Ephesians 4: 31-32

So once again my blog has been neglected for no particular reason. I actually have several great ideas for posts but just need a a little more time to put them together. So be sure to check back, I promise there is some great stuff to come!

Tonight I would like to share with you a couple of verses that have been on my heart and mind the last couple of weeks.  Our Sunday School class has been working through a quarterly on Sunday Mornings from Life Words. On January  2nd our lesson focused on a Lifestyle of Community. The lesson talked about the Christian community and fostering relationships within your church. There were 2 verses in this lesson that really struck me, Ephesians 4:31-32

³¹Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

³²And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

I feel that these 2 verses are applicable not only to the Christian Community but any and all communities. I have read these verses over and over the last couple of weeks and prayed that God would help me put away any anger I have toward anyone, and help me to simply and blindly forgive. Be that said I know that many times that is easier said than done. How wonderful would life be if we all could go forth with a tender heart and forgive one another when we fall short, because we all do fall short. What really struck me while reading was Verse 32, . . .even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Who am I to sit in judgment of others and hold anger in my heart when all my sins have been forgiven. I know I may not go through everyday and live by the instructions from these verses, but with God’s help and with prayer I can strive to be the best person possible. And that is exactly what I want to be. How do I know I can do this, Philippians 4:13 of course!

I honestly am not sure if any of this made sense to any of you but I thank you for letting me share these verses. I ask that you pray for me as I continue to ask God to help me live Ephesians 4:31-32. I know it will not always be easy but I know I can always try!

Disclaimer: This blog was not written toward any person that I may have been holding a grudge against or was angry with. The verses were simply something I had on my heart and wanted to share. Please do not take offense! (Don’t you just love a blog with a disclaimer!)

Day 18- Plans/Dreams/Goals I Have

Plans, Goals, Dreams . . .Plans, Goals, Dreams . . .it’s almost like saying Lions, Tigers, and Bears ohhh my :) Not that Plans, Goals, and Dreams are scary but sometimes it is just hard to sit and think about where you really want to be in 5-10 years. I read a book recently where a girl was always encouraging her friend to imagine her own fairy tale. In other words imagine her life exactly the way she would want it to be. I feel that the Lord has already blessed us immensely with all that he has provided for us, but if I had to imagine my Fairy Tale here is what it would be . . .

Nick and I will be living in a happy life in a slightly bigger house on this same street with perhaps a kid or two.  I will have gone back to school and have gotten a Master’s degree in something, maybe an MBA??? I will also be doing some Photography on the side because I will have gotten much better at it. We will continue to grow in Christ and will be very involved with our church. We will continue to have family gatherings and parties at our house, because I will still love to entertain. If we have not already been Nick and I will take a trip just the 2 of us to Ireland for our 10 year anniversary. (Okay, it might not be Ireland but somewhere really cool).

So I am not sure if this fulfilled the Plans, Dreams, Goals requirement but it is my Fairy Tale with a” Happily Ever after” OF COURSE!!!

 

PS- Are you all reading and enjoying the 30 Blogs of Me? I am enjoy doing it, even it I get behind. I thought my readers out in blog land might be tired of it. Should I keep going?

Day 8- My Short Term Goals for the Month

Given that this is the beginning of the month this is an excellent time to set short term goals! So here we go . . .

 

1. Complete Nick’s new office.  We decided a couple of weeks ago to replace the carpet in our 2 spare bedrooms, and like any good small home improvement project it quickly snowballed into a Nick office move and make- over. We moved Nick’s office to the back bedroom, painted it green, installed a new ceiling fan, installed a new network and we will be having the new carpet installed on Friday. In order to complete the project we need to get Nick’s new desk, buy some curtains, get a futon, frame some stuff for the walls and get Nick an Xbox TV. Plenty to do! Look for a blog unveiling when it is all complete.

2. Paint closet doors for all bedrooms. We have been putting this project off for 3 years it is really just time to get it done! After we have the new carpet installed on Friday in the spare rooms we will kind of be out of excuses.

