Abigail's Day

In lue of a picture...

2012-02-12T12:43:00.000-06:00

So, I guess a picture of Ransom does not constitute as a blog post, huh?
Ah well, you can't blame me though, life has been busy ( but what's new?) and I've been writing never-to-be-published blog posts in my head for weeks now...So, I'll take this Sunday Ransom Nap Time While Brett Is At Work time and write a real life honest to goodness post!

For Brett's birthday my parents sent him a box of goodies. It was totally and completely a wonderful gift because it was so very them and yet it also was perfect for Brett because he just so happens to like similar things ;-). Anyway, it was a combo of random household things that one can't live with out...and then books. ( We allllll love books) And since Brett works all the time and therefore has little chance to read, I decided that it wouldn't hurt anyones feelings if I read one of the books my parents sent.
Its called Son of Hamas and its the most incredible true story of Mosab Hassan Yousef "Joseph" the son of one of the seven founders of the Palestinian group Hamas that we, in the West, all know so well from its many terrorist attacks against Israel, it is his jaw-dropping tale of becoming a Spy for the Israelis to help bring down Hamas from the inside and how he step by step, piece by piece became a follower of Jesus.

I don't know what kind of books you like to read, dear readers...but I'm not even kidding, I could barely put this book down. I read it while Ransom was playing, I read it while he was eating, while he was napping, I read it while I was waiting for Brett to put on his PJs and get into bed, I read it while he went to the bathroom in the middle of watching a movie...basically any second of my day I could squeeze in a few seconds, I did. It was part spy thriller/ part biography of a modern day muslim/part love story to the Lord.... It was truly one of the clearest reminders of what Christ's Love can truly do and the Hope that it brings to this world that I have had in a long time. Read. This. Book.

I should really post...

2012-02-07T16:19:00.001-06:00

January cookies

2012-01-30T19:17:00.001-06:00

So, for the year of 2012 I am making Brett a new recipe of cookies every month. I'm pretty excited about the challenge of coming up with new and fun ( but also yummy) recipes every month! This month I found a really great recipe for "S'more Cookies" and the picture above is when I took them out of the oven, before I'd cut them into squares. ( while you put them on the graham crackers in individual cookies, they kind of morph together into a bar...)

I'm happy to say that after cooling and cutting they were still A-mazing. Now Brett just has to come back from the field before I eat them all myself :-)

If you'd like the recipe you can find it here: S'more Cookies

Miracles

2012-01-29T12:50:00.000-06:00

So, back in August we had new neighbors move down below us. They were mildly annoying to say the least. The guy had a bunch of his friends over for his lunch break most days and they always talked REALLY LOUDLY ( with one particular word that starts with F being their favorite) and would periodically wake Ransom up from his nap...
The wife was also super cool and bought this sign for outside...

What makes this EVEN better is that our house is next door to an Elementary School...so the sign was able to scar young children on a daily basis.

Then Halloween time came and the guy spent days on end sawing and hacking outside their front door ( for some reason they didn't seem to realize they had a whole patio and garage BEHIND the house...) which was directly under our living room. We were puzzled at WHAT he could possibly be doing until one day he erected a large wooden witch outside their door...also for their children. *sigh*

Now, one of the kind of cool (?) things about living on a "training" Army Post is that if you know what school a person is doing you know how long, give or take, they will be at Fort Benning. These people were here for the Infantry Basic Officers Course and therefore I had a pretty good idea of how long we would be graced with their amazing presence downstairs.....too long.

And now to change scenes:

Our good friend the Fones have been planning to come to Fort Benning for a while now for the Captains Career Course. Lindsay lived with me before she and Isaac where married and while Brett was deployed. Now, she's married and has a baby of her own and I was SO excited about living near her again in this new stage of both our lives...

I was excited about them being close by, but I was incredulous when I heard that Lindsay and Isaac were praying that they'd get to move into the same building ( each "house" has four different homes in each one, two upstairs, two down stairs. On each side, the upstairs and downstairs share a back door and the stairs leading down to the basement. Essentially you could both open your kitchen doors, lock the back door and you'd have one, very large house.). I knew all of our surrounding neighbors and I knew that none of them were planning on moving any time soon. I was sad, especially since I was not such a big fan of our perviously described downstairs neighbors...But I felt sure that there was no way living that close to our friends was possible. I secretly felt that those prayers wouldn't be answered....

As the time for the Fones to arrive got closer I started to get excited and take multiple walks around the block to check for empty houses. There were several that were pretty close by and I thought that this must be the answer to our prayers about living near our friends.

Then a month before they headed to Benning, I was on my way to the grocery store one morning and I noticed some workmen heading into our downstairs neighbor's house...and being the crazy stalker neighbor that I am, I looked closer and LOW AND BEHOLD they had MOVED OUT. Oddly enough, we never saw them move and we're guessing it was some time when we were out of town. But all that really mattered is that what I thought was IMPOSSIBLE had happened! The home directly under ours, the one that shares our back door, that shares our patio, that shares our very roof...it was available!

But the Doubting-Thomas in me was still not sure...we still had a month to go before our friends arrived and I knew that there were quite a few schools starting at Benning in the intervening month and that there would be a lot of people moving in. The odds that this particular house would stay open a whole month, they were slim. However, by now my faith was rising a little bit ( thank goodness..) and I shot out a facebook status asking people to pray that the house would stay open for a month....

As each week passed and moving trucks came and went, filled up and poured out all over the neighborhood-we prayed hard for our downstairs house. Slowly weeks went by and it stayed empty! Finally Isaac arrived to being their moving in process. It took a few days ( whoa are they busy!) but he finally got an appointment with the housing office. As he made his appointment on the phone he mentioned that he was staying with some friends and that the house below us was free and that he'd really like to move in...The lady replied with, "Is that on M- street? Because those are the only keys I have and the only house I'll be able to show you...."

That's right. There are no other houses available. The only house?

The one right below us.

And so, as you can see I under estimated God's ability in a big way. I forgot the greatness of our God. I forgot that a little matter of having Close Fellowship with friends is but a small thing to Him. He delivered.

Swears.

2012-01-26T20:28:00.000-06:00

So, friends life has been jam packed with cool stories lately. But, since our house is currently occupied by four adults, a toddler and a baby there has been pretty much zero time for blogging.
But, as SOON as a get a second ( hopefully this weekend) I'll tell the incredibly cool story of WHY there are so many people in our house this weekend...

Until then a quick story:
Today is Brett's birthday. Which is great. What is NOT great is that his Texas Drivers License and the registration on both our cars expired on the same day.
Of course, this fact wasn't fully realized until two days ago ( cuz I guess we live by the seat of our pants around this joint), anyway, being the ultra Doer that I am, I jumped into ultra high gear and figured out a way to get all these things taken care of yesterday. The day before Brett's birthday.
First, I got everything together for Brett to get a Georgia License ( it takes 40 days for Texas to renew a license long distance...so that was out).
And I waited until my babysitter arrived and then I planned to head to the JAG office to pick up the proper paper work to get our registrations renewed and then head out to the random teeny-tiny town where the registration office is located.

And then the curve balls came....of COURSE Brett couldn't get out of work to get his new license...and *I* started searching the house high and low for our Power of Attorney ( so that I could do things for him)...and couldn't find it. Any.Where.
It was horrible. I literally looked through ALL our files. ALL our drawers. ALL our boxes of misc. papers...and I got more and more worked up...finally I decided to drive to Brett's office to check and see if it just might be in his car. And then when I got to his car, and searched it completely I got back in my car only to find that it was completely and utterly dead. As in deader than a door nail. As in so dead the automatic locks wouldn't work.
And that was the last straw.

All my plans failed. Completely and utterly.
But you know what didn't happen?! I didn't start driving out to a little town in the middle of no-where and have my car completely die on me. INSTEAD it died in front of Brett's company where I had my husband and 150 dudes there to help me. Talk about the perfect location for your car to die.

And then today, without any of my totally awesome planning involved at all-Brett got his new license, we got both cars re-registered, and our broken car got fixed.
A little bit humbling to realize my amazing management powers do not hold a candle to God's graciousness.

The Climb

2012-01-22T12:19:00.000-06:00

And let us all pause and listen to the Miley Cyrus song, The Climb. I heard it on the radio twice this week. And I did NOT change the station. Cuz I rock to some Miley.

Anyway, I suppose that's why the title of this post popped into my head, and because it describes so well how I've felt over the last 10 days. ( ten days!! since my last post!! crazy pills!!). I'd say the first half of this month was rough, as in bottom of the barrel rough....but even at the bottom there, where its lonely and you walk around your block on a Sunday afternoon and you think, "Geez, no one cares about me or Ransom here!" even down at the bottom there was light. And there were surprise dinner dates, and phone calls and little things that proved that earlier thought was a lie. And while things are not easy (as in it isn't being handed to me on a platter) it doesn't mean I can't get out there and find some Community.

It helped that my oldest, dearest friend Amy came into town for a few days- it helped that I've seen Brett a little more. Its helped that I've started going to a Women's Bible Study ( PWOC! WOOP WOOP) on Thursday mornings. Its helped that I've started meeting with an older woman once a week. It helped that I've decided to take Ransom to story time at least once a week. Its helped basically that I not sit around at home alone. With only a one and half year old to talk to. Not. good. for. anyone.

But, I cannot promise that such walks around the block will not happen again. Because, let me tell you I bet they will....I don't even know if loneliness can really BE avoided. But I will embrace the fact that I hope it has made me more gracious and loving towards others. Because I feel that everyone ( yup! I'm going to make a giant sweeping generalization because I think its just THAT true.) is lonely or struggling at some point. And who's to say that I'm not the one to help them in that?!

So, I mentioned before that I'm doing a "Best things" status update every day on Facebook this year. And its taught me to be a lot more aware of the little things that make a day good. And you know that I've noticed thus far that its often the little nice things that strangers do...like the guys in the fire truck that turned on their lights for Ransom when we passed them on our run the other day....or the little old lady in Chick-fil-a who went and asked one of the works if Ransom could have a balloon that was hanging from the ceiling because she'd seen him pointing at it....I'm telling you people: Those things made my day!
I need to also be more intentional about being kind to strangers not just people I know. People in my inner circle, people in my outer circles...and people that aren't in my circles at all! Here's to kindness and here's to the great help it brings to climbing out from the bottom of the barrel.

"Thankful"

2012-01-12T11:32:00.000-06:00

This morning Ransom and I got to see Brett for a few hours....most of which Brett spent sleeping.

And thus I fought hard against disappointment ( that we didn't get more time together), guilt ( that I wanted Brett to give up on sleep to spend time with us?!), anger ( stupid army!) and a whole lot of other unpleasant emotions. Buuuut, the whole experience reminded me yet again what a challenge being thankful can really be sometimes...I mean, what I wanted was to be genuinely happy to see my husband who I haven't laid eyes on in the flesh for over a week. What I wanted was to soak up the few hours we got ( even if it was watching him sleep) before he heads back into the field. But sometimes my ugly side gets the better of me.

Hopefully, however, I did rally enough to enjoy a little breakfast of scrambled eggs, apples and cinnamon toast with Brett and our growing little dude. Looking over the last few days of pictures reminds me just how he has transitioned out of the "baby" stage. *sigh*

Every time I come into a room and he's sitting proudly on some piece of furniture I get a little shock...luckily it hasn't been on, say, the top of the entertainment center...not yet anyway. ;-)

Let me just say that riding in one of these carts has made shopping a BREEZE yet again...of course when he gets tired of this, I'm not sure if they have anything cooler...heheh

Is it just me or does eating cereal the proper way seem really grown up?!

Little dude up and started blowing bubbles in the bathtub last night! I didn't even show him how! He was so pleased with himself that he posed for this picture. ( seriously, he posed.)

Drought.

2012-01-10T11:39:00.000-06:00

So, while chatting with a friend on FB this morning I was reminded of an important verse for me...

"He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." ( Jer 17:8)

So much goodness there, a combo of exhorting- Am I planted by water? Am I not anxious no matter circumstances? Have I ceased to bear fruit? ...

...and encouragement: I do not have to fear when crunch times come, I do not have to be anxious in rough times when things are drier than a bone...for I have living Water!

Yes, I would not hesitate when saying this is a "drought" season- being with out my Other Half is bad enough. But then, at the same time this verse is perfect, because I hesitate in saying this are Bad. They are definitely NOT bad.

Getting to watch my son grow and learn every day. To see the big and small ways that the Lord provides for my mental wellbeing every day. To see the Lord working in the Lives all around...these are good things. These are the green leaves that keep me going. :-)

35 minutes of free joy.

2012-01-09T13:21:00.000-06:00

So during my run this morning, I ran by the back of one of those non-discript Army buildings (WHAT do they DO inside all those buildings?!?) where there is a dumpster. And next to said dumpster was a bookcase ( sadly destroyed by last nights rain). And metal industrial shelves ( not yet fully destroyed by rain!). And I immediately thought, "Hmmmmm, what else do I have to do today but take those shelves off the hands of that dumpster!?"

And so after my run, and after talking to Brett on Facetime, Ransom and I piled into the car and I wedged the metal shelves into the back of my car....I even thought to bring a tarp so as not to ruin my car insides. This was smart since they shelves were wet, dirty and covered in leaves.

So I brought them home, waited for Ransom to go down for his nap ( which, P.S. He is STILL asleep!! He's been down for OVER 2 hours! WOO!) , then I cleaned up that bad boy and BOOM! I turned my back stairwell from this:

Into THIS:

And the whole process took less then an HOUR!! YAY!!

One day at a time...

2012-01-07T11:53:00.000-06:00

This year I'm not counting the days Brett is gone. I'm consciously not figuring out just how long Brett's going to be out of the picture of our family. Instead we're taking it one day at a time....and out of that has come my favorite New Year's Resolution. It actually just happened rather than me "resolving it so"...and I suppose my hope is that I'll keep it up...

On facebook at the end of each day I am recording the best things about that day. Simple. Not anything new. But I've found, in the need to document the good things, I'm continually on the look out. And, since its not like our days are that jam packed around here, its a bit more tricky and you have to be on the look out for the special moments.

For instance, yesterday one of my favorite moments was when I was scrubbing the bathtub. Well, wait...let me re-phrase. I actually hate scrubbing the bathtub...I'm pretty sure that's what they'll be doing in Hell. So, instead let me quickly continue by saying that while I was scrubbing the bathtub Ransom came in and brought me one of his favorite books-one that had been strategically "hiding" at the bottom of the book pile after I got super tired of it-He had obviously found it and in his joy had brought it to me to read. "MO!" he said... "MO!" ( meaning "more"...which also translates into just about anything that he would like at any given time.)
So I stopped scrubbing ( really, any excuse there...) and read the book right there on the bathroom floor. And the after a few more minutes of scrubbing and Ransom investigating his bathtoys that were hanging out on the floor while I cleaned...once again he stuck the book back in my face "MO!"

And so I read that stupid Colors: Slide and Seek book about five times while trying to clean the tub, each time I'd stop cleaning and Ransom would position himself into my lap with a little satisfied sigh.
Honestly it was fun. And I loved that Ransom loves his books. And I also love that I don't love cleaning the tub so much that I don't mind "breaking the task up a bit". hahaha!

I also was stripping the guest bed and putting fresh sheets and after sticking the old sheets in the laundry I came back to see this....

These are the good moments. And I think that when I look carefully, they out weigh the bad moments by quite a lot.

Lashes

2012-01-04T14:21:00.001-06:00

How totally adorable is my son today?

So, this is my "Mommy Date" time. I'm spending it at Starbucks working on a few Internet projects.

But I thought Id drop the ol' blog a line, because I wanted to follow up my yesterday post with what's happened since: I had one friend schedule a visit for later in the year ( much later, but during a time when I'm guessing I'm gonna be extra lonely), I had a blogging friend invite Ransom and I for a visit! Fun! And it's always good to have those kind of things stored away so that your mind always has things to look forward to- that's the most important thing for mental well being in my opinion. AND last but not least I've been scouring our neighborhood the last few weeks trying to find the closest empty house for my friends The Fones to move into when they move to Benning at the end of the month.....and what do you know?! Our downstairs neighbors must have moved overnight or something!! Good riddance crazy people!! And now I'm praying hard that Lindsay and I get to live together again ( or at least under the same roof...this time with our respective homes, husbands and children...)

All that being said, the Lord continues to remind me of his Goodness, His presence and above all His perfect timing.

My fav pictures from 2011....

2012-01-03T21:21:00.001-06:00

In no particular order, my favorite pictures from 2011....There are so many it was hard to narrow them down, but here are a few to remind me of all the fun-especially in watching my little dude grow up-that this year has had to offer...

Red Letter Day

2012-01-03T10:57:00.000-06:00

Ransom has a habit of sitting his fridge magnets around the house as though they are standing. It cracks me up to find an "A" on the arm of the chair, or an "I" next to the bathtub...

Today begins the New Year. I mean, sure its the 3rd, but that's a minor detail. For me it starts today....mostly because Brett went back to work today, and thus starts normal life. And "normal" life for 2012 means "single parent mode".

While Brett's 9 month deployment doesn't start until June, he's gone for most of January, parts of February and ALL of March. I am resigning myself to loneliness. And while last night when thinking about days upon days of just me and Ransom I wanted to cry, for the most part I'm curious to see what God is going to do with all this extra "free" time. If there is ONE THING I've learned from the last few years its don't Doubt God. He comes through every single time....and time and time again when I've faced a future of emptiness and loneliness ( its a reoccurring Army Wife Theme) the Lord has always provide: reminders, letters, friends, projects, activities, trips....He provides.

And in fact, last night when I started to feel a little tear coming into my eye when thinking about this weekend alone ( why is it that weekends are the HARDEST to be alone?!) I opened my Bible App on my phone and this was on the screen...and for some reason it was HIGHLIGHTED...I guess just so I wouldn't miss it...but its kind of a mystery of how it got highlighted or why it was on the screen ;-)

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid..." ( John 14:27)

And so this new year begins...how will it go? That just remains to be seen...but "little" miracles are expected daily. Happy New Year, everybody!

Advent Week #5

2011-12-16T08:05:00.000-06:00

Wow, we've only got one more post to go! And that's the "bonus" post...which I'm assuming I'll be the only one doing it! Haha! It seems that every week more and more people have dropped off the blogging bible study radar! Ahhhh well, this is what we prepared for and why we're doing a "different" kind of study this go around. That being said, I would love to hear your thought-even if its just a quick line in the comments :-)

Alrighty so getting to the reading: Matt 2:1-12

The first thing that came to mind was another verse in Luke:
When Jesus said: "I tell you, if they ( being people calling out about Him) keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

When reading this section about the "Magi" ( another term for Magicians or philosophers) I was struck that they started traveling a super long distance to visit a supposed King of the World, because they saw it in the Stars!!
Wow.

Isn't that incredible? For one thing I love that even the very Heavens told of His coming. And that, just like we talked about last week, just as God was able to orchestrate His birthplace and circumstance-He was also able to orchestrate the very stars and where they were in the Heavens overhead at the time of Jesus' birth.

Its a small thing for God. To move the heavens.

I also love the fact that God doesn't hide the fact of His Son's Coming. He wants the World to know! Do you think it was an accident that these gentlemen from a far off land got to come and see the Lord of All?! Do you think that they really kept that information to themselves as they made the long trek back home and then once they got home? No, the Long Expected Savior was proclaimed in other places too!

Sidenote/Soap Box. I visited a churchy event recently where there was an "alter" call. Basically, the invitation for anyone who wanted to accept Jesus as their Savior to "come on down"and do so. But, along with the invitation, everyone in the room had to have their head down and their eyes closed. So that anyone who wanted to accept Jesus wouldn't have to be embarrassed.

Friends, as I sat there with my head down, and my eyes closed I thought about how sad I was that I couldn't look up to see if anyone was making the Greatest Most Glorious Decision of Their Lives. To invite Jesus into your life should be like setting off a Star into the Heavens. There are Angels in Heaven throwing a big ol' party because you've made the best decision you'll ever make...and yet, we're suppose to keep our heads down?!?!
From now on I'm peeking.

