DAES of Our Lives

Fences

2012-05-22T00:30:00.000-05:00

We love living in a house surrounded by a fence! There are few things more psychologically satisfying than closing the gate and leaving the world and all its troubles outside. Our fence helps make our home a haven by keeping things out!
At least it used to. Now the fence also has to serve the vitally important function of keeping our calves in. That meant the fence needed a little work. I hadn't paid much attention to the fence since we moved in. It's a pretty new fence and it was well-built when installed, so there really wasn't much to worry about. But after a couple of years the plants were starting to move in:

If plants are allowed to grow all over a fence, the fence will eventually break down through the sheer weight of the accumulated plant growth. So I set to work clearing off our fence. It took a couple of days, but now it's nice and clear:

Shortly after I got the fence cleared, the calves got busy testing it out! One Saturday morning I let Cody out and noticed that Amelia seemed to be a little closer to the house than usual. A closer investigation revealed that, sure enough, she was standing in the backyard! She found a weak spot in the fence between the pasture and our yard and decided to go on through it:

She was never in any real danger of getting out since our whole yard is surrounded by barb wire fence. We lured Amelia and Abelard into the pen with some feed and shut them up so that I could fix the fence:

Speaking of Abelard and Amelia, they're both doing great! Weeks ago I promised pictures of us "gentling" them. Unfortunately, gentling calves often takes more than one person. So we really didn't get any pictures of the nightly rodeo! But things are progressing well. After a few days we managed to get a halter on Abelard:

It took a little longer to get a halter on Amelia. She is considerably less trusting than Abelard and also really doesn't like her face being touched! Eventually we had to use a fence panel to "squeeze" her against the barn and keep her still while we put it on her. She did not appreciate that! But now she has a halter.

That big brass ring by their nose is where we hook onto the halter with a lead rope. That enables us to lead them where we want them to go or tie the rope to a stout post so they will stay still while we work on them. They have both accepted that process pretty well (so long as there is food as a reward!) and we're very happy with how they're progressing.
David

Sad Week

2012-05-16T17:41:00.000-05:00

It has been a little while since I've tried to blog. It's the end of the semester for me, which is always a very busy time. It was extra busy this time as for the first time I was supervising a student's thesis. That is a whole lot of extra work! (Though nothing compared to writing it.) So I've mostly been ignoring the blog. But right now I'm taking a little break from grading to blog a little bit.
The end of the semester is usually a happy time. Students are graduating and moving on to new areas of ministry and service.They are, of course, very happy that there lives will no longer be ruled by the writing of papers and the taking of tests. And they should be. But the reality is that the trials of a seminary education are nothing compared to the trials of Christian ministry. In ministry and in life there are no syllabi or study guides to prepare you for the tests ahead. The tests simply appear without warning, whether you're ready or not. And in the midst of those tests, ministers still have to consistently write good sermons and minister to their people. It's a high calling and it's not easy.
I have been reminded of this reality through the events of the past 48 hours. There has been much sadness and heartache in the lives of some of my fellow ministers. My heart is heavy for them.
My roommate from college, who is still one of my best friends, pastors a church in another state. The young man who was the youth minister at his church suddenly passed away on Monday. My heart breaks for his young wife and my heart is so sad for my friend, his family, and his church.
An older minister who I admire and respect, who has been unfailingly generous with his time and advice, serves as a pastor in a major city in Texas. He has also served our association of churches as a leader and previously spent many years directing missions work around the world. His 20 year old grandson suffered a heart attack last week and departed this life yesterday. There are few things in life that are more grievous than outliving your children or grandchildren. I am deeply sad for this dear minister and his family.
A widely respected and beloved minister went home to the Lord yesterday. I don't think I ever met him, but I know several of his children. If their father was anything like them, he was a wonderful man. One of his daughters is married to a faithful pastor. Another of his daughters was the academic dean at the college Amanda attended. She later moved on to another college, where she met the love of her life. They were married this past weekend, an event her deeply ill father was able to attend. His son served for many years as a missionary overseas, before returning to the U.S. and becoming a director of missions work. He also occasionally works as an adjunct professor at the seminary where I teach. Although their father's death was expected, I know each of his children is grieving for him while ministering to their mother. I am sad for this family.
Finally, one of my fellow professors at the seminary lost a family member this week. Although this death was also expected, that never means that it is easy. I am sad for him and his family.
All of these events remind me of the fleeting nature of life. Most of us expect to live 70-80-90 years. But there is no guarantee of that. God only gives us so many days on this earth, and only He knows how many we have. The time God gives us on earth seems to be long, but it's really not. It's gone before you know it and we always have to say goodbye to our friends and family members before we're ready. That is why as a Christian I put my hope in the resurrection. Christ's resurrection was God's promise that there is more to reality than this earthly life. That for those who trust in Christ there is a beautiful future in heaven and there is coming a day when the grief of the present will give way to eternal rejoicing.
David

Spiffing Up Big Red

2012-04-29T23:41:00.000-05:00

It has been more than 1 1/2 years since we bought Big Red. It's been a good truck, done everything that we asked of it, and hasn't produced very many maintenance bills. Recently I've been doing a few little upgrades to make it even more useful to us.

When we bought Big Red, it had a rubber bed mat in it that was bought back in 1985. Rubber doesn't last forever, and the bed mat was literally falling apart! When we picked up a load of dirt the other week, it was difficult to shovel all the dirt out because of the disintegrating bed mat. You can see a piece of it in this picture:

When the bed mat is on top of the load, not under it, it's time for a new bed mat! So I ordered one through our local truck accessory store. It showed up this week and it looks much nicer. Hopefully it works way better too!

I've also been doing some wiring work on Big Red. Its trailer wiring was all designed to work with a fifth wheel camper. We don't own a camper, or any other fifth wheel or gooseneck trailers. We needed trailer light connections at the bumper! We also needed the ability to connect up to four pin (our trailer) and six pin systems (our neighbor's trailer that we sometimes borrow). So I bought a four pin system that connects directly into the truck's electrical harness. That's the multi-colored wires in the middle:

I also bought a four-to-six pin converter that plugs into the four pin converter. That is the black wire going off to the right. The converter also has extra wires that I can connect to the brake controller. Now I can choose whichever system I want to use and plug it right in. The six pin converter has a nice classic looking receptacle that looks perfect on a chrome bumper, don't you think?