3. Stick with Weight Watchers and lose some more weight. Thus far on Weight Watchers I have lost about3-4 pounds, which I am very happy about! I have to keep pushing forward so I can reach my goal weight in order to be healthier and feel better about myself.

4. Get the majority of my Christmas Shopping done. 53 days till Christmas! YIKES! I would love to have all my Christmas shopping completely done by this time next month. Honestly this is probably more of a stretch goal but being a dedicated shopper I will certainly give it my best effort.

5. Start attending church on a regular basis on Sunday night.  This is a habit we have really gotten out of and really want to get back to.

There are the goals! Now it’s time to get up off the couch and get started RIGHT NOW! But wait there is a whole evening of Election Coverage and Poll Closings ahead. Gotta watch America send a Restraining Order tonight! So maybe we can start on all this tomorrow.  :)

Raising the Flag

Raising the Flag at Ground Zero after 9/11

I come to you today with a short and sweet blog. The image above is one of the most moving for me from the events of 9/11. For me it symbolized a renewing strength and unity in our nation. Even though we had been dealt a blow we were still Americans and would rise again.

RAISE YOUR FLAG today in remembrance of all those that lost there lives that horrible day 9 years ago and for all those that fought and continue fight for our FREEDOMS!

Project Geranium is Alive and Well!

So it was brought to my attention this week by a follower that we have not had a Project Geranium update in a while. If you will remember the last time we heard from Project Geranium I was afraid that my sweet geranium had met its demise.  Well, thanks to some great advice from my Mom and one of my friends and followers Becky I figured out that my geranium was very much alive and just needed to have the dead blooms pulled off. So I got out there and pulled those blooms off and all was well!  My geranium has continued to bloom although not as much as about month ago. Despite that I would still consider my glower venture a success and will defenitly repeat it again next year. I still have not developed a full “green thumb” but I did manage to keep something alive and that is a step in the right direction.  :)

And now for some pictures . . .the post would not be complete without them!

 

As project geranium will come to a close sometime soon I am looking forward to my next project. I am thinking of planting a Crepe Myrtle, I have heard they are easy to keep up and bloom a long time. My yard is also in desperate need of some FABULOUS landscaping.  Any thoughts from my plant people?

What’s wrong with my Geranium?

It is time for a Project Geranium Update,I am sure you have all been anxiously awaiting news on the latest condition of the Geranium. So with out further ado here it is . . . .

Sadly, things appeared to have taken a turn for the worse, and I am not entirely sure why. Is it dying? Is it not getting enough water? What is WRONG with my GERANIUM? I feel like have been pretty consistent on the whole water thing, not to much/ not to little. It is getting good  sun. It did get knocked over the other night during a storm but everything seemed ok so I picked it up and put it up right again.

Where did I go wrong? Just a few weeks ago I had beautiful blooms and now just ickyness. Is this normal? Plant people if you are out there reading I need help!

Update- Project Geranium

Well, it has been a few weeks so I thought it was time to give you all little update on my Geranium. I am proud to report that the Geranium is most importantly still alive but has actually sprouted out some new blooms and has GROWN! Yay . . .maybe I can take care of plants. I have been watering it regularly and it helps that it is not in a completely covered place and can get some rain waters if I happen to forget :)

Here are a few pictures for you just to prove that the Geranium is alive and well! 

 

 

Okay, so now that this Geranium thing has gone pretty well (so far) I am feeling a crazy  confident about plants in general and would like to think about landscaping outside our house. I don’t know that it will actually happen but I am thinking about it. In the mean time I am  trying to figure out what to do with my hydrangea bush. There has been a hydrangea bush at my house since we moved here and I actually thought when we first moved in it was  dead due to how dried out it looked. The last 2 years we have been here it has actually greened up but it never blooms out big like a normal hydrangea bush. So I am considering taking it out, but I am unsure if I should.  All thoughts and suggestions on this issue would be greatly appreciated!

