self-discipline. Praying for His help in this area since it is a Fruit of the Spirit.

Life is short. I don't want to waste it.

My husband and I put together a video montage of my dad's life. He accomplished a lot and went to many places around the world. His life was full. If I had to put together a montage of my life so far, would I be pleased? In some ways yes, in other ways, no. I know we'd all say that, including my Dad, but I'm just hungry for purposeful living. Not for hanging out on the couch watching tv. Not for playing computer games because I don't want to dust, mop or clean a bathroom. Can anyone relate?

I had to laugh to myself, because while I feel this way, I do acknowledge that the Olympics begin on August 5th. When the Olympics are broadcasted, the tv is on every night in our house (and sometimes during the daytime). We sit and watch other people strive for their dreams and fight for the goals they've sought to achieve. While we S-I-T. I just don't know if I can do that right now, but my youngest daughter has just entered the world of competitive gymnastics and I certainly can't put a ban on watching Gabby Douglas or Simone Biles. Those female athletes fuel the dreams of my child! So, what do I do?

As you can imagine, being away from home for over a month has made my to-do list insanely long. I am overwhelmed by all the tasks screaming for attention. I've been methodically plodding away (more often than not trying to check the urgent ones off the list), but I've felt like I don't have any time for me. When you are in the first stages of grief, you need ME TIME, for sure. Yesterday I spent 1 hour working on the to-do list, then 1 hour doing something that filled my spirit. When I hit the month-long mail pile that took 2.5 hours to get through, I turned on a DIY show as background noise. It was hard not to enjoy the mail while watching Vanilla Ice doing crazy things to a house! The idea of going back and forth really worked for me and I'm going to try to employ that give and take until we get back into our school routine for the fall.

A long to-do list is still a lot of mental pressure for me. I can feel sick to my stomach. So today I came up with a question to ask myself when looking down the list, "If this task had to wait, what's the worst that could happen?" I just need to prioritize and I think that question will help.

Back to the Olympics...sometime before the 5th, I'm going to dig out a highlighter and mark what tasks can be done while sitting with my family watching the Olympics. Crocheting is nice, but I need to get some things done. Thank you notes can be written, email can be cleaned out, photos can be edited and saved, bills can be paid, magazines can be looked through, ironing can get done. (blech!) If I purpose to do what I can, I can still enjoy watching others reach for their dreams without guilt!

Do you have any tricks/ways that help you live with purpose? I'd love to hear about them.

Thanks for stopping by,

Scripture Writing

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 22:46:00 +0000

Have you tried Scripture writing?

The only time I've ever written out passages of Scripture was as a aide to memorization. The act of writing helps me, as a visual learner, "see" the verses in my head. Anyone else?

A friend of mine, Amy, and I teamed up as partners in the 2015 Siesta Scripture Memory plan hosted by Living Proof Ministries. Beth Moore has hosted a Scripture memory plan every other year so we needed to come up with something on our own for 2016. Amy introduced me to a scheduled Scripture writing plan hosted by the Sweet Blessings blog. You can read about it here. (She has a cute printables too!)

I've written out the passages in my prayer notebook for the first 3 days of January. After that, I used the rest of my page to record a prayer that flows from what I just jotted down. It's been very encouraging!

If you're looking for a fresh new way to have the Scriptures come alive for you, you may want to give Scripture writing a try. I'm glad I did!

Take a Snapshot of Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 19:28:00 +0000

We haven't started putting away Christmas decorations around here yet, but when we do, I've taken pictures of all the holiday displays I created this year so that when the Christmas boxes get pulled out NEXT year, I don't have to reinvent the wheel.

It's a little trick I learned while moving. I took pictures of how I had filled my bookshelves so that in the new digs I wouldn't have to organize and rearrange bookshelves all over again. Worked like a charm!

Here's a few of our Christmas displays.

(I love the little clear reindeer in front of the tree!)

I didn't realize how minimalistic I am until looking at the pictures. A little bit of knick knacks is all I can handle, really. I enjoy the added decor, but I'm also looking forward to putting it away in the next few days.

How do you feel about Christmas decorations?