All of this wiring was done so that Big Red would be ready to haul cows, dirt, and anything else we need. Here it is hooked up and ready to go pick up some calves:

(Sadly, right after this picture was taken Amanda came home and we swapped in her SUV to do the towing. Probably saved $5 in gas by using her car.)
Big Red is a gas hog. There is no way to change that. It has a Big Block engine that was designed back when gas could be bought for $0.36/gallon. It makes great torque and can haul a big trailer without straining, but every time it turns a single revolution it sucks 454 cubic inches of air/fuel mixture. Cruising at 2000 revolutions per minute (rpm), gallons of gas disappear pretty quick. GMC planned for this and equipped Big Red with the ability to carry 40 gallons of gas! With gas prices going up this spring, I've been keeping the tanks full as a very small hedge against rising prices. That means there is about $150 worth of gas in Big Red all the time! I thought that was worth protecting, so I got new locking gas caps:

That's it for the moment. I bought a floor jack a little while ago and I'm anxious to use it to pick up Big Red and do some real work on it! Hopefully that will happen this summer!
David

Moo

2012-04-28T22:24:00.000-05:00

It's springtime in the country and what better way to celebrate it than buying calves? First, we had to finish getting ready for them to arrive. We cut down a tree that had fallen over the back fence and retightened everything on that section of fence (sorry, no pics). We also had to buy some food for the calves! We bought hay and calf pellets, plus some wood shavings for them to lay in.

Calf pellets. Mmmmmm, delicious!

Our one bale of hay. You don't want to know how much this cost, but we dearly hope prices will go down in the coming months.

Spreading out wood shavings as a bed.
On Wednesday we went and picked up the calves. We then immediately took them to the vet for a couple of quick things before we brought them home. We also decided on names for them: Amelia and Abelard.

Ready to load up. This was the first time we actually used the trailer for its intended purpose!

Even though this was their first time in a trailer, they loaded right up without any problems! Yay for docile calves!

Amelia was first through the squeeze chute. All she needed was a shot. As a side note, our vet's squeeze chute is the fanciest one we have ever seen! It's hydraulic and everything!

Abelard in the chute. You can see why it's called a squeeze chute. It literally squeezes them around the neck so they can't go forwards or backwards. It holds them still so they can be worked on. During his time in the chute, Abelard went from being a bull calf to a steer (sorry, no pics, this is a family blog). That is also why we named him Abelard (if you don't get the joke, read up on it here).

In the new quarters, Abelard checks out his bed.

Amelia giving the calf pellets a try.

Then we brought out the hay. It was a big hit!

Checking out the water trough.

Amelia meeting Cody for the first time.
They have been with us for a few days now. We are currently working on "gentling" them before we turn them out into the pasture. Since we don't have a squeeze chute or anything like that, we need them to trust us enough so that we can work on them freely. Pics of that process will come once we finish it!
David

Calf Shopping

2012-04-22T20:52:00.000-05:00

We decided that this year we would get into cattle for fun, profit, and delicious steaks! We really had two options: buy cattle or buy horses. Those are the only animals our land is fenced for. And we needed animals on our land! That's because the property tax on most of our land is at the "agriculture exemption" rate. It had this exemption when we bought our house and land and it does grant us a significantly lower tax bill every year. Of course, the only reason the government gives you such a tax exemption is if the land is used for agricultural production. This is one of many ways the government incentivizes certain activities that it deems good. Preserving rural culture, producing food, or growing trees are good and those who do that pay less in property taxes. If you take land that has been used for those good purposes and do something else with it, you lose the agricultural exemption. That means your taxes go up. Not only that, they then hit you with a tax bill for seven years of back taxes for the difference between the regular rate and the agricultural rate! That's a lot of taxes that we don't want to pay. Instead, we're buying cattle.
But don't think we got backed into this decision. We bought this house and this land specifically because we wanted a place where we could raise a few heifers and steers. We want to grow our own beef, not only because it tastes better, but it's just plain better for our bodies. It has just taken us a couple of years to get some things out of the way so that we had time to mess with cows.
But we're ready now. All we need are calves to buy!
We could have gone to the sale barn to see what we could find. But this was our first foray into cattle buying and there is a real possibility of buying some duds at auction. We would also run the risk that the freshly weaned calves could be exposed to all sorts of diseases at the sale barn that would have to be treated after they came home. There are plenty of wonderful calves that go through sale barns, but we wanted to keep our risk level down.
We also considered trying to find "bottle babies." These are surplus dairy or dairy/beef calves that are sold off by dairy farms. Dairy cows have to be bred every so often in order to keep their milk flowing. To help those births go easier, they are often bred to certain breeds of beef bulls so the calf will be smaller. These calves are taken from their mother within a few days of birth so that the cow can then provide milk for humans. The calf is then sold and fed milk replacer until it's old enough to eat grass. Bottle babies are pretty cheap. Milk replacer not so much. Plus calves that are taken from their mother at such a young age have a higher risk of dying from disease. And all that nursing is a whole lot of work!
So we decided to skip all that. We went across the road to see Mr. T. He raises purebred British White cattle. We hosted some of his cows a couple of years ago. We liked them a lot. They had a very good temperament. We told him that we were looking for some calves to buy. His small herd produced four calves this winter (last year was a severe drought that was hard on everybody that has cattle, Mr. T included). He decided that he would sell all of them. A couple of weeks ago we agreed to buy a bull calf and a heifer from him. Yesterday we selected the calves we wanted and closed the deal.

We "weighed" them by using a tape measure especially designed to estimate their weight.

After checking the latest prices from the sale barn, we agreed on a price. Our calves are currently being weaned at Mr. T's place for a few days before they come to our place. Since they will be living within hollering distance of their mommas, we want mommas and calves to get used to being separated before the calves come to us. Nobody wants cows crossing the highway!
David

Blog Changes

2012-04-20T18:49:00.000-05:00

It's official: I suck at managing two blogs. I've been keeping busy at Royal Daughter Designs, and have neglected DAES.

I've considered different options for remedying this problem. One option is to combine the two blogs into one. But that poses a business problem, since all of my advertising efforts have gone into promoting RDD.

Another option is to delete DAES of Our Lives altogether. That way I can focus all of my attention on blogging at RDD. But I hate this idea. For one thing DAES of Our Lives is such a catchy title, don't you think? Secondly, DAES started out as a way to keep our family updated about what is going on in our lives. I know that not everyone in our family wants to read blog tutorial posts, what I wore posts, and recipe posts, which are pretty common blogging topics at RDD. So it is important for me to keep DAES of Our Lives around.

Why I didn't ask for David's opinion on this months ago, I'll never know. But we talked about it today and he had a great solution.

David is going to take over being the primary author here at DAES of Our Lives. You're likely to see quite a few posts on religion, theology, culture, and maybe even politics. He will also write about what's going on in our lives from his perspective.

I'll still be contributing here at DAES. I like doing the Insta Friday posts, highlighting what's been going on in our lives via cell phone pictures. And I'll write about what's going on in our lives from my perspective. Just not as often as I used to.

Things will get a little more personal over at RDD. In the past I've stuck to a pretty generic blogging schedule, with only a few "real life" posts thrown in. That will change. I'll start documenting parts of our life at RDD, so if you'd like to follow along, please do!

