Truly Captivating...

Golfers, Rangers, and Jedi… Oh my!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:47:00 +0000

Oh Yes I DID!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:22:00 +0000

Yesterday, at our First Annual Kidz Fest, we had tons of fun, and gave out lots of candy to some very precious people. We even had two kids accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior!! Whoo HOOOO!!!

(You can check out Revolution's Facebook page to see all the pics of the festivities!)

But my most favorite part of the day is captured below…

Before we go there, let me set up the scene.

The entire event was free. The only thing we took donations for was the Pastor Pie in the Face game, which did on behalf of the World Hunger Fund. My children came running to me asking for money for a chance to “pie Daddy”. And, of course, I obliged. ;-)

Then it was my turn. No one had had much success to this point, a few had grazed him, but none had made full frontal contact. So I took my stance, with not one, but TWO pies…

Chris:

Oh, okay. Well, I KNOW I don’t have anything to worry about with this one… Go ahead and throw both of them! While your at it, just come on up to the tarp and throw from the half-way point! You still won’t hit me! I’m not worried…

ME:

Need I say more????

Scooby-Doo and Monsters, Too!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:00:00 +0000

OCTOBER 2 – Scooby Doo Night

Jinkies, you guys! Like this Family Night was a total blast! ;-)

We started out by changing our names for the evening. Dad = Fred, Mom = Daphne, Emilee = Velma, Jake = Shaggy, and Sam = Scooby! Then we played a series of games which led to clues as to the whereabouts of our stolen Scooby Snacks. After ordering up some Submarine Sandwiches (what else?? Scoob and Shagg’s favorite!), the final clue lead us out to our creepy crawly playroom (it’s in desperate need of a CLEAN SWEEP!) and we found our snacks. The Sleeping Bag Monster (otherwise known as Dad) was the culprit, and he confessed with the declaration, “And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for you meddling kids and your MOM!” ;-) After solving the mystery, we enjoyed our snacks and watched the new Scooby Doo movie.

OCTOBER 23 – Monster Mash

Yes! We did the MASH… we did the Monster Mash!!! (Seriously, all of those 60’s-ish Halloween tunes were groovy, man!) We also heard other greats like, “Purple People Eater”, “Love Potion #9”, and MJ’s “Thriller”.

Our dinner consisted of Mummy Dogs, Sour Scream dip, and spooky “finger foods” made from cheese sticks and carrots. ;-)

We made our own monster masks, played a bunch of monster relay games, solved a monster word puzzle, played a monster-y version of charades called “BOO Am I?”, and topped off the night watching DreamWorks’ Monsters vs. Aliens. It was a SCREAM!

A Good Stretch

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:21:00 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I love a good stretch. Every morning when I wake, I take the time to stretch out my back, legs and arms before going about my day. There’s something invigorating about waking up those muscles and getting them ready for use.

Just like our bodies, our souls need regular stretching, too. Otherwise they will stagnate a bit, get complacent, and not be as useful for glorifying God, much less furthering His Kingdom.

These are some things that are stretching me right now…

Mark Driscoll’s DEATH BY LOVE – As I read through the letters that this pastor has written to several of his sheep, I am learning so much… about sin, the gospel, big words like “propitiation” and “expiation”, but mostly HOW MUCH JESUS LOVES ME!
“Wednesdays with Beth” on Life Today. Right now I am the primary leader of our baby church’s children’s ministry, so I am out of our regular Bible Study. This is my way of getting in some “make-up” lessons. I am working through The Presence of God series. It’s stretching me because it’s teaching me to seek after the person of God, not merely His blessings.
21 Day challenge that our pastor (My KISA) has issued to all us Revolutionaries. ;-) It’s a Bible Reading/Journaling journey that we are taking together through scriptures that will teach us to Fill Up (week 1), Pour out (week 2), and Give (week 3).

What are some ways that you’ve been stretched? What are some things that you do regularly to keep that “soul muscle” energized and ready for use?

Boy Have I Missed Y’all!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:13:00 +0000

I can NOT believe it’s been TWO WHOLE WEEKS since I’ve blogged anything!! I have SO MUCH to share with you. Lots going on in the Reeder World.

Thought I’d post a quick update, and a few “coming soons”…

Our household has valiantly and successfully fought off two different “viral infections” over the last three weeks. (No definites as to whether the “swine flew” over here, but it sure wasn’t FUN!)
All three kiddos got EXCELLENT progress reports for school this quarter! Emilee and Jacob both made the A Honor Roll and Sam did a GREAT JOB in his first quarter of “big school”!
Revolution Church finished it’s FIRST partnership (what we call “members”) class with a total of 20 adults signing on to JOIN THE REVOLUTION! Whoo hooo!!!
- Working on our first Halloween event geared toward a specific apartment complex this Saturday.
- Our volunteers are AWESOME!
- Had 12 peeps sign up to work in our KIDZ ministry. Holding our first “official” planning meeting THIS Sunday.
- 5 more precious souls have surrendered to Jesus and requested baptism!
- GOD ROCKS!!!!!
We’ve had two AWESOME Family Nights in the month of October, and I can’t wait to share them with you. (That post is coming FRIDAY!!)
God is teaching me so much about His Spirit and His Presence. Got a couple more posts coming to share what I’ve learned.

Well, that about wraps it up for now, I think. There’s a lot more rolling around in my brain, but not organized enough to share… YET!

Hope you all have a TERRIFIC Tuesday afternoon.

…Until we meet, again!

(Which will be SOON, I promise!!) ;-)

Spreading the Word

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:16:00 +0000

Just wanted to do my part in letting Revolution Church (and other) peeps know about the RELOCATION OF LIFE GROUP for tomorrow night October 14, 2009.

This is for THIS WEEK ONLY!

Sam and I have had a serious case of the “ickies” and we don’t want to make anyone else sick!!

GO HERE for all the details.

Finally a Finale!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Okay, so our 30 Challenge was over 10 days ago, and I’m just now getting around to posting the wrap-up. So sorry about that! Several factors were key players in my tardiness… birthdays, illness, and waiting on my KISA to respond to an email! ;-) (Yeah, that’s not very appropriate for our purposes here, is it??? Blaming the husband?!?!) ;-)

Long story short… I wanted you to hear from HIM about how this challenge has changed/affected his esteem and our marriage as a whole. I can sit here and theorize all day long, but if none of my efforts were actually bore fruit, what would be the point??

I sent him the following email last week:

Could you help me with my finale post?
Would you name 3 (at least) things that you noticed me doing differently during this time? Also, could you explain how it improved you as a man, and our marriage as a whole?
I know you have a lot on your plate right now, but if you could do this for me, I would REALLY appreciate it.
I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!