Prophetic.

2011-12-15T19:57:00.000-06:00

So I'm currently working on a little project that will probably never see the light of day...but in the process I thought I'd share something cool with you that I found this evening...

First you'll need to go read this blog post: http://abigailsday.blogspot.com/2006/01/painful-happiness.html
Yup.
Ok, now I'll give you a little back story. The person I got an email from was Brett. As in my husband. He wasn't my husband then. He was barely a friend. And that email communication, documented right there in this blog post, was the very beginning of our Relationship...the one that lead to us getting married. And having a kid named Ransom.

You'll also notice at the bottom of that blog post I inexplicably quoted the song "How Deep the Father's Love for us". The song that Brett and I chose for our Wedding Hymn. The song that helped us name our son.

And I'm pretty sure I never realized until now that I quoted it on my blog waaaay back when replying to an email was much more important than I realized.

Cool. Goosebumps cool.

Look back

2011-12-14T21:23:00.000-06:00

Sometimes its good to look back. Tonight I've been reading old blog posts and reminiscing. ( its been SEVEN YEARS since I left New Zealand?!?! Craziness! )

Anyway, I came across this little gem from 2006 and it encouraged me...its been so long, I can start quoting myself now, right?! hahaha! :

Christmas Time 2006:

So, this afternoon, I was feeling a tad on the overwhelmed side....I think I have this weird combo of my parents two personalities...I live in happy optimistic denial for a long while and then once life builds up I then switch into hard core stress mode.
meh.

Anyway, long story short...I was hating it. I was hating the fact that there are fewer and fewer days until Christmas-one of the two most wonderful holiday celebrations of the whole year! And here I am stressing....So, I came home, washed dishes listened to some praise music and then once my kitchen was relatively presentable I sat down with a Christmas cookie and my Bible... and let me tell you it was like a breath of fresh air.

So, this week I've been trying to bring a little of the meaning of Christmas into each day...but what I could honestly do and be totally happy myself is to just type out Is. 9:6 every day and just leave it at that...because it honestly gives me goosebumps every single time.

But, I'm saving that...hehehe.
Nope, today I was struck by the opening verses of that chapter particularly the second...

The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.

It reminded me of the Christmas Story that I had read outloud ( sometimes its good to read out loud even if no one is around to listen) to myself earlier in the week from "Corrie's Christmas Memories" ( as you know, its my favorite favorite favorite Christmas book of all time), I got to the Shepherd's account of the events that happened to them in the fields:

Yes, it was as if God had opened a little corner of the veil that we could see and hear a little bit of heaven. But then...they were gone, and it was dark," the boy went on, "so dark...darker than it ever was before. After that heavenly light the earth was so dark-so terribly dark."

I loved that. And wouldnt that be true? Just imagine you've looked straight into a bright light and then its gone...
It made me think what a glorious gift we were given through the Lord Jesus. We were given the Light.
Not, just in tiny little pieces as had been the way up until then...through the prophets and the law, the light would shine with promises for a brief and glorious moment and then it would be gone...

But, then the Light came.

And we have the priviledge to look back and see Isaiah's prophecy fulfilled....we know that that Light came to bring light to the darkness. I am able to sit in my kitchen and meet with Him even now. Because not only did He come. He died. And not only did He die, but He lives. And His light shines on permenently...

So, sure, I just went on a little tangent just now, but can you blame me?

Advent Week #4

2011-12-09T11:27:00.000-06:00

Whaaaat?! Week Four?! Seriously! Only 16 more days until Christmas and that brings us to today's advent reading.
Luke 2: 1-16

Once again there is just SO much in this little passage that I don't know what to focus on, but I think this first bit is most relevant to me right now...

"So it came to pass..." This is you basic "story telling" phrase and since I've grown up with the "Luke 2 Christmas Story" my whole life I've always blown over these little details...but lets break it down now:

1. The ruler of the Roman Empire decides to do a census of EVERYONE in the Roman empire ( tons-o-people).
2. Israel is part of this empire.
3. This is the first time anyone's ever done such a thing ( a census of this magnitude.)
4. A little guy name Joseph lives in Nazareth but just so happens to belong to the family of David.
5. So even though he doesn't live there he heads to Bethlehem to be counted.
6. His super pregnant fiancé goes with him.
7. She gives birth in Bethlehem. ( because I now know that this is nothing quite like riding on a donkey for hundreds of miles to induce labor.)
8. She's giving birth to Jesus.

Boom. The perfect example of how God controls things down to the DETAIL. Am I the only one that thinks it's mind blowing that God orchestrated Jesus' birth like that?

You see, if you read in the book of Micah ( in the Old Testament of the Bible) in chapter 5 verse 2, Micah the prophet, prophecies the following:
' But you, Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times."

And so, of course, Jesus needed to be born in Bethlehem and yet his mother-to-be was in Nazareth. People were not big travelers in those days, and pregnant woman were really not big travels. Yet, that was not a big deal for God. He just put some ideas into the current ruler of the World ( We're calling Roman that right now...) and things worked out perfectly.

You see, that's what I've been reminded of lately. My friend Miranda and her husband are moving to Hawaii and last minute all kinds of craziness came up, the week they were moving!! "How could this BE?!?!"
But then I was comforted by the knowledge that there is no small detail that is outside God's hands. He cares about us as much-or more so than his own son ( He loved us so much that He sacrificed His son for us.)

I love how this amazing story of Jesus, the Son of God being born starts with the manipulation of a world leader and continues right on down to some Shepherds seeing right into Heaven and getting a direct invite to the Event that started the One Event that changed the World forever! Wow.
So, the next time I'm shaking my head over the current political climate ( WHO do we vote for come next November, huh?!?) or wondering what in the WORLD the Army is going to next....then I'm going to remember the order that God found important. Shepherds first, then the wise men. ;-)

Which is coming up next week, if I'm not mistaken ;-)

Advent Week #3

2011-12-02T18:32:00.000-06:00

To stay with my theme from last week, and since I've been literally listening to Christmas music NON-STOP around here lately ( something about filling the silence...and also, who am I kidding, Ransom is super cute when he tries to dance...)-I thought of this song when reading the passage for this week:

As a kid I never thought of Mary much. She was a grown-up ( or so my kid brain thought) and therefore she must have known what to do/dealt well with the whole "having a baby that's also the Son of God thing"....but as I've grown older a few things have come into my thought process about her:
For one thing, she was probably MUCH younger than I thought....as young as 13 or 14 and probably no older than 19 ( ancient of days). Also, the whole having a baby before you were married. Did. Not. Happen. You would have been ostracized or worse

And so here's this girl who's told by an angel that she is going to have a baby...right now. No waiting to get married and save some face, nope. She's pregnant starting today. Do you think she had Morning sickness? Fatigue? Heart burn? Ligament pains? Difficulty sleeping? Do you think she dealt with all the normal pregnancy symptoms? I mean, I'm sure her labor hurt as much as the next girls and I tend to think she had a normal pregnancy. And even if it was great ( I hear some people have these...) it is still a sacrifice to carry a child. A great sacrifice of love.

And now to the reading specifically:

verses 28 and 29:
The angel greeted Mary and said, "You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you."
Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant."

Now forget my tangent here, but don't you think that's an odd reaction "confused"?! I mean, if an angel showed up and told me I was blessed I'd be excited, amazed, wonderstruck...but I don't know if confused is the first descriptor that comes to mind. But I think its perfect. Its a reminder that this is just a plain little girl, with probably the most basic "Spiritual upbringing". From the outside she had no outstanding characteristics...

but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might be put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong.." ( ICor 1:27)

When I start looking down on others, or even myself thinking we're not cool enough/smart enough/people-skilled enough...I need to remember that the Mother of Jesus himself was just a humble little girl...the important thing about her was what comes later...

^{verse 38: Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said." And the angel left her.}

^{She was obedient and she had faith that what the Lord said He would do. This is H-U-G-E.}
^{I've been reading through Kings in my Quiet time and since I don't have all the time in the world, just take my word for it that there are tons and tons of examples in the Bible of Kings, Princes, Captains of Armies and other fancy fancy people questioning God, not following what He asks of them, wanting more, whining, complaining, twisting His words and doing something different...the list goes on.}

^{The contrast is striking. And so this Holiday season I'm focusing on the Humbleness of Mary. I'm thinking of her as the simple little girl that she was. As a girl who was told the Will of God and who went with it. And in return she was truly blessed. She got to be the one who brought the most precious baby in the whole world into the world. THAT is incredible to think about...}

Craftiness explotes.

2011-12-01T20:01:00.000-06:00

I have recently been feeling rather crafty. I always do around the holidays. It has something to do with Christmas cookies. Probably one of my fondest memories of my girlfriends from high school would have to be our epic cookie decorating:

Notice the ginger bread man with his arm ripped off...or the "christmas" duck...

What we lacked in skill we made up for in spades and spades of irony....

Anyway, not much has changed in the past (ten years(!!!)) and I still enjoy myself some powdered sugar food coloring combo-the only thing is that now I try my hardest to make my cookies look good...sadly, I learned recently that one should never attempt craftiness while in a really bad mood. This year I did not have a good birthday. I mean, by now I should know that adults don't get birthdays in the traditional sense...but when your birthday is all but ignored and crowned off by a trip to the pediatrician...well, pouty Abigail enters. But, I tried to rally and around 9:30pm I decided to make Thanksgiving cookies for Brett's men. Something about me being a cookie martyr or something. Anyway....

I don't even think the picture does my icing disaster justice.

Yes, I did take a picture...I knew I'd want to blog about this...

The best part, however, is that once the bad icing was finished and I'd completely given up. I packed all the cookies into a tupperware container and placed it on the kitchen counter ( out of sight, out of mind). The next morning ( and yes, I didn't see Brett at all on my birthday, and he left before I could get up the next day...) Brett took said cookies to work without knowing that they were "duds". When asked about it later ( Abigail: Did the guys comment on how ugly the cookies where?! Brett: Ummm....no?! What are you talking about?! They looked fine! They were eaten really fast, I don't think anyone looked at them...) my icing skills were both appreciated and unappreciated all at the same time.

So, lessons were learned: Don't do crafts with upset. Don't do crafts if you want them appreciated by hungry dudes. Maybe move forward from cookies for a while...

And so I decided to do a new project last night ( have you noticed I'm left alone a lot with a ton of time on my hands?! hahaha!)

I made this little Count Down to Christmas platter/sign last night using:
One IKEA tray that cost $3 ( seriously! Why can't I live near an IKEA!?!?), some chalk board paint ( whoever invented this stuff deserves some sort of Craft Crown), some leftover white paint from when I made Ransom's mobile way back in the day, and a little red nail polish ( yup! That's how I roll.)

Anyway, the green numbers are in chalk and I think it turned out relatively cute considering I'm the one who made it. Luckily I have a kid now and in a few years people will just assume that he made it and will think that its adorable.

Orchids

2011-12-01T19:16:00.000-06:00

On Thanksgiving morning I woke up all stressed about my day....I was counting guests ( the surprise ones and the ones planned on...), game planning my food making schedule ( start potatoes at 11:30, put casserole in over at 11:45...) and I headed into the kitchen to make Ransom a sippy cup when I noticed something that made me stop:

This orchid my friend Amy gave me months ago when she moved to Fort Campbell...side note: the only positive thing about being the friend who stays behind when everyone else moves ( which is the awful side effect of being stationed at a Army post that is usually where people go just for schools...) is that you collect a lot of condiments ( I have at least half used ketchups in my fridge at any given point) and dry goods ( rice anyone?!)...and every so often you get an Orchid!! Anyway, Amy gave me this orchid months ago...and I put it on my kitchen ledge. Watered it a few times. And promptly forgot about it.

And then, Thanksgiving Day, it bloomed. And now its kept on blooming!! I've got two and it looks like at least two more to go buds coming out!! What a nice surprise! Something I wasn't even looking for that brought me such joy was the reminder that I needed that sometimes special things DO happen.
Which has inspired a message:

Army. Most of the time I really despise you. You're like the family member I can't stand ( I'm assuming, I don't have any such family members myself). Most of the time all I see is your flaws. But, I'm going to throw you a bone and point out one of the greatest things about you. Thank you for the friendships. I have meet friends who I never ever would have met otherwise and I am SO grateful for them.
Yes, in just a few weeks you are taking away my friend Miranda to exotic Hawaii ( why didn't we get stationed there?!?) and honestly this blog may get a bit morose after she's gone, but I'll focus on the positive here and say that I am so grateful that I at least got these last six months with her! She has been a kindred spirit in a time when a kindred spirit was most needed. We're alike enough to like all the same TV shows ( Gilmore Girls! Castle! New Girl!) and recipes ( Guinness Brownies! Butternut Squash Lasagna!) and have equally nerdy husbands- but different enough to be able to see into each others lives and encourage and cheer each other on in just the right way. I, who have never ever liked running, have looked forward to walking/ huffing and puffing the news of the past day with Miranda. At risk of being a bit too poetic, she was my Orchid during a particularly stressful time. And Army, I am thankful.

Oh. And obviously God gets the serious credit here. Why do I doubt that He will provide when He always always does? I am grateful for Melissa, Keri, Rolinda, Deb and Robin and other ladies who He has given me during this time and season, as well....yes, I am currently sitting alone at home at 9pm-not expecting my husband any time soon...but I am provided for nonetheless. Little Orchid reminders that there is beauty just waiting to bloom.

Advent Week #2

2011-11-25T18:42:00.000-06:00

Boy, do I need this study today! I personally hate black Friday....I mean, I'm just as materialistic as the next girl( sadly) but I try to at least keep up the appearances that I'm not....there is nothing about Black Friday that exudes conservative or being happy with what one already has. Nothing. And so I hate it. Oh and I hate crowds and getting up early or staying up late-so there's that too ;)
Anyway, I had to go against everything that I stand for today and go wrap presents at the Px ( basically a cross between a Walmart and a Kmart that also sells Coach purses...) to raise money for Brett's company's Family Readiness Group. Five hours on my feet....wearing an elf hat and making up different words to Jingle Bells that basically says "Let us wrap your presents, you give us five dollars..."
Put all that together and I'm grouch.

So I came home, gave my kid a bath and read...

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 and then Isaiah 11:1-4, 6-9
and then I went and listened to this...

Now, did that not give you chills when it gets to the chorus, "WONDERFUL! COUNSELOR! ALMIGHTY GOD!...." ?!
That's how these verses need to be read...with that kind of joy and expectation, that kind of reverence.
And getting down to business, I confess that I actually went about memorizing this whole chapter this past summer and I got to...ooooh....verse 3. This has reminded me and inspired me to pick it back up. Because, while it is a Promise about Jesus-something that's already happened. I also find these verses to be a Promise for the future.
First of all, the government will be on His Shoulders. Basically, bottom line. He will Rule over all. No more stressing and worrying about this or that about our own government...at least not worry to the point of distraction. For here I am reminded that ultimately there is One who will have Victory over it ALL...

Wonder Counselor- I learned today that the word "Wonderful" actually means "miraculous". and Counselor is "one of great wisdom". Oh how we all desire that! Someone who is miraculously wise when it comes to our lives. How I must trust in Jesus that He is, indeed, just that!

The Mighty God- Ah yes, important detail, since so many like to say Jesus was a "prophet" or a "wise man"...here it flat out says that He is God. We cannot dilute and decide which bits and pieces we want to believe. He is God. The Almighty God. And He deserves my Praise.

The Everlasting Father-Oh how wonderful! We are all in need of a Daddy. A true Father. One who loves us, disciplines us, protects us, instructs us....Jesus is just that. He is are everlasting father.

Prince of Peace- I love this one! The one who brings peace. The giver of blessing. I saw the great need for this characteristic of Jesus in the Px today. So many searching for peace and blessing in a giant TV....And I too am guilty of looking in all the wrong places. And yet, here it is, the Answer. Jesus is the Prince of Peace....

And then I love at the end of verse 7 it says "And the zeal of the Lord will accomplish this." Wow. Nothing, nothing could get in the way of the Lord's ultimate plan of sending us a Savior in the form of Jesus. And this was prophesied ( here in Isaiah) a good 700 years before Christ ( or so my wikipedia skills tell me). And I was reminded in Genesis last week, the Lord knew from the BEGINNING that He would one day bring a Savior to Earth. Awesome, truly awesome.

And now, since I'm once again in danger of making this post too wordy...my favorite favorite part of the Chapter 11 reading has to be verse 3:

His greatest joy will be to Obey the Father. This king will not judge by appearances and listen to rumors...

Many spend so much time reading the Gospels ( the books, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) to figure out the characteristics of Christ-as well we should! But I forget to look elsewhere as well for the characteristics of Jesus that I can try to emulate and learn from....and after a day spent surrounded by gossip and the temptation to be catty. I am glad of a reminder of our Lord, a thankfulness in my heart that He is both fair and just and the perfect example of an obedient Son.

Spending an evening thinking about these characteristics of Christ reminds me afresh how much I love Him and delight in celebrating His birth and look expectantly to His coming.

I wish I'd thought of this sooner ( Happy Birthday, Me.)

2011-11-21T15:28:00.000-06:00

So, on Sunday I was taking my thirty minute walk with God...which turned into me sitting on a swing in the elementary school's playground that is conveniently located across the street from our house....the sky was beautiful, bright autumn blue with streaks of clouds across it. The air was warm, but since it was about 3pm most of the humidity had burned off ( thanks Georgia Fall...you just CANT make up your mind can you!?)...anyway, I was listening to praise music and thanking God for many things. And I was reminded that when I turned 22, I took the time every day of the month of November, up until my Birthday...to talk about a different person ( or persons) who have impacted my life up to that point.
So I went back, and I checked it out.

Its interesting that if I was to do the same thing today, there would be a whole slew of new people that I would need to add, and that in just 6 years I could think of ten people ( or peoples) who I would definitely need to talk about, thank God for, be reminded of how they have impacted me, changed me and helped shape the person I am today. ( and that list includes really impacting people...like my husband(!) and son(!)) Its amazing how quickly time passes and how much has happened in the past 6 years. I've moved 6 times and lived in 4 different states, I've gotten married, "joined" the Army Life, I've had four jobs-two of which were non-paying ( haha!) ...so make that FIVE jobs ( I'm now counting Mothering as a job), and I've had a child, I've become an aunt several times over, and I've made many new friends and lost touch with several. I've come to terms with the person that I once was, and I've learned a lot about who I want to be.
I am excited that the next six years prove to be JUST as exciting!!

Advent Week #1

2011-11-18T15:07:00.000-06:00

Gen. 3:8-19, Gen 22:15-18

As far as this study goes ( if you're inclined to look ahead at the coming weeks readings), this week has by far the "hardest" passage. And it may even seem odd that we'd read about the "fall of man" during the Christmas season, a time of Joy and Hope.

But, really, as with any gift, the gift is much better when you know how much went into it-time, thought, money....these are things we often subconsciously calculate when valuing a gift we receive. And of course, the BEST gifts are the ones you really want ( or if you're dramatic like me...need.)....

And if there was every a gift that we needed more than anything-it would be Jesus. The Son of God.
In reading Genesis 3, especially the first part ( I took a running start at our reading for the study), is such a grim reminder of what a scummy person I really am...even on my best days. I am JUST like Adam and Eve ( pointing the finger, making excuses etc. etc.) and just like Adam and Eve, I'm sinful. Very very sinful.

And yet, how glorious is verse 15?!?
When right there as God's talking to the Devil he talks about His Son for the first time....

"You and this woman will hate each other; your descendants and hers will always be enemies. One of hers ( JESUS!!!!!) will strike you on the head, and you shall bruise his heal."

Right here at the very BEGINNING of the Bible, God is really ready with a way to send freedom and victory to mankind. Beautiful. Awe-inspiring.

Which brings me to the second passage for this week, a little change of gears but always a great piece of our Christmas "Heritage"....