As for what's been going on in our lives this month:

We've been putting in a garden. So far I've planted green beans, cantaloupe, yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapenos, strawberries, basil, and cilantro. I'm planning to put in some watermelons and a few more veggies this week.
David did our taxes. This was the first year we were both considered self-employed, so there was a little bit of a learning curve.
We're about to officially become ranchers. We will be purchasing two British White calves, one bull calf and one heifer. They are scheduled to arrive next Wednesday. Photos coming soon.
We hosted Easter dinner. My parents, grandma, and some of our best friends came over after church.
We bought a propane grill. We found one on sale and purchased the night before Easter. After David put it together we realized the most important piece was missing: the grate. So we ended up transporting our steaks to our neighbor's and using their grill, then hauling them back home. It was quite a fiasco.
David has been on spring break this week. He's done a lot of outside work, including reshaping our flower beds.
The hummingbirds have arrived.

Thanks for sticking around through the unplanned blog break here. I hope you all well give David a warm welcome to the blogosphere!

Taxing (by David)

2012-04-18T01:35:00.000-05:00

Written by David

There aren’t many things in life that are less fun than taxes. Nobody likes paying taxes. On the other hand, I’m not a big fan of anarchy either. So I will pay the taxes (income, property, and sales) necessary to pay for a government that attempts to defend our borders and assure our safety. My belief that a significantly smaller and less expensive government could do those things just as well, doesn’t mean I have any problem with the actual paying of taxes.

I do my own taxes. I always have. My Dad showed me how when I was fifteen years old. It started with a simple 1040EZ and eventually increased in complexity to where it now involves a slew of schedules, forms, and attachments. Nearly every year there is one additional thing to learn, but it’s never so complicated that a couple hours of reading can’t make it all clear. Funny thing is, despite our Byzantine tax code, the IRS has a lot of highly detailed instructions available for anyone to read. They actually try to make it understandable. It’s just a matter of taking the time to educate yourself. Or you can pay someone who is already educated to do it for you. But where is the challenge in that?

Being a minister comes with its own blessings and curses when it comes to tax time. The single biggest blessing is that ministers can receive a “housing allowance” that is exempt from income taxes. I have no idea why this is. Maybe our tax overlords give ministers a break because we tend to be poor. Maybe it’s for some really arcane reason. I don’t know, nor do I really care. But it is nice.

The biggest curse of being a minister is self-employment tax. Everybody that works for a company loses about 7.5% of their paycheck every time (currently it’s temporarily reduced to about 5.5%), primarily to pay for Social Security and Medicare. What you don’t see is that your company then matches your 7.5% “contribution” with an equal amount and then sends it all in to the government. When you’re self-employed, it all gets bundled together into one nice 15% tax on everything you earn (also temporarily reduced to 13%).

What does that mean? For every $100 you earn, the government immediately takes $7.50. For every $100 I earn, the government immediately takes $15. And that’s not just from salary either. Housing allowance or parsonage compensation is also taxed this way. It’s no fun. And it’s not just true for ministers, it’s also true for carpenters, small business owners, and lots of other people you hire to do things for you.

The other lousy part of being a minister is estimated tax payments. When you work for a company, taxes are easy. You fill out a form listing your expected deductions and HR plugs that into the payroll system. Then every time before you get your paycheck, they take out some of it to send to the IRS. You never see the money. Then every spring you file your taxes and they (hopefully) give back the amount your company overpaid for you. It’s a nice little spring bonus (or it’s an unfortunate spring surprise). When you’re self-employed, things work differently. When I get paid, nobody takes anything out of my check. I get to take 100% home. But it doesn’t last. By April 15 I have to guesstimate how much money I will make this year and consequently how much income tax and self-employment tax I will owe this year. Then on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15, I have to write a check for 1/4 of that amount. Every time I get paid I have to make sure I set money aside to pay to the government.

Taxes get a lot more personal when you have to write a check for every penny instead of it just magically disappearing from your paycheck before you ever see it. I’m convinced that everybody would want lower taxes and less government if they had to personally cut a check to the government for taxes every three months. Of course, compliance with the tax code would go way down. But hey, that might lead to a reconsideration of our entire Byzantine system of collecting federal revenue. And that would be a good thing.

Frankie double checked all our calculations.

What Life Looks Like (#2)

2012-03-30T00:15:00.000-05:00

...through my cell phone lens.

Just a quick update:

We're doing great. I've been busy with blog designs! I've been blogging semi-regularly at RDD. I even posted my first vlog!

David and I had a weekend getaway last weekend. We headed to Austin to see Mom & Dad E. They were in Austin on a business trip, and we really enjoyed getting to spend some time with them.

We also hit up 3 Half Price Books stores. We're officially geeks.

Okay, so here's what our life has looked like according to my cell phone pictures.

A couple of weeks ago David misplaced his keys. They were missing for about 18 hours, and we spent quite a while looking for them in the house. We finally found them here:

He was sick with a nasty spring cold. We'll blame it on that.

Cody

Oh how he loves us. I have several pictures of him looking out the window after David leaves for work.

A couple of weeks ago when I was gone on my girl's night out David texted me 45 minutes after I left that Cody had finally stopped looking out the window for me. How super sweet is that?

So every chance I get I take him with me. :)

Frankie & Audrey

Evidently they love our laptops.

And of course....clean laundry.

Thanks for that, Frank.

Gardening

Have I mentioned that we're working on putting in a garden? Well we are. Slowly. I can't complain about the rain we've been getting...but it seems like it rains on our free-to-work-on-the-garden days.

We have set up our compost pile:

My mom and dad came over for dinner several weeks ago and Dad helped David "design" the compost pile.

We are putting in raised beds. By BFF (see below) gave us two raised beds that were already put together. The garden is going to go on the east side of our house. There's a pretty good amount of sun, but the hot afternoon and evening time is in the shade.

Rednecking
The flag at our church got all wrapped around the flagpole. I think the flag may have ripped during a storm, there were several places that were torn, which resulted in it being tangled around the flagpole.

We go to a country church, y'all. One of the church members, who lives across the street from the church, brought his tractor over, and well....take a look at the pictures:

I forgot to take pictures of Mr. C. standing in the bucket - reaching up to untangle the flag. It was great.

Random

I had lunch with my BFF this week. I love her.

A few weeks ago David and I got drinks at Target. It reminded me of when I was a little kid and my mom would take us to Target to see my Aunt P.J.

I made homemade almond-cocount butter. I found the recipe at Delighted Momma. So good! (Especially with crisp apples!)

I tried another new recipe this week: chicken lettuce wraps + peanut sesame noodles. Oh. my. goodness. SO amazingly good!

Recipe *really similar* to The Every Girl

The only pictures I took while we were in Austin were of the sunset on Saturday night. We ate at The Oasis, and this was the view from our table - about 30 minutes before we sat down. We didn't quite make it in time to watch the sunset from our table, but we did sneak through the crowd to get a few pictures.