Here is his answer… in HIS OWN words…

Sending little notes of encouragement via email… even though “words of affirmation” is not my primary love language, I think it’s every man’s desire to hear that a wife approves and is proud of her man. Your fella tends to get discouraged and down on himself at times… it’s a good thing for his “better half” to tell him that he’s doing a good job and that she’s proud of him.
Increased physical intimacy ;-) (Ahem – I told you these were HIS answers, right??? So don’t be too surprised, here!)… I definitely noticed that you made a conscientious effort to increase quality time in this area.
Greeting me at the door with a kiss. Making a point to notice that I was home, often waiting for me as I walked in, and show that you were tickled to see me.
You were/are much better at accepting compliments. When I say things like “Hey, Pretty”…rather than saying “Yeah right” (like you normally would do) … you said “Thanks” with a smile, and often times returned the favor.

The biggest thing was that you CHAMPIONED YOUR HERO… We KISAs (that’s my term for him: Knight In Shining Armor) are much more willing to rejoin the fray when we know we have the full support of our “Fair Maiden”.

You truly are my “Ezer Kenegdo”… more than my helpmate… you are my life-saver, and I LOVE YOU!

WOW~ Excuse me while I find a hanky! ;-) I had no idea how much those little things affected my man.

At the end of his response there, is a reference to the book Captivating by which this blog’s name was inspired. In the book, John and Staci Eldredge take a close look at the term “help mate” in scripture. Here is what they found:

When God creates Eve he calls her an ezer kenegdo. “It is not good for the man to be alone, I shall make him an [ezer kenegdo]” (Genesis 2:18 – NKJV). Hebrew scholar Robert Alter, who has spent years translating the book of Genesis, says that this phrase is “notoriously difficult to translate”. The various attempts we have in English are “helper” or “companion” or the notorious “help meet”.

…He [Alter] translates it “sustainer beside him”. The word ezer is only used 20 other places in the entire Old Testament. And in every other instance, the person being described is God himself when you desperately need him to come through for you.

…Kenegdo means alongside or opposite to, a counterpart.

I don’t know about you, but I am hugely affected by these terms. More than a helper, more than a companion, my husband needs me to be his “life-saver”. He needs to be validated and revered in a way that only I can give him. He needs to know that I am with him NO MATTER WHAT, and that I believe he has what it takes to succeed… whether as a husband, father, church planter, computer programmer, or WHATEVER!

Here’s another powerful quote from the Eldredges…

“You see the life that God calls us to is not a safe life. Ask Joseph, Abraham, Moses, Deborah, Esther—any of the friends of God from the Old Testament. Ask Mary and Lazarus, ask Peter, James and John, ask Priscilla and Aquila---any of the friends of God from the New Testament. God calls us to live a life involving frequent risks and many dangers. Why else would we need him to be our ezer? You don’t need a life-saver if your mission is to be a couch potato. You need an ezer when your life is in constant danger.”

This quote is relating directly to God as our “ezer kenegdo”, but one of the themes of the book and it’s companion Wild At Heart (for men), is that men and women each have distinct attributes of our God for we are created in His image.

We are called to “be Jesus” to the world… there is no bigger truth in scripture. But we should also aspire to “be Jesus” in our homes… to our husbands/wives and children. I like to call Chris, my “little piece of Jesus, right here on earth”… wouldn’t it be great if he could say the same about me???

P.S. I am praying about how we can continue on in this area. Not necessarily extending the challenge, but how to keep discussion going, and encourage and inspire one another to “Keep on keepin’ on” when it comes to “championing our heroes”. (I just love the way he worded that!) Would you please pray with me about this? As the Lord leads, I will let you know of my plans. Thanks again for participating in this challenge with me. I couldn’t have done it without you!!!

Celebrating Fall

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:13:00 +0000

I love autumn!

Apples. Pumpkins. Chrysanthemums blooming in brilliant shades of yellow, red, and purple. Colorful leaves falling to the ground. Cool mornings and evenings. Bright blue skies. It’s all pretty intoxicating to me.

Like spring, it’s a time of year when God paints beautiful canvases of color for us to enjoy. In honor of that, I decided to do a little (okay, maybe a LOT of) celebratin’ this year. ;-)

This weekend, inspired by the autumnal ingredients I listed above, I decided to transform my front porch. Have a look-see!

First, I changed out my summery cushioned furniture using red pillow cases and an old tablecloth to re-cover…

Then I jaunted over to my favorite home-town seasonal flower source (Lamb’s on Second Loop) to get my mums. I chose yellow, orange (marigolds), white, and deep red (daisy). I also made a trip to the attic to retrieve our existing scarecrows and jack-o-lanterns.

As I began arranging the items on the porch, Sam said, “Mom which one’s me? This one’s Daddy… and that’s Jacob… where is ME?”

This prompted a quick trip over to the dollar store to complete our Scarecrow Family…

While shopping at the Dollar General, I couldn’t help but notice the purple and orange lights on sale. I snatched up several boxes of each, an d to complete our family montage, some black-cat windsocks and a mailbox sign in honor of Sir Nicklaus, our pet kitty.

Oh yeah! And I found some cute little reflective stick pumpkins for the sidewalk, to boot! (When I see “SALE” I tend to go a little nuts… but don’t worry Dave, I used my CASH ALLOWANCE to purchase these items!) ;-)

Here’s what it looks like at night… (Sorry, some of these are kinda blurry because I turned off the flash so you could get the “full effect”). :-)

The kids were SO EXCITED… almost as excited as me!! Here are a few pics of the boys acting goofy for the Grand Finale.

Before you get too concerned about me, let me offer this disclaimer. I didn’t use any ghosts, witches, goblins or ghouls. Only scarecrows and cats (reasons explained above) and jack-o-lanterns, or “Happy Jacks” as I like to call them. I’ve always been a nut for candles and lights shining in the darkness… and ever since I read this little story sent to me via email one year, I’ve come to appreciate the symbolism even more:

“Christians are like pumpkins. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., and then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Do you celebrate fall? What are some of your favorite family traditions for this time of year??

Updates and Such

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:16:00 +0000

Hello All!

Yes, it's 3:13 AM here, and I am having trouble sleeping. A lot going on in this frazzled brain of mine, so what better time to blog?!?! ;-)

First of all, wanted to let you know that I HAVE NOT forgotten about our 30 Day Husband Challenge "Wrap-up Post"... there's a bunch going on in my world right now, and I haven't had a chance to get my thoughts together... I promise to have it up in a day or two.

Secondly, I would love for you all to pray for my Sweet Emilee. I kept her home from school yesterday with severe nasal congestion and a cough. She spiked a temp of 101 at bedtime last night, so that means we're heading to the doctor first thing this morning. That's a little "radical" for me, as I tend to wait things out, but with all that's going around I'd rather be safe than sorry!