I always love looking at these Promises that God makes to Abraham and after him Isaac, and Israel, and even David later on....with each, God talks about their Family, their Nation....how they will be more "numerous than the sands of the seashore" and how their "descendants ( JESUS!!!) will be a blessing to the whole world!! I always get goosebumps when I think about how this is quite literally talking about all of us! How because of His sacrifice on the Cross, we are now part of this Family.
What a family, a family that may not be connected by blood, but instead by Heart.

This holiday season I thank God for my "extended" family...the ones connected by Blood...but not family blood, but instead the Blood that Christ spilled for us all. (oooops! Look at me! I switched and went all Easter on this Christmas post!! Gah! I can't help it!). I have such an amazing family-and even though Brett and I and now Ransom too are all over the place, I know we are never alone. I am grateful for my family.

GET EXCITED!!!! ( New Bloggin' Bible Study!!)

2011-11-13T19:40:00.000-06:00

So, I have to tell you I was a bit...I dont know...at a loss about what to do for the next Bloggin' Bible Study. And since most of you where all about starting up again immediately...the crunch was on! At first, I was all about doing another poll and voting about which book of the Bible to study next (I still want to do this in the future...) , but then...then I read a blog post and I got really inspired. Strike that. I got inspired and EXCITED!!

The blog post I read is here. But basically its an advertisement for an album put out-all proceeds go to help those affected by human trafficking-by the band Jubilee. The album is an Advent Album, basically 9 "lessons" ( or scripture readings) and some Christmas Hymns to be meditated on leading up until Christmas...and this got me thinking. WE HAVE GOT TO CELEBRATE Advent together here on our Bloggin' Bible Study! What better way to study the bible in this busy "holiday" season then to prepare ourselves with some preparation and expectation for the coming of Christ?!?!

So, we've got (pauses to count) 6 weeks until Christmas. And I would like to do at least 5 weeks of "lessons" ( though I think I'll do one for Christmas Eve too...just because I love it so much!)....
Now, this time it'll be a little bit harder to keep up because we're jumping around the Bible, but hopefully we'll get some great thoughts about Jesus's coming and a better grasp of the "big picture" of Christmas and it'll all be worth it! Here is my guide for the coming weeks!! I'll be referencing back to it as the weeks go on, but feel free to read the passages and go with what the Spirit leads you on how YOU study it!! And once again, remember to link your thoughts to me in the comment section and I'll be keeping up with all the links up at the top of the page under "bloggin' bible study"

Week One ( Nov 18):
Read Genesis 3: 8-19, Genesis 22:15-18
Make sure I understand the context, and connect it to Jesus coming to Earth. ( by looking at the whole chapter if need be and surrounding verses, check out http://biblos.com/ for added notes and commentary if you want.)
Ask myself what this speaks to my life today. And how is this going to affect this Christmas for me?

Week Two (Nov 25):
Read Isaiah 9:2, and verses 6-7, Isaiah 11:1-4, and 6-9

Make sure I understand the context, and connect it to Jesus coming to Earth. ( by looking at the whole chapter if need be and surrounding verses, check out http://biblos.com/ for added notes and commentary if you want.)

Ask myself what this speaks to my life today. And how is this going to affect this Christmas for me?

Week Three (Dec 2):
Read Luke 1:26-38.
Check to see if there are other accounts of this particular event in other gospels...think about how this particular passage may or may not be how I've always thought it was ( i.e. in childhood stories etc.) and once again ask myself what this speaks to my life today. And how is this going to affect this Christmas for me?

Week Four (Dec 9):
Read Luke 2:1-16

Check to see if there are other accounts of this particular event in other gospels...think about how this particular passage may or may not be how I've always thought it was ( i.e. in childhood stories etc.) and once again ask myself what this speaks to my life today. And how is this going to affect this Christmas for me?

Week Five (Dec 16):
Read Matt 2:1-12

BONUS CHRISTMAS READING (Dec 24):
Read John 1:1-14

Ask myself what this speaks to my life today. And how is this going to affect this Christmas for me?

A good season

2011-11-13T18:58:00.000-06:00

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.

They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream.

It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall say green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.

Jer 17:7-8

I think we just might be in a “year of drought” around here. Now, I hesitate to say that because usually ( and here comes my non-Pollyanna thought process…) when I think things are bad I get shown what bad reeeeally looks like. But, anyway, instead of saying things are bad, I’ll just say that things are currently hard.

But, I was really encouraged by the whole “does not cease to bear fruit” part. I think I often critique my circumstances and think, “well, I shouldn’t start looking for God to do anything right NOW…because right now is really bad…I’m sure he’ll wait and do something later when things are better…”

Which brings me to Joshua 3. I read this a few months ago and was reminded of it today...This chapter BLOWS MY MIND. Imagine Israelites wandering around in the desert for 40 years and then finally, after all that time God decides to send them on over into the Promise Land…”when the river was at its fullest.” Um..really?! 40 years and God had to wait and send them during the rainy season?! During the season when crossing rivers is the hardest?!?!

WOW. Bad planning God. Or iiiiissss it?!

But, I bet the Israelites didn’t see it coming, bet they thought-as I would have, that surely God would wait for a more “optimal” time to do his work. Wrong.

I think we should expect God to move ALL the time! There is no bad season with God. There is no drought, or flood that can stop God from doing what He wants in our lives. His fruit has no particular season in which it grows best. Instead all that matters is the ground in which its growing. I need to stop looking around at my circumstances and instead make sure my tree has some deep/long roots….then just start watching. Because something’s bound to happen!

Philippians Bloggin Bible Study- In Review

2011-11-07T11:55:00.000-06:00

So, I've been thinking about how I'd classify this Philippians Bloggin' Bible Study...and I'd have to say "refreshing" and "laid back" would be at the top of my list.
Refreshing because its been good to have the accountability and the consistency of really digging deep into the Word and ask questions, not just reading it because "I should" or its a "good idea" but because its meant to deeply impact my life and its one of the ways in which God speaks to me...so really why wouldn't I be doing this more?!?

And laid back because I've been down right delighted that people do not find the "Fridays" deadline as a restriction for doing the studies...eventually. hehe!! I've SO loved going back and seeing people slowly trickle in as they find the time to read and study a chapter and share their thoughts! I think all told about 14 people participated at some point or another and I hope that those who only got through the first few chapters do not consider this bible study "finished" until they've added their thoughts for the final chapters!! I'm still adding links up at the top of the page there! So feel free to let me know when you want added...

Also, I've added a little poll to the sidebar of this blog, so if you're reading this on your phone, ipad, or on a blog roll, please visit my ACTUAL blog and answer the question pleeeeease! :-)
And feel free to add your "review" of this "bloggin' bible study" in the comment section. I'm looking for things like, "your posts were too long." " I wish we'd had more time on each chapter." "I loved your witty remarks about holy scriptures." and "why don't they give out Oscars for Blog posts?! You should get one." etc. etc.

And of course, head on over to the Link at the top of the blog where you can visit all the ladies who've participated in this study and read all their great thoughts on Philippians! I keep adding to the list so check back in! :-)

Headed home

2011-11-05T22:03:00.000-05:00

So, I've been pretty MIA this week because my brain has been on vacation since last Thursday...in fact, the brain went on vacay a bit TOO early, since I was one minute late for check in and was told that we could not check any bags.
I literally stuffed Ransom's Pjs and a few diapers and our tooth brushes into my purse and had to give my suitcase to my friend Miranda to take home....a ten day trip with only the clothes on our backs....awwwwwwweeeeeessssssooooooome!
But as irony would have it, while I couldn't be ONE MINUTE LATE for check in....my plane could be 45 minutes late without any repercussions. However, the silver lining was Miranda miraculously did not go straight home,but went just down the street to Birlington Coat Factory. So she was able to quickly buy a Carryon bag,stuff as much of our clothes into the bag and bring it to me at security. Whew! Crisis semi-averted.

BUT THEN I went and left my iPad on the plane in Dallas. So yeah. That was also a no-brain moment. ( after a tearful night, a million calls to the airport lost and found and a drive BACK to the airport, I did get it back. Praise God.)

So, that's how I started the trip. So needless to say, I'm a bit nervous about Ransom and my return trip tomorrow.
Though I will say, with a time change and a time zone change I honestly have NO IDEA when we're getting home. Hahaha

The rest of our trip to Texas was a total 180 from the beginning ( minus the stomach bug that Ransom and I both got...on the same night...awful) and we had a grand time with family! We loved every minute. I was gratified to notice that Ransom seemed to recognize all his Nacogoches "haunts" immediately and didn't need any time to get use to his bed in the closet again. ( I will be so sad when Ransom outgrows sleeping in a walk in closet on trips...it's SO handy). Which makes me even more excited about Christmas when we can spend even more time with both sides of the family and most importantly Brett will be with us too! I love the thought that Ransom is going to have such great memories of time in Nacogdoches...the place where all the people who spoil him live.

But, at least for now, we must return to real life. A root canal calls my name on Tuesday. And Ransom needs to realize that he can walk just as well at home as it can in Texas. We get to look forward to Daddy coming home from the field and hopefully get some time together. a thanksgiving celebration to plan. And, of course, I've got a finale Philippians Post to write and hopefully some much needed hang outs with my darling friends that I've missed while being gone!! real life isn't all THAT bad
See you when I get back :-)

Philippians Chapter 4

2011-10-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

Well, here I am on chapter four! I love that this bible study is dragging out...every week it seems someone gets behind or even starts the bible study for the first time and I keep having to go back and add people's links to the Bloggin' Bible Study page at the top of this blog as they get their study completed! That just tells me that we're all a little bit rebellious and "deadlines" are just suggestions here! Love it. ;-) Keep your thoughts coming and nevermind if you're behind or on a completely different chapter! Jump in where you left off.

Buuuut, since I started this thing I'm doing my darndest to be on time! So here are my thoughts on chapter 4.

The first thing that stuck out to me was about Euodias and Syntyche. ( verse 2). Ok, nevermind that these ladies made the cut into the Bible ( its not like they lived to see that happen). But can you IMAGINE how it must have felt to have your names read aloud at the gathering of the church ( probably in someones home, everyone crammed into the living area, probably eating a little bread, having some wine....listening with eagerness to Paul's letter to them...). And to have Paul CALL YOU OUT.

Oh. Snap.

So, immediately identify. Maybe because I probably need calling out so much of the time. To be perfectly honest, some of the people I have the hardest time getting along with are Sisters in Christ. Ladies who I should be working along side, ladies with a common goal. But instead I get hung up on little things. It needs to stop.

In the book of Ephesians 4:2 it says, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

Wow, what beautiful verses that have a lifetime worth of change in my heart listed. I do not want to be a Euodias and Syntyche.

And now to the big guns!!!! I think just about EVERYBODY that did the overview of Philippians the first week mentioned these verses. They are just that good. I've been looking forward to getting to them this whole study and now that I'm hear I read them:

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And then let the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

What can I add this go around? What more can I glean from these verses that I even have memorized I love them so?

I think its the "And then" part. I'm like a big ol' "prayer and petition" girl...because lets be honest, I'm also an "anxious" girl...and so I get that part of the verse right. I immediately start quoting this verse in my head, "Do not be anxious about anything..." and then I start praying...and I basically start complaining/pleading with God. But, I forget about the connector, the "with thanksgiving" which I think just might be the key to the "And then..." part which talks about the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.

Because THAT'S THE GOOD STUFF!! I'm telling you, there is nothing more wonderful than having the peace of God, that you cannot even EXPLAIN to people when they wonder why the heck you're so calm, or so happy or so peaceful when faced with ....well....let's be honest....life. And so what's the key? I think the key is the thanksgiving part.

I think its being able to thank God for all that He Is. All that He Does. All that He WILL Do. All that He Has Done. And yes, I just used a bunch of capital letters incorrectly. I guess I'm just lacking in the ability to describe what Praise and Thanksgiving are. But I definitely know they are lacking in my life right now.

I have GOT to find a way to have some peace and quiet ( there's something about quiet for me...) in my day, its definitely not happening while Ransom's awake that's for sure, so I don't know....I need to reevaluate my time.

Alright, I should also talk about verses 8 and 9 because they are also totally fantastic and speak to me a lot...but dang it, I'm probably already going on too long and I'm running at risk that you're already bored. *sigh*

Maybe I'll just sneak it in next week when I do my Philippians: RE-CAP. Which is basically when I just re-read philippians. Look back over the key things I've learned and then tell you guys how AWESOME its been reading all your thoughts...so stay tuned for that next week. :-)

Till then...Chapter 4? What do ya think?

Back up plan.

2011-10-25T19:43:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I totally doubt that things aren't going to work out. Sometimes I think about Brett deploying and what I'll do when he does.

However, I really need to remember this truth.... When I envision the future I always leave out a very important factor: The GOD factor.

Like, today for instance. Last night Ransom took two tiny steps. I immediately texted Brett to tell him the exciting news, but at the same time my heart hurt for him! There seemed NO WAY that I'd be able to capture first steps on camera for him to see, and he's always always at work. But, then, this morning after our usual walk my friend Miranda and I were standing in the front yard-SIDE NOTE: ( we'd actually just got back from driving our walking route because we'd lost a blanket from Ransom's stroller some where on the way and had to drive a windy way around our neighborhood till we found it. Good times.).

And I was trying to get Ransom to take a few steps again. But he didn't. Instead he started for REALZ walking...like, ALL OVER the front yard. And so, because Miranda was there to make sure Ransom didn't face plant...I was able to play camera woman ( and crying mother).

See? I couldn't have guessed that would happen. It was not the perfect perfect way ( as in Brett and I were there together to cheer on Ransom), but in some ways this is more perfect. This is the life God has given us, and He helps us through it....

On that same note, Brett is headed off into the field tomorrow for 15 days. The cool thing is I'm headed to Texas the day after. The extra cool part is that my family was planning a little "family reunion" that weekend anyway, without even asking what our schedule was ( they always just assume we won't be able to make it.) so it turned out wonderfully that while Brett is gone Ransom and I will be distracted for 10 days by wonderful Texas Family!

This is JUST LIKE the last time Brett was in the field and our friend Tabitha came to visit. A trip we'd planned long in advance and had no idea that Brett would be gone that week. And there it was. Once again a perfect distraction and company to help me through the lonely times!

I know that there are a lot (lot) of tough things in our future. But I also can not begin to imagine all the ways the Lord will help us through them.

Now, check out my kid truckin' it across the lawn...would you guess these are this 3-20th steps ever?!

Philippians Chapter 3 ( part 2)

2011-10-21T13:00:00.002-05:00

Ok, so where were we?!? Taking a tiny breather and moving on...sometimes I find that if I read too many of these posts all at once my mind gets BLOWN and I need to eat a cookie or something to help my blood sugar levels ( hehe. any excuse for a cookie).

Anyway, continuing on with Philippians 3....

Next I would like to talk about verse 13-14, because its always been a favorite of mine:

...forgetting what lies behind and striving forward to what lives ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

I personally really liked the "Basic English Version" of this too:

..one thing I do, letting go those things which are past, and stretching out to the things which are before..

I like the word choice of "letting go" there because we all know that we usually don't actually forget our past, but I think we can all get a little something from the idea of letting go. How hard it is at times to let go of the past, the things hanging over us, whether
guilt, shame, fear, even sadness and grief. They often hang there and do not let me move forward to a closer relationship with Jesus....but I love this verse! A reminder that the only way to truly press forward and "win the prize" ( as stated in verse 14) is to look ahead! I guess its encouraging to know that that's what JESUS actually wants me to do! He wants me to stop dwelling on what is already done and move forward!
I liked what I read in Barnes commentary:

Backward, we see everything to dishearten and to humble. Our own unfaithfulness; our coldness, deadness, and dullness; the little zeal and ardor which we have, all are fitted to humble and discourage. He is the most cheerful Christian who looks onward, and who keeps heaven always in view; he who is accustomed much to dwell on the past, though he may be a true Christian, will be likely to be melancholy and dispirited, to be a recluse rather than a warm-hearted and active friend of the Saviour.

So, I am going to look over my day to day thoughts and see if I am holding on a little too tightly to anything from the past and if so, I'm going to try to sort those things out...

Philippians Chapter 3 ( part 1)

2011-10-21T09:50:00.001-05:00

So here we go...next chapter and oddly enough I think my application for this week comes for verse ONE!

"Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord...."

I looked up the word "rejoice" in the greek and it its original meaning here is something along the lines of "be conscious of his grace." Nice. I definitely have not been doing that enough, and thinking about my prayers lately the are mostly if not completely requests. Sometimes I'm thankful for prayers that have already been answered, but I've definitely been spending ZERO time just rejoicing in God for who He is. For the grace that He bestows continually...something I want to do more, especially as we enter into the Thanksgiving season ;-)

oooooo...there's so much in this chapter and I think I could write about something from every verse, but I'll just do my favorites...

in verse 3 ( ok, so I didn't get much further! heh) it reads:
"For it is we who are the circumcision ( meaning Jews, or God's chosen people), who worship in the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh-even though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh."

So, this could be a bit confusing if you don't know some background key "bible back story". Basically the Jews are God's chosen people as decided by their great great great (great) granddaddy's relationship with God ( Abraham). Then through Moses, God gave these people the rules to live by "The Law" ( which includes but is not limited to the ten commandments) ...and so, as Jewish people they had a lot of (rightly to some extent) confidence in their heritage and there relationship with God. However, and what Paul is talking about here, when Jesus and died on the cross came he did away with the Law...he got rid of all the hoops and bells and whistles that a person once had to jump through in which to get "in good" with God. He also did something marvelous ( in my opinion) and got rid of the whole "having to be a Jew" thing and basically gave EVERYONE the right to become children of God ( John 1:12) . And so here Paul is reminded the Philippians of that fact. And here's where I stopped to ponder....

Do I sometimes put my confidence in other things, other than in Jesus and what He's done for me?

This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, Jeremiah 9:23

Do I often put my confidence in my own heritage ( after all, I am lucky enough to have a pretty amazing family ( both blood and not) who have good relationships with Jesus and who's faith is strong ( BUT THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!) and afterall, I am a good person- even though I have really really wanted to yell at my downstairs neighbor ( yes, the ones with the naked little boy sign out front) for waking Ransom up from his nap TWICE this week..I haven't=good person. And I volunteer, and give to the poor and I exercise and eat right and take care of the environment ( we drive a Prius!!) (ALL OF THESE THINGS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!) . I also read my Bible every day, and do Bible studies ( like this one!) and I pray and I try to help others grow in their relationship with God! ( NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!). Yup, bottom line. I should not be putting my confidences in any of these things, but instead realize and delight in the fact that all of this is not important. The only thing that is important-" the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." ( verse 7) .

Jesus wants me to KNOW his, and have a RELATIONSHIP with Him....and He wants me to quit putting all my trust ( aka. my worries, my time, my energies) into things that are not as important. Sure, all those things I listed above are part of it, but they are just that-PART, the toppings, the condiments...they are not the juicy goodness that is the bottom line: A relationship. With Jesus.

OH MAN! I haven't even gotten past verse 3!!! And I've said so much already!

How bout we call this part one and I post part two a little later?!?

New Recipe time!!!

2011-10-20T15:09:00.000-05:00

So, as I have said before...I'm a little bit addicted to Pinterest. But, unlike past addictions this one is a KEEPER! I currently have a cute fall wreath on my front door, a fun fall centerpiece on my table and I'm working on a wine bottle vase right now....and don't get me started on the recipes.

Well, actually you SHOULD get me started because you have just GOT to try some of the yummy things that have been going on in my house lately.

First of all, Sunday Waffle Day is something everyone should do. I mean, if you need to make it Saturday Waffle Day or Sunday Pancake Day that's ok too...the point is. Breakfast is a lost art in my house most of the time...but I'm LOVING bringing it back and making it "special" again.

