Live a Meaningful Life

1. Just for the record, I want to write a new post, the only problem...no ideas---I am looking at a screen with no profound or even simplistic thoughts. 2. I asked my daddy what he wanted me to post about one day, he says "laughing."  We'll, ok, there it is...laughing--lol, hahahaha, huhuhuhuh, hmmhmmmmhmmmhmm. Laughing is good for you, do it often. Sorry daddy, don't seem to be able to carry out a thought about it. 3. Asked Johnny for ideas...and for those who know him, he just asked me questions in return, "What do you want to write about? What are you thinking about?" 4. Just asked John Gannon what he would write about, "Moma is the cutest thing ever. That's all." 5. Jackson said he would write about horsies. So, there...my post about nothing! Maybe next time I'll have something.

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed! Deut. 31:8 People--that is good stuff! If I were getting ready to go to battle, not to down play my ninja fighting skills or anything, but I would definately be glad that the Almighty himself was going before me in battle! He is not going to leave me anywhere without a comforter and without Hope! Even dying is gain! Have you ever been in need of some encouragement? I have. God  used some people to speak into my life over the last few days and it has given me the encouragement, motivation and inspiration I needed to really get serious about a few things. Check this out: 1. A co-worker walks into my office and invested into my dreams--her words of wisdom and inspiration really helped motivate me to get serious about some things I sit around and dream about! She followed up a few days later with the recommendation of a song--all I can say is Go Get It! 2. While

For those of you who know my well, you are aware of my skills, my mean dancing skills, and for those who don't know me well--my lack of!  I lived for years avoiding situations that required dancing at all costs--excuses, lies...whatever it took--I was shame. And then one day--not sure when it was but I had been married a while--I decided why not?  I had the perfect teacher at the time--teenagers! Johnny was a youth minister and we were around them or they were at our house a lot. Needless to say, they tried! I tried, they tried....we all laughed! But the great part, my shame was gone--it didn't matter anymore. The freedom of just busting my moves out anywhere, anytime is great. People laugh, I laugh...it is a win, win. Every curious, just ask...I'll show you! Johnny has always found the most humor in it I think--he would always beg me to dance and once I started, he would say things like--no, really--try to or why are your arms so stiff...and of course, we just laugh. But

Today's topic--marriage. I plan on sharing some random stuff about marriage--not because I am an expert--just because I have enjoyed my marriage for the past almost 16 years and it is fun to talk about! 1. I think the absolute most important factor to the success of your marriage is that both folks love God more than each other! You see, on those days you want to let your flesh take over you have the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you the strength to restrain (you know--crucify yourself). And on those days you actually do act like the devil himself...well, you repent--and ask forgiveness--from our Creator and our spouse! It means swallowing pride, humbling ourself and just admitting we blew it! And because your spouse loves God, he/she will remember those verses about forgiveness, mercy and grace...and everyone lives in Christian harmony and peace! Ha--that sounds easy and I got a little satirical at the end. The truth is when you are both truly about living for Christ it just

Just about every week I get to hang out with a great group of women--we try to encourage each other as we study the Bible and just try to figure out how we can reflect Christ a little more.  A few months ago we all decided that one of the things we probably need is a mouth muzzle. You know--a filter or guard that would be a visual--not so comfortable--reminder that we need to be mindful of what comes out of our mouths. Psalms 141:3 says set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep a watch over the doors of my lips. Well, obviously our idea of the mouth muzzle wasn't such a new idea. Sometimes, my mouth gets so ahead of my brain--twice today at work I realized I rudely interrupted people talking and just ranted about my own stuff--how selfish.  This afternoon, I literally had to crucify what I was wanting to say to someone--when I say crucify--I mean it--I had an intense feeling and my thoughts were running wild. Not to say what I wanted was literally an intense battle! I just wonde