A Fresh Start

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:12:00 +0000

Fresh starts. How we all need them at various times in our lives, right? I always look forward to the turning of the calendar year with a renewed optimism which I find funny since most people would describe me as a glass half-empty kind of girl. There's just something about a NEW year filled with hope, possibility and change. I love it!

In the past 18 months I have posted only 10 times. It has been a difficult 18 months, some of the hardest of my life. I've felt defeated, discouraged, ready to give up and certainly not in any mood to write about it. I've often thought of taking down my blog, but I could never quite do it. I hoped there would be brighter days ahead that I could share with whoever was willing to listen. In the last 18 months I've faced scary health challenges, a terminal diagnosis for a parent, a child running away from the Lord, a move to another state, my mother-in-law moving in with us, the loss of work for both my husband and I, months of unemployment and unexpected deaths of extended family members. It's been hard. I was so ready to put 2015 to rest last night. Good riddance! Hasta la vista! It's silly how much joy I get out of saying good-bye to 2015!

I have a hope and that is why I look forward. That is why I don't want to give up writing. I have a future that's prepared for me and I want to walk through it with my eyes on the Lord. He has never left me alone. He's carried me, walked with me, propped me up, given me strength, taught me, guided me, quieted me, sat with me, held me. He is my everything. I have never known it more than I do today. I may be stripped of everything, but He will never leave me and that is enough. Truly.

Many of the circumstances mentioned above haven't changed. Life is still hard, but I have a hope. I place my trust in the One who is trustworthy. I have no idea what 2016 will bring. Will it be filled with even more faith-stretching challenges? Will it bring a respite? Who knows? Who cares, really. It's not about the circumstances; it's all about His story. I'm just a part of it and I want to reflect Him well.

During some of my darkest days this year, a pastor spoke on Psalm 77:19, "Your way went through the sea and Your path through the great waters, but Your footprints were unseen." When you are in the middle of God's will with your back against the wall, God is still with you, but His path may be unknown. He will provide for you today; be quiet and see what He will do. (Ex. 14:13-14) Your message, despite any circumstances, should always be "God is good and I still love Jesus" no matter how it turns out. Why? Because it's true. No sacrifice on my part compares to what the Lord has sacrificed for me.

While listening to the reading of the Christmas story in Luke 1, I sensed the Holy Spirit say to me about verse 37, "For nothing will be impossible with God," "this is what you are to focus on in 2016." Nothing is impossible. I then wanted to respond like Mary did in verse 38, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."

The most discouraging part of the last 18 months was how often my faith wavered, how many times I wondered if God was going to come through. What I've learned most is that He is not in the business of fulfilling my expectations, but in fulfilling His own. Faith is not about getting what you want; it's about trusting the Giver of all good things.

So I leave you with what I hope to be the first of many blog posts of 2016. Trust Him. He is faithful and He can do the impossible.

Happy New Year!

2015 Catch Up (Hollywood Studios)

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sat, 30 May 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Hollywood Studios!

Streets of America

Tower of Terror - one of the girls' favorite rides

Toy Story! My favorite ride!

Fantasmic! The best show in the park!

I love Mickey!

The Christmas decorations were still up!

So magical!

2015 Catch Up (Epcot)

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Fri, 29 May 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Epcot is our "return to" spot.

We have eaten in almost every country in the park

and some of the countries, more than once. Such a yummy place!

You don't get to see my hubs and I very often so here we are.

Wish you could see my Minnie Mouse bag - so cute!

Mexico!

Germany

France

Morocco

Tara's knee was hurting so her sister pushed her around in the rain.

There is a body attached to those legs...somewhere.

Sick of the rain, sick of getting my picture taken...

yep, one for the album. Scary!

Good night, Epcot! You make us full and happy!

2015 Catch Up (Animal Kingdom)

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 28 May 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Several years ago we spent a few days at Disney World and we've wanted to return ever since. In January we took time off to enjoy the Florida theme parks once again! What a treat! We walked 49 miles that week, and although we were tired and achy it was totally worth it!

The excitement began...

We enjoyed staying at the affordable All-tar Movies Resort.

We put on our armbands; we're ready to go...

Animal Kingdom -

We've never been to Animal Kingdom before

and it was by far, our favorite park.

We saw lots of animals on the Kilimanjaro Safari.