So, we tried a truly awesome recipe a few weeks ago and I've already made them again! PUMPKIN WAFFLES! ( I adapted my recipe from this link ...its pretty much the same I just save you a little on how many bowls you need to use-seriously. Who likes to do dishes?!?)

1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. cloves ( I have yet to have this on hand...still turned out yum!)
• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and warm

Lightly oil the waffle iron with vegetable oil, and set it to the desired temperature.
Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk together to break apart the cornstarch. Add the remaining dry ingredients, and whisk to blend.
Separate eggs: yolks go into dry ingred. bowl and whites get set aside in a smaller bowl.
Add pumpkin and milk to the egg yolks.
Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high until stiff peaks form – about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes. Set aside.
Pour melted butter into the yolk/milk/pumpkin mixture. As you pour, use electric mixer to mix everything together. ( This is why I do the egg whites first..so I can use the same dirty electric mixer...)
Slide the whipped egg whites out of the bowl and onto the mixture you just prepared. Gently fold them in until no white bits are obvious.
Pour into waffle iron. ENJOY!

No time for the internet?!?!

2011-10-18T15:21:00.000-05:00

Seriously. That's how life has been lately. But it's time for a genuine catch up so here goes:
Ransom's been wanting to walk all over the house. Which he could TOTALLY do without me, but its SO MUCH BETTER ( according to a recent poll of one) if he's holding on to my index finger....so that takes up time.

And then there's hosting various visitors and guests in our home. ( our friend Christoph just left this morning. I hadn't seen him in ten years and Brett hadn't seen him in seven, but he's one of those totally awesome people that you can be comfortable around IMMEDIATELY. We loved having him in our home, I just hope he enjoys watching a one year old exclaim about cars driving by...because that's about the height of excitement around here....)
Brett's working at least 15 hours a day and some during the weekend for good measure. You just don't notice all that your husband does for you until he's not around ;-)....but when we DO get to see him luckily our time is filled up doing Army related activities. Examples: Last week we went and saw a play that Brett had to attend, and on Saturday we all went to the teeny tiny town of Lumpkin and enjoyed there Street Fair. I will say, on the Street Fair note, I'm almost glad we were "invited" to go, since I would have NEVER gone otherwise...and I would have then missed out on the 4 piece marching band.

And speaking of.... I'm getting a ROOT CANAL. Which is AWESOME. I literally have ONE cavity in my WHOLE HEAD and it turns out to need a root canal?!?! Doesn't that seem fishy?!? So yes.

I know, I know, this post paints a dreary picture, but its really not- Fall is my absolutely favorite time of year and I refuse to have it ruined. Next week Ransom and I are headed to Texas for a week ( wooo!) and I'm currently digging an AMAZING Bible Study series that we're doing with some friends of ours...its called Experiencing God ( please ignore the scary looking Moses on the cover) and I have literally had all sorts of misconceptions about God ( and myself) blown out of the water almost daily. It's THAT amazing. I've also been making some rockin' recipes lately that I plan to share with you all in a few posts so staaaaay tuned!

Philippians Chapter 2

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

613 miles....that's the distance that Epaphroditus had to travel from Philippi to Rome. NO WONDER HE ALMOST DIED!! Across modern day Turkey, Macedonia, probably part of Greece ( I'm no historian here)...and then cross the Adriatic Sea and then over Italy to get to Rome.
THAT'S what E ( I am getting tired of slowly spelling out his name every time..and besides if we were in a real live Bible study right now I'd be calling him "E" because I can never pronounce names in the Bible anyways...so this makes it way more realistic), so that's what E had to do to bring some money to Paul in Rome.

I think after I had read the whole chapter and then did my research on E's travels it totally changed everything I was going to write about the chapter. It just became a lot more REAL. Paul talking about putting others before ourselves. Reminding his readers of the Example of Christ-who came to SERVE not to be BE SERVED ( Mark 10:45), who gave His very life for us all...my favorite "Easter" verses in this chapter being: (7-8)
rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
   he humbled himself
   by becoming obedient to death—
      even death on a cross!

then Paul's reminder to the Philippians to not grumble or complain about doing good works ( this is no accident!! As soon as you start telling me to be selfless and humble, all the arguing and bad-attitude-ness in me starts bubbling over and I'm guessing its the same for the Philippians too!
And then Paul brings it back to talking about his own feelings towards them where we get to this verse:
(verse 17)
Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you..."
Which when I thought about what that MEANS:
Ok, so a drink offering in my limited knowledge was basically pouring out some wine on to the ground. Now, its kind of a cool symbol of giving something up to God because-have you ever tried to scoop up a drink when you've accidentally spilled it ( let's say something precious like baby formula)?-its pretty well near impossible. So, the picture Paul is painting is here is that he's willing to literally spill out his life, "waste" it, not get it back, give it up completely for the Philippians. Wow.

I think its the idea that its "wasteful" which I kind of talked about in my last blog post. I seem to put way to much importance on whether its "worth it" not whether its just something that would honor God in doing it. Something to think about.

Anyway, back to the chapter. Like I was saying, after seeing the living example of this guy "E" I think I understand what verses 3 and 4 mean a lot more:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interest but each of you to the interests of others.
613 miles.
So what's my application for this week? First let me tell you about this last week....I think that I was able to encourage someone else, in fact, God was very cool and allowed me to help someone on a particularly awful day: Army Packing Up All Your Stuff Day. So I was grateful for that answered prayer. And I was also able to tell someone who's been an encouragement to ME, "thank you"...but honestly it was not as well as I would have liked. It ended up being over text message and that's about as special as toast. But I'll try to do better on that one.
Ok, so this week...this week I feel like the study as shown me a lot about just HOW un-servant like I am. And that deep down, I am CONSTANTLY counting the cost rather than just diving in headfirst to love and serve others. So, this week I'm going to specifically do something that gave me a bad attitude all last week! More of my time ( and sadly money) to Brett's work environment. I'm going to stop there with the details because I don't really want to talk about it much here, but that should be enough for you to keep me accountable to doing it!!

Alright! What did you guys think of Philippians 2? And those of you who didn't write up a chapter 1 study...no biggie! Would still love you thoughts on either chapter just link them up here! :-)

Philippians Chapter 1....again

2011-10-13T18:31:00.000-05:00

So, before I get started on Chapter 2, I have to share with you something that I got from my chapter 1 study this week...sometimes I'm a slow learner and I have to ruminate on things for longer than just a week-which is why I'm digging this study so much! No time restraints! Go at your own speed! It just all about reading the Bible and thinking about it a little more deeply! ( how many more exclamation marks can I use in a paragraph?)

So, last we I mentioned that I went and read Acts 28 which gives kind of the surrounding story of what was going on in Paul's life when he wrote the letter to the Philippians-anyway, it says in verse 30 that "He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him..And now thinking back to what he wrote in Chapter 1 he says that he was rejoicing in his circumstances as long as it meant that the Gospel got out to people! So I just now connected the fact that he was not only in prison, and not only still preaching from prison ( which had to be limiting to say the least) but he was paying for it OUT OF POCKET!
Ok, so lets talk about money for a second because its here that I need some altering of mind. Basically, I think I could almost be as chill as Paul about his circumstances being less than stellar until I realized that I was going to have to pay for it! Sad but true. I would have started complaining immediately. And in realizing this, I am realizing that I may not be trusting God with our finances as much as I would like. Especially finances that we give away.....key word "away". As in no longer under my rule. I need to be ok with God deciding to use that money ANY way He sees fit...even if its something unpractical like paying for a prison sentence that seemingly limits ones ability to get around and preach...yeah. That's a good example of it not making sense in human terms but making perfect sense in God terms. In fact, after going back and re-reading this paragraph-I need to let go of my "rule" of ALL our money and resources! I am waaay too controlling!

Stay tuned for Chapter 2....

Take a moment

2011-10-13T10:49:00.001-05:00

This morning Ransom woke up with a runny nose. A seriously runny nose. And whether its allergies, teething or a real live cold we all know that where there's snot there are germs and so I had to sadly cancel my afternoon plans with some lovely lovely ladies ( and their daughters).
A serious BUM. ER.

And I was all pouty and such and when I put Ransom down for his nap instead of dusting and sweeping like I TOLD myself I would...I plopped down to blog read.

And I read today's blog post by a lovely lady Jeanne who I have known my whole life....( you know when you get older and you realize that your childhood playmate's parents are really cool and you wish that they'd like you and be friends with you too? Anyway, that's how I feel about this lovely lady.) And she shared a video that she had done for Mikeschair's new album.
Now, let me just say this, I remember being a little kid and hearing what was happening to her son, I remember the prayers, the tears. But it resonated all over again today. I sat on my couch and cried.

Friends, we live in a fallen world, a world full of sorrow and sometimes things happen that are SO mysterious that the only place to find an answer is at Jesus's Feet. I loved how Jeanne shares how she realized the only way to get through what was happening was to go to the One who had let it happen in the first place...wow. As soon as she said it I remembered back to our own Heartbreaks and I knew exactly what she meant. Its probably one of the HARDEST challenges of my life, but I am so grateful for the beauty that such sorrows have taught us. Please watch this video. Currently words are failing me. I pray its an encouragement today!

Philippians Chapter 1

2011-10-07T08:01:00.000-05:00

So, to set the scene. I have a headache. I found out today my babysitter had an accident has two torn ligaments and a sprained femur....and has to have surgery next week. ( and of course my first thought was THERE GOES MY DATE ON SATURDAY not to mention all the other sitting jobs I have lined up with her). Ransom continues his crazy nap schedule today by only sleeping 45 min. ALL DAY....and I'm WORN OUT.

And that's the state that I entered into Philippians 1. Awesome!! But, seriously, its at times like these when my head is ANYWHERE but the right place that I NEED to be running to my Bible. This is the time for me to have some Jesus-work done....

So the first verse that "popped" for me was verse six:

⁶And I am sure of this, that he who began^(H) a good work in you. will bring it to completion at^(J) the day of Jesus Christ.

Incidentally, I copied that straight from Biblegateway.com where I can literally click on the cross references and they take me right to other verses in the bible on the same topic. Sweet!

Which, I really liked this one:

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Ps 138: 8

I think I've always found oddly comforting in verse 6 of Phil 1, because it puts in blunt terms that which I am already very aware of: "I'm not done yet."
If I were in the oven, you'd want to stick me back in. The older I get the more I realize just HOW much grace I still need from Jesus ( case in point: me thinking about myself and not my poor sweet babysitter with the messed up knee.) BUT there's a promise there. A promise that God is at work in me ( as long as I let Him!) and He's gonna stay there until His work is done!! I am so grateful that He does not give up on us, that while He does, indeed, know just what kind of awfulness goes on in my head, He's fully capable and willing to help me become a better person...to become more like Him.

The next verse that struck me was verse 12:

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.

This read through I actually went and read specifically about Paul's imprisonment in the Book of Acts:
Chapter 28 and how Paul lived in Rome ( under house arrest) for two years at his own expense talking to anyone that would come and visit him and talk to him about Jesus. I think it helped give me greater perspective. I know it might be a bit geeky but it helps me to get the "story" behind what Paul's writing his letter. And I think what reeeeally stopped me in my tracks was what he said about how him being imprisoned there had caused the Truth about Jesus to spread-sometimes because of people being sincerely inspired to share and other times because of some other mean-spiritedness in the person...either way Paul was happy that the Gospel was shared. Ummm...wait. Hold the phone!! You mean to tell me Paul didn't care what the motives of a person where as long as the Truth was shared?!? And this is how I need to be too?!?
Well, then I've wasted a LOT of energy in the past trying to figure out if the people around me were sincere or not!! I've also wasted a lot of energy judging others on how they like to tell others about Jesus, or how they show love...I'm a judger-mcjudger-pants.
The bottom line is if I cared a little less about what other people are doing and saying ( and thinking too..if I could some how figure that out) and spent more time trying hard to share what I know about Jesus and what He's done in my life with people. Well....yeah. That'd be better.
I am sincerely humbled by how little amount of credit Paul wants for himself ( I'd be all like, look at me and how God's using me! ME! ME! ME!) and how He give ALL glory to God.

And now on to verse 21-26:
For to me to live is Christ ( meaning sacrifice and suffering) , and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh ( as in on Earth), that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and to be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain (here on Earth) is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

I love these verses for several reasons. First once again, it shows Paul's devotion to the people in Philipi that he was willing to keep on going because he knew that it would be better for THEM. The other great thing here is Paul's obvious desire to be with Jesus.
I don't think I think about Heaven enough. But, really, the thought of being with Jesus is an encouragement and puts everything of today into perspective.....

I actually had to take a break writing this post last night because some things came up, and then in the middle of the night, the guy staying with us got up to take a shower and head to the airport...but left his phone alarm that had woken him up ( at 2am) on...and so, I spent a good ten minutes around 2:30am trying to find a guys phone in the midst of all his stuff while it goes off SO LOUDLY you could hear it in our room...all while he's happily in the shower.
I tell you that, because I am in desperate need of perspective. My thoughts, my priorities they are all very "worldy". They have so much to do with just getting through today, when really I should have my heart and mind so transfixed on Jesus that that stuff is but a blip. I mean, don't get me wrong. I feel sure that even Paul would have been annoyed by that cell phone. ( haha!) but I think he would have used that hour or so after when he was lying in bed, heart still racing, to pray and spend time with his Best Friend....I want to be more like that.

Ok, so this is getting super long! But I've got ONE MORE thought, and this one is where my application comes into play!!
Its from verses 27-28, ... that I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your.
opponets...

I realize more and more just how SUPER IMPORTANT it is to have at least one person who you're walking side by side with it does indeed help you to stand firm and to keep striving and to not be frightened by things that come up against you ( even if its just the day to day stuff...) and so while my first thought in how to "apply" this particular idea to my life was to just in a very general way, I want to make sure its something I can quantify to you next week. So, instead, I've decided to specifically tell someone who's been of a particular encouragement in my Faith lately just HOW much they've encouraged me...and then I will also meet up with someone who I know I've neglected in the same way and hopefully I can be an encouragement to them!! I'll let you know how I do!

Twwwoooo moooore daaaays

2011-10-05T13:12:00.000-05:00

Hey peeps.

This week has been totally crazy. Case in point: Two and a half hours at the doctors office. During Ransom's nap time. awwwwesome!

Luckily we got medicine and Ransom is currently sleeping it off ( I've got my fingers and toes crossed that he'll sleep longer than usual.). Ironically he's been in that horrible transition between two naps and one for a while now, and today might ACTUALLY be the best napping we've had all week. Wouldn't that be ironic?!?

Anywhos. I just wanted to remind everyone to enjoy the fine "fall" weather ( 80 degrees...that counts right?!) or whatever weather you're having in your local...and then DON'T FORGET TO DO YOUR Philippians study!!! I'll be sharing my chapter 1 thoughts on Friday and I can't wait to hear what you guys think too! ( check out the top of the blog for all the links to everyone's thoughts from last week)

Lovely lovely lovelies

2011-10-02T14:25:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to post to let everyone know that I've added a little Page Tab at the top of my blog where you can find all the links to the Philippians Week One studies. I need to ponder how/ or if to post the ones sent to me via email. I feel like I'm the winner here since I get to read ALL the posts! You guys make my day ( and week!).

So Ransom might be in the dreaded transition from two naps to one. Either that or he's teething/sick/or just plain ornery...all that to say-we had to spend a goodly amount of time outside in the lovely fall day in the hopes that it would rub off on him. It didn't.

Nothing like some spontaneous stopping of a walk to enjoy a spot.

You can see here in this picture that Ransom is patting his chest in his "Please" sign. That took a MONTH to perfect. Whew.

These are all the acorns that Ransom picked up and then dutifully brought over to me. Sometimes he can be sweet.

Intro to Philippians.

2011-09-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Dun-dun-dun-DUUUUNNNN!!!! We're here!! And If I could make a trumpet sound I totally would! Almost every day this week someone's jumped on board the Bloggin' Bible Study train and I've become more and more excited about it. You guys have shown me that its NOT scary to study the Bible, especially if its in the un-scary ( hehe) realms of the internets where no one can come to your house and TP it because you didn't answer "Jesus" to every question ( that would never happen) and apparently you guys are totally willing to join in this little experiment with me and hopefully bring this particular blogging community closer together! Excellent!

So lets get this party started:

Philippians. The background:

It was written by this guy named Paul ( read how Paul became a follower of Jesus here) . And he probably dictated it to this other guy named Timothy ( basically Paul's right hand man, quite a bit younger but had also helped Paul start the Church at Philippi ) . He wrote it while he was in PRISON ( now there's a long story, and if you don't know it...I suggest you read the book of Acts sometime) . And he wrote it to the church in the city of Philippi in around the year 63 A.D. ( whatever that means! Man, I wish I was good at history sometimes!!) .

Now, I got most of my background info on this book from this handy-dandy other book called "Halley's Bible Handbook" but you could probably find most of your basic background on the book of Philippians in most Study Bibles or....the wonderful world of Wikipedia.

Some of the things that were clarified for me by doing my background research is that, it had probably been three or four years since Paul had last been to Philippi and it had been about ten years since his first visit when he founded the church there. It looks like the church had sent this guy, Epaphroditus ( don't name your son after him...please) with some monetary support for Paul and he'd gotten really sick on the way. When he recovered Paul sent him back with this letter ( Phil. 2:25-30, 4:18).

Major ~~themes~~ thoughts of the Letter (I guess I'll stop calling it a book now...)

Without even realizing it I picked a nice seemingly "lighthearted" book to study. Which I dig. But its also a bit of a mishmash of topics and I got waaaaay overwhelmed trying to make it into any kind of outline/major themes. So instead I'll just point out some things that stuck out to me this read-through.

~Using seemingly difficult/awful circumstances for the good and glory of God. ( Chapter 1: 12-, 27-)

I definitely need to have this attitude more often. The attitude that even when things do NOT go my way, my prayer should be that my circumstances in some way are advancing the Kingdom of Jesus. I guess I'd call that "Heavenly Minded"...which I am not.

~A reminder of how Christ lived( and how we should live):

Treat each other in a servant hearted manner ( first section of chapter 2). Something I really want to do better in. Especially with the people that have been placed in my life that may not be the easiest to love.

Remember you are a light in a world that may not know Jesus. You might just be someones only chance of meeting Him ( through you!). (second section of Chapter 2)

~A reminder that just because Paul had 'everything together' none of that really matters for Christ has made us ALL equal in our salvation in Him. ( Chapter 3:2-11) I need to stop looking at my "street cred" as a Christian...the fact that I give money to the poor...that I volunteer...the fact that I've read the Bible...memorized verses etc. etc. as what makes me cool or uncool. Bottom line. NONE of us are "Good People" unless we have Jesus in our lives. Period.

~Striving to be like Christ, look to others that are doing the same and look to them to help you in your growth. ( chapter 3:12-20) I really want to reavaluate and make sure that the people I'm looking up to, the people I'm spending my time with and who influence me the most are REALLY the type of people that I want to be like. aka...are they following hard after Christ?

~Chapter 4:4-6...these are the verses I quoted yesterday and that I need to seriously write on my forehead sometimes!! They are SO helpful.

Chapter 4:8-9...very helpful to me in keeping my mind from dwelling on whatifs and fears and concerns that I've contrived in my head..they've even helped me from spending my time daydreaming and thinking about things that I WISH would happen...which can be just as detrimental.

Final thoughts:

One thing that reading through this whole letter reminded me of this week, is that there may just be sections that I just DO NOT GET. And that's ok too....in fact, that's one of the major cool-factors of doing this bible study with all you awesome people. So I'd like to go ahead and add that to next weeks homework: Ask some questions that you do NOT have the answer to......I think sometimes the "A-student" in me comes out and I only want to ask questions that I immediately have the answer for, but there's something really great about reading the Bible with the attitude that we do not understand everything in it...and that we can come away with new questions and answers every time we read it! again and again!

OK, now I'm SUPER EXCITED to hear what you guys think!! I'll be collecting your studies ( if you want to send them in!) via email and blog-link. And I'd love to share some of your thoughts here on my blog if that's ok! Maybe a little sum-up-age later this weekend? ;-)

Preview...

