Catching Up!

Hello,
I have trouble keeping my focus on one, two, no three areas.  Let me just admit it now, I am not good at multi-tasking.  I think I've mentioned that before, though.
I have birdie back in school so I have A Lot more time to "do" stuff, but there always seems to be too much stuff to do.  Thankfully I get the family laundry done and put away, and mostly keep the house picked up.  So, why do I still feel so out of it?  Maybe because I am at a loss without my baby bird in her nest...no, that can't be it.  I cherish my alone time, sad but true!  I so enjoy quiet, and when hubs is gone off to work and the bird is off at school, my house is totally quiet.  No TV, no music playing, just quiet.  Aahhhh!  Does anyone else crave quiet like I do?  (I know my dad does.)  There is so much noise in the world today with TV, computers, and music.  All great stuff, just so noisy.  I even try to steal away into my "woman cave" (my craft room), but you can only shut out the noise so much.  They need to do their "thing" when they get home, so I try to enjoy the quiet while they are away.  There, I've said it out loud for the world to know...I am a home body like my bird and crave quiet...boring, I know.  But that's me.

However, I have been busy, (in my attemp at multi-tasking) to get stuff ready for my booth.  I start it September 1st, so I have been making and creating.  Will definitely be posting pictures once I'm finished and the booth itself is ready.  Really excited and feel so crafty, just wish I didn't have "chores" to keep calling me away from the fun/crafty work I need/want to do.  Doesn't everyone feel that way about their hobbies/favorite past-times?  But life must goes on...

I am trying to get caught up on things I didn't do this summer because I said to myself, "I'll do this and that once birdie is back in school".  That time has arrived, now where do I begin.  Like working out!  I have been horrible at this task.  I know how much I need to do it, I have just had NO desire and therefore I haven't worked out regularly...at all.  Shame on me.  But with the cooler weather approaching, I'll do more.  At least that is what I'm telling myself.  I have not been motivated at all this summer to workout, or do much of anything productive.  I gotta snap out of my funk and get busy.

I leave you with a verse I just found:

"...it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."  1 Peter 3:4

I have a long way to go to get to the gentle and quiet spirit that is pleasing to the Lord.  But I am a work in progress, but at least I'm trying.

For the next post, I will be writing about our recent trip to Glorieta for a family retreat.  It was a fabulous experience...so hang on to your seats in anticipation!

Until Next Time,
Serving Him,
Christina

First Day of School Parts I & II!

Well, it has happened, whether I wanted it to or not.  The dreaded first day of MIDDLE school!  And guess what?  We both survived...Birdie was eager to get out of bed this morning, which only happens when there is something special to look forward to.  In her book, today was one of those days.  Thank goodness for small miracles!  So getting ready earlier than years before - to ride the bus - was a piece of cake... today.  Tomorrow will be anybodies guess.  She was happy and giddy and pleasant, yay for mom.  We had already set out the weeks worth of clothes, so there wouldn't be any fighting, so no drama in the clothing department this morning, and breakfast and all the usual stuff of brushing hair and teeth went smoothly as well.  Shew!  Then on to pictures.  Well, you gotta have proof of the first day of school, K-12, and thus far, we are now at 7th grade.  Getting birdie to pose for the camera is always easy.  This is one of her favorite past-times.  Getting pictures taken and posing...see!  Then, we hear the rumble of the bus coming and she is jumping up and down in the drive way.  Not only that, but her fellow bus companions are standing up ready to greet her getting on the bus.  These kids are so sweet and really love each other.  Off they go down the street, and I start walking back to the house and it just hits me.  There goes my baby, and here come the tears...yes, even at 13 years old, my birdie leaving for big 'ol junior high makes me cry.

Is it all moms, at all stages, or is it just me?  Please tell me I'm not alone in this.  So, I sit down sobbing and praying, (thankful God can understand my gibberish) for the Lord to watch over her and protect her.  And HE did!  She did fine, as I knew would be the case, but we have such a hard time letting go, don't we?  We both survived the day.  I drove up the long route to pick birdie up on her first day; had told her yesterday I would and then we would celebrate with ice cream and she could tell me all about her day.  I spoke with her teacher and she said my bird had a good day, but was tired.  Its tough on a gal going through all the rigors of middle school.  Then we headed to town for that much deserved ice cream...mostly for momma!  I had a rough day, ya know.  She told me a few details but I'm sure by bedtime more stories will surface.  But we got through the infamous 1st day of Middle school.  Part I - the dread, the fears.   Part II - she did just fine and my baby bird is back home in her nest.  Maybe momma bird will sleep like a baby tonight...