If you came and lived with us for a while, it would not be very long and you would hear Johnny say  something like this, "Why are there so many toys down here? There are two rooms upstairs for all of this stuff. Why does it end up down here?" Obviously, our children aren't very good with taking the toys back up after playing with them. It is hard to find that balance--letting them freely play without nagging all the time about the mess. I have tried different things over the years and I must say, that today's effort may just work! Thanks to Pinterest, we now have a clutter jail. If it gets left downstairs, it goes to jail. In order to get it out, you must do an act of kindness or clean something up. Here is what has been put in jail so far today... The funny thing, when I introduced the concept to the kids, John Gannon gets all excited. He goes upstairs and brings one of his daddy's Bibles downstairs. He put it in jail and says, "There...Daddy left his

If asked, I would guess that most of us would say that we value relationships and think relationships are more important than money, things, jobs, etc. but if you are like me, relationships (outside of the ones in my immediate family) seem to get put on the back burner due to life's demands. These demands aren't big things, just little things--like time, wanting to rest or be lazy, homework, baths, washing clothes....you know, just all these little things. It reminds me of the passage in Solomon 2:15--catch for us the little foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. The foxes were destructive to the vineyards--because they are small, in an effort to get the desired fruit of the vine, they would have to chew the vine. The result--dead vines that were unable to produce fruit. I must confess that as time passes, many of the relationships that I wish I could say I was nourishing are really just "meet, greet, and leave" at best--yo

One of the things I remember rolling my eyes at as a teenager is when I would hear someone say something like, "You are never going to stop learning. Or When you get more experience you will think differently." In my arrogant little mind at the time, I would just gag at the thought of having to continue learning and as far as I was concerned if you just did enough planning on the front end, you did not have to worry about the experience thing because you would make the right decisions from the start! Now--even though that may have been my thought pattern it does not mean that I always practiced those concepts...So as an adult, I have to admit I have never stopped learning...and as for one of those things that comes from experience, here it goes... I am by nature a planner--I like to organize stuff and have a neatly designed place for everything. I like to have plans if we are going places. I like to know we have reservations. I like to create lists so I don't forget thi

Sometimes I get so busy, I forget to see and appreciate the simple small things in my life. So today, I thought I would share some of those things... 1.  The ability to pray and read the Bible--whenever, wherever I want! When I get frustrated, depressed, ill, content...I can't count the times that investing some time to nourish that Spirit inside of me has brought so much good! I just wish I could remember to do that at all times--before opening my mouth to gossip, before eating the 8th cookie in a row (7 or less is good, 8 or more is sin :), or after having a wonderful day! 2.  My children sleeping--I am sitting listening to Jackson as he breathes in and out while he sleeps.  It is so peaceful and sweet. I can't help but to marvel at creation--how our bodies are designed to do these small things that are necessary for us to live--wow--while typing, my heart has been beating, my brain has been sending all kinds of signals, blood has flowed throughout my entire body, juices

As we get ready to adjust to one income living, we are preparing by doing a few things differently, I thought I would share some of them with you! 1. We bought a $35 indoor laundry hanger. This is the start of month 3 in which we haven't cut on the dryer! The results--a little over $30 decrease in our electric bill! The cons, the crusty towels--but if you can't get over that--all you have to do is put them on the tumble cycle in the dryer--it is the tumbling that makes them soft, not the heat! 2. I read a book about cutting your groceries in half. I really didn't think we had much room for savings here because we already only spent $400/month for the 4 of us. And i am not going to fool with all the coupon mess! The first month...we decreased our expenses to $280. Last month, we spent $306. What did we do differently--bought groceries once a month--I preplanned our meals using the Wed sales ads and comped prices at Walmart. Wow--thought the results were pretty good! 3.

Well, for those of you who ask on occasion--here it goes...another attempt at blogging--we will see how long it lasts. I will say that I have never been more excited about it! We have lots of upcoming change that is definitely going to provide lots of material I am sure!  So, what's going on you ask? 1. I am resigning from my job at the end of this school year. Working in the school system has been fun for the last 13 years, as a matter of fact, it has been so fun, we have decided to have our own school--at home! So, I have been busy writing lessons plans, reading common core stuff, and combining curriculums that I think will be a good fit for our boys. As I have been talking to people about our new adventure, the first question is usually, "What's wrong?" Nothing--We are not dissatisfied or mad at public schools--to be honest--for the most part, schools do the best they can or as best they/the leaders/teachers know how to do. I just want to invest more in my boys&#