I feel SO BADLY that I didn't get a chance to blog about JACOB'S EIGHTH BIRTHDAY! I have tons of pics to share with you from his special day, and his birthday party, but again... it will have to wait. (FYI: His birthday party was VERY SIMILAR to Star Wars Family Night. Yes... he's still My Jedi!) The best part was taking him shopping on Monday afternoon to use all of his gift cards/cash he recieved as gifts. Let's just say the boy takes after his Mama... we spent EVERY. LAST. DIME. ;-)

If you don't follow me on Facebook or Twitter, then I want to share THIS BOOK with you. I am about half-way through, and I have to say... it's a powerful read! I read (and raved about) Crazy Love about a year ago, and I am amazed at how Jesus continues to use Francis Chan to inspire and encourage us to take our faith to a "whole nutha level"!! (See the video below for a sneak peek.)

Lastly, I would like to ask you to pray for my KISA. He's had a bit of a rough week. It's times like this that make being "bivocational" quite a challenge. Please pray that God will renew and restore him physically as he faces the demands of his "day job", as well as balancing that with shepherding the precious people that God has sent (and continues to send) to Revolution Church.

I think that about does it. I'm going to try to get some sleep now...

Hope you ALL have a very blessed day!!

38 is GGRRREAT!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:59:00 +0000

Well, there it is. My secret is OUT… I’m not REALLY 29 today. I’ve just been “holding” there for several years! ;-)

In honor of this momentous occasion, I thought I’d have a bit of fun and share thirty-eight things about me. Enjoy!

1. I was born in Birmingham, AL.

2. I was NOT born with a “banjo on my knee!” ;-)

3. We moved to Florence,SC (where I currently reside) when I was about 6 months old.

4. I went to the same elementary school that my children attend!

5. I have two incredible sisters, and one awesome brother!

6. I gave my heart to Jesus when I was 8 years old. It was Christmas, and I wanted to give him ME as a birthday present!

7. We moved to Columbia, SC during the summer following my 6th grade year – I hated it. I told my parents I was going back to Florence as soon as I got old enough. I didn’t lie!

8. I sang my first “real” solo in church when I was 12. It was Amy Grant’s “Father’s Eyes”.

9. I went to Spring Valley High School in Columbia. Class of 1989 (just had our 20 year reunion… how can that BE?!?!)

10. Hurricane Hugo hit on my 18th Birthday. We had my party by candlelight! (Charades in the dark is LOTS of fun!)

11. I attended Francis Marion College… when it was still a college!

12. I transferred to USC (Go Gamecocks!!) my sophomore year. Had a hard time adjusting, and due to other unforeseen circumstances, I ended up transferring back to Francis Marion UNIVERSITY. (When it became a university!)

13. I met my KISA there.

14. At a BSU Bible Study.

15. I gave my testimony that night, and put “finding my soul mate” on my prayer card that semester.

16. He introduced himself to me THAT night, and I told him (in not so many words) that I was fond of his derriere! (I still can’t believe I did that!)

17. We became inseparable at that point. Since he was a freshman, and I was a senior (yes, I robbed the cradle!) we tried to deny it, but it was obvious to all who knew us. It was love at first sight!

18. Two years later, he proposed to me in the surf at Sunset Beach, NC.

19. I said, “Oh my GOSH!! YES!!!” and everyone around us applauded!

20. Two years after that, we were married.

21. We honeymooned in my favorite city, Charleston, SC!

22. We dedicated our marriage to Jesus, kneeling hand-in-hand beside the bed in our honeymoon suite, at The Meeting Street Inn.

23. We joined a church the following Sunday. ;-)

24. Our first Christmas together, we found out I was pregnant.

25. I lost that little baby 6 weeks later, but God is good. Exactly one year after that, EMILEE GRACE was born!

26. A couple of years later, God sent us to another church where we met the most awesome family of believers EVER!

27. JACOB DEWITT was born 3 days after my 30th birthday.

28. While I graduated from FMU with a B.A. in English/Education, and taught high school English for five years, I absolutely love being a stay-at home mom!!

28. I became pregnant with SAMUEL PRESSLEY very close to my 32nd birthday!

29. After 6 weeks of bed rest for pre-term labor, in which my mother cared for my 4 and 2 year olds at her home 60 miles away, Sam was born, and our little family was complete.

30. Three years later, God rocked our worlds and called us to plant a church!

31. We started having Wednesday night Bible Study for Revolution Church last September.

32. This is harder than I thought it would be, so I’m going to shift gears a little now.

33. My favorite color(s) are pink, yellow, and red.

34. I love to sing and dance… to all kinds of music! (Jake told my Mom last week that I wished I was Beyonce’… there’s a lot of truth to that!) ;-)

35. I love to take naps on rainy days.

36. My favorite food is Chicken Bryan from Carraba’s! (Florence needs one of those!!! I have to drive to Columbia or the beach to get my “fix”!)

37. I love to read… maybe that’s why I married a “Reeder”!

38. I have THE BEST friends in the world!! I’m praising Jesus for the gift of ALL OF YOU, today!

I am incredibly thankful for another year to Know Jesus, Know me, Know the Gospel, and Know my purpose! (If you don’t know what I am referring to, WATCH THIS!)

“For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person”. (Philippians 3:10 AMP)

We Have a Winner!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:52:00 +0000

Congratulations to Lisa Plyler!! You’ve won a free copy of Boy-sterous Living by Jean Blackmer!! Lisa is a sweet friend just down the road in Camden, SC, and she is also a pastor’s wife!!

Thanks to all who participated. I enjoyed reading about your boys both here, and on Facebook. I have another book review coming up soon. Until then… KEEP READING! ;-)

P.S. If you are ever looking for book recommendations, or just want to know what I am “currently reading”, check out my booklist on the sidebar! I try to keep it updated. ;-)

Survivor Night

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:40:00 +0000

What an awesome weekend! It all started Thursday night with a special Family Night – Survivor Season Premier edition. It was all rather impromptu, but thanks to some brainstorming with my sweet friend, Vanessa, I managed to pull it together quite nicely.

We dressed in bathing suits/cover-ups as our “costumes” for the evening…and dined on chicken kabobs (with red, yellow, and green bell peppers) rice, and assorted fresh fruit (strawberries, melons, and grapes). Emilee and I also made a pineapple upside down cake in honor of the “island theme”.

After dinner, we sat down to watch the season premier of Survivor Samoa, and during the commercials we divided into two tribes (Lego and Eggo), and played our own games. :-)

1) TOWER RELAY: I used assorted sizes of building blocks and placed them all in a bucket. Each tribe had the task of transporting the blocks (two at a time) from their bucket to a tray of the same color. Once all blocks were transported, the tribes set to work on a tower that used each and every block without tipping over. The first team to achieve this won!