It was pretty spectacular.

So what have you been up to? Are you enjoy spring?

I'm linking up with Life Rearranged for Insta Friday.

On Friendship

2012-03-12T02:16:00.000-05:00

On Friday night two of my best friends and I went out for an impromptu girl's night out. I literally gave David 30 minutes notice that he was on his own for supper. (Sorry, Babe.)

Michelle and Christiy and I went out for Mexican food (my favorite) and then we headed a salon so Christiy could get her hair cut.

We finished the night by sharing a piece of cheese cake (another favorite of mine).

I know it doesn't sound terribly thrilling. But y'all, I can't tell you how much I really needed some girl time with two of my dearest friends.

We laughed.

We cried.

We talked.

We ate.

We shopped (but didn't buy).

We were together. Just the three of us. Encouraging one another. Loving on one another. Laughing with one another.

We all need that sometimes, don't we?

“Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?” - C.S. Lewis

I'm linking up with Laura at Bits of Splendor and Heather at Finding Beauty in the Ordinary.

Happy Monday, y'all!

What Life Looks Like

2012-03-09T02:04:00.001-06:00

...through the lens of a cell phone camera.

I came down with a nasty head cold just days after the boys left. I spent a week watching movies and laying around. The cats didn't mind getting some snuggles.

Major staples when I'm sick: soup, vitamins, wheat thins and kleenex.

too gross?

Cody spent a lot of time wishing I would take him out.

We've gone to visit the boys several times. We stopped at McAlister's for some of their famous sweet tea and some lunch on our way to see them.

Visiting with the boys in their room:

With Wrangler

Last week we had lunch at my mom and dad's. My mom made her famous fried chicken. David helped with the gravy.

It was delicious!

That afternoon my best friend had emergency surgery. David and I sat at the hospital with her husband while we waited for news about Christiy. We spent a long time in the cafeteria. 3 people + 3 computers + 1 outlet = lots of sharing!

I was able to get some work done - see my notebook/mouse pad?

Fact: Dr. Pepper Throw Back is not as good as Dublin Dr. Pepper.

We've been eating a lot of fresh vegetables lately. Green beans and Asparagus are frequent favorites.

I got my hair highlighted last week. There were just too many grays that were coming through, I couldn't take it any more!

I love it. I might have to find a more natural alternative though.

I also treated myself to some TCBY. I blame my neighbor. She got me hooked.

This week I had the pleasure of having lunch with my Mom and Grandma. It was such a fun date (and um...Mexican food, does it get any better?)

I also made a quick trip to Hobby Lobby and saw this:

Only David knows for sure.
But I'm still going to try to stop knockin' my own cooking.

Did you know for only $19.99 you can get a Princess Diana/Kate Middleton engagement ring knock off? Target has everything, you know.

We're getting ready to put in a garden, and this week we took the truck into town to buy supplies. We took Cody with us, he loves going for car rides. Especially when we roll down the windows.

It was about to start raining, so we didn't have the windows down all the way.

David really likes it when I sit next to him in the truck.
He really is a good ol' country boy.
He's got his dog, his truck, and his girl.
That's a pretty happy man you see right there.

We're going to make a compost pile using old pallets.

Yesterday was the first of several days of predicted rain. I spent a lot of time in my recliner working on some blog designs. And watching season 8 of Friends.

I got a great deal on last season's football jerseys! David and I both got a Jason Witten jersey...so long pink Tony Romo jersey! (Mine, not David's...just to clarify!)

I know there's nothing special about today's post. But this is what our life has been like over the past few weeks. We are so wonderfully blessed.

Linking up with Life rearranged for Insta Friday.

Getting to Know You, Getting to Feel Free and Easy....

2012-03-08T13:34:00.001-06:00

I have to admit I'd been wanting to get tagged to do this "more about me post." Thank you so much to Shannon for tagging me! (And um, y'all...she linked me right up there with the Pleated Poppy and Scissors and Spatulas. She knows how to make a girl feel good about herself!) You can get to know Shannon on her about me post here.

1. What's your favorite scent?
I'd have to say my favorite scent is my husband. The way he smells...I love it. I steal his undershirts at night to sleep in because they smell like him.

I also love:

puppy breath (I'm weird)

geranium

cinnamon

burning leaves

rosemary

basil

frankincense

2. Who is your biggest inspiration in life?
This is really tough. I've been inspired by so many men and women. My mom is a huge inspiration. Not only did she stay home with my younger brother and me, but she home schooled us for 12 years. She is a certified Master Gardner, she lives in a nearly 100 year old house that belongs on the cover of Country Living. She has been a Weight Watchers leader, and in the last year she started her own home-based business. She takes care of my 90 year old grandmother, who is nearly deaf and blind. She volunteers at church, and is on the board of directors of a local non-profit.

she (sometimes) blogs here & here

3. What do you do for fun?

Read. I love reading. I have a Kindle app on my phone, so I always have a book with me. We have bookcases full of books in our home, and David has filled up his office with stacks of books too.

Source: ohdeedoh.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I enjoy playing really easy games on the Wii.

Walking Cody in the nearby woods.

Playing piano.

Designing blogs (yeah, work is fun for me!)

4. What's your least favorite chore?
My gut reaction is to say doing dishes. But the visible layer(s) of dust on every piece of furniture would prove me wrong.

5. Are you a night owl or an early bird?
I'm doing this at 12:50 a.m. Definitely a night owl.

6. What helps you to relax the most?
Snuggling my husband.

Back rubs.

Reading.

Listening to (peaceful) music.

Reading my Bible.

7. What's the nicest thing someone's ever done for you?
Wow...this one is hard too. I am beyond blessed...I could go on and on. But two things really stand out to me:

When I was 21 I suffered a severe back injury. I had to live back home with my parents because I couldn't get dressed or turn on bath water, or anything. My mom took such great care of me. She literally had to help me put on underwear and pants. She popped movies into the VCR all day long, even though I basically slept through them. She walked outside with me at a snail's pace to make sure I got exercise.

When we lived in Fort Worth I suffered another back injury. I was on bed rest for 3 or 4 weeks. My best friends Christiy and Tonya came to sit with my while David was at school and work. Even though I slept the whole time. (Darn drugs.) Tonya even went so far as to do my grocery shopping for me. This was no small task, as I was an extreme couponer before it was cool. Tonya took my coupon notebook, store adds, and did coupon shopping for me. That's a real friend y'all.

8. What's your "go-to" dinner? (Something you make on a regular basis.)
Tacos + guacamole.

9. What makes you laugh 'til you cry?
The Big Bang Theory and Friends.

10. What's your favorite season of the year?

11. What is your favorite room in your home?

Our living room is spacious and truly the center of our home. We spend a lot of time in our living room, so I guess it is my favorite room.