2011-09-28T13:22:00.001-05:00

I'm so excited about our bible study this week!!! So may of you have said you're going to get involved and I can't tell you how that warms my heart! One thing I know for sure and that's that I need PEOPLE. Fellowship is one of the THE most important things about my faith, the sharing of that faith with one another- sharing what God has put on your heart and then rejoicing/crying/wondering/marveling at ( even questioning) what He's said together...well, its all pretty well the best.

So, because I can't wait until Friday I'll share one of the very first thoughts I've received from one of you guys...and it was very much needed today:

Favorite verse?!? Possibly.

Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7

I've got a LOT of things to be anxious about today...so yeah. Sendin' up some prayers

Daddy son time...

2011-09-26T10:55:00.002-05:00

They are so cute together! I am thankful that the Army never allows me to be at all casual or flippant about our times together as a family. Every minute is precious.

Blogging Bible Study: How it'll work!

2011-09-24T09:13:00.001-05:00

Pic I took coming back from my first Family Readiness Group meeting for Brett's new company.

Alrighty folks! I'm excited! I've been praying and thinking about it all week and I'm starting my very first Interactive Blogging Bible Study! WOOO! Basically how it will work is if you're also a blogger and you'd like to post your thoughts on the Bible Study please comment a link to your blog post so we can all share. ( and if you don't mind, link to mine on YOUR blog post too!)

Since everyone seemed excited about the idea, but no one had any thoughts on WHAT we should study, I've prayed about it and decided to go "Old School". We'll be doing a "Searching the Scriptures" or STS style study of the book of Philippians. I loooove this kind of study but it scares some people so hopefully by going through it with me this month you will loose that fear ( since if *I* can do it...anybody can!) and learn to love it too...because it will work with EVERY SINGLE BOOK OF THE BIBLE ( and that's a lot of ready made bible studies ;-)!! )

So here's my schedule:

Week One:

Read the WHOLE BOOK of Philippians!!! Come back here on Friday ( Sept 30) and I'll be sharing my answers to the following questions:

Background of the Book. ( who wrote it, when did they write, who was the audience.)

Main Themes of the Book ( what I think I'll be getting out of the study, things I'll be on the lookout for-no wrong answers here! I won't be going back to see if its the same answer at the end of the study...so don't hold me to this ;-) )

Post YOUR thoughts either on your own blog and link it in my comments section, or email me your answers at abigail.abt(at)gmail(dot)com. I'll probably do a follow-up post where I share your thoughts ( IF YOU SEND THEM IN!)

Week Two

Read Chapter 1 (again!). Come back here on Friday( Oct. 7th) and I'll be sharing my answers to the following questions:

What does this chapter say? ( any main things that jump out at me...)

Where else does it say it? ( I'll probably do some cross referencing here-basically looking up verses that I particularly like from the chapter on awesome websites like biblos.com and www.biblegateway.com and see where the same things are talked about in OTHER parts of the Bible!!

What does it say to me? ( How does what I have just read and "researched" affect my life?)

What will I do about it? ( Here's the really tricky part! I would like to come up with some way I can VISIBLY apply what I'm studying each week to my life so I will come up with some way to measurably and tangibly apply the Word of God in my life for the next week....I'll be telling you guys what I come up with and hopefully following up with you the next week to keep me accountable to what I'm doing ( or not doing!) hehe!

AND THEN!! I want you guys to do the same and once again link/email me your thoughts!!!

Week Three

Read Chapter 2, come back here on Friday for the same question/answer roundup. Rinse Repeat

Week Four

Chapter 3 etc. etc. etc.

Week Five

Chapter 4 etc. etc. etc.

Week Six

I'll be coming back on the 6th Friday to talk about my major takeaways from the Book...the things that stuck with me throughout the whole process...I'll probably also discuss this whole "blogging biblestudy" business and what I learned from it, what I'd change if I do it again...If I should do it again. And hopefully get all your awesome feedback on these questions too!

feedback.

2011-09-19T10:22:00.000-05:00

A lot has been going on in the Wilson household the last week or two-but what's new? However, here are some thoughts I've yet to do much with, other than voice them one or two times:

One, I'm thinking about starting an Etsy store for my Mystery Dinners. Sure. I only wrote one of them but it was such fun( !) , an I've got one or two more roaming around in my head and I'm thinking I might also offer the option for a "personalized" one too, where the buyer could tell me the theme they wanted and how many people ( guys and girls) would be at the party and I would write one specifically for their needs... Anyway, I think it'd be fun though I'm already hearing the voice in the back of my head saying, "no one would buy that!"

My other thought is I'm really itching to do a women's bible study...and while i have one or two ladies here that I think would also be interested, I'm ALSO thinking about maybe a BLOGGING BIBLE STUDY! Anyone interested could join in and start the bible study with me, and then I'll blog my thoughts once a week in the hopes that others would also share THEIR thoughts! Anyone interested?! Any thoughts on a topic or a study you think is awesome blossom?

So those are my major thoughts the other minor thoughts going on in my head are as follows: I'm SO glad Ransom has started having an appetite again ( last week was a LONG week that included some awful puking moments)...I'm SO excited that my Aunty D is coming to visit this week...I'm also excited for all the fall premieres of television starting up soon ( Castle, anyone?!?)...which makes me feel a little bit lame, but whatevers...I've also put off cleaning Brett and my bathroom for an embarrassingly long time and I'm really feeling like a housewife failure. WILL DO THAT TODAY. I really want to make those brownies again and I'm kind of glad I don't have any more beer in the house otherwise I'd make them RIGHT NOW....oooo....I could make some and send them to work with Brett...hmmmm...there's a thought! And speaking of food, I've instituted a "Waffles Sunday" at our house the last few weeks and its really ( oddly) helped my attitude about the day. It immediately makes the day feel "special" ( since really all my days end up having the same basic schedule) and I feel like I've had better quiet times/ listening to sermons/ singing hymns and praise songs "with" Ransom times since I've started this "tradition"....

Another....winner?

2011-09-16T17:47:00.000-05:00

So, I never heard from the Katie that wanted to win the amazing ( or at least I thought) polish prize that I gave away a week or so ago... therefore I had to do a redraw. And to be honest, I hope this person comes forward because I'm starting to think that people don't like free stuff as much as I do...and if that's not the case, maybe the stuff that makes ME happy doesn't really do it for all you folk.

Anyway.....here's the winner!! She better comment on this post in the next 24 hours or I will seriously keep my totally adorable nail polish to myself in the future ;-)
Congrats:

Esther said...

There was even a nip in the air here this morning. Fall is definitely on it's way. YAY!
My favorite thing is definitely comfy cozy sweaters (I have a new mustard yellow one that I'm dying to wear 24/7 when it gets cold enough).

PS. I really miss you! Kiss Ransom for me (if he'll sit still long enough).

The Holy Grail of brownies.

2011-09-13T15:25:00.000-05:00

In college I lived in a Hall called Carrington. We had an amazing chef who prepared amazing meals for us three times a day.
I ate those meals and they were incredible. I also gained SO MUCH weight during my time there that when I was 9 months pregnant I did not weigh as much as I did then...which is neither here nor there except to point out that the food was AWESOME. And I still dream about the Mud Cake. The Mud Cake was this ULTRA rich chocolate cake that was SO dense it never got a joke in its life, and it was so rich that it put the Queen to shame...anyways. It was incredible and I've spent the past 6 years (!!) trying to find a recipe that lived up to its amazingness...

And then....then I joined Pinterest and I found this little gem:

Guinness Stout Brownies.

You can find the recipe here. And you best head over there right now and make these brownies. Because they will rock. your. world. Also you will need milk with them or at least some whip cream...possibly some simple vanilla ice cream because they are not your stand alone whimpy brownie. These babies have bite.
And I believe that the search is over. These brownies seriously take the place of Mud Cake. Holy Moly are they good....PLEASE MAKE THEM YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.

P.S. Katie hasn't contacted me about her Win and she has until Friday to claim her prize or we do another "drawing"....

There's a WINNNNNNNNNNNER!

2011-09-12T09:42:00.000-05:00

So, since Brett's in the field this week, and my dear friend Tabitha is visiting for the week SHE got the honor of "picking a number" for my September Giveaway...and she picked....

katie said...

I love the weather feeling perfect, bowls of soup, and hot chocolate. mmmmmm

So, ummm...actually its kinda funny but I have several Katies who read my blog and so I'm not sure WHICH Katie this is...soooOOOoooo...if you wouldn't mind contacting me at thebrettwilsonfam(at)gmail(dot)com that would be awesome blossom and letting me know which one you are..and your address if I don't already have it ;-)

In other news, I've started running again. I had forgotten how much I loathe/love it. Its a terrible combo that always keeps me in a state of not knowing whether I'll actually go through with it today or not ;-) But today, today I DID. Mostly because I plan to eat something yummy this evening in honor of my friend Miranda's birthday...because I'm supportive like that.

Welcome!

2011-09-08T12:55:00.001-05:00

Seasons.

2011-09-07T19:06:00.001-05:00

DONT FORGET TO ENTER TO WIN "ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS"

So, today I feel like I was rather productive. I give full credit to the amazing weather. Weather that allowed me to wear jeans and not break out in a sweat. Magic. I am lovin' the cooler temps but wish upon a star that they'd last longer than a week...*sigh* Until then, however, I'm burning my autumn candles and pulling out all the domestic stops.

Case in point: Today, I went through my 'fall clothes' ( meaning, very thin sweaters, short sleeve shirts that are a tad thicker in material...) took all the "too summery for september" things out of my closet. Just because its going to be 90 degrees again next week does not mean I'm going to feel like wearing my floweredy print dresses until next May. I also, duh-duh-DUN, organized Brett's closet. I got one of those totally awesome collapsable hanging shelves things from the Target 2 dollar section ( SCORE! those things are usually 10 dollars, but if you wait until "fall" they always have them on sale for the "teens going to college" time of year) Anywho, his uniforms are now no longer "neatly piled" on the floor ( aka. THROWN ABOUT) and his PTs are not wadded up on the top shelf. ahhhhhh!!!! I feel so happy about this!

In other domestic pursuits, my darling friend Melissa and Baby Emmy came over this afternoon and we made some "Fall Decor"....I made a wreath which I think I'm happy with...I'll post a picture once I've taken a good one. But really the point was I got to enjoy some good quality time with a good friend making something fun. I say it was a win-win-win. ( Idea for my fall wreath...TOTALLY FROM Pinterest ...are you following me yet?! Because seriously. I love this site.
In fact, Miranda, being the good friend that she is asked me today how my Facebook addiction was going since I'd gotten back on...And to be honest, its a NONISSUE now that I've found Pinterest! ( hehe) I mean, I check it maybe twice a day! ( Seriously, taking a break from facebook was SO helpful and really gave me the perspective I needed, pinterest not withstanding, it was just what I needed.)

Many of you may be wondering how I've been doing since Brett's taken Command ( really?! You haven't?! What's your problem?!) and therefore dropped off the face of the earth. And to be honest, Ransom and I are doing surprisingly well. We miss him terribly. But evening routine has gotten better and I've learned to expect an evening of "Abigail Time". Once Ransom goes to bed I am able to sit around and lounge. Which, lets be honest, I'd rather do with Brett....but since he's away it gives me opportunity to be more productive. Such as this evening. I made and froze 8 breakfast burritos for Brett's breakfasts this coming week. So yes. This is not optimal. But, as I keep hearing repeated over and over in my head. "This is only for a season...."

“There are things I can do now that I won’t be able to do later, and it’s about making sure I do the important things pertaining to that season right now.” - Louise

A diet coke ( and a giveaway)

2011-09-06T10:54:00.000-05:00

I drank some diet coke yesterday. the pure kind. the kind with caffeine in it. Thus I was awake a LOT longer than I should have been last night...when will I learn?!
Anyway, here are some thoughts I had:

Firstly, I came across a craft that I really really want to do, but I'm scared because we all know my artistic abilities run rather short...You can read all about it here, but basically the idea is taking one of these ugly kid play mats:

And painting it to look like this:

So, yeah...probably not something I'm capable of pulling off so that it'd look good...but BOY would I like one of these for my kitchen!!

Secondly, I am SO READY FOR FALL! It is my favorite favorite time of year and I'm pretty much dying for sweaters and scarves, hot drinks ( without caffeine, obviously), spiced candles, soup, cute boots....the list goes on. Anyway, this made me think about how I needed to pull out my "fall" nail polishes ( the darker colors just seem to scream fall) and it reminded me that I haven't done a give away in a while. And this one...well...its super girlie....but we could argue that they have ALL been super girlie thus far so why mess with a good thing?!

Ok, so this month I'm giving away something that NEVER FAILS to make me super happy. Its my GO TO winter nail polish....and I think its best on toes, though it might be way fun for a holiday party nail too...so go with your heart on this one!
Here it is:

Yeah, its called RUBY PUMPS!! How could I NOT love it?!?!

So here's the dealio...feel free to enter to win by commenting with your favorite thing about Fall...and I'll announce the winner next Monday! YAY!! I so love sharing my favorite things with my wonderful readers!

New territory ( that looks rather old)

2011-09-02T11:36:00.001-05:00

Brett's taken command! Exciting!
Yesterday his ceremony and the reception afterwards ( that was only a success because I have awesome friends) went well...and then we had an Army function that night ( 'no rest for the weary' is my new catch phrase) also went well...though I was COMPLETELY shattered by the time we got home at 10pm. Seriously, I was not cut out for all this shmoosing. Anyway... I was way looking forward to the long Labor Day weekend, even though today was technically the only day Brett and I would get to spend together since we're headed to the Navigator conference in north Georgia tomorrow. The conference that last year I cried at...( yaaay).

Annnnyway, of course, first day on the job Brett had to go into the office to deal with an unruly soldier. So there goes our day together.

And here's what I'm fighting against. I'm so annoyed. so disappointed. How do I not have a bad attitude?!?
Honestly. I'm about to have to be more like Jesus if it kills me.

We're moving!!!

2011-08-29T14:55:00.000-05:00

Don't freak out. We aren't ACTUALLY moving...but that's definitely how I'm feeling of late. I know that I am way behind on giving you a follow up from my last dramatic post. But here's what's happened in a nutshell. First off, God was good and reminded me of, well, just how blessed I really am...and he also gently reminded me of all those who are probably much lonelier than I am. But, also in the mix I got this great email from a friend, one of those friends everyone should have...the kind who know you so well and who've known you for so long they can pull out the laundry list of all the things that God has done before and stick it in your face. Anyway, she was kind enough to remind me that this is how I felt when I first moved to New Zealand. And its how I felt when I first moved back to Texas. And when I first moved to Washington. And when I moved to Kansas and locked myself in the trunk , or the time I moved back to Washington. Or when I first moved to Fort Benning....
Well, anyway since you see a pattern here, I was annoyed ( at first) because I was like WE DIDN'T MOVE!! I mean, its all well and good to feel alone and without friends and fellowship when you've just moved but WE'RE STILL HERE!!

However, it wasn't until several days later that another friend was visiting with us and he was talking about how God moves us so that we'll grow, that we'll spread out. So that we'll spread the gossip ( Acts 8:1)...and it hit me! Sure, we haven't physically moved, but we ARE starting a brand new chapter. A chapter where Brett's work is gonna be a 24/7 kind of deal, a chapter where our lives will look much much different from how they've looked up till now. And so, in that, it some how has helped me to think that we've moved again. That these feeling are normal and they are forcing me out of my comfort zone YET AGAIN. But, the hope in that is that community will once again be around the corner. I met today with my dear friend Melissa. Her husband also works on Kelley Hill and Brett and I have always known that we were "partners" in taking the Hill for Christ with Melissa and her Hubs...however, some how that's gotten lost in our busy busy schedule. But we're taking it back. Taking back our fellowship with one another, and hopefully in that we'll all be a little more encouraged in the Work we have set before us! God is faithful.
THANK YOU blog readers for your continued support, wonderful emails of encouragement and sometimes admonishment. I can always trust you to tell me the truth! Thanks :-)

A private thought

2011-08-24T18:57:00.000-05:00

I'm about to write about something I don't fully understand. I've been trying to and I've decided maybe its just not meant to be at the moment and I should just write what I do know and we'll go from there.

I'm pretty sure last week I was depressed. Now, for those who I know who suffer from real depression I do not want to belittle or trivialize what is a real and true disease. So instead I'll just call it a serious Downer.

It had probably been coming on for a while though, because for the last few months my life has looked a bit like a horror film. People dropping like flies. Or should I say, people, fellowship any kind of anything. First, our Navigator community did some DRASTIC changing, changes that I will caveat by saying that I still ( even after what happened) believe in the fundamentals of...however, the result was that Community DISAPPEARED from our lives. Where we use to have Friday night BBQs-nada. where we use to have Chapel-nada. Where we use to have lunch after chapel-nada. Where we use to have Sunday night Searching the Scriptures Bible Study-nada. Where we use to keep track and know what was going on in the lives of the other leaders and laborers-nada. It went from weekly meetings, to every so often, to pretty much nothing. ( I'm leaving out a lot here, like the fact that a lot of people went out and started their very own small groups for the first time ever, and people who would never walk into a church or chapel were getting to hear the good news of Christ....this is why deep down I was positive and excited through this whole process...because I thought that ultimately the good was out weighing the bad...) , on top of that my friend Adelaide deployed (boo), my friend Amy moved ( boo),
and to be honest if I hadn't had walking with my friend Miranda in the mornings I wouldn't have seen anyone all week. And if it hadn't been during the summer where I had a trip to Texas, several visits from friends and family mixed it, then well....things would have probably come to a head even sooner. Because...the other major change that was going on was Brett's work.

I've already talked about this on my blog so I won't go on and on, but basically Brett's work took it up a notch. And last week it took it up an even further notch and he's FINALLY GETTING HIS COMPANY! This is super exciting! For those of you non-army types ( lots of you), basically Brett's going to be the company commander for about 100 guys. Large and in charge. He's going to be wonderful. So, to break that down though- he'll be going from an intense horrible job with horribly long hours to hopefully a more fulfilling, exciting job with equally, if not longer, hours.

And so....here I was. At the end of my rope. People I never would have expected this. I never expected to feel so utterly alone. Its not that I didn't have friends, or I didn't have people around. But I learned that I didn't just need human contact, I needed deeper communion. I needed a more spiritual connection that happened on a regular basis. I felt like we were drowning.

Anyway. I'm nervous about writing this. Nervous that it'll hurt someones feelings or make someone mad. But, I'm writing it anyway. I'm writing it because its ultimately its how I felt. That's why I'm calling it a Downer. Something that made me take naps every day. Something that made me cry, and I mean seriously cry three or four times ( for a non-cryer that's TONS). I mean, I was seriously taking pregnancy tests like they were going out of style. But ultimately I think it boiled down to the fact that we are not made to go at this alone. And I actually think that I, personally, am not even made to go at this life with just one or two people. I'm a village girl. I need a crowd of people in my life.

I want my crowd back.

I've been reviewing some of my old memory verses this week and I was in the car and I got to Hebrews 10:24-25. "Consider how you may spur others on towards love and good deeds. Do not give up meeting together as some or in the habit of doing, but encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

And, this is embarrassing to admit, but when I memorized this a long time ago I always thought I was memorizing for other peoples sake because I had never had a problem with that before!! Well, there I was in the car and I literally said, "oh." out loud...because that is EXACTLY what we, I had done.

And after I figured that out, I magically no longer needed a nap any more. Now I just want this fixed. Really really fixed.

Please pray for the Fort Benning community that I'm "suppose" to be involved in. One thing that really sealed the deal for me was thinking about Brett deploying again. When thinking about it I thought about how last deployment my Fort Lewis community/family seriously got me through that deployment. But when thinking about Brett deploying again all I could think was: "I'm going to be SO ALONE." Now, I know that's not going to be the case, and I know that God will take care of Ransom and I when the time comes, but the fact that I even thought that...that's trouble! So, praying and seeking the Lord and having great Hope in a community that I still very much believe in, that we WILL get back on track!