2) PUZZLE UP: I placed the pieces of two 24 pc. puzzles in one large Ziploc bag. All the pieces were dumped/scattered in the center of the floor. Each team had to work to sort the pieces and find the ones that matched their puzzle, and place them on the tray assigned them. Once each tribe had all the pieces to their puzzle, they set to work solving it. The first team finished was the winner!

3) ENDURANCE TRIAL: For this game each individual player had to stand on one foot, with the opposite hand held forward, palm up. Each player had to balance a block in the open palm. The winner was the player who stayed on one foot, without dropping the block. (Jake did a handstand to celebrate!)

4) KNOW YOUR TRIBE: I made color coded cards for each player with the names of every member of the family on individual cards. I then asked a series of ten questions, each one describing a different member of the family. (We have 5 family members, so there were two questions describing each one.) Players had to decide which family member was being described, and select the card bearing that person’s name. After selecting cards, each player revealed the name of the person he/she chose. Points were rewarded for correct answers. The player with the most points was the winner.

In the end, Sam and Dad cleaned up! Individual game points were tallied and added to team totals for corresponding members, and the Eggo tribe was the winner!

Winners got first share of the cake, and to choose the theme for next family night. Looks like a “Scooby Doo” night is in our future!! ;-)

What do you do for Family Night?!?! As always, feel free to share your ideas!!

Until next time, when we hear Shaggy say…

“Zoinks Scoob, like I think we found a clue!”

B is for Boy-sterous!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:25:00 +0000

I was recently asked to participate in a bloggy book review carnival for the book Boy-sterous Living: Celebrating Your Loud and Rowdy Life with Sons by Jean Blackmer. I am only half-way through the book, but it’s a very interesting read. I am learning a lot about my boys and their propensity for adventure, video games, and risk-taking. (The adventure + risk taking is what I think draws them to the video games!) I am also learning a lot about how to relate to my boys and how to foster and encourage their “boyish” nature in healthy ways.

Raising boys isn't easy. Life with them is loud. If it's quiet, they're probably up to something. Boys are messy, competitive, fearless, and proud. Living with them pretty much guarantees that you're in for an adventure.
As the only female in a house with three sons, a husband, and two male dogs, Jean Blackmer has learned a lot about living with boys. She knows that as a mom it isn't always easy to communicate and connect with these creatures of noise and energy. Everyday, they force you to live in a world where bugs are cool, safety is an afterthought, and "talking is torture."
In Boy-sterous Living, Jean shares a few of the priceless stories and laugh-out-loud lessons that she and her boys have experienced over the years. With humorous insight and practical advice, she offers encouragement and ideas to help both mothers and fathers impact and shape the lives of their sons. From understanding their love of sports to overcoming the superman complex, Jean shows moms how to find joy and contentment in everyday life by celebrating the laughter, passion, noise, and endless energy boys bring to our lives.

The book comes with high praise from others, too! I was excited to see that two of my favorite authors had endorsed it as well!

"Jean Blackmer gets boys and proclaims the audacious outrageous thrill to be found in raising them--if one will only delight in the adventure."- Julie Barnhill, author of "One Tough Mother" and mom to two "Boy-sterous!" wonders

"One of the most profound relationships in a family is clearly between a mom and a son. Jean has done a great service to moms everywhere encouraging them to enjoy the sometimes wild yet wonderful journey of rearing a son."- Dr. Kevin Leman, author of "Have a New Kid by Friday."

If you have boys this would be a great resource for you! To prove it, I am giving a copy away!! Just comment on this post, telling me what you love most about the boy(s) in your life, and you’ll be entered to win!! I’ll announce the winner on MONDAY.

Happy Weekend, Y’all!!

Half-way There!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:54:00 +0000

It’s DAY 15 of our 30-Day Husband Encouragement Challenge!! How are you doing??? Is it getting harder or easier not to speak(or even think) negatively to/about your hubby???

For me, I think it’s gotten a little easier. Hopefully, I am beginning to make this kind of thought process a habit in my life, so it should become second nature. That is not to say, however, that encouraging words should be “robotic” and spoken without feeling. The word “encourage” actually means “to give heart to” (cour = “heart), so while we are participating in this challenge (that will hopefully last more than the 30 required days) we should remember that fact. More than our words, our husbands need to feel and know that our HEARTS are with them.

The very first day of the challenge, I wrote Chris a short email explaining to him how glad I was that he chose me to be his wife. (Remember Day One’s assignment??) A little later that morning, I saw an update on Twitter where KISA announced “my wife just made me cry at work.” ;-) (We were off to a great start!)

It didn’t take long, though, for everything to come crashing down. By the end of the first week Chris and I were engaged in full out warfare. (Isn’t it funny how that works??? We hadn’t fussed in weeks, and as soon as I set out to be a “blessing” we end up at odds with each other!!) I literally went a whole 24 hours barely speaking to him, because I didn’t want to say anything “negative”!!! We eventually worked through the issue, and in the end, Chris said that he thought the “break from conversation” ended up being a good thing because it kept us from saying anything that we might regret! ;-)

This challenge has truly been a blessing, not just for Chris, but for me!! I love the way that love naturally reciprocates love. When we are intentional about showing our love and encouragement to others, it always heaps itself back on us!

What do you think???

How has this challenge been of benefit to you and your marriage?? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

I know he wrote this song several years ago, and I’m just about sure Nancy Leigh DeMoss was not thinking of him when she issued this challenge, but I think the words of “Jon Bon” are fitting here…

“OHHH We’re half way there… OH-OH!! Livin’ on a prayer… take my hand, and we’ll make it I swear, OHH Living on a Prayer”.

That’s what it takes, isn’t it??? A LOT of prayer, and a lot of holding on to each other!! ;-)

We’ll report back here in 15 days for the GRANDE FINALE on September 30.

I will continue to send daily encouragements on Facebook so if you haven’t joined the group, it’s not too late!!

Let’s keep up the good work, Girls!

Oh Happy Day!!!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:35:00 +0000

Just wanted to share the video of our Revolution Church baptism/pool party event last night.

Pay close attention to the fourth candidate...

That's my Jacob!! Could a Mama be more proud!?!?!

...I think not! ;-)

Our Colors…

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:09:00 +0000

Nope.

Not “Blush and Bashful”…

Certainly not any kind of ORANGE!!!

Most definitely GARNET and CRIMSON…

My favorite sport of all… NCAA College Football (The SEC version…) STARTS TONIGHT!!

GO COCKS!!!
ROLL TIDE!!!

