simple woman's daybook 3.31.11

 

for today:

outside my window... beautiful blue skies.  i think it is supposed to be 86 today.  hail and freezing cold last week, 86 today.  i guess we don't mess around.

i am thinking... that when i am upset and feeling the swirl of emotions, that i should just restrain from opening my mouth.  what i want to do in the moment most of all is just let it flow and get it all out verbally, but it never really helps anything at all and usually just hardens my heart a little more.  i know taming the tongue is right, but it is not easy.  how painful it is to keep my mouth closed and just let the tears flow!  i am so not good at this. 

i am thankful... for a husband that reminds me of how i want to live instead of telling me that my reactions are justified.  i am also thankful that he is gentle in the way he reminds me.  i want to be encouraged towards the Lord, not towards more of my flesh.

remembering... His mercies are new every morning.  He is so faithful, even when i feel like my world is a mess.   

from the learning rooms... i feel like my sister is my all things creative teacher/coach.  i come from every conversation with her inspired to make something new. 

from the kitchen... my husband accidentally bought kidney beans instead of pinto beans and i am not a fan.  so, i found a recipe online to try and find a way i would eat kidney beans.  oh my goodness!  this red kidney bean dip from food network was amazing!  we will get use out of those beans after all!
 

i am wearing... jammies.  it seems i always write these in my jams.

i am creating... lots of fun items for my etsy shop.  what do you think of this crocheted flower headband?

i am having a great time creating for the daughter i never had.  (don't you love my model?!  ha!)

i am going... to a piano student's talent show tonight.  we have worked on a piece for it for the past 6 weeks - he is going to do amazing!

i am reading... the book of isaiah in my Bible reading challenge.  it is amazing how much of the prophesies of isaiah have yet to be fulfilled.  it feels like such an important book for the time we are living in.

i am hoping... our new idea for getting our #3 son to stay dry while sleeping is a success!

my sister made this amazing game board for kids.  she uses it for her girls with chores.  we already do a chore chart, so i thought i would use it here to help david remember to keep his diaper dry during nap and night time.  he has been potty trained during the day for a year, but is a deep sleeper.  every time he shows me a dry diaper after waking up, all three of the older boys (simeon isn't participating yet!) get to move their magnet forward a space.

there are treat spaces and when we reach the finish line we will take them all to chuck e cheese and david will get to sleep in undies!  the game reminds me a bit of candy land and she did all the graphic design for it - bright and colorful and kid friendly!

so far it has the older boys cheering him on.  you can buy your own game board at her etsy store.  she sold 4 within the first 24 hours of having them up (i got mine for free - that is what you get when you have a creative teacher/coach for a younger sister)!  if you decide you want one too, but in the purchase notes that you heard about it here on my blog!  thanks.
 

i am hearing... sweet baby talk from a sweet baby next to me.

around the house... we are doing a demo of a structure in our backyard.  it was a little building we had high hopes for when we first bought our house, but later found out was pretty much condemned by the city.  bummer.  well, now we are taking it down and instead going to have extra space in the yard and put some raised bed gardens in that area, since it is the only part of the yard that gets sun. 

  
one of my favorite things...watching my #3 son make the baby boy laugh and laugh.  i can tell they are going to be friends for life.

pondering... faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.  a. w. tozer

a few plans for the rest of the week: well, hopefully the backyard demo will be finished.  i have to take #1 man-child to a dentist appointment today for another filling!  poor guy.  he was so nervous last time.  poor mama's wallet!  i get to watch a piano student perform for his talent show tonight.  not really sure about the weekend plans, but if the weather stays nice i am sure we will be outside soaking in the vitamin d.  how about you?

picture for the day:

here is the backyard demo after the guys pulled down the car port section with our jeep.  i think they are having too much fun with this.

here is where i am linked up for the simple woman's daybook.  

charis

words, words, words

words, words, words. how many words do i speak a day and how many could i have probably gone all day without saying? how many times have you, like i, walked away from a conversation thinking, i wish i wouldn't have said that or said that much?

when there are many words, transgression is unavoidable,
but he who restrains his lips is wise.
proverbs 10:19

when i looked up the key words in the hebrew the first part basically translates: when there is an abundance of speaking, sin does not cease or does not stop. yikes. i can bear testimony to the truth of that statement in my own life. i have personally experienced the inner fight of trying to keep myself from saying something, usually a complaint i have about another person, and many times losing the battle. i think, well i am sure if i tell just one person it really isn't that bad. how many times have i sinned against people with the words of my mouth in the name of venting?

but everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. james 1:19-20

i would love to say that i had this one down, but if you have read my previous post quick to listen you will know that although it is something i am working towards obtaining, i have not reached it yet. an interesting thought i had was that many times when we vent about how someone has done something wrong to us, which we may or may not have deserved, we are trying to prove ourselves as the righteous victim. but our words that come out of anger, whether we are in touch enough with the inner workings of our hearts to recognize it as such, do not achieve the righteousness of God. basically, my quick reaction to defend myself against another's injustice against me keeps me from encountering the Lord's defense of me and obtaining true righteousness.

deciding to not speak, to not vent, or to not slander with our mouths is not an easy task. i think anyone who tries to claim that they have easily mastered this is a liar. james, who by the way was the brother of Jesus, says that the tongue is so difficult to control that if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. (james 3:2) he goes on to explain that the tongue is the number one thing that causes us to sin and if we can learn to control the words that come out of it, we have learned what it is to control all the other ways we fall into sin and distance ourselves from God.

here is a challenge: let's try to purposefully talk less during the day, chose to not say a word in our defense when accused or mistreated to the person or to anyone else, and feel the pain inside. it is amazing how everything within screams, "just say something!!!" when i have consciously tried this myself. but if i turn my heart towards the Lord in the midst of the pain it causes my soul, i will see so much good fruit even at the beginning of this journey when it feels like my struggle and stumbling is much more than my victory. then let's take all that pain of feeling the sting of injustice and misunderstanding inside and pour it all out onto the Lord in the secret place of prayer. (see my previous post rend my heart) when we lay aside the comfort from man we open ourselves up to be comforted by the Lord in such a deep way, and He really does want to hear the things burning on our heart and troubling our soul.

blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. matthew 5:4

He is jealous for us to give our broken immature hearts to Him so that He can give us back so much love and comfort in return. i think of it as a type of fasting - a fasting of words. in the words of mike bickle, i want to stop "making myself look like the hero or the victim in my stories." in this journey of knowing and growing in love with Jesus, it will be so difficult but so worth it!

charis