Replacing

2011-08-19T09:19:00.000-05:00

Now that I'm no longer addicted to Facebook ( I'm back and feel like I have a healthy amount of distance ;-) lol ). I've replaced my addiction with Pinterest ( which I blogged about two days ago)....and yeah. I'm loving it in a BIG WAY.

I think the difference is Pinterest is officially inspiring me and not bogging me down making me feel like I should be doing better ( like most craft/design blogs tend to do to me). So all in all. IM. A. FAN.

In other news, I should be writing thank you cards for Ransom's b-day. RIGHT NOW.

Not for the faint of heart

2011-08-19T08:28:00.000-05:00

Baby Einstein possibly created Ransom's first therapist talking point last night...

So, Brett being gone until all hours of the night, me fighting off fatigue, Ransom being cranky/clinging, and the can't-put-it-off-any-longer need to unload and reload the dishwasher, all came together yesterday evening and I put in Ransom's new Baby Einstein DVD: Baby Shakespeare

The creepy depiction of shakespeare-frog should have been a tip off

So, all was going swimmingly and I was putting away the last of the five million sippy cups when Ransom starts crying. And not, whiny-I-need-attention crying or this-is-boring-come-play-with-me crying, but SOMETHING-SCARED-ME crying.

So I hurry and scoop him up to console him and I rewind the DVD to see the culprit. ( and yes, I'm still holding my baby and so I'm probably about to re-live the earlier scared moment, never mind that...)

Anyway, this is what I see:

HOLY CHILD SCARRING BATMAN! This is seriously the "toys" they like to depict on this DVD?!?! Seriously?!?! I mean, I'm a grown woman and I'm going to have nightmares!!!

Anyway, I shake my head and Ransom and I start playing in the entry way ( the echo in there is excellent if you're 1 and you like the sound of your own voice....or if you're 27 and you've deliriously tired)...now, don't judge, but I forgot to turn off the DVD so its still pumping out the classical tunes and showing us pictures of random children and pretty-pretty things ( and every so often quoting a sonnet in a semi-creepy voice) when THERE IT IS AGAIN!!! THE EVIL EVIL MONKEY IS BACK!!!

And it just so happened that Ransom caught sight of the TV at just that moment and, if I wasn't sure before, I was DEFINITELY sure the second time when Ransom FROZE in the spot and stared at the TV in horror. His little eyes started to well up with tears before I whipped him around and distracted him with a truck going by outside the window. Ahhhh to be one and have that kind of attention span!

The moral of this story is stick to Praise Baby DVDs ( hahaha! I bet you thought I was going to say something like, "stick to reading" or something! hahah! You're funny!) ..I don't care if they try to woo you with Shakespeare and a child who can quote sonnets at the age of 2....there are some TWISTED people making Baby Einstein DVDs.

Side effects

2011-08-17T17:21:00.000-05:00

Brett is working "9 to 9" shifts at work this week. I put that in parentheses because I have yet to see the fruits of that first "9"....its more like 6:30 to 9...but I guess that didn't have the same ring to it.

Anyway, this has caused me to return to very weird eating habits. aka. I eat mostly chocolate.
your traditional "meals" are out the window...but I AM considering making these cake mix blondies I saw on Pinterest.

P.S. I just joined Pinterest today. So don't know much about THAT...but I'm all about consolidating all the fun things I find on the internets...Do I have any readers who are fans? Tips on how to best use this particular resource?

Napping

2011-08-16T13:57:00.000-05:00

Its possible I have Mono.

My throat is sore and swollen, and I've had to take a nap every day for the last three days. And by had I mean, I seriously couldn't keep my eyes open. ( luckily my child takes a nap too...so that makes it a tiny bit easier) And I say Mono because I friend of ours has it, and we'd spent quite a bit of time with her before she was diagnosed.
Buuut, I'm pretending that this is just a weird cold and it'll all go away soon. After all, there is much to be done around here! I've got my fall consignment sale to get ready for....a baby shower to do a CRAFT project for ( honestly, this doesn't bode well...), plus Ransom's first year book to finish up by September 1st ( I have a Groupon that expires then). So, the next few weeks are busy busy and sickness is not an option.

And in the spirit of not being sick, here's a picture of my family and I at the wedding we went to this past weekend. ( we don't look sick at all..in fact, everyone looks quite nice).

It takes a village...

2011-08-11T08:48:00.001-05:00

Throwing a first birthday party is difficult. The child is so young that really we might as well forget about them all together and focus on the parents since, lets be honest, the party is really about them. Buuuut, you don't want to make that too obvious and so you are left in a quandary.

I was faced with this quandary a month or so ago when planning Ransom's first birthday and I threw around all sorts of ideas-none of which I really liked. The only thing that kept coming back to me over and over again was the phrase "it takes a village". I have definitely felt that sentiment quite a few times during this past year when friends have cooked for us, babysat for free, listened while I moaned, given advice, gotten us out of the house for a much needed walk....sooo many things that have made a year in the life of an infant and WITH an infant possible....anyway, I wanted Ransom's first birthday to really be about the celebration of Community. The community that has loved us and loved Ransom this last year.

We don't really go to an official "church" like most people in the Western world have come to recognize it. We attend small groups where we share our Walks with Christ and our victories and struggles in doing so and we are a part of a much bigger community that knows and loves one another throughout the week....that being said, Ransom had no official "Church dedication", but in my mind his first Birthday was an unofficial one.

In the end I printed off a bunch of pictures of different people with Ransom. In the end I had over 40...and while that seemed like a lot, there were people that I was sad to realize I had never gotten a picture with Ransom. My neighbor Michelle, Amy B., Rolinda and Keri....honestly shocking! That being said, it was wonderful to see all the faces and all the wonderful people who have played a roll in Ransom's life this year.

So, my Mom and I strung up the pictures as a reminder of this past year with Ransom. And I hope that we do it again next year, and all the years after...so that one day Ransom will have hundreds of pictures of the people who have been a part of his life. A reminder of the heritage that has brought him thus far.

Also, if your interested...you can check out Ransom's Birthday Letter here.

Ransom

2011-08-09T13:45:00.000-05:00

Today Ransom Nathaniel Wilson turns one.

And really I have so much so say, so much to wax eloquent about. How much he's changed, and yet how I can look at those first pictures of him and I can already see the personality that we've grown to know over the last year and I love him more. More than I even did those first few moments when we were just getting acquainted.

Ransom is a very talkative little boy and is currently having a very long and involved conversation with a remote control strategically placed at his ear ( his "phone"). So far the only words I can catch are "bye" and "papa"...but I'm assuming its about something serious and important because that's what his face portrays.

I can also thank Ransom's wonderful Aunt Amber and Uncle Tim for the fact that I have this time to blog, since Ransom is down right OBSESSED with the balls from the totally cool "gum ball machine" toy they got him for his birthday. Hours of entertainment. Hours.

I'll be writing a blog on Ransom's personal blog as SOON AS I CAN because I don't want to forget all that's going on in his little world...but let me just say this...this morning I just so happen to get to this section in my Bible reading....coincidence? I think not...

The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Is 51:11

Speechless

2011-08-04T15:58:00.001-05:00

I've officially lost my voice because of my cold. This is bad news because my Internet is down ( typing this the old fashioned way on my phone) and other than blogging the other things on my to do list required phone calls. *sigh*

Hey, surprisingly people have MISSED ME from Facebook!! Honestly with newsfeeds the way they are I figured no one would notice. But, it's nice to be missed and I'm actually looking forward to being back in the "know" after next week.... Im pretty sure there are a few weddings I need to attend via pictures. But my major concern is that I'll have missed something important... So if you know any good gossip that I need to know... Fill me in ;-)
Incidentally, is anyone else having problems with Yahoo?! I've kept my yahoo email for years even though I primarily use gmail. I have the yahoo one forwarded to google and all is well... Until last week when I started not getting notifications for things ( I used the yahoo address for ordering things online) and Brett got an email from some family who have been trying to reach me- apparently using that address. Long story short. I tired to login and it was a no go... Locked, beyond my abilities. Very strange. Anywho. If you have an old school yahoo email for me, go ahead and delete that baby. It's no longer valid.

I know this post is boring and very internet related so let me shift (Hahah) to another topic. Ransom. He's turning one on Tuesday. CRY ME A RIVER. Seriously people I am so beyond nostalgic at this point, country music is band and any Johnson &johnson advertisements banished from my sight or I swear I'll loose it all together... Anyway, get ready for some serious mushiness in the coming days. Babies. They getcha everytime.

The big picture

2011-08-02T17:18:00.000-05:00

My picture wall just keeps growing! It makes me so happy!

Sick of it.

2011-08-02T09:36:00.000-05:00

The next two weeks are really busy here in the Wilson household. Hayden is graduating Ranger School this weekend ( we are so excited about this amazing answer to prayer! He went straight through without recycling once!), we've had a house full of visitors the last few days with our dear friends the Woods in town. And next week we're preparing for my parents very short visit that coincides with Ransom's birthday...

So....

Of course, Ransom and I have gotten sick. He was beyond miserable yesterday and I've been feeling less than stellar today. It makes it EVEN MORE AWESOME that Brett will be working later than normal the next two days so it looks like I'll be pulling myself off the couch to Mommy it up with the champions of Suckitupness.

Anyway, I'm am TIRED of all this sickness going around and ready to get back into the swing of things! This is so frustrating.

Don't worry! I'm back!

2011-07-31T10:43:00.002-05:00

We've been on Vacay on Texas for the past week...but I'm back and doing laundry like a made woman.

Can someone solve the age old problem of not having ANY food to eat when you get back from a trip?! I mean, you work so hard to eat it all ( so it won't spoil while you're gone) before you leave and then you're faced with cupboards that are bare when you return.

Anyway...I'm starving.

OK, once I've filled the fridge and made sure we have clothes to put on our backs again, I promise blogging will begin again...

Until then, check out Ransom at his "trial run" birthday that we did in Texas....who takes after his Mom's love for cupcakes?!?! WHO!?

The perfect storm

2011-07-20T19:00:00.001-05:00

So, last night I made an aaaaaaaamazing pizza if I do say so myself. I had some leftover egg plant and some green olives that needed to be eaten, three turkey italian sausage links gathering freezer burn in my freezer and a ticking clock to clean out my fridge before our trip next week-all this equaled the perfect storm of recipe making and I found this Perfect Solution on Smitten Kitchen. I just added the italian sausages, which may I just say, probably made it even MORE amazing, and I also used Betty Crocker's roll out pizza crust because I do NOT HAVE THE TIME to make homemade pizza crust. The only thing I'd change is next time we will definitely have a bottle of Red to have along with this pizza, it was a crying shame not to have a glass with this fancy feast.

a goodbye

2011-07-20T18:58:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I got to go to the Deployment ceremony for my friend Adelaide's veterinary team which is headed to Afghanistan this weekend.

I'm seriously going to miss Adelaide, she's been such a fun and bright part of our life here at Fort Benning. We usually hung out on Thursdays when she'd get off work and come over until Bible Study. Adelaide was a fellow Texas and all around kindred spirit and I am SO BUMMED she's leaving! But I am looking for my silver lining in the form of the fact we'll still be here at Fort Benning when she gets back and I hear that RE-deployment ceremonies are EVEN BETTER...and I hear those have cake too! But seriously...sometimes the Army makes me sad and saying goodbye to a friend for a while is definitely at the top of the list! Keep Adelaide in your prayers I know she'll appreciate them!

Sometimes...

2011-07-19T12:38:00.001-05:00

Parenting can be soooo hard sometimes. And I feel like the last two days I've been failing at it in a big way. My patience has been paper thin and I my heart has been anything but loving.

But, things are looking up and I'm looking to next week as my ticket to sanity! Nothing like the hopes of a vacation to get you through....that and the cute face of a little stinker.

The Un-to-do list

2011-07-18T12:29:00.000-05:00

We visit the petri dish gym TWICE and Ransom gets an intense cold?? Coincidence?!? I THINK NOT!!!! haha.
So anyway, Ransom is a cranky ball of mucus... A ball that finds it's only happy resting place is ON TOP OF ME.
Side note: Expectant Moms listen up! People will tell you to get a comfy chair for your nursery...LISTEN TO THOSE PEOPLE! In fact, I would go so far as to say get a chair you not only don't mind sitting on, ,but one you don't mind SLEEPING on. Last night I spent a grand total of 5 hours "sleeping" in my chair, and I'm currently going on an hour and a half ( nap time)... And yes, I could risk moving him to his bed, which is what I did the first half of the night...but when his head isn't elevated ( like it is on my chest) than he only sleeps about 20 min. Straight....aaaaaanyway, here we are. Here we are NOT working on the massive todo list that I must complete before we go out of town on Saturday.
Did I tell you? The Texas Swap begins! Because of Army Weirdness ( what's new there?) we are going to Texas for a week ( yay!!), then exactly a week after we get back, my parents are coming here for almost a week...and then on the same day they drive home, I'll be FLYING back to Texas ( I wonder who will get there first?)for a quick "day" trip for a friends wedding... Probably not the most efficient way to spent several weeks... But definitely optimizes the fun.
In the midst of all of that, Brett and I will get TWO WHOLE NIGHTS away while we're in Texas thanks to our wonderful family. Hopefully Hayden will graduate Ranger School, our dear friends Wes and Tina Wood will be visiting for Washington, Ransom will celebrate his first year of life ( hopefully with a party if I can get my act together.), and Brett and Ransom will survive their first weekend without me. ( hopefully. Haha! Just kidding... They will be fine.)....so yes, there is plenty for me to do. All of which I am not doing. Ahhhh...parenthood, how you have taught me how very UNimportant having a perfectly clean house really is. *sigh*

While I was writing this post...

Putting out fires

2011-07-14T13:28:00.001-05:00

So, I can be kind of a "clingy" mom sometimes. This probably stems from those dramatic months when Ransom would just LOOK at the outside world and burst into tears.
My child is dramatic. He didn't get it from me. ( hahahaha!)
Anyway, since he tends to be standoffish and slow to warm up, so do I...and that's no good for anyone. And so, the last few months as Ransom has grown into himself more, and I've noticed how he does seem to enjoy, or at least put up with, other children and large groups of people more- I felt like we needed to make some steps towards him getting use to "group play times". I mean, heck, my sister is putting her one-year-old in SCHOOL this year!!! And sure, her child BLOSSOMS in social settings, but surely I need to make at least some efforts in that direction?!?
And so I started pumping myself for our first challenge.
The gym's childcare.
It would just be for an hour, I'd get a good workout in ( something that is becoming less and less likely when I'm walking outside in the sweltering heat of summer) and Ransom would get a little "outside" stimulation.
So I decided we'd try for Tuesday, but Monday night happened-we both had horrible sleeps-and I put it off until today.....and then today came.
Ransom slept a WHOLE EXTRA HOUR.
It was INCREDIBLE!
I was rested, he was rested. It seemed as though the STARS HAD ALIGNED and we were going to have our first wonderful gym experience.
So we went, we walked down the winding halls of the gym to the childcare room, we got Ransom all signed in, I dropped him off and I did my best to not think about him as I powered through my workout, jamming to the Blackeyedpeas pandora station....and then, through the sound of Rihanna telling me to "dont stop the music" I heard the blaring, unmistakeable sound of a fire alarm.
At first I thought it was a mistake, but then it continued and I saw gym workers in yellow shirts shooing people out the doors...and that's when I started to walk quickly towards the childcare room...
WHY IS IT SO FAR AWAY?!!?!
Those long winding halls are MILES LONG. WHO NEEDS A WORKOUT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE STUPID HALLS?!?!
And finally I reached the childcare room, right behind a bunch of other mothers-heck, if that building had really been on fire, for get about it, we still would have headed for our kids...
Anyway, we got there and no one was there...they had already evacuated the kids ( good thing?) and so I headed outside into the face of a crazed childcare worker running around counting kids, and the sound of screaming children and crying babies. You would have thought a natural disaster had hit.
And there he was. Crammed into an "evacuation crib" ( seriously that was written on the side) with five other babies, sobbing his eyes out.
I. could. not. get. to. him. fast. enough.
And it took him a good five minutes to calm down, and even once we'd waited to get back into the building and I had signed him back out and collected his bag, he would still let out a little whimper/shutter every so often. Poor, sensitive baby.

THAT was our first attempt at going to the gym together.

So, of course, I had to laugh and call my sister on the way home because if you can't find the extreme irony in THAT situation then you're just dense...and, of course, we'll be going back to the gym next week to "face our fears" in the hopes that this will not end up being something that Ransom remembers in therapy years from now.

A Grown up Marriage

2011-07-14T10:27:00.001-05:00

I remember the first year I knew I had grown up. It was the year I worked on my birthday, and Christmas day...for me those days, even if they didn't hold birthday cake or presents, were still days you got to do whatever you wanted. Well, welcome to adulthood honey...not so.
Don't get me wrong, its not that dreary...its just that when those days came in went and I had to work and pay bills and do Real Life Activities and it didn't actually Kill Me or anything (haha)...well, I realized that life was not all roses, but that it, DID have roses mixed in and that's what really matters..

So, here we are reaching another "growing up" milestone, but first off for perspective lets look back...
This time last year, we did this: were lazy at home...
This time two years ago, we did this: Were enjoying R&R in Washington.
This time three years ago, we did this: were lazy in Victoria, BC
This time 4 years ago, we did this: Had a big "party" and went to the Bahamas

Ok, so now we come to today. Brett's at work and I went to the gym and plan to do some house cleaning. ahhhhhhh! Happy Anniversary Honey! ;-)
But you know what, I know we'll celebrate ( we're planning on living it up on Saturday by going to see the LAST HARRY POTTER MOVIE WHICH I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT I COULD SCREAM and going to eat yummy yummy steaks), but I also know its about celebrating EVERY day. I know we've grown into our marriage. And not that I wouldn't take a day off, or a vacation or another honeymoon...but I know that we do not need such things to make our marriage memorable and fun. And so, ironically ( because I'm talking about being "grown up" and about how excited I am about a kids movie all in the same post....yeah) I feel like we're grown ups now.

Of course, we haven't even GOTTEN to year five yet...but I'm looking forward to it being just as wonderful. Wonderful because I am married to a man who puts Christ before all things, who loves me with his actions and words, who loves our son with all his heart, who loves others with an equal passion and caring heart that I wish I could emulate. I am forever grateful that the Lord gave me such a wonderful husband and continues to fulfill His promises to us through our marriage verse:

I will give the one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. ~Jer 32:39

a mouthful

2011-07-13T16:10:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was crazy, even for me....I hung out with four different ladies and baby sat for another little lady, all back to back to back. Ransom was grumpy. But now that I look back on it, he probably just felt out numbered.

In other semi-related news, I'm trying my hand at homemade teething biscuits. Ransom has never been one for teethers, and usually when he seems to be in pain nothing really works, but I'm desperate and they also looked kind of yummy ( plus I had all the ingredients in the house already!)...The jury is still out on whether he likes it, he's been holding and periodically putting it in his mouth for about 5 minutes...so we'll see.

Incidentally, if you are thinking about getting married the dates between July 10-15th are really pretty great and I now know a TON of people who's wedding anniversary is this week, so apparently it works ;-) . Brett and my 4th anniversary is on Thursday ( BIIIIIG celebration coming on Saturday...stay tuned) but our friends the McKnight's 3rd anniversary was yesterday so I took care of their 1 year old daughter Elizabeth for them. It was super fun. And I think if you could get past the whole infancy stage ( isn't that with all babies?!?) I think it would kind of be fun to have twins.
Watching R and E interacting was loads of fun, and double the cuteness...

Update: Ok, so he successfully finished his biscuit. I'm going to go with he likes it, but its definitely a sit and watch him while he eats it food...unlike SOME children Ransom tried his hand at shoving the WHOLE THING in his mouth at once. Luckily he'd already nibbled off about half of it, but it was still a lot to chew ( and swallow).