Ladies, Start Your Engines….

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:46:00 +0000

It's time to rev up those engines and get going on the challenge! Here is a recap of today's ROH email:

**STARTING SEPTEMBER 1**

(From Revive Our Hearts' Email - DAY ONE)

To refresh your memory, here's the challenge for the next 30 days:

* You can't say anything negative about your husband . . . to your husband, or to anyone else.

* Say something that you admire or appreciate about your husband . . . to your husband . . . and to someone else.

TODAY:
Let your husband know that you are glad God led you together, and that you want to be a blessing to him for the rest of your marriage.

"The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life." (Proverbs 31:11-12)

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NOTHING NEGATIVE TO OR ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND FOR 30 DAYS!!

At first I thought this was going to be easy, but now... umm... I’m not so sure.

Do you ever find it strange that as soon as you begin something like this, little things that didn't bother you as much before start to get on your last nerve!?!?

Could it be... SATAN?!?

Yeah. I think so, too!!! ;-)

This encouraged me, though…

On yesterday - the very same day that I invited you all on this journey with me - THIS was the verse that came to me in my “Daily Scripture” email…

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
and he receives favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 18:22 (New Living Translation)

I don’t know about you, but one of my most passionate desires is to be a good wife, and a blessing to my husband; his treasure!! What an awesome thought!

DON'T FORGET to check back to my blog on SEPTEMBER 15 for a Mid-Challenge Check-Up and on SEPTEMBER 30 for the Grande Finale. Many of you have already signed up and if you plan to blog on these days, simply LEAVE A COMMENT on the posts above (this one, too!!) with your name and URL, so others can find you and encourage you along the journey!! If you don’t have a blog, simply leave your thoughts/applications in the comments section, and we’ll be sure to spur you on that way!

I am also excited to announce that I'VE STARTED A FACEBOOK GROUP in honor of this challenge. Please join in the discussion there, too. (And invite your friends! The more the merrier!)

I will be posting daily updates/messages regarding our “instructions” for the day, and I don’t want you to miss out!! I will also have a different question to weigh in on each week on the discussion board. (The first one is already up!) Be sure to check it out!!

Also, if you haven’t already, be sure to GO HERE to sign up for the daily emails. Just click on the button that looks like this:

Last but NOT LEAST, I want to extend a BIG THANK-YOU to my sweet Valley Girl for creating our Bloggy Button!!!

TO GRAB THE BUTTON:

Copy/Paste the code below if you like the button at the TOP OF THIS POST:

If you like THIS ONE better… you can copy/paste the code below it, too! ;-)

Praying for all of us as we embark on this Husband Lovin' Journey...

In Him,

Up For a Challenge?

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Who??

Any (married) woman who wants to make a difference in the life of her MAN! ;-)

What??

When??

Starts TOMORROW, September 1, and ends on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Where??

The challenge will be hosted at TrulyCaptivating.com, but will take place in your home and more importantly, in your heart!

How??

You will need to GO HERE to sign up for the daily emails, or print the PDF. (Make sure you select the icon that looks just like the one above – there are other challenges to choose from.) Then once you get them, DO the challenge for each day.

I will have a KICK-OFF post tomorrow (September 1), a MID-CHALLENGE CHECK-UP on September, 15, and a FINALE POST on September 30.

YOU should get ready to… (A) post your comments on these blogs, (B) post blogs of your own (if you have one) on these dates, and/or (C) send me emails letting me know how you are doing. ALSO: Make sure you are following me on Facebook and/or Twitter so that we can check up on each other at random, throughout the challenge. One last thing… PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, make sure you leave a comment on THIS POST so that I will know that you are IN this with me!

Why??

Because God has blessed me with a “Mighty Good Man” and I want to learn how to honor him better as his wife. AND because challenges are a LOT more fun when you’ve got your girlfriends with you to cheer you on!

Ready? Set. Go!!

TWM – For Real Finale: Sound Thinking

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:29:00 +0000

MY NOTES: (Lesson 28)

Titus Chapter 2 is a curriculum for the training of women to become followers and disciples of Jesus Christ. This is what mature Christianity looks like on a woman.
Older women (remember, we are all “older” women to some, and “younger” women to others) are to live lives that are exemplary, that are models of godliness, and then those women being intentional about training and teaching the younger women to have the qualities and the characteristics that they need to live out their Christianity.
The word sophron or some version of it, is used in verses 2-3 to describe the behaviors of older men and women. It means “sober-minded”, or “of a sound mind”.
In verse three (the one pertaining to women) we see the word “train”. It is in the same family in the original Greek language as the word sophron. It actually means to train them to have sound minds, to train them to think soundly, to train them to be sober-minded.
We have to think correctly about God’s Word: Who He is, and what the gospel is, and what it looks like, and how it works. If we have sound doctrine, then that will result in sound thinking about all of life.
We cannot fulfill the other qualities and characteristics that are in this curriculum for younger women and older alike if we’re not sophron, if we don’t have a sound mind. You can’t love your husband and your children if you don’t have sound thinking. Because when they are not loveable, if you don’t have sound thinking, you’re going to respond in unloving ways.
You can’t be pure. You can’t be a home keeper, a home worker, a worker at home; you can’t be kind. You can’t be submissive to your husband if you aren’t sophron, if you don’t have sound thinking, a sound mind.
A woman who is not soprhon, or does NOT have sound thinking…
The woman who IS sophron, and displays sound thinking…

is restrained in her thoughts, her tongue, her eating, her spending, her reactions
is calm under pressure
is purposeful in the use of her time
is a good steward
is morally chaste
has a well-ordered life
show good judgment
doesn't "lose it" under pressure
responds in faith versus fear
guards her heart and mind
evaluates what she reads or hears in light of Scripture
is mentally disciplined
resists temptation
shows delayed gratification
demonstrates others-centered living
is diligent and faithful in her responsibilities
is intentional
is modest in dress and behavior
hopes in God
gives thanks in all things
makes wise, biblical decisions
prays
demonstrates the Spirit controlling her flesh

We can be acting in a very sophron—or thinking in a very sophron way while in the middle of our quiet time or first thing in the morning. Then two hours or ten minutes later we’re acting like a wild woman, out of control. What happened?
we go back and forth. we must evaluate - is this sophron? Is this sound thinking? Is this sensible thinking? Is my thinking in this circumstance sound, or is it unsound?
A True Woman – a woman of sound thinking – surrenders her rights to God. Why??? Because “Nothing ever occurs to God. Nothing ever surprises Him. He never has to scramble to come up with a solution. He never has an emergency come up. He knows everything; He foresees everything… we've got to get it into our heads and hearts—He is God, and we are not.”