We saw A Bug's Life show in the Tree of Life.

We had breakfast at the Rainforest Cafe.

My family assured me that Expedition Everest was a smooth roller coaster and that I could handle it! Ha! That's me in the blue with my eyes shut! Katie is beside me, trying to talk me through it, and Mark and Tara are behind us acting like they're bored. Sheesh!

I bought the picture to capture my VERY LAST rollercoaster ride.

It got a little rainy, but ...

We still had a roaring good time at Animal Kingdom!

2015 Catch Up (Botanical Gardens & Katie's birthday)

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 27 May 2015 16:06:00 +0000

A lot has happened in my life/our home during the past year and I haven't really wanted to talk about it outside of the family. We've faced a lot of stress, heartache and changes, but the Lord is faithful. At times, I wish I had been more willing to take you on the journey with us, but often words were just not there. It was easier to not write. There has been fun along the way, but since I was out of the habit of posting, I didn't share the good times either.

To try and help me get back into writing regularly, I'd like to recap our 2015 highlights so far.
Sound good? Let's see what fun we've had.

I'm actually going to start the recap with a visit to the U.S. Botanical Gardens in Washington D.C. during the last week of December. We visited during the Christmas season to see the amazing natural displays of the iconic architecture of the city. Here are a few of my favorite pieces.

The Capitol

The Lincoln Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial

The Washington Monument

The Library of Congress

and three of our favorite people -

my parents (plaid shirts), and Mark's mom (stripes)

Katie celebrated her 13th birthday, first with family -

(looks like a future blackmail photo to me!)

Then with friends -

(fun at the local trampoline place)

Next we were off on a big vacation! Come back tomorrow to see the pictures!

The Girl Who Won Me Over

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 21:37:00 +0000

The Fantasy genre of reading material is not my thing. I like the concrete world of humans, not elves, goblins, fairies or hobbits. I want to learn something - something clear - about my world. I do not want to lose myself in another world that takes away real estate from my brain cells. I want to exercise my imagination within the confines of the box God has visually created for me. I don't need any more stimuli.

However, I married a man who LOVES fantasies. He enjoys the craziness of other worlds and likes to escape the all-too-real one in which we live. Because of that, several of my children, if not all of them, also enjoy a rich imagination and thrill at visiting other worlds created by authors.

Recently, my two girls and I had to read The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente for a book club. It was the first book chosen to read, picked by some other girls in the club. We got about halfway through the book and my daughters disliked the book so much, they begged out of joining the book club. I let them off the hook, thinking the book was a little young for them and also because I secretly agreed that the book was strange. Thinking that was the end of our newest read, I put the book back on the library shelf in our home, waiting for it's due date to come.

But then...

I couldn't quit looking at it. I wondered what was going to happen to the main character. I figured it would turn out well in the end, but how? The descriptive writing was smart and funny. It was colorful and intriguing.

I asked the girls if they wanted to finish the book, just because.

Nope.

Well, I hate to put down any book in the middle of it. Even bad books I like to give to the very end. I look for any redeeming qualities. The author worked hard to share themselves and I want to give them every chance I can. Isn't that the heartbeat of a reader?

Of course, I finished reading the book, and I'm secretly thinking about reading the second and third to continue the adventure. I've enjoyed one other fantasy book in my lifetime, but this one was also fun. It was weird enough to be discombobulating, but grounded enough to keep up with the plot. It's the wonderful, descriptive moments that kept me coming back. Here are a couple of my favorite.

"The trouble was, September (our main character) didn't know what sort of story she was in. Was it a merry one or a serious one? How ought she to act? If it were merry, she might dash after a Spoon, and it would all be a marvelous adventure, with funny rhymes and somersaults and a grand party with red lanterns at the end. But if it were a serious tale, she might have to do something important, something involving, with snow and arrows and enemies. Of course, we would like to tell her which. But no one may know the shape of the tale in which they move. And, perhaps, we do not truly know what sort of beast it is, either. Stories have a way of changing faces. They are unruly things, undisciplined, given to delinquency and the throwing of erasers. This is why we must close them up into thick, solid books, so they cannot get out and cause trouble." (pp. 35-36)

"She (a portrait) wore an ivory crown and a smile so wide and kind September felt she could love that lady all the days of her life and never feel cheated, even if the lady never looked twice at such a poor, shabby soul as September. In the painting, she seemed to glow. That is what a grown-up looks like, thought September. Not like the grown-ups in my world who look sad and disappointed and grimy with work and bored with everything. What do the storybooks say? In the fullness of her strength." (pp. 91-92)

The book was strange and confusing at times, but wholly likable. Ms. Valente is a talent, for sure. She has given me a second fantasy book to enjoy.