I still feel I am far from having a green thumb, but at least I am trying (well thinking for the most part)!

Project Geranium & Happy Mother’s Day

Well, this week I began a new venture which I hope will be immensely successful- PROJECT GERANIUM. Now over the past couple of summers I have nurtured many plants to there death.  A fern, a pot of cat nip, some touch me nots, and I even killed my indoor palm tree. Now mostly I feel these plants did not make it due to a lack of watering . . .OOPS! Although I am not a natural at plant care, I do like plants and have become determined to keep one ALIVE!!! Thus, on the advice of my mother I have a purchased a geranium to care for this summer. She tells me they are a very hearty plant, which should be PERFECT for me.  As you can see from the picture above the plant is still very much alive and actually blooming. Confession I did just purchase it from Lowe’s on Wednesday! I would like to report that I am keeping the plant out front where it should get good sun and I have already watered it twice. I know we are early yet in the process,however; I am hopeful that this one will make through the summer. I will writing about Project Geranium as it progresses so check back here often! Who knows if this goes well we could progress to a Geranium and a Marigold next summer, but lets not get ahead of ourselves!

 

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

I did want to take a moment to wish my Mom a very big Happy Mother’s Day! Thanks so much for all you do for me! I appreciate all you do for me from shopping with me over the phone and at stores to playing Dr. Mom! You are THE BEST!!!!

Wishing all my other Momma friends out there a Happy Mother’s Day! Hope you had a good one!

The Little Things

Life can be complicated at times, especially in today’s fast paced world with iPads, Droids, and new technology.  Don’t get me wrong I think all the new stuff is great, but I think it does cause us all (my self included) to lose sight of simpler and smaller things.

This Saturday why weed eating and cleaning up the yard Nick picked me some little daisy looking flowers and left them on the counter as a surprise.

 

It was something little just to show he was thinking of me, and a sweet gesture that I truly appreciated :)

Big grand gestures are great, but the little things can make all the difference.

Here’s to hoping someone does something “little” for you this week!

Here’s to the Green Shirt

Back when Nick and I first started dating we took a little shopping trip to American Eagle in the Johnson City Mall.  I must have had a coupon otherwise I am not sure how I ever convinced Nick to go. On this glorious shopping trip Nick purchased the infamous GREEN SHIRT. The shirt was meant to look vintage I think, and it says “Shark Bar” on the front. Since purchasing this shirt Nick has worn it constantly for the last 5 years and I have proof . . .

 

Here is the green shirt at the family picnic in 2005.

 

 

The green shirt at the Ripley’s Aquarium in 2005.

 

The green shirt hiking in 2005.

 

The green shirt at the Family Picnic in 2006.

 

And yes the green shirt was even there in California when we got ENGAGED!

Also on our honeymoon snuba diving adventure in St. Maarten in 2007.

The green shirt even made it to Myrtle Beach in 2008.

 

Now it is important to note here that after 2008 the shirt was actually banned from being worn in public due to its condition.

There is no longer any fabric on the arm pits and what is there has the lovely sweat stained look.

 

The logo actually does look vintage now.

When we went on our Cruise in November of last year we actually took the shirt with the intention of throwing it over board ceremoniously, however, we learned of all these pesky rules that the cruise line had about things being thrown over board. So the shirt is still with us and is still being worn for work around the house purposes only. I used to give Nick a hard time about the shirt and I have actually threatened to “off it” on several occasions, but I have decided to embrace the great GREEN SHIRT!! It has been with us to a lot of places and I may actually have family members that think the Green Shirt is the only one that Nick owns since he wore it to the family picnic 2 years in a row. The shirt is here to stay!

Now I know that Nick has worn the green shirt more than what I have pictured above. So if you have pictures PLEASE share them, we need to make sure we have a comprehensive history.

So here is to the Green Shirt or perhaps one day the Green Dust Rag!

I Wanna Go Where’s Its Warm . . . .