MY THOUGHTS:

WOW! During those lists of characteristics (not the GOOD/SOUND ones!), I was beginning to wonder if somehow Nancy has had a hidden camera in my home… I was so convicted!! This is an area I have struggled with for most of my adult life. If I had a nickel for every time my BFF Jen has reminded me to “take every thought captive”, I wouldn’t need Dave Ramsey’s FPU… I’d be debt free right this minute! ;-)

It’s something I CONSTANTLY have to remind myself to do. But thanks to my sweet friend, and her admonishment to memorize this scripture…

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

(2 Corinthians 10:5)

I have begun to make great strides in this area. I have recently come through a season of healing, and restoration… and am more able to practice SOUND THINKING in my daily life.

I can already see a difference! I am not as irritable or moody… I am more moderate with my spending and eating… I feel better/healthier… and my relationships with my husband and children have become less stressed and more loving.

Since God has done this work in me, and set my feet upon this new path of surrender to HIS CONTROL, I have felt a renewed sense of freedom and purpose. My husband has even asked, “Who are you, and what did you do with my wife?”… jokingly, of course.

The truth of the matter is this: Now that I have begun to let the Spirit take control, and not my flesh or emotions, the real me has been able to flourish. She’s been there all along, but she was buried under a sea of fleeting emotions, unnecessary guilt, fear, and worry. Now that my self-inflicted chains are gone… I am free to be me – and I ‘m loving every minute of it!!

MY SONG:

Since this is my “For Real” Grande Finale, instead of leaving you with a prayer, I thought I’d end this study by sharing one of my favorite worship songs. I think will put the thoughts I shared above into perspective nicely. (To listen along while the lyrics scroll, just look at the top of my sidebar. You’ll see a player that features this title. Click on “Play full song here”.)

Lyrics | Steve Fee lyrics - Lift High lyrics

Thanks for coming along with me on this journey, and a BIG THANK YOU to my Cute Canadian Comrade for hosting this Makeover Party!!!

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To be continued??? Look out for news about a HUSBAND ENCOURAGEMENT CHALLENGE beginning September 1. You don’t want to miss it!! ;-)

Hey Y’all… Watch This!!!

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:16:00 +0000

I realized yesterday that I never posted any pics or anything about our Charleston Vacation once we returned home. Things got CRAZY BUZY and I never got a chance.

Well… Thanks to my friends at ANIMOTO, today I made this…

It’s merely a 30 second glimpse into the weekend, but I think it captures the essence of our Charlestonian Adventure quite nicely!!!

Happy Viewing!!

TWM 25 – Making Your Husband a Priority

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:59:00 +0000

Continuing with my marathon True Woman Tuesday Post…

I LOVED all of the lessons in this segment of study. It was really hard to choose just one to post about. (I highly suggest you listen to each: 25, 26, and 27). The one that spoke to me loudest was Lesson 25, because in order to effectively love my children the way Christ intends (Lesson 27), I must love, respect, and honor their father…

MY NOTES:

In Titus chapter 2, we’re told that older women “are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children (verses 3-4).
From an older woman in the audience, Mary Anne: “Men are told to love us, but we’re told to reverence our husbands. Men are not being reverenced, which has led to an emasculation of men. I wish young women knew how to reverence and adore their husbands, to protect their reputations, and to affirm them in public. Men just blossom when you do that.”
loving husbands and loving children—those are actually just two words in the Greek language. The first word is philandros. It means a “husband-lover.” The second word is philoteknos, which means a “child-lover.”
This kind of love should be natural, but sin kills love in marriages. That’s why this kind of love has to be learned.
Many marriages have settled for mediocrity. They’re not getting divorced, but they’re not really experiencing what God intended for them in their marriage relationship.
Loving your husband is the number-one way that you demonstrate your commitment to sound doctrine.
Loving your husband flows out of the gospel… out of a covenant.
Remember your vows on your wedding day? Those weren’t just words. This was a covenant. This was a vow. This was a promise.
The word, as we said, is philandros, or husband-lover. It comes from two Greek words: philos, which means "friend or companion," loving as a friend, with a brotherly sort of love; and then aner, the word for "husband." So this describes a woman who is a friend to her husband. She’s fond of her husband; she’s devoted to her husband.
Your husband is to be the object of your affection in a way that is distinct and exclusive and different from the way that you are fond of any other man.
Enjoy him. Be his friend. Take pleasure in him.
This goes beyond fulfilling duties, and doing the things you are supposed to do as a wife/mother.
Next to your relationship with the Lord, the relationship with your husband is the next most important… precedes even that of your relationship w/ your children. FIRST you are a WIFE, then a mother.
As much as possible, when your husband is at home, be available.
One mother taught her daughters: When your husband calls (on your cell phone), TAKE THE CALL. Show him that he is a priority.
Cultivate the relationship: Look for fresh and creative ways to love your man, to enjoy him, to be his friend.
DATE EACH OTHER!!!
Be a student of your husband. Show an interest in things that interest him.
Invest in Him, and in the relationship. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
Do the same thing in your marriage that you did while you were dating. Spend time… invest.
This kind of love is not an “emotion”… it is also not an option. This is a command.
It’s a love you can fuel, you can cultivate, you can develop. As you start to choose to do loving actions toward him, you’ll find that your heart will follow.
Expect your love to be tested. If your husband were always loveable, there would be no reason for Scripture to exhort you to learn to love your husband…there are times when he’s not loveable, and there are things about him that are not loveable. So expect the love to be tested. That’s when you go to Christ and say, “Lord, I can’t love this man, but You can through me.”
Some questions for thought:
- Is my husband the HIGHEST, most IMPORTANT priority in my life, next to my relationship with God?
- Does he know that I am COMMITTED and FAITHFUL to him?
- Am I willing to adjust my schedule to meet his needs and desires?
- Do we have common interests and friends?
- Do I look for meaningful ways in which to BLESS and PLEASE him?
- What have I done in the last week to CULTIVATE love and friendship in my marriage? What can I do today?

MY THOUGHTS:

It’s very easy to get it all confused. There are many times that I joke that I feel more like a vending machine than a person. Just press the button that corresponds with the pending need. ;-) I get so caught up in DOING that I forget to BE! Be intentional. Be loving. Be honest. Be reverent. Be real. Be in love.

Like I said before, I honestly believe the best gift that any mother (this goes for father’s, too!) can give her children is to love, revere, and enjoy her husband. When the kids see how much you mean to each other, they will also be able feel and appreciate how much they mean to you both.

I’ve seen it too many times - women putting their children above their relationship with their husband - and it saddens me deeply. Yes, especially when they are little, children’s needs sometimes take precedent. But it shouldn’t always be like that.