Who knows? Maybe my tastes are growing.

Jan Karon's latest book

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 21:09:00 +0000

I received Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good, Jan Karon's latest book, for Christmas. The book resumed the Mitford series and we get to check in on all our favorite characters: Father Tim, Cynthia, Esther Bollick, Dooley, Hope Murphy, Louella and more. On the cold evenings of January, it was a delightful read and I was pleasantly satisfied when finished. New folks were added, mysteries solved and relationships grown.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"You love him, I can see it."
"More than anything."
That alone should be enough, he thought, but of course it never is. Courage has to come in there somewhere, and perseverance and forbearance and patience and all the rest. A job of work, as Uncle Billy would say it, but worth it and then some. (p. 337)

I often wish loving my spouse were easy, but if it were easy, I don't think I would cherish the relationship as much as I do now. It takes work, but I agree with Uncle Billy, it's worth it!

"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it...." (p. 339)

Ha! I guess if I died reading Somewhere Safe...I would have looked good. Food for thought about what we leave behind (thinking of those journals that contain more griping that goodness.)

"Sleep in peace, God is awake." (p. 377)

So true! Why don't we remember that He doesn't take a break, forget or not care?

He's got it under control.

Rest.

"We are all fixing what is broken. It is the task of a lifetime." (p. 421)

Amen! Thank goodness, as believer's in Christ, the "fix" is not ours. He does the work; we do the cooperating.

If you've enjoyed the Mitford series, light fiction books, you will enjoy the latest addition. If you haven't read any of the books, start from the beginning. You'll make some NC hill-country friends you'll wish were real.

You can see what I've read on the "Books Read in 2015" page at the top of my blog. You may find something that interests you.

Have you read any good books yet in 2015?

Scripture Memory 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 16:59:00 +0000

I have participated in the Siesta Scripture Memory Challenge a couple of times, but I have never made it to the end of the year! At first, I thought, "Nah, I'll just do it on my own," but really, is there ever an excuse to not be held accountable for spiritual disciplines in our life?

So, I added my post to the Living Proof Ministries blog here and jumped into Scripture Memory 2015 with gusto! Want to join me? Just click the link and follow the directions. 24 verses - 2 a month! You can do it!!

I'll be tracking my verses on a separate page above. Let me know if you're joining the challenge and we can encourage each other along the way.

Good-bye 2014!

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 22:56:00 +0000

At first I was surprised how gleeful I felt in closing out 2014, but as I look back over the year, the reality of what occurred made the sendoff evoke more of a "duh" response.

I haven't blogged for months. The life I have been living has been difficult so that sharing ANYTHING, whether it be about my circumstances or just disconnected trivial fodder, was impossible. Some of my readers are directly impacted by the same experiences so even if I wanted to get on my blog and share my point-of-view, it would have probably been misconstrued and caused more problems. So, I greatly longed to just have 2014 come to an end! Hasta la vista!!

There have been many lessons learned in 2014 and I wish I could have seen beyond myself to share them with you along the way, but this has probably been the second hardest year of my life. I just didn't have it in me to share the journey, except with a few close friends and family. I've often questioned whether it meant that I could truly be vulnerable, transparent, etc. There have been a lot of questions and life lessons, but in it, I have grown fond of the phrase in Luke that says Mary, the mother of Jesus, "pondered these things in her heart." That's what I've had to do over and over again.

You live through hard times, you ponder what it all means and it can sometimes feel like you will never leave the dark cave. I miss blogging and reading the blogs of other friends/family, but I could never seem to find a way out of the dark and get back to the lightheartedness I enjoyed in the sharing of everyday life. Then yesterday happened...the last day of the year.