RULES:

You must post the rules.
Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you and then create 11 questions to ask the people you've tagged.
Tag 11 people and link them in your post.
Post their button on your post if they have one.
Let them know you have tagged them

I'm tagging:

Dondi at Donda Lee's
Brittany at The Village Press
Thea at Collide
Kelly at Eat Pray Read Love
Sarah at the Fontenot Four
Tricia at Mama Marchand's Nest
Marion at Marionberry Style
Michelle at the Momma Bird
Andi at The Hollie Rogue
Andrea at The Cottage Market
Ellie at The Ellie Life

And here are your questions, girls:

1. Where is your dream vacation?

2. If you could have lunch with anyone from any time in history, who would it be and why.

3. If you were going to spend one year in outer space, and you could take one thing from home with you, what would it be?

4. Do you like roller coasters?

5. Do you make a Christmas wish list (for yourself) each year?

6. The one song that always gets stuck in your head is...

7. What color is your toothbrush?

8. What is your favorite movie?

9. What is the one beauty tip you know you should do, but you don't?

10. Would you rather forget your mom's birthday or Mother's Day?

11. What kind of car do you drive?

Random, right? I tried to make them interesting enough so that those lovely ladies would want to do it! :)

Happy Thursday y'all.

On Self Contentment

2012-03-06T22:59:00.002-06:00

It's no secret that i'm not terribly comfortable in the kitchen. The other night my mom and dad came over for dinner and I literally dropped a bag of just-out-of-the-microwave frozen spinach on the floor. Meanwhile the tortellini noodles were getting dangerously close to being overcooked.

I can't tell you how many times I've said of myself,

"I'm not a good cook."

"I don't know what I'm doing."

"I don't like cooking."

But you know what I've realized?

I am a good cook.

crock pot veggie lasagna - recipe here

I do know what I'm doing. And when I don't, there's always google.

David asked me to make huevo rancheros.
I had to google it to even know what it was!

I like that David enjoys my cooking. I like that it pleases him for me to be "bustling around the kitchen." I like that he likes what I cook.

So I've decided that it's time for me to stop putting myself down about my own cooking. It may not be awesome. It might not be as good as my mom's or my grandma's or the ladies at church.

But it's good enough.

And my husband likes loves it.

What more could a girl want?

On Contented Country Life

2012-03-05T01:06:00.000-06:00

The weather has been gloriously appealing lately. There's enough chill in the evening to make for excellent snuggling-while-the-windows-are-open. And then during the day it warms up to that oh-so sweet temperature that makes you want to sit on the porch and sip iced tea.

Today I want to share five things I love about country living.

#1. Mending Fences

This most excellent weather means that weekends are spent outside. We will be acquiring our own cows (but no donkeys) soon, and David has been busy mending fences. I love the rustic look. My husband's hands protected by worn out gloves. His flannel jacket that he reserves for outdoor work.

#2. The Farm Truck

We don't drive Big Red that much. The gas mileage is awful. But last weekend David took the truck to town and purchased some cattle panels for our tiny barn. (The trailer is courtesy of our lovely neighbors.) I love that we have such a classic farm truck.

#3. Farm Dog

David has had a nearly constant companion out in the fields. Cody loves being outside, day or night.

#4. Fresh Produce

Those asparagus are not from our garden. I wish they were, as I've been consuming enough asparagus to feed a small army. But we are in the process of putting in a garden. We're in the planning part of the process, but still - it's in the works.

#5. Tomato Basil Bisque

This really isn't related to country living. Except that I have to drive more than an hour to get La Madeleine's version of my favorite soup.

When we lived in Fort Worth, La Madeleine's was one of the best places to go for a girl's night out. The French restaurant is quite girly. It was on a date with my mom that I first discovered their Tomato Basil Bisque.

One of our local (I use the term loosely - it is an hour away) grocery stores stocks this soup, and I'm thrilled! It is so good.

Happy Monday, y'all. What are you loving right now?

Linking up with Maegan at Chesteriffic, Casey at the Weigands, Heather at Finding Beauty in the Ordinary, and Laura at Bits of Splendor.

Controlled Burn

2012-02-28T00:19:00.000-06:00

(all pictures are poor quality because they were taken with my cell phone...sorry)

The smell of burning leaves is one of my all time favorite smells. It's so earthy, and musty, and smoky - it reminds me of roasting s'mores over a campfire.

We live in the country, not too far from a forest. Okay, within walking distance of a forest. We love going for walks in "our woods" - and Cody thinks he should be allowed to run free in his woods.

Last weekend smoke was thick, and the smell of burning leaves was hanging in the air around our home. The woods were on fire.

The forest service was doing a controlled burn.

A controlled burn occurs when woods are purposely burned in order to clear out thick underbrush. Even though we've received quite a bit of rain this winter, most of Texas is still in a drought. The woods were burned because it is much easier to control a burning forest now, in February, after recent rains, then it would be in July or August when everything is hot and dry.

burning at dusk

I have to admit I was kind of sad that they were burning the woods. Even though trees are still standing, and even though it greatly reduces the risk of wildfires this summer. But still, there's something raw and exposed about newly burned woods.

And I realized, maybe, just maybe He is doing a sort of spiritual controlled burn in my life right now. Maybe the three half men leaving last week was a sort of pruning, or molding of my heart to become more like His.

I am reminded of this verse:

I'm so thankful that He will turn this time of morning into praise. And that He makes beauty from ashes.

A Letter to Cowboy

2012-02-24T01:34:00.000-06:00

This is the letter I wrote to Cowboy before he left us last week. I thought you might like to know how to pray for him.

Dear Cowboy,

Today is going to be very hard for you. You will probably feel angry, scared, and alone. You may even hate Bro. David and me.

But you know what? We love you. I love you, Cowboy. Before you ever came to live in our home, I loved you. And I never stopped loving you. Because my love for you is not based on your behavior, or your choices. I love you because you are created by God, and He placed inside of me a love for you that I can't explain.

You have not seen my tears, but since Sunday night I have cried so very much. It hurts to know that you do not want to live with us. It hurts to know that you are not thankful for all the ways that Bro. David and I have tried to make your life better. It hurts to know that we will say goodbye today.

Cowboy, as much as I love you, and as much as you have hurt me...God loves you even more, and your sin hurts Him even more. But God's grace - giving you what you don't deserve - it is bigger and greater than all your sin. Than all your disrespect. Than all your rebellion.

And Cowboy, when you're scared, I want you to remember these two verses:

"What time I am afraid I will put my trust in You." - Psalm 56:3

and

"For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who says to you 'Fear not, I am the one who helps you.'" Isaiah 41:13

And Cowboy, when you feel alone, I want you to remember these verses:

"Be strong and corageous; be content with such things as you have, because God has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you.'"