I’ve seen women hide things from their husbands regarding their children so as to “keep them out of trouble” or not “ruffle his feathers”. THIS IS SO WRONG!! I have told my children time and time again, that THEY are going to be honest with their father about the goings on of their lives, or I will do it FOR them!!! Why?? It’s simple, and it’s the answer I give them every time they ask me, “Are you going to tell Dad?” … OUR relationship came first. If there were no Mommy and Daddy, there would be no Emilee, Jake, and Sam. Because of that, I must ~~put~~ KEEP our relationship first, and do what is best for all involved. (Which, consequently, is ALWAYS telling the truth!!)

I loved what Mary Anne said about young women these days respecting their husbands. It is so true!!

A couple of years ago, when I was reading the book Captivating (for which this blog is the namesake), Chris was simultaneously reading another work by John Eldredge called Wild At Heart. (This book is for men, what Captivating is for women.) Over and over and over again, throughout both of these books, we were taught that a woman’s central question is “Am I lovely?” -which is why we constantly need to be told and shown that we are loved and cherished. For a man, that question is “Do I have what it takes?” - which is why they like to be shown respect, and told how proud we are of them. When we began to put these things to practice in our own marriage, the difference was quick and significant. I believe it helped to forge the bond that we share today.

Chris is my husband, my counsel, my safe place to fall, and as I’ve said before, “my little piece of Jesus right here on earth”. But that’s not all. He is my best friend.

Thanks to Nancy, and this lesson, I have been encouraged to tell him and show him how thankful I am to have him in my life each and everyday.

Since we are nearing the end of this 30 day challenge, I am contemplating another. In the sidebar of the homepage for this study, I noticed the 30 Day Husband Appreciation Challenge and thought it looked like a perfect
“next step”.

Anyone wanna join me? Just leave a comment below and let me know if you’re in. We’ll work out the details after that!

MY PRAYER:

Dear Father, thank you for helping me prioritize my role in this world - to be my husband’s Ezer Kenegdo (not just a helper, but a life saver!) - through this lesson, and Your Word. Help me to make a lifestyle out of honoring him, loving him, and cherishing the gift that he is to me. Help me to model this for my children, so that they will follow suit. Please grant me the ability to make my home an invitation of comfort to my family. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

TWM #22 – Controlling Your Tongue

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:05:00 +0000

FINALE – PART ONE

As promised, here is the first installment of my week-long True Woman Tuesday event!! I have chosen Lesson 22 for this segment. Strike that. GOD has chosen Lesson 22. I say that because this one hit a little too close to home for me, so much so that I really hated to post it, and deal with the “real me”. Never the less, I must obey His will and not mine! So, here we go!!!

My Notes:

Speak well of all!!
Sarah (Edwards) was careful of everyone’s character, even of those who injured and spoke evil of her. She could bear injuries and reproach with great calmness, without any disposition to render evil for evil, but on the contrary, she was ready to pity and forgive those who appeared to be her enemies.
I’m an older woman to some women, and I’m a younger woman to some other women. So regardless of where you fit in that season of life, this is what we are to be aspiring to. This is what our lives are to look like. So he says older women are not to be slanderers.
sins of the tongue:
- gossip
- idle words
- lying
- tale bearing (which is whispering behind somebody’s back)
- backbiting
- boasting
- cursing
- evil speaking
these are sins that we consider respectable. But Jesus lumps them right together like sins of adultery and murder and drunkenness. He puts them all together. They’re sins of the tongue.
if you’ve been guilty of slander or evil speaking or gossip, humble yourself. Acknowledge the fact that you have been a slanderer; that you have destroyed with your words
Acknowledge the sins of your heart—what caused you to say those things. Not just “I slandered” or “I spoke evil” or “I gossiped,” but what was it in my heart that caused me to do that?
Go back and confess it to the person to (or even ABOUT) whom you spoke, and seek forgiveness. This will go a long way in breaking this habit of your life.
There is danger in drawing conclusions when you don’t have all the information. (Ya think!?!?! I am SO GUILTY of this… then I spout off at the mouth in bitterness in anger, and I add TO the problem instead of helping find a SOLUTION for it!! Jesus, forgive me!!)
Slander divides, but speaking the truth with humility UNITES!
We should have a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for slander and evil speaking.
PUT OFF bitterness - this is a root sin that LEADS to sins of the tongue!
We should not overlook sin, but GO TO THE PERSON who has sinned against you, NOT SOMEONE ELSE!! (I also have a HUGE problem with this. I am not naturally a “confrontational” person, but I am very much a “tattle tale” who goes to other friends to report offenses – whether real or perceived – against me.)
If the person you are telling is not a part of the problem, nor a part of the solution, then you’re probably saying something you don’t need to be!
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32). Be intentional about speaking words that edify, that build up, that put other people in a positive light.
Bring your thought life under the control of the Holy Spirit.
Be intentional about seeing others with eyes of mercy and grace. Remember how much you need God’s mercy. Remember where you would be without God’s grace.
Psalm 19, "let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart [not just what I say, but what I think, Lord] be acceptable in Your sight, Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer" (verse 14)
TALK LESS!!
When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable [when there are many words—did you get that?—transgression is unavoidable. You will sin if you talk too much. I will sin, I do sin when I talk too much.] But he who restrains his lips is prudent. (Proverbs 10:19)
James 1:19 - "Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to get angry"
“The more time you spend on the phone, the more time you spend in conversation with others, the more careful you have to be, especially if you tend to be a talkative person, or if the person you’re talking to tends to be a talkative person.” OH MY WORD!!! This SO dealt with my spirit!!!
Learn to restrain your lips, to keep confidences, not to repeat things that you don’t have the freedom to repeat, and if you’re not sure—don’t say it.
THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!!!!
You do not know all the facts if you’re only hearing one person describe the situation!
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is it true?
- Is it kind?
- Will it build up, will it edify the person of whom I’m speaking?
- Is it necessary?
- Does the person I’m talking to need to know this?
- If this were about me, would I want it shared with someone else?
Here’s one that would just cut out a lot of what we say:
- Would I mind if the person I’m talking about were standing right here? Would I be willing to say it to their face?
“Set a guard, Oh Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” (Psalm 141:3)
Refuse to listen to slander or gossip about others.
Steer the conversation to another topic, or turn it to build up the person who’s being talked about.
The word for “slander” in this text is “diabolos”. It’s a word that is a name for Satan—Satan who accuses us before the Father, condemns us, lies about us.
But on the other hand we have one who advocates for us. "We have an advocate with the Father if anyone sins, Jesus Christ the Righteous" (1 John 2:1). You see, Jesus, like Satan, knows that we have sinned, yet He defends us before the Throne of God.
So as you speak about other believers, are you accusing them as the devil does? Or are you advocating for them as Jesus does for you? Are you being like Jesus? Or are you being like Satan?