I ended up in the emergency room about 7:30am. I have bad knees, and while sometimes they've slowed me down, they've never stopped me in my tracks. Yesterday I could not bear weight on my left leg and the pain was about a 12 on the 1-10 scale. So off we went to the ER. I'm so thankful that there were not, as far as we could tell, any torn ligaments, but the x-ray did reveal several problems, the most comprehensive diagnosis that I have moderate-severe osteoarthritis. I was told my episodes with my knees were not going to get better, only worse and that I needed to make friends with an orthopedist. I was sent home with heavy-duty pain meds and instructions to rest.

The last day of the year gave entertainment to all who had any interaction with the highly-medicated me. From the hospital receptionist when asking for my credit card to pay my co-pay and asked if "she could get that for me?" and I answered, "Oh, sure, you want to pay my bill?" (Mark gasped a little!) to my daughter who said that in my sleep I said, "I want to get in a long boat with Ashley and eat corndogs." What?? I also asked why the cow's nose was so long (not a cow in sight!) and asked if I could purchase a devotional for one of my daughter's Jr. High male friends. She assured me he probably already had one and I answered like a scolded two-year-old, "Ok, fine!" Dec. 31st was filled with laughter at my expense, but I know it had to be pretty entertaining. I do remember saying, "I think I'm a nicer person on drugs!" Let's hope not!

While it made a memorable end to 2014, overnight I gave up the narcotics and switched to OTC drugs so I haven't been quite as entertaining today. Thank goodness!

Somehow yesterday's events summed up my year for me. 2014 was hard and painful, but if you didn't find something to keep you laughing and give you hope, you weren't going to make it. People have been helpful along the way and maybe that's what I should have written about, but sometimes the pain is so overwhelming, you can only hold on to the hope for yourself. It's beyond you to share it.

I pray that 2015 will bring a little more rest and healing. The Lord has been ever faithful in 2014. He HAS healed those who I dearly love and were near death. He has carried us to a new state and a completely new way of life. He has been a friend that sticks closer to a brother when there were no friends readily available. He has given me purpose when what I thought was my purpose was taken from me. He has given me a joy and hunger for Him, because when you desperately need Him, HE CAN BE FOUND. He has promised His love is far greater and far more reaching than my own so that when I don't have any more to give, He is there to fill in the gaps. He IS faithful!

So, while I emotionally can't rehash the events of 2014, I look to 2015 with joy and praise Him for what He will do. It will surely be filled with His amazing works, no matter the circumstances.

A Peek into the Duggars

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Image from Duggarfamilyblog.com

I went to a discount bookstore recently and picked up the book, Growing Up Duggar written by JimBob and Michelle Duggar's four oldest girls: Jana, Jill, Jessa and Jinger.

I don't know if you're a fan of the TLC show "19 Kids and Counting," but our family catches the show off and on. I thought the book, written about relationships, might be of interest to my girls, but after reading it, I think they're a little young for some of the sections. It would be a good read for a high school girl.

I did love some of the parenting techniques JimBob and Michelle have used in their home. One of the most innovative ideas, which our kids are too old for now, is right before they have Bible time together each evening the younger kids play the "Obedience Game" with Mom and Dad. They meet at the couch and one adult gives a specific child a command, "Jennifer, run and touch the end of your bed, then touch the front door knob and come back as quick as you can!" Jennifer stands up and says, "Yes, Sir (or Ma'am), I'd be happy to do it!" This helps them get some energy out before they have to sit quietly during Bible time and it also helps them to practice quick and happy obedience. What a fun way to practice doing what you're asked.

I find the parenting techniques talked about in the book truly centered on Biblical principles and Mark and I will be rereading the book to see what ideas we can use in our own family. While we may not have the same convictions as the Duggar family, I found the book to be grace-filled and a wonderful testimony for the Lord. It was a refreshing read and I think they've done a wonderful job raising their children and being a light to the world.

A Lifetime Ago

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 20:46:00 +0000

Wow, since the last post in May I feel like we've crammed a whole lifetime into the past few months. We've had multiple hospitalizations for family members, a BIG move to Charlotte, NC, a change in everything for us - house, jobs, church, friends, homeschool groups, a grandmother who moved into our home, and a college son who returned home. I mentioned to a friend that I didn't know if I would continue to blog because I still felt a little numb from all the changes and yet, I also didn't want to rehash any of it. You know what I mean? You just want to keep moving in a forward direction!