If you'd like to make these teething biscuits:

1 cup whole wheat, all-purpose, barley or oat flour
1 cup dry infant rice or oat cereal
1 very ripe banana, mashed until smooth, some apple sauce if needed
2 Tbsp. canola or olive oil

Preheat oven to 375˚F.  In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and cereal. In a small bowl, stir together the banana, oil and about 2 Tbsp. water; add to the dry ingredients and stir until you have a soft dough, adding a bit more water or flour ( I actually added about a Tablespoon of applesauce) as needed until the dough comes together and is not too sticky. (It will depend largely on the size of the banana, and how juicy it is.)

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out about 1/4-inch thick and cut into smooth shapes (circles or sticks, without pointy edges – squish them a bit with your fingers). Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely and store extras in an airtight container.

Bookish

2011-07-11T16:37:00.002-05:00

Today I was told that I "looked like an Abigail"...this caused me to dwell way too long on what an Abigail looks like exactly. I mean I am all about people looking like their name and all, but when a SALES PERSON starts to make a comment...anyway, I suppose its good for identity theft if you look more like the name on your card. Speaking of which I lost my debt card on Monday. Luckily there have been no "odd" charges so I've just reported it missing and hoped for the best. oops.

Ransom is back to taking really short naps. I guess the weekend of 2 hour naps is over. Luckily he's still been in a relatively good mood. He is currently really into "reading"... he will seriously sit on the floor pulling books out of his book basket one at a time, turning the pages, turning the book all different ways, and then on to the next book...he'll do it for a good twenty minutes and will often do it several times during the day. I love that our child is already bookish. I just hope it sticks!

I can't quit you.

2011-07-10T16:36:00.000-05:00

So, I admit I checked Brett's facebook today... I am going to go ahead and cut myself some slack since I had been holding a sleeping Ransom for about an hour when I finally caved and looked it up on my phone. I mean, what ELSE did I have to do?! haha

Anyway, I guess its going to take my a while to fill the "void" but since its so hard to quit, it must have definitely been the right decision! And look here! You're getting another blog post! So time IS being spent more wisely!

Brett's longer working hours have extended into the weekend-since he took off work "early" on Thursday so he could have Bible Study, he's had to work all day today. For reals there are just not enough hours in the day for powerpoint according to the Army. Army Strong. Army Power(point).

A rebel with a tiny cause

2011-07-09T09:24:00.001-05:00

So, I deactivated my facebook account today...I've been toying with the idea to do it for days-well, really ever since that glorious week of vacation when I didn't check it. Anyway, it probably won't be forever, right now I'm going for a month-but, anyway, the deciding factor was time. And time well spent. This week was busy hanging out with two of my gorgeous friends from Texas, Christa and Esther. I've known them their whole lives and it is always such a nice surprise when you find yourselves adults and friends at that!

At our second fireworks show of the weekend...

eating famous "Abt Family Chili Cheese Dogs"

A jam packed week of goodness

If you look closely you can see the airborne students jumping from the plane...

three ladies at his beck and call? one spoiled baby

It was a great week and in the midst of the busyness I feel like God was talking to me a bit about the people I should be making a priority. The Dear Ones who have been neglected because I'm a "busy mother", but really if I'm honest I'm just not doing an awesome time management job. And so what better way to free up some time for the Important People than to get rid of the people I just randomly stalk? ( haha) And thus the change. In fact, I think the only thing really holding me back was the fact that I wouldn't be able to share pictures of Ransom as easily...but what about my dear neglected blog?! And so, even though its a bit harder to post...I'll be hopefully making an effort to pick up the missing facebook slack by posting more pictures here instead. We'll see how that goes..

Sometimes Fort Benning can rock a pretty sky.

Happy Independence Day!! (+ a winner)

2011-07-04T14:27:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th everyone!! I love love this holiday! BBQs, fireworks, family picnics and little town parades- it's seriously great. We're currently watching the Abt Family tradional movie- Independence Day. Hahaha!
So what better time to announce the winner of my chocolate giveaway?!

It was interesting that with each person that commented I would think, "Oh! I hope they win!! I'd love to send that person Chocolate!"

But in the end there could only be one winner, but I will tell you this...friends, take a look around and find someone you can bless with a little "something special" this week! I definitely need to do "just because" presents for people more often.

And today I'm sending Chocolate to JUDY!!!! Congrats for winning! It'll be in the mail soon! *And by the way, Brett was very excited that he randomly picked your number! :-)

ITS GIVE AWAY TIME!!!!

2011-06-30T14:05:00.001-05:00

I had SO MUCH FUN "spreading the joy" by giving away something that I love last month ( was it really last month?! It seems like forever ago!) that I've decided to do it again....I guess I got it in a little under the wire considering its the LAST DAY in June, hahaha! But better late than never!

OK, so as you know we recently went on Vacay and I maaaay or may not have put on a little extra "padding" after eating nonstop for a week. So, this week I've been watching what I eat. Particularly I've been watching myself eat one of my FAVORITE chocolate bars ever. ( hahaha!! gottcha! I'm upping the exercise..."dieting" is not for me!) I was so excited when I found it at a local designer grocery store because its definitely hard to find when you don't have the luxury of living in a major city ( *sigh*)

First you need to check out the brand: Vosges Haut Chocolat and let the foody in you marvel at some of their awesome combinations with chocolate ( and I promise I have never had one that I didn't like-no matter how strange the combo!)

And now I will announce my current favorite:

Ah yes, the the sweet and fruity Goji Exotic Candy Bar! It is described as "flavors of the Tibetan goji berry; raspberry, plum and currant undertones emanate from chewy bites embedded in dark milk chocolate. A hint of salt keeps you coming back for more..."

DOES THAT NOT SOUND AMAZING!?!?! Well it IS and I'm giving away a large bar of this chocolaty goodness to one of my lucky commenters that I will randomly select on Monday ( as sort of a Independence Day celebration. hehe) All YOU have to do is comment on this post before midnight on Sunday with your favorite candy...preferably the kind you only get on special occasions-but really go with your heart on this one...and GOOD LUCK :-)

life lesson

2011-06-29T19:47:00.001-05:00

On our way back from our vacation my sister and I switched car toys so that our kids would have something new to entertain them on our respective journeys home ( mine was waaaay shorter than hers...poor things). I can't speak for her, but I basically went to the dollar store and bought really random things for Ransom to play with in the car. They also have some fun board books and little handheld fans that light up, and really badly made puppets. So you should hit up your Dollar Tree the next time you go on a vacay with a 1 year old. Annnnnyway, I don't know WHERE Anna got this book, but its called "Nature" and its made by the Chicken Soup for the Soul people ( random.) and each page has a very off the wall saying on it that may or may not have something to do with the picture on said page. Its all a bit weird, but this page is most DEFINITELY my favorite. It says so much, without saying much at all. And I feel like, if my child was just a bit older we could talk about what's ABOUT to happen in this picture...because I personally think its Obvious.

Face the music

2011-06-29T19:42:00.001-05:00

Friends, we've been living on borrowed time here in the Wilson Household. Or at least that is what it has felt like since Brett got back from his deployment in 2009. We have been really really blessed ever since. So blessed that I had forgotten what it could be like. What the Army could do.
Since Brett got back he's been to the Captain Career Course-which since it wasnt a deployment, felt like a dream and he often got home around 3pm ( saying nothing of the hours and hours of homework he had to do once he got home...) and then he did several other "courses" with significant breaks between each one all leading up to Ranger School. So, once again I was spoiled with evening with my husband. We had people over to dinner twice a week, we watched Startrek together. Then Ranger School-which, yes, it was awful, but you KNOW its gonna be AWFUL. You miss your husband but you know not to expect him at the end of the day and you look forward to when its over. And then Brett was put on staff at Brigade headquarters. We'd have a long day here and there, but "long" usually meant 6:30 or 7. And I was very much lulled into a false sense of security.
Now, I knew deep down that it would come to an end, that Brett would become a Company Commander and the days of him leaving at 4am and coming home at 9 would once again be a part of my life. And I told myself that I needed to "prepare" that I should sit down with God and have Him "sort me out" before we got started so I wouldn't have the nasty attitude that I had when Brett was a Platoon Leader. ( go ready my blog circa 2008 for a brief example)....
But, to be honest I figured I had time to prepare and I just put it out of my mind as I do most things that are unpleasant.
However, God has apparently decided to give me a nudge. He's decided to give me a small preview of what's to come so that I will, in fact, have that sit down with Him.
Brett got a new boss and as of this week he's gotten home-earliest 8pm....Monday it was 9 and it looks like it'll ( hopefully?) be nine again.... .
Now I am about to be really honest so PLEASE don't judge ( especially you ladies who's hubbies are deployed right now...believe me, you have it MUCH worse than I do!! YOU DEFINITELY WIN), but this is what I hate most about the Army. The time when, for all intents and purposes, you should have a "normal" looking life but instead you never see your husband, and in turn he never ever sees his son ( granted, Ransom saw him for 5 minutes this morning before Brett headed back into work while Ransom was eating breakfast), you expect the Army to be awful when they are deployed, but believe me it can be awful other times too...but honestly...this is NO WAY to live! And this is what I'm talking about. I need to somehow come to grips with this lifestyle. Find the silver lining, work out the good. Otherwise the next two years are going to be some really downer blog posts.
Ok, thanks for letting me vent. Now I will immediately post a funny post so as to brush over this one.

As I pushed publish on the post I got a text from Brett saying: : Tonight will be extra bad. Still not sure how long I will be. ( 8:44pm)

Its best

2011-06-27T16:32:00.000-05:00

After a week in a gorgeously perfect Beach House ( if you have children under 1...or heck, children at all...or heck you're just a messy eater-than I recommend vacationing in a place that has an amazing laundry room) where we ate like Kings and chillaxed like....something that is known for Chillaxing....the only thing to be done after a week like that is....

To get three wisdom teeth taken out.

Its important to note that Ransom is also going through a "I dont enjoy taking naps but I do enjoy shrieking and having you hold me if you're in the room" phase.

Its also important to note that Brett's having to work extra late tonight.

And lets not forget that I just literally SUCKED DOWN some scrambled eggs and my mouth STILL HURTS. ( one way to loose the added "Eating like Kings" pounds). So I'm cranky about that.

And so, you'd THINK that I'd be about to complain to you. But I'm not. I'm just pointing out facts. In fact, the last two facts are the best:

Keri-she's a dream who took care of the non-sleeping-Ransom during my "ordeal" at the dentist.
Amy-took care of Ransom for me for a few hour this afternoon so that I could sit on my couch without moving.

Basically I've hardly had to take care of my child at all today..which was an unforeseen blessing.

It's gonna be good!!

2011-06-16T09:24:00.001-05:00

On saturday we're packing up the car with treats and beach towels and a whole bunch of baby stuff ( seriously, that kid requires a TON of stuff!) and headed to St Simons Island on the Georgia Coast.

I cant even TELL you how long and hard my sister and I scoured the internets to find the perfect beach house only to have Brett's boss turn down the dates available*. But when all looked terribly bleak and I would have given up if it wasn't for the dream of a week at the beach, that we finally found a place that fit our needs.

My TRUE dream for a family vacation is several weeks-Brett and I stay at a beach house and then we have a week with his family and a week with mine-but I'll take at least HALF of that dream and be perfectly gitty with excitement. I mean, I looooove any time that I can get with our families, but its usually rushed and I spend every minute calculating how much time we're spending with my family and how much time we're spending with Brett's Mom and family and madly trying to figure out how to make it as even as possible, Breakfast here, lunch there, Ransom nap, visit there, go back here, etc. etc.

Now, don't get me wrong our families are beyond gracious about having to share us every time we visit, but its more that I WANT to spend as much time as possible with both and thus our hearts are divided, not the most relaxing "vacation" ever...and such is the down side of having families that live in the same town.

And then when Ransom was born I realized the coolest thing! Our families could come visit US and THEN we'd have 100 percent undivided attention!!! YAAAAY!

Of course, such trips are hard and can't happen very often, but I love, love, love them when they do! Knowing we can have UNLIMITED time with just a few people makes my heart warm.

And thus our beach vacation:

I love the thought of getting up in the morning and knowing that we don't have to go anywhere unless we want to, that we can stay in our swimsuits or PJs or a mix between both-all day and not a soul will notice or care.

I am looking forward to all the yummy foods we will be consuming ( too bad I've already gained five pounds this summer! What's going on there?!?) and all the beach fun we'll be having, the quant town exploring and the family time we'll be soaking in. Oh its gonna be good!

*Oh Army, how sneaky you are...saying that we get vacation time, but never giving us very much time in advance to plain. Oh, Army, do you not know that vacation spots during the summer fill up FAST?!? Do you not know that finding a place that's up to our standards is virtually impossible a month out?!? Oh Army how you DO vex me sometimes.

Writer's Block

2011-06-14T10:27:00.000-05:00

I've been having it. Writer's block. I'm not sure what's causing it really......a mind to jumbled with thought that I can't seem to order it nicely into sentences. Whatever the case its been niggling away at me for a while now.

But, last night I resolved to push on through. I'd blog about SOMETHING whether it worth writing about or not. Afterall, that's what I pretty much did every day for years and I kinda like going back and reading those posts.

I read this in my time with Jesus yesterday and its been with me ever since:

" for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God."-John 12:43

Ouch.

I think ordinarily I'd brush past this one, say something like, "Oh, that doesn't apply to ME."
But, really if I'm perfectly honest it DOES apply to me! Its not hard for me to get so caught up in loving on people that I forget just who Loved me first. And who, in fact, is the one I should be pointing to....its all well and good to show love to someone, but if they leave thinking "Oh, those Wilsons they always show us such a good time, they always have such nice parties...they are nice to have me over for dinner etc etc." Well then we haven't really done what we're called to do. Where am I seeking glory?!

Er really?

2011-06-07T19:57:00.000-05:00

So, ummm....the whole "emergency room" business is really annoying. I mean, honestly, do they EVER help anyone in a timely fashion?! I mean, once I waited, writhing in pain, for several hours with a kidney stone before they finally gave me meds.
And then last night we took Ransom to the ER with a 104 fever and we literally sat for two hours, during which time Brett went back home to get his medicine so we could keep trying to get the fever down. After 3 hours it was down to around 102.6 and so we went home at 2am without having seen an actual doctor.....awesome.

Anyway.

This is why you best have a gun shot wound to the chest otherwise DO NOT GO to the emergency room. EVER.

Incidentally, did you know that teething does not just cause "low grade fevers" as it is always said, but instead it also causes really high fevers too....weird. At least that's what we're assuming is wrong with the little man.

Of course, Ransom was a totally charmer any time we came in contact with staff....even when they were taking his temperature the *ahem* most affective way-he was till a total angel. In fact when we left, there it was two am in the morning, he still had a relatively high fever and there he was waving at the nurses as we left. Classic. He's such a sweet baby.

It's that time again!!

2011-06-06T10:11:00.002-05:00

Hayden right before he left, holding an unimpressed Ransom.

So, friends...if you don't remember about 9 and a half months ago Brett went through Ranger School with flying colors. God's grace seriously covered us both from head to foot and we saw time and time again how He could provide for us both ( me going through the special "ranger school" called the first three months of our son's life, Brett going through the real thing...). The prayers of the Saints were felt every single day and I think for both Brett and I the awfulness of it all has faded just a little and now we mostly just remember all the good stuff ( as in all those answered prayers! haha!)

Anyway, lucky for me I'm currently being reminded just a little bit of the awfulness since yesterday we sent off our "son" Hayden to try his hand at Ranger School. As a girl, someone not in the military, or even a guy in the military who's not in the infantry-its hard to even understand what the heck is so important and/or special about Ranger School...but after watching the Surviving the Cut Special and living at Fort Benning where Ranger School starts and ends, I have not seen the little emaciated bodies and the tears first hand. Its rough people. Its rough. And its a big ol' deal.

And so yesterday we sent Hayden off. Hayden who was only suppose to live with us for maybe two or three months and who has been with us for six. Because of various setbacks and injuries Hayden got to stay with us longer than expected. And I say "got to" but really I can only imagine what its like to live with a "old married couple" and their infant son while having lots of days where he didn't have anything to do ( not having a specific "job" can be rough on a guy) once he'd gone to his formations and done his PT. Frustrating at best. And yet we really saw Hayden grow a lot in the past six months, his love for people, though I think it was already there- its definitely become more refined and focused. Anyway, as I think about this guy who went through a ton of books from our library, watched West Wing with us, played with Ransom, tried to teach him how to say "Hayden" and prayed that he would "really" crawl ( not just Ransom's current version) before he left for Ranger School...cleaned my house for me when I went out of town, hung curtains, installed carseats and put together strollers, put up with me making fun of his puppy love for Mulan ( from the Disney movie) and his inability to get in the babygate when we first installed it, who helped us with countless ministry events and bible studies, let us have 5am Prayer meetings in his room every week ( so as not to wake Ransom down stairs), and as it got hotter here in Georgia, put up with living in an increasingly hot room ( Hayden lives in the attic with a window unit and two fans)...when I think of all of that I am personally grateful for the time we had with Hayden-he has been an encouragement to both Brett and I , and I am now praying hard for him to get through Ranger School. Not just for himself, but may those who pray for him be encouraged by the Lord's faithfulness once again.

We never want to be so proud as to forget Who is the one who guides our steps, gives us successes, walks us through set backs. As someone who never has to go through it myself, but instead has to deal with that awful feeling of not being able to DO anything, but instead nervously wait for updates-I am actually grateful for these Ranger School Tests...these times in life which are so clearly out of our hands when all we can do is pray! Ranger School is my pride-o-meter.

Incidentally, you can also be praying for my friend Amy's husband Luke who also started Ranger School this weekend...

If you'd like to be part of Hayden's cheer team, feel free to write him a letter....his address for the next month is:

2LT Matthew Meredith
4th Ranger Training Battalion
ATTN: 4-11
10850 Schneider Road
Fort Benning, GA 31905

Sprinkles on top

2011-06-02T08:43:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine had a baby over the weekend and I made a meal for her yesterday. I never pass up an opportunity for cupcakes and since we were also having company for dinner- chocolate cupcakes for dessert seemed the only thing to do. Now, we all know I love cupcakes. Icing and cake all right there together in a convenient handsized package-what's NOT TO LOVE?!?! But another thing I love is sprinkles.

Sprinkles never fail to remind me of the rare occasions that my parents would take my sister and I to Baskin Robins for ice cream. I always got the same thing. Vanilla with sprinkles. In a cup ( because I couldn't be trusted with a cone...though it could be argued that I STILL can't be trusted with a cone). Anyway. Something about sprinkles. They make me happy.

And so I was thinking about things that make me happy ( beware the far reaching segue ) and it reminded me that all too often I'm looking for the "next best thing" when it comes to making my life meaningful and happy. When REALLY its the classic, the always tried and true returning to the Word of God, my Bible and spending time with the Lord that makes the difference. We're not talking fancy pastries or meringue pies...we're talking sprinkles on top. Simple yet never fails to work.

In Lue of moving...

2011-05-23T15:45:00.000-05:00

I realized over the weekend-that we've been in our house for a year! We honestly have not lived in the same place for this long....since....ummm....the beginning of our marriage. AND SO.
I realized that one of the only benefits of moving that often is you do not accumulate clutter and your closets get a good re-do every year ( at least once).

And now that we're here, and it looks like we'll be here at LEAST another year it looks like I'm going to have to do some deep cleaning around these parts.
And so, to inspire myself to do it. I am documenting my progress here.

Today:
The refrigerator. It was gross. Now it is not.

WINNER!!!!

2011-05-23T07:41:00.001-05:00

So, today's the day! I'm about to announce the winner of my book give away, but before I do so I've got to go ahead and say how sad I was that only 11 people entered!! Does this mean only 11 people read my blog? That only 11 people like free stuff? Is this because you didn't like what I was giving away? Is this because you feel like children's books are just for kids ( UNTRUE!)? Well, anyway...it doesn't matter because I'm still excited to share this little piece of happiness with one of you...

And so, last night before we went to sleep, I told Brett to pick a number between one and 11 ( yes, I could have used one of those official number generator things, but we're not that official here on Abigail's Day...so you'll just have to go with it...) Annnnyway...Brett picked his number and the winner is....

ALISHA P

I'm happy that Alisha won since she's expecting her first child! YAY! The perfect time to start collecting really great children's book...

Anyway, Alisha I know you're currently on the move-so if you could send me an address where I could send your book within the next day or so that would be great!

And as for the other 10 of you...have no fear, I had so much fun getting to share this little piece of awesomeness with you...I'll probably do another giveaway of something else that makes me happy before the summer's out.

one-two-three jogging strollers

2011-05-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have three jogging strollers in my garage. And I'm a "mild jogger" at best. So how did this irony occur?!
Well, I'm pretty sure I told you about how I acquired my first jogging stroller at a consignment sale at the end of last year. I got it for 35 dollars or something ( I can't remember now, exactly...but it was insanely cheap) and I was SOOOO excited about it....

Until I tried it out.

Something was seriously up with the front tire that made it ride ever so slowly to the right. So, sure you'd start out in a straight line and within a few short minutes you would be off in some ditch somewhere wondering what had happened. It made even walking a pain. And so it sat in my garage for MONTHS. Months and months and months. Until finally I was really annoyed with the fact that I had a unusable jogging stroller in my garage collecting dust and worse....spider webs ( ewww!) while I was stuck pushing my giant travel system stroller around when I wanted to exercise. But then I saw my opportunity. MOTHER'S DAY! Time for me to cash in!!!
So I told Brett that ALLLLL I wanted for mother's day was for him to FINALLY fix my jogging stroller.

And so, Brett tried and one of his buddies tried and it was decided that it was not fixable. I was sad, but I rallied because the weekend of Mother's Day was the Post Wide Garage Sale, where everyone puts there stuff out on the front lawn and sales it for cheap. And by stuff I mean BABY STUFF...( oh, and camping gear...) Baby stuff and camping gear that's what you will get if you go to an army garage sale. Anyways, so I was too lazy to go out in search of a new jogging stroller ( hey, its EARLY and I like my Saturday morning pajama time) but lucky for me, we have a guy living with us who likes to garage sale ( If he ever has a dating profile I recommend him using that as his opening line. He'll land a TON of girls that way! haha) and so he picked me up a new jogging stroller even prettier and newer looking than the last one, he even promised me that it went straight when he pushed it...all for the low low price of $15.

I was excited and on Mother's Day Morn I went out and test rode my newest jogging stroller....and low and behold it pulled LEFT.

I was bummed. way way bummed.

And so, in the end I had to give up my dream of getting a jogging stroller second hand and for cheap. It turns out that, especially those who do not have a swivel front wheel, tend to get unaligned pretty fast. I'm sure those much handier than us can fix such problems...but it is not in the cards for the Wilson Family.

Thus the fancy fancy $100 stroller that I love, love, love....it has a front wheel that both swivels and locks in place for the walking and the running...it has a comfy comfy seat for Ransom, it has cup holders for me...and it has a really crazy I'm-embarrassed-that-we-have-such-crazy-luxuries speaker for your MP3 player, in the inside for Ransom to listen to tunes or books on tape while I push him:

And so, BE CAREFUL...I will more than likely be selling TWO jogging strollers at the next Baby Consignment sale...and when I do, I will put a note on them that only the very handy should purchase.

Mommy Blogging.

2011-05-17T07:58:00.000-05:00

The "Mom Blog" is a big deal these days. Particularly successful Mommy Bloggers make the Times most influential people lists, make forbes lists of successful people, and products and companies are lined up to get on board to have the All Powerful Mom Blogger's endorse their products...they are a formidable bunch.

And, I suppose, if I'm honest I too am a "Mommy Blogger". I am, afterall a "Mom" and a "Blogger"...and I cannot help but let that aspect of my life infiltrate just about every aspect of this blog. Along the way I've picked up new readers who read my blog because I'm a mom, but there are some of you out there who have continued reading despite the fact that I'm a Mom. HAHAH!

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about the blogs that I read and why I find them enjoyable and I'd like to share an example with you today...this blog, to me, is the perfect example of what I think a Mom Blog should be.

I must go ahead and give a shout out to my friend Esther for introducing me to this blog, and I should note that Esther is single and has no children, so I'd go ahead and conclude that this is also why I love this blog. It is not OVERTLY forceful about parenthood...instead its more about life choices and a way of life.
The blog is called "Enjoying the Small Things" and I believe it helps me do just that.
Kelle Hampton is a photographer, writer and mother and her blog is primarily pictures of her beautiful two daughters, one of whom was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome at birth. Kelle's blog posts are full of sun shine and impromptu popsicles and dates with sidewalk chalk. While a lot of it seems idealized, its also a blog of yet to be unpacked suit cases by the front door and a million barbie shoes ingrained into carpet, its about struggling with keeping balance between work and home, about dealing with the every day of having a special needs child. This blog simultaneously inspires me to do better enjoying the small things, but also to not sweat the small stuff. I without fail feel a sense of delight after reading this blog.
OH. AND ANOTHER THING. Unlike other Mommy Bloggers...where product endorsements and giveaways are King ( or Queen in this case), I love that Kelle does not devote whole blog posts to touting and sucking up to some latest sponsor, instead she just adds an extra paragraph at the end of her posts saying how happy she is to introduce a new sponsor-she then shares a little about the company and then leaves her readers with the option of entering a giveaway if one is offered. AND unlike some blogs where you must literally sell your online life away by following on Twitter, facebook, Blog Reader, plus have all your friends and family do the same just to enter one small contest, instead she just has you comment answering some delightful question like, "what is your favorite childhood vacation?"
LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

Anyways, I do not know Kelle and I will probably never meet her, but her blog makes me happy and in a world where blogs seem to be constantly "selling" something whether is actual products or just the writer themselves, its a pleasure to read a blog that is focused on things of seemingly little importance-like wiggling your toes in sand, or the first crop of strawberries of the season....Love it.
GO READ THIS BLOG....You will not be disappointed.

Tidbits #2

2011-05-16T08:25:00.000-05:00

We recently visited a book store in our town...ok, ok, it was Barnes and Noble. MAN! I MISS HALF PRICE BOOKS SO MUCH. But since that's all this town has to offer that's where we were forced to go...

Anyway, how great it is that I now have a child and a legit reason to visit the children's book section! How DANGEROUS it is that I now have a child and can "justify" buying all the children's books I want to buy! *sigh*

This trip, however, I only bought one book ( because let's be honest...at Barnes and Noble prices WHO CAN AFFORD BOOKS?!?) because it was TOO GOOD to pass up.

Now you all know that I would never steer you wrong when it comes to children's books...and there are many many MANY out there not worth touching with your little finger, but THIS book, THIS book is wonderful. So wonderful in fact, that I am currently considering sending it to a friend of mine that doesn't even HAVE children. Its that good.

Here are two of my favorite pages:

Edit: So last night I couldn't sleep...and I was thinking about blogs that I love and people that I love, and how I really do LOVE my blog readers. So, I've decided in the spirit of sharing and all that is fun to truly give this book to a friend. ONE OF YOU! So, dear readers, please comment on this blog post telling me your favorite children's book growing up. And next Monday, I will randomly choose a winner of this lovely book.

Tidbits #1

2011-05-15T10:17:00.000-05:00

We've recently gotten involved in some pretty cool stuff with the Great Commission Movement...which, now that I mentioned it ( how clever of me to just weave this plug in like that) you should REALLY go and visit the website and get your OWN GCM started in your area...I mean, seriously, you should!!
Website: Great Commission Movement

Anyway, the whole idea of going OUT and telling more people about Jesus has really chall,

enged me that I honestly STINK at evangelism. I mean, when was the last time I shared about who Christ is with someone, anyone?!

And when I shared my lack with some friends and confessed that I am just utterly terrified of awkwardness that I feel frozen in midmovement when I even THINK of talking to a stranger about something as un-PC as a relationship with Jesus...one of my Wise Friends said something that I really need put on a pillow...

"You can't die from awkwardness."

I know its not as eloquent or anything. But if you knew me and knew how I will dive onto the bullet of awkward silences or awkward situations/conversations by doing just about ANYTHING to avoid them...then you know how important this little perspective meant to me. Hehe...anyway. Maybe I will re-learn how to cross-stitch and frame it up or something...

My Mother's Day prayer to myself

2011-05-07T20:50:00.000-05:00

I ran across this poem by Ruth Bell Graham, mother of five, a while ago and it's stuck with me...it best explains my feelings on being a mother.

Five I have:
each separate,
distinct,
a soul
bound for eternity:
and I
-blind
leader of the blind-
groping and fumbling,
Casual and concerned,
by turns...
undisciplined, I seek
by order and command
to discipline and shape;
( I who need
Thy discipline
to shape
My own disordered soul).
O Thou
Who seest the heart's
True, deep desire,
Each shortcoming and
Each sad mistake,
Supplement
and
overrule,
nor let our children be
the victims of our own
Unlikeness unto thee

Great expectations.

2011-05-07T09:20:00.000-05:00

Question:
Will my child literally need braces before his first birthday because he will have ALL his teeth and his mouth will not be big enough to hold them all?!?

Ransom is getting another top tooth. And if you're counting-that's going to be SIX on top. ( eight in total). These seem to be hurting more than the past ones...but then again, I think I say that every time-so maybe we just forget.

In other news, because of the teething and the odd eating habits that brings about- Ransom's diapers have been...ummm..."explosive"...and therefore I have not had the heart as of yet to go cloth on him.
BUT for those interested. I will more than likely be going the Flip diaper route. I'm excited though also apprehensive since it seems like its going to be more work and we ALL know how lazy I am....

Brett and I just watched the trailer for the very last Harry Potter movie. I think we both got teary. FROM THE PREVIEW! Oh, and it also comes out in theaters the day after our Wedding Anniversary. I KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING for our anniversary celebrations. ( yes. we are nerdy.)

I'm typing this blog post on my wireless keyboard+ipad. Not quite use to the setup. But still enjoying the "freedoms" of internet fun just about anywhere I want it.

I did a crazy/wild thing yesterday and got a Sam's Club membership. However since buying just two weeks worth of formula from Sam's club PAID for the membership I feel really good about the decision. I guess I just can't believe that I actually PAID for the rights to shop at a store. I always thought that was crazy...but then again, I didn't ever factor in the children. Oh the children. They do change everything ;-)

I can't believe I just equated a grocery store membership to "wild/crazy"...or going to a movie as the perfect anniversary celebration. *sigh* Standards are low at the Wilson House.

Then again, have you watched your child learn how to crawl as your evening entertainment?! Cuz that stuff is RIVITING.

decisions

2011-05-05T09:47:00.001-05:00

there is definitely laundry to be done. new cloth diapers to figure out/try out. grocery lists to be made. emails to reply to. photos to edit/sift through.

But all of that can wait because I have a teething baby and a pretty new iPad to play with.
( one of those is just time consuming the other is just fun. you can guess which).

Having fun in Texas

2011-04-29T09:49:00.000-05:00

A short story..

2011-04-23T21:12:00.005-05:00

Today Ransom played in his pool for the first time ( he is wearing a UVprotection shirt, for those curious)...and he looooved it.

He was then so tired that he fell asleep while drinking his bottle...seriously, he drank about three ounces while snoring with his eyes totally closed.

His mommy then put him to bed and they all lived happily ever after. The End.

Good Saturday

2011-04-23T08:32:00.000-05:00

The other night when I was reading poetry I came across a gem. One that I've been pondering over for the past few days...
I've been thinking about what comes after Good Friday. The horror of that day is true and real and I shudder when I think about my Christ upon that hill...dying for me. But I kind of brushed over the whole "three days" aspect. Brushed over Saturday...and right on into Easter, right up to that empty tomb. But today I'm stuck on Saturday.
24 hours of Nothing.
24 hours of Sabbath. And for the disciples, for those followers of Jesus who loved Him and Hoped in Him, Sabbath would have meant a day of "rest" a day to "reflect". So there they were, their Hope has just died and now they are forced to sit and do nothing.
The worst kind of awfulness in my opinion.

I've always liked that it was the women who went to Jesus's tomb on Sunday morning, as the sun rose and the sabbath was over...but now I'm looking at it differently. I'm thinking of them on Saturday and how they must have sat together searching in their minds for the meaning of this awful act, talking together about what to do next, how to move on...wanting something to do.

But I think it was no accident that our Lord died on a Friday, that those that He Loved would have to wait a day, sit and wait. Nothing for them to do.

When things do not go my way I often expect that tomorrow will bring the answer, that tomorrow things will be set aright. But what if its not? What if tomorrow things are NOT aright? What if we are asked to, instead, sit still.....
I suppose its there that I have an advantage to those first Followers of Jesus. I know what happens on Sunday. I know how the first of the week begins.
And so I hope that when I am asked to sit quietly on my "day in between" I will do so with a little more faith that Easter will come. That salvation will arise. That Light will triumph over darkness...and that sometimes I must be still and quiet and be faithful in my waiting.
And so Happy Good Saturday, my friends...as we sit and wait for Sunday, may we remember that in all our darknesses there is an Easter coming.

That was the Day Between
the Night Before-
The blood
still wet upon the hill;
His body
wrapped.
entombed,
and still;
the great stone sealed
with Roman seal
and guarded well.

Many a Judean home
had now become
a lesser tomb
within whose walls
men lay,
whose Life had died
That Day.

Looking back
we cannot share
their black
despair.
For us
He is the Risen Christ,
as He had said:
for them, that Shabbat,
all life died-
for He was dead.

That was the Day Between
the Night Before.

This is my Day Between,
my Night Before...
Suspended
in this interim
let me be still,
let me adore,
let me remember
Him.

In the darkness

2011-04-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since I've found myself burning the midnight oil.
When I was single, when Brett was deployed-times when there was no one around to know just when I went to bed, it was easier then to not let the sun rise without fully hashing something out with God.

But honestly it was needed tonight-for me to get out of bed, go sit in the chair....get down on my knees and listen...

Listening is the hardest of all the work. Its where I fail the most. I fill up my silences with worry, with questions, with answers ( of my own making...usually wrong), with distractions.

But tonight the weight on my shoulders just got too heavy and it forced me down (to my knees). And I am glad of it.

Friends, I am not totally better-the weight is still there, the lump is in my throat. And I know, I'm not explaining what the weight is exactly, and that's because I'm not even sure myself! I just know that I've been having more and more arguments with my fleshly self and my fleshly self keeps winning. I also know that there are humungo changes going on in the ministry we're involved in and its left me feeling lost and confused of what to do next. Anyway, those are the factors, and its not like they are now magically gone. But I would like to share this poem with you:

The growing darkness closes in
like some thick fog,
engulfing me-a creeping horror-
till I learned,
"the darkness hideth not from Thee" ( Ps 139:12)

"The earth was without form and void."
Upon the deep
such darkness lay;
O Light, Who first created light,
do Thou the same
today!

As in a darkened room
one knows-
knows without sight-
another there,
so, in the darkness,
sure I knew,
Thy presence,

and the cold despair,
formless and chaotic, merged
to a soft glory;
as a child
terrified by dark,
lies quiet
within his mother's arms,
no wild
fears shall torment,
my weakness now.
The dark-the dark-
surrounds me still.
But so dost Thou!
~Ruth Bell Graham

I am still in the dark about what I need to do next, but I do know Who is with me...and I think that was it! I think I was starting to doubt His being there...as though because I'd been naughty He'd left and was now "teaching me a lesson" by not being there...silly silly and wrong thinking!
In reading the rest of Psalm 139 ( seriously, can the Psalms get any better than this one?!? Honestly! Its for reals my favorite...if a favorite was to be had) I was struck by verse 8..."If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol you are there." I was reminded right here that He is with us no matter WHAT messes or successes we get ourselves into, HE is the same yesterday, today and forever...He is not dependent upon how I handle myself! Whew! Sometimes I need reminding of that. Jesus IS unconditional Love.

My ring tone for her is the Friend's theme song

2011-04-19T09:47:00.001-05:00

Today is my sister's birthday. She's....twenty two. Just kidding. But seriously. She pretty much hasn't aged since she was ten so she might as well be.

My sister and I had a complicated relationship right on up until it became really UNcomplicated, and then proceeded to be one of the safest, most fun, beneficial friendships that I have. My sister is seriously my best friend and THANK GOODNESS we have the same phone provider or I'd be spending some SERIOUS dough on phone minutes.

No one else understands my views on cake, really good hotel rooms, incredibly nice handbags, cute shoes, good sales people, responses to annoyingly friendly people in grocery stores, bad reality TV, Gilmore girls, Friends, The O.C., gossip magazines like "us" weekly, thank you cards sent in a timely fashion, proper party throwing, the rules of showers, how crazy/awesome The Parents are, the need for summer vacations, frozen yogurt, pregnancy, and child rearing quite like my sister.

Notice how cake was first on that list.

That's embarrassing...but I'll make the excuse that its because its her birthday and therefore cake was on my mind. But really we all know better.

I know, bad picture, right? But I think it captures our relationship nicely...

Happy Birthday, Sister-Friend.

Some times Mondays can be SO cliché

2011-04-11T16:10:00.002-05:00

Today our air conditioner broke, and I don't have to tell you-since I live in the South and its mid-April that this is TRAGIC.

So, Ransom is currently slumming it in a diaper and t-shirt. And I've got fans going all over the house.

And just to make this a really SPECTACULAR Monday, I also had a dentist appointment.

But, just so I'm not JUST complaining on this post-my dear friend Rolinda watched Ransom for me while I was at my appointment. And I scored a window air-conditioner unit from the repairman ( who could do nothing for us) while we wait on the REAL repairman to show up. Which means that tonight we can all camp out in our bedroom if worse comes to worse.

And I made a rather freeing decision to NOT make dinner tonight. We're having pizza and I'm way excited about it.

Chillin' in front of the fan....

In this scene...

2011-04-08T07:41:00.000-05:00

It is important, as in a good movie, to a have a soundtrack that corresponds with the mood of the scene. OR in my particular case, you need a soundtrack to CREATE a certain mood.

I call the mood I'm currently going for "I'm-actually-quite-excited-about-cleaning-my-house" mood. Its a very difficult one to achieve so it required a whole bunch of cheese and a lot of songs I'm embarrassed that I love. oh wait. No I'm NOT embarrassed that I love, because I'm no longer a slave to any hipster friends I've had(have) a long the way...nope I no longer have to keep up any pretenses. I am pretty darn lame. And I love it this way...

And thus my play list:
Brand New Day, Ryan Star
Firework, Katy Perry
Party in the USA, Miley Cyrus
Jar of Hearts, Christina Perri
Defying Gravity, Glee Cast
Take a Bow, Glee Cast
7 Things, Miley Cryus
Que Sera Sera, Sly and The Family Stone
Boom, Flight of the Conchords

And that's 30.7 minutes...which I think should do it for at least THIS part of the house.

You've Got Mail

2011-04-06T15:46:00.001-05:00

I remember when I was in third grade my best friend's little sister made me a present. It was a shoe box full of random things-basically a bunch of toys from her room...it was really cute, and I remember there was a little tiny basketball and several other happy meal toys involved.

Let's just say she was a gift giver and I always loved her for it.

Years later and she's grown into one of the coolest chicks I know. I love following her blog, as well as the blog she and her husband write about their experience running a home for troubled boys.

And today I got a little present from her, this time it was not in a shoe box:

And when I opened it, this is what I found:

Em makes a whole slew of precious crocheted items... You should really check out some of her great stuffs for sale immediately, and you should know that a portion of the proceeds of anything you buy goes to some great organizations, so go visit and peruse! ...NOW