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29)
Think about all the grace you have received from God and from others, and then use your tongue to minister grace to others as you have received it.

MY REACTION:

Ouch!! I don’t know about you, but I believe I have just returned from a trip out to the woodshed! A much needed, long over-due trip, even!!!

I have a sweet friend that often prays the prayer, “Lord, show me ME.” She has often cautioned me to be careful when I pray this, because sometimes the revelation of just who and what we are can be devastating. Even so, this has been my prayer throughout this study.

In the same way that you cannot appreciate a physical makeover without the “before” shot, we must be willing to look into the mirror and face our imperfections. What I have seen through this self-examination is that my mouth, at times, can be a HUGE source of disgrace and disappointment for me.

It’s not that I “intentionally” set out to do harm, or slander… but as Nancy said, I often talk WAY TOO MUCH, and am predisposed to blowing things out of proportion before hearing the whole truth. God has convicted me mightily in these areas, and like the Psalmist I am asking Him to

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51)

MY PRAYER

Jesus, Lord of Heaven, you have searched me, and you know me. You have shown me who I am in light of your precious truth. I don’t want to be this way anymore, and I know that you love me too much to let me stay this way. Thank you for this teaching. Help me not to merely hear this Word, but allow it to seep into my being and permeate my heart. Give me the courage to put these things to practice in my life.

Lord guard my heart as well as my tongue. Help me to be one who builds up and refuses to tear down. Help me to show others the same grace that you have afforded me. The very same grace that still amazes me to this day.

Cleanse me. Renew me.

Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice. (Psalm 51)

Restore me. Fill me!!

In Your Name, and for Your sake…

True Woman Makeover – Finale (Sort Of)

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:25:00 +0000

Hello Ladies!! I am so excited to FINALLY be back with you. Unfortunately, this is our last week, which is a little bitter-sweet for me. Let me explain why, with this confession:

I am a slacker! Seriously… a procrastinator in virtually every form of the definition. In college, I had a couple of “self-paced classes” which were EXTREMELY difficult for me. Not because of the subject matter, both (Psychology and a basic freshman math course) were fairly easy… it was my lack of DISCIPLINE that made it tough. Toward the end of the semester, I found myself cramming to get all the lessons done, and tests taken on time, so as to complete the course.

I’d like to think I’ve gotten a little better with age, but truthfully, I think it’s “Once a Last Minute Lucy, Always a Last Minute Lucy”. That is not to say that my heart isn’t in the right place. It’s truly been my desire to be with you guys each and every week, and to keep up with the lessons that have so encouraged me in my walk with Christ. But facts are facts, and the results are in…

I’d like to be able to explain it all away by telling you that it’s been a CRAZY busy summer, with a lot of traveling, increased responsibilities at church, and a BIG FAT SOUTHERN WEDDING, to boot! The reality of it all, however, is that if I’d planned a little better, I could have handled it. I think. Well, okay… I’d like to think. :-)

Eerily reminiscent of my college days, I have found myself “cramming” to finish this study on time. Despite the “drinking from a fire hose” experience of taking on this last three weeks worth of information, I have been extremely blessed in listening to each of these podcasts. In each and every session I have been asking God to peel back the layers, and cut away the slack, and make the necessary changes in my “True Woman Makeover” so that I can be recreated in His image, a little more everyday. In the end, I am sure that He will be pleased with that picture!

ALL THAT BEING SAID…

What I have decided to do, so as not to overwhelm either myself or my readers in this last week of sharing, is to take my “favorite” lesson from each of the past THREE sessions of study (yeah, that’s how far behind I am!) and post my thoughts about them in three separate pieces on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week. So, in essence, my last True Woman Tuesday will be a week long event! ;-)

I didn’t ask the teacher (Sorry, Tammi!!) But, I hope this is okay. I can’t wait to share my thoughts on these, but it’s almost time to get in the car line so…

See ya tomorrow!!!

A Family Night BOGO

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:32:00 +0000

It seems as if it’s been FOREVER since I posted about a Family Night. We’ve had a few this summer, but they weren’t “hyped” up like usual. Truth be told, our summer was so adventurous, we decided to keep Family Nights more low-key. We did have a cool one back in July, though.

STAR WARS NIGHT!!

Everyone dressed as their favorite Star Wars Character, and some costumes were a little more creative than others. (The boys have a box full of Star Wars Costumes, us girls were the ones that had to be creative!) We began the evening with an “asteroid hunt” where the kids found prizes wrapped in foil. We also had a “creative menu”, based on the names of Star Wars Characters and Planet Systems (i.e. “NabooKabobs” made of fresh fruit, and “Yoda Punch” made with lime sherbet). After we ate, we went outside and played tons of JEDI TRAINING games. (See video below – Please excuse the not-so-Jedi accents, the frogs singing in the background, and Princess Amadala’s potty mouth!)

(Link to video HERE.)

In addition to the obstacle course, the kids had to keep balloons in the air using only their light sabers, and we also had a “training session” where they popped bubbles before they reached the ground with the sabers, as well. The force was strong with these three!!

Since we had been watching an episode of STAR WARS each night that week – beginning with Episode I - we culminated the celebration by watching Star Wars VI – Return of the Jedi… in our costumes, of course!!

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Last night we had another really fun theme: ROCK STAR NIGHT!

I hung sheets across the doorway from the Family Room to the Kitchen to form a curtain for our “stage”. Behind the curtain, I had gift packs filled with “bling” for our “stars” in the “greenroom” (AKA the kitchen) along with pizza, popcorn, pretzels, soda, and a special cake I that I ordered especially for the night. I had them take off the “Happy Birthday” part of the kit, and replace it with the words “ROCK STAR” and, well, it ROCKED! Jake said, “You gotta have cake and ice cream if you want to party like a Rock Star!”. So, we did!! ;-)

Then the real partying began!! We played “Freeze Dance”, “Song Charades” and then each took turns lip-synching our favorite tunes. Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and BonJovi were all featured. After that we broke out our dancin’ shoes and did the Electric Slide, the Cha-Cha Slide, and the Cupid Shuffle; we danced to several other tunes, as well.

I rocked out so hard, I could barely get out of bed this morning. I’m so glad I have my kids to keep me young!!

Family Photo

captivatinggirl@hotmail.com (Susanne) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:57:00 +0000

We haven’t had a “recent” family photo done in several years.

My Baby Sister got married on Saturday, and we all looked so good all cleaned up, I asked Miss Brooke to get a shot of just the five of us…

My Mammy always says, “It’s a poor frog that won’t praise his own pond”, so I’m just gonna jump right out there and say it…

That’s a PERDY picture!!! ;-)