There are two women in my life, a sweet sister-in-law and a dear friend who moved to another country, who have enjoyed reading my blog and so, for them, I'm back. There's sadness in thinking about not sharing our farm life with you anymore. There was always an adventure to be had, but we followed the Lord's leading and He is giving us new adventures!

Our first Sunday in Charlotte we hit a local BBQ joint and I knew we were truly in the south when I saw the beverages of choice. Too bad I don't like tea! The BBQ was delicious, but we haven't quite gotten used to the sweet tea choices available to us everywhere.

We were very excited when we stumbled upon Steak-N-Shake! We used to frequent the eatery with my grandmother when we would return to Illinois for a visit. When you just need a greasy burger or a creamy milkshake, Steak-N-Shake fits the bill!

The girls have found ways to enjoy their new house - forts on the stairs!

We spent a semi-drizzly day at Mrytle Beach - our first time, but not our last!

A little rain didn't stop us!

However, our craziest adventure was when we dressed up for Pirate's Day at Krispie Kreme!

We purchased a Duck Dynasty beard for Rhett (he walked through Walmart like that!), and although we didn't sport long beards, we did our part. (even Grandma!)

It was worth it; we took 5 dozen doughnuts home - for free!

(The college class at church finished them off for us.)

Life is starting to take on a routine.

It's all different, but we're doing our best to embrace new friends, new places and new opportunities!

Busy for What?

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 05 May 2014 22:25:00 +0000

I'm an avid goal maker and I've kept records of monthly goals that I've set for the past two years. Don't worry, I'm not "super-something" I'm much better at making goals than I am at achieving them. However, having a plan is in my DNA so I have plans... in an organized binder. Sheezh.

Anyway, in March I looked back at the Aprils/Mays of 2012 and 2013 and found that I didn't really accomplish much. I wondered why and thought I would take 2014 to try and figure it out.

Here it is, May 5th, and I've got the answer. Everything winds down for me during those two months, every extra curricular, that is. We have parties, plays, sports, graduations, work events, birthdays - you name it, we cram it all into April/May. Usually every weekend is full and I move from one major event to the next, wondering when I will catch a quiet moment. I start resenting all that needs done to pull of the next big thing, when I really just want to spend a little one on one with those I love. Needless to say, goals don't stand a chance. Sure, some of the busyness is self-imposed. Spring arrives and you just want to do something! I just have too many somethings to do! It seems many women I know feel the same way.

We long for summer days, thinking that life will slow down, but then you'll hear us in September wondering where all those summer days went.

I have to admit, I'm kind of sick of waiting for life to slow down. Life happens and with kids it's usually at a frantic pace. The laundry and cooking are always beckoning, throw in some sickness (love ya' allergies) and end-of-year events where everyone is appreciated with a homemade gift and it feels like the pace we find at Christmas! However, in May there isn't a sparkly tree to enjoy before collapsing into bed.

I find I just want to make some meaningful memories. The typical end-of-school-year traditions help us track time, but how many award ceremonies can our photo albums hold? As adults we more than likely don't have our childhood trophies and or fabulous memories of closing ceremonies. Obviously, I enjoy seeing my kid's participate, but I don't want to fill up all my time with activity that doesn't have lasting meaning. That includes my goals, too.

I want to be purposeful and personal when thinking about what I really want to spend my time doing. I want to have friends over, make smores around the campfires, lay on a blanket and look at the stars. I want to make homemade lip gloss and play dough. I want to read books with two tween girls who snuggle their just-showered wet-heads against my shoulders. I want to turn OFF the tv. I want to ride a tractor and listen to inspiring Christian music so when I get off all sweaty and dirty, I just don't care because I've spent time in worship. I want to be brave and swim in the pool even when it feels like an iceberg should be floating by.

Life. I just want to create memories that we all will cherish. I don't want to let another month go by where I've faced all that's come at me, but I can barely remember anything that was worth cherishing. I want to enjoy my family and friends. I want to enjoy life.

Pranks and A Clearing of the Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 15:31:00 +0000

Well, we survived April's Fool Day around here.

My younger two girls have really embraced the pranking on April 1st and they drew their Dad into the melee.

The first prank I came across was a new lock screen on my IPhone.

Instead of a sandy beach, I saw this.

Ugh! Shudder.

(I actually jumped a little.)

With glee, they assured me that was just the beginning of the pranks. Great.

I took them to Grandma's/Art Class and came home for a few peaceful hours to get some work done, when taking a break I found this.

It's a mixture of peanut butter and chocolate.

It smelled good, but looked nasty!

Of course, each of the toilets in the house were left the same gift, except their bathroom, of course.

Washing my hands was somewhat challenging. They had removed the liquid hand soap and replaced it with bar soap. The bar soap was covered with clear nail polish so it wouldn't lather! I thought that was pretty ingenious.

We were going to grill hamburgers for dinner so the girls put a large plastic rat under the grill cover. Yuck! That drew Dad into spirit of the day! Next thing I know Katie is getting sprayed by the sink sprayer in the kitchen; Dad had put a rubber band around the handle.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner and watched a couple of shows together.

At bedtime I went to grab my water bottle out of the laundry room so I could take my evening meds. I took a sip and gagged! Katie had added pickle juice. Gross! Katie made me a new water bottle, but I had to laugh at getting pranked once more. So gross!

Soon after, I hear Katie screaming from their bathroom. Mark had partially taped the faucet and it sprayed down the front of her when she went to brush her teeth. Usually Tara beats Katie to the bathroom, but she didn't last night so Tara made it through the day without getting pranked.

Tara assured me that she's bummed about not getting pranked so we'll have to see. You don't need a special day to share your love in a tricky way, right?!

On to the song of the day.

April 2: A Song that helps you clear your head

When it's time to pay bills or reconcile the checkbook,
I put on flamenco music.

Lyrics are too distracting,
but Ottmar Liebert keeps my head clear and spirit up.

Enjoy!

A Song that makes you Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 17:05:00 +0000

Well, so much for the picture challenge in March. I have a lot of pictures on my camera, but somehow the process of connecting the camera to the laptop, transferring jpegs, editing photos and creating a post was just a little overwhelming. Sigh.

My daughter is going to try another 30 day challenge in April focused on songs. While I enjoy music, we'll see if I enjoy it enough to keep up with a 30 day challenge. I'm going to give myself permission to participate when I feel "inspired"and skip the posting when nothing comes to mind.

I think you can learn a lot about a person by listening to the type of music they enjoy. I hope this will give you a little insight into who I am and if you have a ready answer to the prompt, please, feel free to share it in the comments. I would love to add some new tunes to my IPhone this month!

April 1: A song that makes you happy

Immediately I thought of Josh Wilson's Jesus Is Alive. I absolutely love this song! I listen to it year-round to the dismay of my son, who introduced it to me.

One of my favorite lines: "When your tiny heart started beating for mine" (I have hand motions!)

The bridge at minute 2:04 is ridiculously awesome.
If you ain't shoutin' after that, something's wrong!

Happy Song! Yay!

It's All In The Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 17:05:00 +0000

March 14 Photo Challenge: Focusing On Eyes

Ashley's Eye!

This isn't even one of my own pics, but it is my favorite eye photo.

She has light blue/green eyes, but used a photo edit to make them yellow.

Fun Photo Edit

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 17:03:00 +0000

March 13 Photo Challenge: Photo Edit You Like

Blast from the Past: Our family in 3-D glasses

ready for the Toy Story Ride at Disney World

A Chick in Color

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 13:13:00 +0000

March 12 Photo Challenge: Same Shot, Different Light

Here she is in all her colored beauty!

Beauty In Any Light

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 19:51:00 +0000

March 11 Photo Challenge: Black and White

We have some new chicks! This little one is a beauty,

even in black and white.

(Hint: Tomorrow you'll get to see her in a different light!)

Handsome Abe

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 19:48:00 +0000

March 10 Photo Challenge: Whatever You Want

Here's our handsome rooster, Abe.

He protects all the ladies.

Neighbors

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 19:46:00 +0000

March 9 Photo Challenge: Something From A Distance

Here's the neighbor's horse farm

(taken from my front porch.)