God is so good, He cares for us and knows all our fears and silly worries, but wants us to bring them to Him anyway, and them leave them with Him.  That is the harder part for me.  Bringing them...easy.  Leaving them...still a work in progress.  Well, I am exhausted!

Until next time,
Serving Him,
Christina

What's Cooking!

Cookin' in my brain that is...I will be opening a booth (in the little store I work in), in September.  I am really excited and a tad intimidated.  Why?  Well, there are two other booths in the store that do awesome stuff.  Actually there are several booths in the store, all with great stuff.  But the two I'm referring to are great.  I'm not trying to compare myself or my stuff with theirs, our items will be different.  I just don't want to flop and fail miserably next to their booths.
 
**We are not to compare ourselves with others, we all have our gifts and talents**

These other two booths are great and so creative, I just need to let my style shine.  It is for the glory of the Lord, not me.  He is the one, afterall, that gave me these talents, right?  Well, like I've said before, I think I found my niche.  I get to work in a cute, quaint little store and be around people and that takes care of my need for socialization and craftiness.  Yay!  Thank you Lord for directing my path and that I finally was listening and paying attention...It took me a while to get to this point, but here I am!!  Slow learner I guess, or is it stubborn?

Plus, birdie has been able to be with me at the store and during this last week while we have been repainting and getting it ready to open under the new owner.  She has a ball there and thinks she is helping and has been the entertainment...in a matter of sorts.

I took birdie and her best bud to the city the other day to "hang out".  I drug  brought them along while I did a super duper shopping spree, buying stuff and junk to make for my booth.  Birdie's buddy kept asking, "are you done yet?".  They had a grand ol' time cruzing around Hobby Lobby and Goodwill, though.  Both of them have cell phones and I entered all appropriate phone numbers in all our phones before we went into the 1st store.  They took off to "wander" and let me get my crafting mojo going.  As you can imagine, my phone rang about 100 times.  "Hi mom!", "where are you?", "what are you doing?", "can we go yet?", but it was surprisingly a good time had by all 3 of us.  They had a great time back together since being off for summer.  Their teacher used to call them "Frick & Frack".  Said they fought like an old married couple...heehee.  Then I took them to their favorite place to eat...I tried so hard to persuade them to go elsewhere.  Can you guess where we ended up for lunch???  Yep, McDonald's!  Oh well, they were happy.  Then we went to the movies...we saw "The Smurfs" , and they had a great time laughing.  So, all in all, it was a great outing.  I got my shopping done, they were able to wander without me hovering, and they had lunch and a movie.  Good times!  Birdies phone is getting low on minutes, but she and her bud were texting...how cute!

So, that is what I've been doing this week, oh, and also had to register birdie at middle school.  We got caught in a rain storm, so that helped take away my apprehensions and need for tears.  We were SOAKED!  Got through it, now I have to get through the 1st day of school/1st week, however long it may take.  But, at least I have plenty of things to keep me occupied.  Working on my booth.  Lord help me...

Until next time,
Serving Him, Christina

 

The Little Store!

Well, I had been stressing over what job I would do once birdie went off to middle school.  I felt I should be doing more to help contribute to the family {financially}.  Why is it we women do this to ourselves?  We want to be "stay-at-home" moms (ya know...hands on), yet we feel we should contribute by way of money.  Well, I think it's our society and the devil.  Always telling us we need more, do more, be more.  I had been praying for God's guidance and wisdom, so I would do the right thing for our family, (as well as for my sanity).  A side note: I am not cut out to be a working-outside-the-home kind of gal.  So, now that I know this I can {sort-of} stop stressing, I can move on.  Remember, I was working at this little store and getting paid to make cards and be crafty.  Fun, creative, great hours and...birdie could be there with me all summer.  But, that voice {from the world/devil} kept getting louder.  I hate that voice!  It kept telling me what great money I could make and all the great things I could buy.  Can I get an Amen here? Yet, I felt the Lord telling me to stay put.  There may not be great money, but you are contributing some and able to be there for birdie and take care of our home.  Birdie is the most important part of our lives and God gave her to us to take care of, not push her off on someone else to raise/care for.  I had several of my friends and family praying for me about a possible job.  Guess what?  It fell through, or as I'd rather put it...God answered my prayers.  I was not meant to take on another position where I would have to put job before kid/family.  So, I will stay put!  The little store has a new owner and will be a little different, but same idea,  and the best part is, I can still have birdie there if she needs to be and she can even get off the school bus there at the store.  How great is that?  So, God knows what I need and made it possible.  Thank you Lord and thank you to all my wonderful friends and family who lifted me up in prayer over this subject.

Now school can start, plus I'm ready for cooler weather.

Here is a verse I go back to time and again:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall make your paths straight."  Proverbs 3:5-6

Until next time
Serving Him,
Christina