So the picture above pretty much shows you how our whole week has been . . . COLD AND SNOWY!!! Now I could be exaggerating here so feel free to call me out if I am, but I believe that today was one of the warmest we have had in a while, We had at least three days in a row where the low was like 7 degree, Very Bad!

I don’t know about the rest of you but I am over the snow! It can go anytime and not come back for a long while. It was nice the 1st couple of times but now it is just hanging around and it ceases to have any appeal to me. Instead I am dreaming of this . . .

Ohhh and this too .  . .

 

and one more . . .

To quote Jimmy Buffet-“ I WANNA GO WHERE ITS WARM!”

 

Praise the Lord for the 35 degree HEAT WAVE next week!

Until then stay WARM and think WARM!

The Tree is Down . . . :(

I thought it only fitting to conclude the 12 Blogs of Christmas with the end of Christmas at my house. We took down our tree and other decorations tonight. I love putting everything out, well except the lights on the tree I ;always recruit my loving husband to do that :) He is so good at it! Taking everything down is the worst and tonight was kinda sad. I have enjoyed everything so much this year it was sad to see it go. Not to mention that I now have a big empty spot in my living room!

Although the season may be over the Reason for the Season lives on all year. The Birth of Christ gave all the world hope and that hope does not end at Christmas. I encourage everyone to take the wonderful gift of CHRISTmas forward into the New Year and embrace it.

Tonight while I was taking my tree down I watched a Muppet Christmas Carol and this song reminded me of exactly how I felt. Christmas was over but shouldn’t we live everyday like Christmas?

 

I know that it is not always easy to be caring and loving and Christmassy everyday of the year; I struggle with it everyday.  But I am going to challenge myself to do it this year. If I get to  Philippians 4:13ing that should help a lot!

So with that in the immortal words of Clark W. Griswold

 

 

I DID IT! The 12 Blogs of Christmas are over! Hallelujah!

Lets get ready for 2010 people!!!

The 12 Blogs of Christmas

Merry Christmas and Welcome to the 12 Blogs of Christmas!! This is the beautiful beginning of a wonderful insane  challenge that I am placing upon myself. Yes my friends I am going to attempt to write 12 blogs about Christmas themed things! So without further ado here is BLOG 1 of Christmas .  . .

I think it would only be appropriate to kick of the 12 blogs of Christmas the same way I kick off the Christmas season. Thus I have one phrase for you . . .

HIP HIP HOORAY IT’S CHRISTMAS VACATION!

 

That’s right I kick of the Christmas season with the annual official viewing of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation with my family. This is my all time favorite Christmas movie and my Christmas Season is just not right without getting to see it at least once. This year I had the annual viewing with my parents on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and then AMC did the 5 nights of Christmas Vacation so I got to see a little bit of the movie every night this week.

I think it is a true testament to how good a movie is when you can actually recite it and I could give a pretty accurate recitation of Christmas Vacation. Not to mention that it has so many quotable lines:

“I don’t want to spend the Holidays dead”

“It’s the holidays and we’re all in misery.”

“If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn't be more surprised than I am now.”

I could go on there are just to many to list!!!

If you have never seen this movie it is a MUST SEE! You will either relate or it will make you feel better about your Christmas gatherings. Either way you will get a good laugh!

 

Until next time . . . Merry Christmas and PLAY BALL!

A Note of Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!! I am sure people will be doing Thanksgiving messages on blogs across America today, but I just felt really led to do one of my own.

Nick and I have been very blessed this year amidst the bad economy and everything else and we PRAISE GOD for everything! We know it is due to his grace that we have been so blessed!

Last night I was sitting watching TV and just thinking about how much we take for granted and how spoiled we are. I know today is the official Thanksgiving Day but I truly think that we should make every day Thanksgiving Day! I am truly the worst, especially here lately, for whining and complaining about everything. I have also been worrying about everything here recently to the point of being really stressed out. Instead of getting overwhelmed by everything I need to sit back and remember Philippians 4:13.This verse was brought to my attention recently while reading a great book (I will not get into the book today, I will do a blog on the series later) that my friend loaned to me, and it just really made me think.  God will never give us more than we can handle we just have to have FAITH!