(Jesus said) "I am with you always." Matthew 28:20

Cowboy, today, and tomorrow, and next week you are going to have to be brave. But even more than being brave, you are going to have to trust God. He will be with you. Remember that you can talk to Him any time, and anywhere. When you're afraid, pray that He will comfort you. When you're alone, pray that He will let you feel Him close to you. When you are angry, pray that he will teach you how to forgive.

Cowboy, I encourage you to read your Bible. My favorite passage when I am afrai, is Psalm 91. You might want to look it up and start memorizing it. It might help bring peace to your heart.

We will miss you so very much. I will miss your great sense of humor, and your crooked smile. I'll miss how when you fall asleep in the car, your head falls back, your mouth hangs open, and you snore like an old man. I will miss watching you play so sweetly with our neighbor's daughters - you are so very good with kids who are smaller than you. I will miss seeing you snuggle Cody - inside his dog house! I will miss all things things, and so much more.

Cowboy, take your medicine. You really will have an easier time if you do.

I know you're going to make it. But you'll have to be strong. Very strong. Actually, you'll have to let God be strong for you, because you cannot do this on your own.

Remember, Cowboy, this is not forever. Your daddy is working hard to get you back. Soon, you'll be going back to your dad. And you are going to have some stories to tell that Red and Wrangler won't have! So keep telling yourself, "this too shall pass." - that means, "this won't last forever."

I love you, Cowboy. I will pray for you every single day. You will never be far from my thoughts and heart.

You can always call us, day or night. Any time. For real.

Be strong, sweet boy, and know that I will miss you very much.

Love,

Lent

2012-02-23T14:32:00.001-06:00

In case you missed it, yesterday was the first day of Lent. (It was also national margarita day - I know this because On the Border sent me an e-mail telling me...I thought it was a funny coincidence.)

I am not Catholic. I have never celebrated or observed Lent. In fact, I actually googled "what is the purpose of Lent" in order to identify its traditional purpose.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia: "the real aim of Lent is, above all else, to prepare men for the celebration of the death and Resurrection of Christ.."

I want to say this as delicately as possible, for I know these words may offend. But deep within my spirit I have an uneasiness when it comes to some of the ways Christians (Catholic and Protestant) observe Lent.

Stick with me, y'all. We're talking about the Messiah. The Creator who interrupted humanity by taking on mortal flesh; the Eternal One who's throne is flaming fire, who's face shines like the sun and no one can look upon. My mind cannot comprehend how He willingly gave up the throne room of heaven to walk among us. What love!

And His death.

Death by crucifixion.

According to Wikipedia, "Crucifixion was often performed to terrorize and dissuade its witnesses from perpetrating particularly heinous crimes." The tortuous death was a slow, agonizing way to die. Victims were brutally beaten, stripped of their clothing, and often forced to carry their cross to the place of death. While some were tied to their cross with a rope, Scripture tells us that Jesus was nailed to to His cross.

image source

Execution by crucifixion could take days. Days. In fact, it has been speculated that often times the actual cause of death was the result of systemic infection caused by the nails and sever scourging. Additionally, many died from asphyxiation - the inability to breathe.

image source

So here's where my concerns lie:

Did you know that the English word "excruciating" is derived from the Latin word for crucifixion? Somehow, it seems unlikely that giving up superfluous luxuries like dining out, or watching T.V., or sweets, helps us identify with the torture and agony that Christ endured on our behalf.

So if we're honest with ourselves, does giving up chocolate, or sodas, or social media, or eating out, or television for forty days actually prepare us for commemorating the death of Christ?

Does it truly promote godliness?

Or does it just make us feel better about ourselves?

Does abstaining from carbonated beverages, or some other junk food, or some simple thing that makes our life easy, for forty days make us more Christ-like?

Or merely more religious?

There's a difference, you know. In fact, Jesus spoke quite severely against those who merely practice religion. He said,

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." - Matthew 23:27-28

Regarding the traditions of men Jesus said, "“Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” - Mark 7:6-8

Lent is merely a human tradition. It is neither mentioned nor alluded to in Scripture.

So is it wrong to observe Lent?

I would say that no, it is not wrong. But it is vitally important for us to examine our motives for observing Lent. If our motives are anything less than seeking to become more like Christ, then we are, as the Pharisees, hypocrites. White washed tombs full of dead men's bones.

If our motivation is in fact Biblical godliness, then it is of utmost importance that our observance of Lent be rooted in a passion for His Word. If we are seeking godliness, we must examine what His Word says about godly living. We must study and apply His Word to our daily life, not just for the forty days leading up to Easter, but every day. Becoming more like Christ is a daily pursuit. A daily obedience.

Some of the people in my life, for whom I have the deepest love, and utmost respect, observe Lent. I am fairly certain that their motivations for observing Lent are pure, though only God can judge the heart. I do not wish to offend these people, or any of you whom I know only through blogging.

I merely wish to encourage you to actually reflect upon the death of Jesus Christ. Research it, just a bit. And let what you learn result in worship. In praise for what He has done for you.

I also wish to encourage you to examine your motivation for observing Lent. Be honest with yourself and with God, and ask Him to give you a pure and holy passion for Him.

Unrehearsed Obedience

2012-02-20T19:34:00.000-06:00

In regard to my faith, I've described the last five months as a sort of "unrehearsed obedience" to God.

It seems to me that many times my obedience to Christ is somewhat of a repeated, rehearsed obedience. Not that it isn't authentic. It is. But there are so many aspects of life that require sort of a familiar obedience. An obedience that is repeated and practiced, and comfortable.

But the last five months...David's and my obedience to Him has been quite unrehearsed. At times we didn't even know what obedience looked like - we just stepped out in faith and hoped and prayed we were obeying Him.

On Thursday our obedience took yet another unfamiliar and uncomfortable turn. A change that brought us to our knees.

We received the call at 3:30. Their caseworker called to let us know that she was picking up Red and Wrangler from school, and would then come to our house to pick up their things. They were being removed from our home. She gave no reason, and we had to contact her supervisor to find out what was going on.

I don't want to go into details here, for obvious reasons. But basically there was a false accusation made about our disciplinary practices. Instead of doing an investigation, or even evaluating the "evidence", the caseworker decided to remove the boys from our custody.

We have asked for an investigation. We know that we have absolutely nothing to hide, and our desire is to have our name cleared, and the boys returned to our home and family.

We are thankful that we are allowed to visit Red, Cowboy, and Wrangler. They are in a group home/youth shelter a little over an hour away. Their caseworker was kind enough to add our names to the "okay to visit and call" list. That's huge for us, as we had been under the impression that we would not be able to contact them.

Needless to say, the last few days have been indescribably difficult. We love the three half men so much. We miss them. We have concerns about where they are living - it is less than ideal.

This new obedience...it is definitely unrehearsed. We need your prayers. I need your prayers. The boys need your prayers.

Heartache

2012-02-14T23:52:00.000-06:00

There are some choices in life that are gut-wrenching. The kind that, even when you know you made the right choice you still feel a churning in the pit of your stomach. An ache in your heart. Such choices have been made in our home this week.

Shortly after lunchtime today, Cowboy (age 11) was removed from our custody and placed in a group home a little more than an hour away. This occurred because over the last six to eight weeks he has gradually made it painfully clear that he no longer wishes to live with us. On Sunday the situation reached a point where Cowboy refused to obey our authority and he refused to control his anger. Through both his actions and his words Cowboy made it clear that he would no longer live by our expectations and he simply wanted to live somewhere else. After giving him a day to simmer down and reconsider his position, CPS began working to find him a new placement. The group home where he is now living is designed to provide the intense services and counseling that he needs in order to come to grips with his problems with authority and anger. We hope he will profit immensely from his time there. For now Red and Wrangler will remain in our home.

Cowboy needs lots of prayer right now. He has lost so much in his short life and now he has been separated from his brothers. He is very alone in a strange new place. Pray that God will comfort him and be very near to him right now. Also pray that this experience will have a positive effect on him, that the professional help he is now getting will help him tame his wild anger and redirect his rebellion against authority.

Please pray for Red and Wrangler as well. They are grieving their brother very deeply. They are struggling to make sense of Cowboy's choice and to comprehend how this change might actually be good for him.

Finally please pray for David and me. This has been one of the most heart-wrenching things we have ever done. Our spirits are weary and heavy with grief, grieving more than we thought we would in such a situation. We are saddened more than words can express. And yet, we are still raising two boys, now in a new and unpredictable phase. We can use much prayer.

We know there is power in your prayers. We ask that you lift Cowboy, and all of us, up now and in the days and weeks to come.

Amanda & David

(all photos by my uber-talented mom.)

marriage//vow

2012-02-14T06:01:00.000-06:00

Last November David and I attended a wedding of a dear friend of mine. I've known her since she was in grade school. Her dad is one of my heroes - sort of my second dad.

The wedding was beautiful. The bride was radiant.

But the one thing I will never forget from that day, are the words of the minister at the very beginning of the ceremony.

He explained that a marriage vow is very different from a contract. A contract is a legally binding document - one where two parties are mutually obligated to keep the contract. But if one party breaks it, the other party is no longer obligated to keep the contract.

But a vow - a covenant, is much different. In a covenant, both parties are obligated to uphold the covenant whether or not the other breaks it. How do we know this?

Because God, Yahweh - He kept His covenant even when His people rebelled against, and walked away from Him. When they "fornicated" with idols and false gods, He kept His covenant. He upheld His vow.

A marriage covenant - it is that. It is not a contract. It is a vow. A covenant. An irrevocable and unconditional promise.

***

David,

I love you. Unconditionally. Irrevocably. Impossibly more than I ever imagined. Today is going to be unlike any other Valentine's Day. We will spend the entire day focused on the three half men. We will spend hours in prayer for them. For us. There will be no candles, no chocolate, no music, and very little alone time.

That's okay. Because we don't need all that fluff, you know? We need Him. Right now more than ever. And we have Him. And we have each other. And we have love.

Forever.

Parenting: It Ain't Easy

2012-02-10T18:36:00.000-06:00

*disclaimer* the following video contains language that is not appropriate for children. I personally think it's not appropriate for adults either, but...you know.

So for those of you who did not watch the video, here's the short story:

His name is Tommy Jordan. His daughter is Hannah. She published a "private" facebook note that basically ridiculed, mocked, and blatently disrespected her parents (most of the foul language is him quoting her facebook note.)

Evidently he had just spent a couple hundred dollars getting her laptop back in working order, and he was, understandably, miffed about what she did upon getting it back. So he puts something like 10 rounds from a semi-automatic pistol into her laptop.

Seriously, you should watch the video.

So David and I thought this was great. We sort of facebook stalked the guy. He's sort of a my-video-went-viral-on-you-tube celebrity. He has 14,000 friends, I think. He made his facebook page public so people can read his response to the criticism and praise that he has received since posting this yesterday.

via

Here's the deal (according to his facebook):

This was not the first time his daughter did something like this. The last time she did, he told her that he would punish her in this way if she did it again.

So he was following through with what he said he'd do.

He (presumably) bought and paid for the laptop + software - he alludes to such in the video.

Crazy, right?

So what do you think? Too harsh? Right on the target? Pun intended. I'd love to know what you think!

For the Mamas

2012-02-09T22:31:00.000-06:00

Happy Thursday! I know, I know - I'm terrible about posting these days. I'm sorry guys! I'll try to get a real post to you soon, but I wanted to share a great deal for all of you mommies and mommies-to-be:

Udder Covers has a huge discount right now for their nursing cover-ups:

via

Use the code VALENTINE at check out and you can get one for free! (Plus S&H which is $11ish.) Still a great deal - and even if you're not expecting, it would make a great baby shower gift, don't you think?

Alright - that's it. Have a great Friday!

Beautiful//Crazy

2012-02-05T18:03:00.000-06:00

One of my blogging friends/customers described my life as "beautifully crazy." She's so right. Life has been pretty crazy around here!

Three Half Men
They had a lot of appointments this week. Wrangler saw the dentist for the second week in a row. He had to get a shot (shh...don't tell him - the dentist said she used a "bubble maker" to put a bubble in his mouth!) in his cheek and gums and he was such a trooper.

watching "the incredibles" while waiting on his doctor.

Wrangler and Cowboy both had counseling appointments this week - on two different days. All three of them are seeing a counselor now, and David and I are so pleased with their progress. They don't really appreciate it, but their behavior and overall attitude has improved since they started counseling.

All three of them had their monthly psychiatric evaluation this week. CPS requires them to see a psychiatrist each month. I think it's pretty standard practice - but the boys really don't appreciate seeing a psychiatrist!

Cowboy had a big science project this week. He had to create a model of a plant cell. Plant cells are square, did you know that? He and David planned a super sweet (literally!) model made up of cake, cookies, candy, and nutella. They had quite a fun time putting it together, and Cowboy made a 100% on his project!

the nutella = cell membrane, graham cracker = cell wall

the completed (and labeled) work

they worked so well together, of course, there was a lot of sugar involved!

top view

Wrangler had a composition project due the same day as Cowboy's science project was due. So I stayed up helping him with his composition. He had to tell a story about sleeping somewhere away from home. (I think?) He tends to write in circles, so I tried to help him with proper grammar and punctuation. He told the story about his first night outside of Texas - when we stayed at the cabin in Arkansas during Christmas.

Red attended a concert on Friday night. Did you know he plays the guitar? He's very gifted - he can tear up a twelve string guitar! One of his friends is releasing a CD this week, and Red went to his concert.

i took him to the guitar store after their psych appointment

So yep, the boys had a busy week!