So today and everyday going forward I am going to be Thankful for all I have and get to Philippians 4:13ing!!!!

 

As Paula Deen would say- Happy Thanksgiving Ya’ll!!!!

Philippians 4:13- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Put your Blackberry Down and talk to your WIFE!!

That’s right you heard me if you are reading this right now I want you to lay your Blackberry down, slowly walk away, and have a face to face conversation with a loved one.

The other night while having a wonderful salad from the Jason’s Deli salad bar with my dearly beloved, Nick,  I had an epiphany.  The technology that we all love (me included) that is bringing people together and making communication easier is also simultaneously putting everyone further apart. Now I do not want anyone to take this the wrong way, I love all the new ways we have to  communicate with one another. My personal favorite is Facebook, to me you do not exist unless you are on Facebook. It is one my main modes of communication with friends and family. I have actually fussed at my sister for not using her Facebook account. I told her that is where it is happening- Get to updating that status! I still use e-mail (and could not live without it either) but Facebook gives me more options! Blogging is another example, not necessarily a new one but new to me and I have actually seen more people getting in on it. Everyone has something to say about something (good or bad) and they are putting it out there for the world to see. Freedom of speech at it’s best! Twitter is another social networking option that has really caught on. I do not have a Twitter account as I am trying to keep my digital life as simple as possible and it would just be to much . That being said Twitter can really be used in great ways by helping both businesses and people stay connected. Most recently Twitter was a major communication tool in the election protests in Iran. Which was very cool! (the Twitter communication not the protest).

Now for the Blackberry the device which brings all the communication modes I mentioned in the previous  paragraph together along with texting and receiving phone calls. The ultimate way to stay plugged in! Again I am in no way saying that the Blackberry itself is a bad thing. In fact I know they are very useful for many people in many situations. However, at times they make it nearly impossible to have a face to face conversation. I have found that most Blackberry users are so addicted that are not able to ignore a single e-mail coming through long enough to complete a simple conversation.

So I say this to all you Electronic device users out there (not just Blackberry) lets not forget simple common courtesy.  When someone is having a face to face conversation with you do not check an e-mail or a text IT IS RUDE! Lets not let the simplest form of communication be ruined by the more complex devices.  I am all for technology but lets remember our manners while using it.

Whatever happened to Jem and the Holograms?

I am a “Child of the ‘80’s” and being such  I played with all the essentials 80’s kids toys, seriously Teddy Ruxpin was disturbing!!! I had all the 80’s kids clothes . . .everything in NEON of course! I honestly remember layering my neon socks in elementary school. AND I watched all the 80’s cartoons and shows! Now I am sure that most of you have caught on to the latest movie trend of turning 80’s cartoons and toys into major motion pictures. The wildly popular Transformers, which I have blogged about on here before and now the latest 80’s cartoon turned movie G. I. Joe.

 

Now growing up and being a bit of a girly girl I never played with either GI Joe or Transformers, I considered both to be icky “boy stuff.” I feel a bit left out with all these nostalgic feelings people get about the Transformer’s and GI Joe movies. I just can not identify with them, I am not saying they are bad movies ( I have yet to see GI Joe so it is hard for me to comment) but just that an entire demographic of people is being left out. Specifically, the Barbie toting girls of the 80’s. I am not proposing a Barbie movie because lets face it would be REALLY bad!!! The cartoons were honestly never very good. Nor do I want to go see Care Bears or My Little Ponies.

All that being said I have found one cartoon that could potential be made into a film and would bring back that girly 80’s feeling . .  .(drum roll please) . . . .JEM and THE HOLOGRAMS!

Yes, lets bring back Jem and watch her duke it out with the rival  band the ever evil Misfits. It could even be a musical . . .ohh yeah!

I have attached a youtube video below for any of you that need a Jem refresher. And for now it is all we have till someone comes to there senses and makes the movie. I’ll be waiting!!!