David
The 2012 spring semester officially started this week. That means he's back to work, working on lesson plans and grading.

Yesterday he spent the day at Southwestern Seminary for training on a the Logos Bible Software. Oh my goodness was he excited about it. He spent a good hour telling me all about what he learned, what he likes, what he's looking forward to with using the software. I haven't seen him that excited about something in a while!

Today he has spent the entire day outside trying to repair a water leak in our main water line. Not. Fun. He discovered the leak while walking Cody this morning before church. He never made it to church. He started digging, and has, for the past + hours, been out there working on that water line. I love that man. I love that he knows what to do and that we didn't have to call a plumber or someone else to do it. I love that even though his back is killing him from digging and being bent over he still keeps at it - trying to get done before dark. What a man.

the hole he had to dig + the cut off pipe

working on the pipe

washing his beautiful, dirty hands.

Me
Besides carting kids around all week (not to mention feeding them!), I spent a lot of time working on blog designs. I installed a custom design for The Ellie Life (at just 15 she is my youngest customer yet - and she may be my most happy customer ever!) I also designed this facebook landing page for Acute Designs. And I got caught up on some of my work for the seminary too.

A couple of weeks ago I took advantage of a great deal at ulta. I had a 20% off coupon good for any product. I was excited about this because most of their coupons don't apply towards bare mineral products. But this one did, and I used it on a bunch of clearance items that were left over from their holiday collection. Score!

new blush + lip gloss

Yesterday I spent the day with one of my best friends, Tonya. She has four foster kids right now, all under the age of 4! She's not crazy, she's called. (By God.) I really enjoyed hanging out with her and her little ones - what a great way to spend a Saturday!

she's "burping" her Cabage Patch Kid doll.

isn't he a cutie?

So that's our week - beautifully crazy, huh? I'm hoping that this upcoming week will be a little less stressful!

miscellaneous pictures

i caught these two snuggling one night.

wrangler has taken to writing me notes in the evening just before bed time

he also covered our bedroom door with sticky notes that say
"i love you"

for the better part of two weeks we've been running our a/c. one night it was finally cool enough for a fire.

we made ihop inspired pancakes this week for supper.

weirdest etsy convo ever! (more to come)

(Linking up with Life Rearranged.)
one more thingIf you're a blogger and you want to get some (anonymous) feedback about your blog content, design, readability, etc., consider linking up with Heather at Inspire Me Heather. I linked up this month and I'm looking forward to getting some constructive criticism about this here little blog o' mine.

not in vain

2012-01-31T15:19:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Wrangler asked me a very serious question.

He asked me if it wrong for Christians to cuss.

He doesn't know it, but he was seeking wisdom. Seeking direction. Seeking godliness.

I told him that the Bible tells us many times to guard the words that we say, and that nothing filthy or vulgar or worthless is to come out of our mouths.

And then I told him my secret:

I used to have a very filthy mouth. I used to say dirty words. Filthy words were on the tip of my tongue, waiting to reveal themselves at the slightest lapse of self-control.

Wrangler was surprised. He asked me if I ever cussed in front of my mom.

I told him that yes, I did. I even called her a bad name. Yelled it actually, when I was 16 or 17. In the middle of a crowded parking lot, no less.

His eyes wide, and with true curiosity, he asked if my mama whopped me.

I thought back to that day. That rebellious spirit within me screaming at my mother in front of strangers.

She did not whoop me. My dad did not whoop me. I was not grounded. I was not disciplined, at least that I remember.

But I remember clearly the look on my mother's face. Here eyes betrayed the deep hurt within her soul. I don't remember if she cried. I do remember that she did not say a word. I think it was because the hurt (and possibly the shock) was too great.

And I hurt.

Deep within me my soul groaned, churned with agony at causing my mother so much pain. I was still mad, to be sure. I was still rebellious. My heart was simultaneously filled with evil deceit, and true remorse.

I don't know if it was intentional on my mama's part, or if it is just the way it played out. But her silent, broken hurt impacted me more than she probably knew. More than being "whooped." More than being grounded.

All of this was a little deep for Wrangler. At just ten years old, he has a hard time controlling what he says.

The truth is...I still have a hard time controlling what I say. It's not as difficult as when I was a teenager. I have, by grace, learned self-discipline, and though I don't always practice it, it is there.

So here's my encouragement for you. Take a look at Exodus 20:7.
Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name.

So we all think of this as "Don't say the Lord's name in vain," right? But have you ever thought about this:

We bear His Name. "Christian."

There it is:

"Christ"

"Messiah"

Friends, we have taken His Name. Like a newly wed bride takes on her husband's name.

Don't let it be in vain.

"No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29 (HCSB)

Linking up with Jami at Call Me Blessed.

Hello Monday

2012-01-30T00:42:00.000-06:00

Hello Monday.

You don't scare me.

I had a glorious weekend with just my man, and I won't let a crazy ol' Monday get me down.

I already had a productive weekend. I did laundry, knocked out my ginormous to-be-filed pile, studied in the book of James, made a pot roast on Saturday night so that we could come home from church to house filled with a mouth-watering aroma, and I sorta kinda organized my closet.

So Monday, I'm on a roll. I've got work to do. Boys to love. (More laundry to do too.) Groceries to buy. Meals to plan. A bathroom to clean. Bills and taxes to pay. And a Heavenly Father who wants to spend some time with me.

I so got this.

And just in case you try to get the best of me, a bowl of creamy tomato basil bisque will brighten my day. See? I told you I got this.

What about you? What are your plans for Monday?

Documenting Life {In Cell Phone Pictures}

2012-01-28T23:11:00.000-06:00

1. This is the view outside my kitchen window most nights. That beautiful tree is in our neighbor's yard, and the sun setting behind it is just glorious.

2. David and I ate at Chipotle last week after a doctor's appointment. Love that sun glare!

3. I spent a long time on the phone with the Texas Department of Family Services this week. Trying to get doctor, dental, and eye appointments scheduled for the three half men.

4. I love this bracelet that I got from Miss Mommy.

5. David and I have had two days to ourselves - no kids! Last night we went to Genghis Grill - so good.

6. The aforementioned dinner at Genghis Grill.

7. I love eating with chopsticks any chance I get!

8. For dessert we went to TCBY. Soft serve frozen yogurt? Yes, please!

9. David had asked for a hat for Christmas, but didn't get one. He had a store credit to a men's clothing store and he found a hat that looks great on him!

10. I won a giveaway a few weeks ago, and that pretty little hair piece from Agape Love Boutique was one of my prizes!

11. The fan in our living room went out last week and we replaced it with that beautiful new fan.

12. I had lunch with my mom and dad on Tuesday last week - such a treat!

How was your week, friends? Good, I hope.

Linking up: