Proverbs 31

Sometimes I think I'm awesome. My husband is so blessed to have me as his wife. And even though my kids don't know it yet, they've got a rockin mom.

Then I read Proverbs 31:10-31 and maybe I'm not as awesome as I had thought... Let's take it verse by verse.


10. A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

This is obviously subjective. I'd like to think that Justin sees that I'm worth more than jewels.

11. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

I don't think he has full confidence in me, at least not yet. As for the value, I'm not exactly sure to what is being referred. Spiritual value or monetary value? Either way, I definitely lack in some areas.

12. She brings him good not harm all the days of her life.

I wish this were true! I wish I could say that I have never said a hurtful word to my husband. I definitely desire to be a good wife. 

13. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 

This just doesn't apply to me at all. Although, I do want to be more eager to do things with my hands other than type. 

14. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

Well, I do go to the Wal-mart on 27th for groceries even though Pick n Save is a lot closer. That's got to count for something that I'm willing to haul both kids out there in order to save some money. 

15. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.

I do not like to get up while it is still dark. When this happens, it's the kids' fault, and usually Sesame Street gets turned on, and  I snooze on the couch for an hour. I know I know. But, I do make most of the meals, even if they're really simple sometimes. However, I do not have servant girls. A maid would be nice though. 

16. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

I did buy this house with my own cash money. Okay, that's not true. I got a loan. Anyway, I did have a garden for a couple years. But it wasn't my own money. My husband earned the money to plant it.

17. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.

This most definitely is not the case. That is, the "work vigorously" part. I do get motivated at times and bust my butt. However, it's not an everyday thing. However, have you seen my guns? 

18. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

Maybe I should get on Ebay or Craigslist. Yes, I turn out the lights at night when I go to bed. Is that a bad thing? 

19. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her her fingers.

If this has anything to do with sewing, it does not apply to me at all. I lack in that area of being a woman. 

20. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

For sure I need to improve in this part of my life. I need to be more selfless and help those who are in need. 

21. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

That's right. Scarlet and Gray. Go Buckeyes! 

22. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. 

Totally untrue. Although, I think it's okay that I don't know how to sew, and that I don't like to wear linen because it wrinkles so easily. 

23. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

If by "city gate" you mean the USPS processing plant in Milwaukee, then sure. 

24. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.

Again with the sewing! 

25. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

 Now we're talking. I want to be strong and dignified. But at the same time, I know that my strength is from the Lord. And, I'm okay if people think I'm not worthy of respect, but only if they are against God, and not my own behavior. Oh, I do laugh. At the past, present and future.
 

26. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

The only way I'm going to speak with wisdom and give faithful instruction is if I am in the word, seeking God daily. I need to be teachable, or I will never be able to teach. (Ooh that's deep.) At the same time, I want the boldness to give instruction as it's needed.

27. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

I take care of the kids and the house at least. As for idleness, I'm learning and improving. I certainly enjoy my veg time, but I'm getting better at accomplishing certain tasks before I turn into a total bum. 

28. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

They don't say that yet, but I do feel blessed. I think my husband thinks I'm all right for the most part. 

29. "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." 

There is no way that I surpass most wives, let alone all of them. I have so much work to do to improve. 

30. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Smooth talking won't work, and how I look really doesn't matter all that much. But I do fear the LORD, and that's a good thing. 

31. Give her the rewards she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

In other words, a vacation is in order.  ;0)

Obviously, there are some cultural aspects to this passage of scripture. Some things just do not apply to me. What speaks to me the most about being a better wife are:

1. Bringing only good (respect) to my husband

2. Working eagerly and vigorously, not being idle

3. Having strength, dignity and wisdom

I think that if I consistently show Justin respect, if I work hard to keep the house (and children) in order, and if I stay strong through hardships, live a dignified Christian walk, and speak with wisdom, I will undoubtedly become a better wife. But the most important thing I can do as a wife is to pray for my husband.

Jesus, I lift up Justin to You, and pray that You would move in his life in a mighty way. Draw him to You so that You can reveal Yourself to him. I ask that Your hand of protection would be upon him while he works through the night. Give him your strength and peace. And God, please help me to be a better wife: more submissive and respectful, working hard, and seeking strength, dignity and wisdom. May it be Your will, Lord. Amen.

Drama

I have realized that it doesn't matter how old you are, there will always be a certain amount of drama in your life, if you allow it. Some people definitely cause more drama than others, and some people create more drama than others. There is a distinction. I see in my own life that I have been the culprit of both I am quite opinionated about certain things. Therefore I have expressed those opinions, knowing that what I said could be interpreted negatively. On the other hand, I have created drama by choosing to be offended by what someone else says. I can also choose not to be offended, and let it slide off my back.

Anyway, facebook wouldn't be facebook without drama. It simply cannot be avoided. Someone is undoubtedly going to update a status, write a note, post a comment, or share a link that irks someone else. That's what happens when you put all your opinions and feelings out in the world for everyone (or well, your "friends") to see.

If you're the type that is more likely to offend, maybe censor what you post. If you're the type that is more likely to be offended, get over it. I guarantee it's not that serious. If you're guilty of both, take a break from facebook and enjoy the peace!

Okay, I'm just kidding, because there's always drama with or without fb. However, I'm just starting to prefer the Mama drama. For example: This morning I had Deuce buckled into his carseat, ready to go out the door. I just needed to get Josie and...*insert loud squirty fart noise* Really? I go to change his diaper, and see that it's all up his back; so I have change his outfit too. Currently my drama is almost all about my kids. And right now, they're too young to talk back or post mean things on facebook about me.

It's a Frozen Custard Kinda Day

That was basically my first thought upon waking up this morning. I wasn't exactly sure where I was going to get the custard - but consuming some was definitely my main goal for the day.

I don't particularly like Saturdays. It's the first day of the weekend for most families. Husbands are home from work. Families do stuff together. This has not been the case for our family in quite some time. My husband works 3rd shift, and his nights off are Wednesday and Thursday. This really means nothing, because he sleeps during the day whether he works that night or not. So, realizing that most people have plans on Saturdays, and it's just me and the kiddos, I tend to get restless and a little jealous.

Now don't get me wrong. Justin has a good job. He has a great salary and great benefits and unless he brings a weapon to work, he's not going to lose his job. Plus, he actually enjoys doing what he's doing now, just not the hours.

I don't know, maybe I'm being a whiny baby. Christians on the other side of the globe are being imprisoned, tortured and killed for the cause of Christ, and I have the audacity to complain about not having something fun to do on a Saturday. Nonetheless, I made plans.

First, I took the kids over to Mo's house after lunch to eat some dessert. I also picked up my Pampered Chef stuff that was delivered. (Thanks Mom for the early birthday gifts!) We didn't stay too long, because I had sort of planned to meet Kim and her kids at Kopps (see the 2nd sentence) for some more dessert. Don't judge me. When I left, I called Kim, and found out that she wouldn't be able to get to Kopps until right around Josie's naptime. I decided to drive out there myself. There are like 100 streets between Lake Dr (any farther east and you're in Lake Michigan) and 76th St. Driving out there at like 1pm in a warm car (no A/C), I don't know why it didn't occur to me that my children, especially Josie, would fall asleep. The least she could've (why is there a red squiggly line under "could've?" Since when is this not an acceptable contraction?) done was to zonk out *after* I got my custard. And of course, Kopps doesn't have a drive thru. Knowing that this was going to be her only nap of the day, I decided to drive around for an hour before I about put myself to sleep. 

Don't you fret. I got a nutter butter sundae at Culver's. 80)

I didn't get much of my wifely duties accomplished today either. Like I said earlier, I accomplished my goal. Anyway, there are clean dishes on one side of the sink, and dirty dishes on the other. There are clean clothes to be put away, clean clothes to be folded, wrinkled clothes in the dryer and wet clothes in the washer. But there's a limited number of toys to be tripped over.

I did get some things accomplished though. In addition to my custard consumption, I also took a pretty lengthy nap. I read almost the entire first chapter of 1 Peter (I got interrupted with something, and never went back to it). I watched a somewhat interesting show on the History Channel. And I read a bunch of entertaining blog entries by a young pastor. My favorite so far is:

The one time Jesus did get wailed on: that time he got beat for a solid day and then got nailed to a piece of wood, and was legally dead for three days – that one time…even that couldn’t keep him down! Nothing’s more manly than standing back up from a royal beating, especially one that leaves you dead. And then he hunts down his friends who shrieked and ran off like a bunch of pre-teen girls when he was arrested…and Peter thinks Jesus is going to wail on him now…but instead they just hugged it out. That’s what guys do. They don’t hold stupid grudges. They hug it out. Manly. (From Jesus was a Scowling, Heartbreaking Lumberjack)

And then, I got a strong urge to go on facebook. This is the first time really since I vowed to abstain for 2 months. I resisted by typing up this blog. I enjoy writing. When I was in high school, my English teacher told me I would be a good fiction writer. I never pursued it, but I have often thought about writing a book. It has never gotten much further than my brain. Anyway, I'm saying this because if I love to write, and supposedly I'm not horrible at it (I at least have pretty good grammar and spelling skills), you would think I'd have a better blog. I'll get working on that.

But before I do that, I need to go to bed. It's going to be a short night and a long (blessed) day tomorrow!

Cute Kids

Yesterday was kind of a rough day in terms of being a mom. It wasn't my first, and it certainly won't be my last. And I am totally okay with that. We have great kids (and God-willing, we'll have 1 or 2 more)! I need to treasure every minute I have, because I know that time is just going to fly by. Justin reminded me this morning that even though I work my butt off everyday, I get to be with the kids, unlike him. So, I will count every day as a blessing, no matter how many dishes I have to wash, how much poop I have to clean up, how many floors I have to sweep, how many clothes I have to fold... 80)

Here are a few videos I took of the kids the last few days. I hope you enjoy!

What a Day

I'm not exactly sure when last night ended and this morning began. Between Deuce waking up multiple times and one of Josie's Elmo toys going off randomly throughout the night, I had a rough time waking up this morning. I finally got off my butt around 9, and I was moving almost nonstop until after Josie went down for her nap. Here's basically how my day went (not necessarily in chronological order):

Wake up. Wash dishes. Feed Josie breakfast. Clean top of fridge. Something stinks. Deuce (and bouncy seat) is poopy. Take diaper off, and lay on playroom mat. Start bathwater. Pee all over playroom floor. Bathe Deuce. Remove alphabet floor mat. Sweep floor. Wash, rinse, dry and sticky roll each tile and letter/number. Something stinks again. Did I change Josie's diaper when she woke up? Remove diaper and pajamas. Give her a quick shower. Take out trash. Put mat back in place. Feed Josie lunch. Laundry. Wash dishes. Put Josie down for her nap. Take a shower. More laundry. Vacuum. Watch TV with Deuce. Bake homemade bread. Prepare dinner. Eat. Put Deuce to bed. Attempt to relax. Listen to Josie whine while I write this blog.

Still to come: Put Josie to bed. More laundry, more dishes, more picking up, and hopefully some relaxation! Wait, who am I kidding? I'm putting Josie to bed, and saving everything else until the morning. I'm way too tired (no nap for me again today!) to be productive tonight.

I have no idea how I got anything accomplished when I spent so much time on facebook. I don't miss fb, but I am starting to miss some of the people I only spoke to on it. I'd love some email/phone correspondence too.

Facebook Who?

What an enjoyable and (socially) productive day I had!

The boy woke up hungry at about 5 this morning, and was ready to face the day by 5:45. Josie woke up shortly after that I think I got a total of 4 hours of sleep. I'm not complaining, because it's my own fault for being such a night owl. Every once in awhile, I ask Justin to watch the kids while I get a little bit more sleep, but I had already decided that this morning I was going to take the dog for a walk.

Poor Waldo doesn't get exercised enough. I have plenty of excuses, but none of them are really that good. It comes down to the fact that I'm selfish and lazy. Anyway, I took him for a much needed 30 minute walk. It was a great way to start the day. We walked around the neighborhood and through Sheridan Park. Early mornings are so lovely. And Waldo is such a good walker (thanks to about $800 in training). I think I'll have to make this a weekly (I know it should be daily, but I'm trying to be realistic) thing.

When I got home, I did some housework and hung out with the kids. Honestly I don't remember exactly what I did between 7 and 9:30. Actually, at some point we started getting ready to go to South Shore Park to meet Tracey and Lilly and anyone else who decided to come. I grabbed some fuel at Starbucks (a Java Chip Frap this time), and we got to the park around 9:45. Does anyone really care about time? I don't know why I feel the need to be so accurate with time. Well, Margaret and Mikko and Margaret's MIL, Julie, were there. Raven and her boys came a little later too. It's not exactly easy holding an adult conversation at the park while keeping an eye on (and often chasing after) a toddler, but it's nice having people around that I know and love.

Josie loves the park. She really enjoyed the slides today. It took her awhile to get comfortable enough with them to slide down by herself. She did plenty of that at the park today. Another thing she enjoyed was climbing. You know the ladder thing that as rungs that are u-shaped and starts going vertically and then goes horizontally? Well, Josie climbed that several times this morning, and twice without me. This wasn't by choice. When I saw that she was almost across the top, I ran over to her to make sure she didn't fall. What a brave little girl she is. Or naive. Either way, you go girl!

Deuce was a good little guy too. He didn't get fussy until right before we left because he was tired and hungry. He's been sitting up really well, so I had him sitting in the grass for awhile, and later we sat on the playground equipment while Josie climbed up and slid down the slide. Yeah, I let my kid climb up the slide. It's good for her motor development.

We came home around lunchtime. Shortly after that, Mo and Kennedy came over with some crumb cake. I of course had to sample a piece. I love coffee/crumb cakes. Kennedy and Josie played while Mo and I chatted, like we're known to do from time to time. ;0)

By the time they left, it was almost 3, and Josie needed a nap! I tried getting some more housework done, and then eventually, I got Deuce to fall asleep, and I got a little snooze in myself. I love naps, but I prefer when they're longer - like in the 2 hour range haha. I know I'm spoiled.

It was after 5 when I got up. I quickly got ready for Bible Study and started preparing dinner for Josie. Just leftovers, so no big deal. I had to wake her up around 5:45. That girl is such a good napper. As usual, we were rushed getting ready for church, but got there with a little time to spare. I enjoyed studying study tonight. It was the first one at the new church that I've been to, and it was nice sharing thoughts with each other about God's word. It was after 9 when we finally left.

The kids are in bed, the dishes are done, the house is relatively tidy, and I am tired!

And I barely thought about checking facebook today. This is a lot easier than I expected it to be. I'm not sure I want everyday to be as busy as this one, but it was nice staying active enough not to want to sit on my computer aimlessly for hours.

So now I think I'll read the last chapter in Galatians and then snuggle with my hubby before I crash.

Thank You, Jesus for such a blessed day! Amen.

"Perfect" Strawberry Lemonade

The other day while grocery shopping, a bag of lemons caught my eye, and I thought about making lemonade - the perfect summer beverage. I walked around the corner, and the strawberries were begging to come along. Mmm. Strawberry lemonade. Now we're talking...

I found a recipe online courtesy of The Food Network and Emeril Lagasse, so you know it's got to be good!

I made it, and my husband, Justin, LOVED it. He even said it was perfect! So when he asked me if I would make it again, you better believe I did. Except this time I took pictures.

The Basic Ingredients

 Lemons

Strawberries

Sugar

Water

Club Soda

The Directions

1. Boil 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar, stirring occasionally; then simmer.

2. Juice enough lemons to equal 1 cup of lemon juice.

3. Grate 1 tbsp worth of lemon peel.

4. Add juice and peel to the water/sugar mixture; remove from heat.

5. Wash, hull and halve 2 cups of strawberries (I used a 1 lb container); puree.

6. Allow lemonade to cool completely, and strain into clean pitcher.

7. Mix strawberry puree into lemonade; strain again.*

8. Refrigerate until well chilled.

9. Add 2 cups cold club soda and mix well.

10. Serve on ice with a strawberry/lemon garnish, and enjoy!

The end result is a partly sweet, partly sour, partly fizzy, and 100% refreshing and delicious summer drink! 

By the way, if you don't want to go through the trouble of squeezing and grating lemons, you can try 100% lemon juice and pregrated lemon peel can be found in the spice section.

And if anyone is wondering, I made the lemonade and blog after I did my chores (well most of them haha)! ;0)

* I found that it was easier to strain the seeds and thick strawberry pulp after I mixed it with the lemonade.

Playing Outside

We decided to stay home and play in the backyard instead of going to the park. The kids seemed to enjoy the gorgeous weather as much as I did.

Thanks Grandpa & Grandma P. for the slide!

Running to the garage and back.

She did not follow up with a somersault.

Thankfully not here either!

Surprise her hair is in her face.

He doesn't seem to be uncomfortable.

He wants to move!

What a handsome fellow!

Catching Up

I know this is an age-old complaint, but will I ever catch up? I mean with everything. It doesn't matter if I do chores all day long, I can never say, "I'm finished!" There are so many things that I overlook in our house, because I'm constantly doing everything I can just to do the basics: dishes, laundry, and keeping the house relatively tidy. When will I get to the spiderwebs in the fans? When will I have time to wash the windows, inside and out? When will I be able to organize all of our junk in the basement? The list goes on. I know it's possible to be totally caught up... I just haven't figured out how yet.

Maybe giving up facebook will help me get more accomplished during the day. We shall see!

Great Start to the Day

For months I've been bringing Deuce into bed with me in the morning to nurse him so I can get a little more sleep. However, he now moves too much, and would probably fall out of bed (*ahem* again) while I doze. So when Deuce woke up before 6, I got up and nursed him in the rocking chair. I still got a little bit more sleep, and I got him to fall back asleep enough to be able to put him back in his crib for an hour. This will take a little getting used to, but I'm sure my body will adjust.

I went to the Y to put my new workout plan into practice. Tuesdays and Thursdays are going to be circuit day. This morning I concentrated on chest and triceps. After a 5 minute warm-up walk, I did 10 push ups (the real ones), 10 triceps push downs and 10 chest presses with 12 lb dumbbells. Repeat 3 times. By the time I finished by 3rd set of push ups, I was getting pretty fatigued. I then got a quick drink (forgot my blasted water bottle) and spent 15 minutes on the elliptical. I changed up the incline and resistance every 5 minutes. After another drink, I did my ab workout. 20 regular crunches, followed by 10 reps on the hanging ab apparatus, and 10 lower back extensions. Repeat 3 times, except I did 20 left oblique and 20 right oblique crunches the next 2 sets. My muscles (especially shoulders) were definitely  fatigued by the end. I kept my heart rate up for most of my workout, which is good.

By the time I got home, Deuce had just gotten up. I made myself a couple breakfast burritos and a couple quesadillas for Justin. I know it's not exactly breakfast food, but since he works 3rd shift, the morning isn't time for breakfast I guess. Anyway, I then gave Josie her breakfast, and attempted to feed Deuce his. He had no interest in bananas today. I will try again tomorrow.

I need to make my blog look a little prettier.

I also really to shower. Phewy!

I think I'm going to take the kids to the park today. It's a beautiful day out so I don't want to totally waste it inside.

Day 1 - Without Facebook

I woke up this morning, and immediately felt the need to hop on facebook and find out what all my "friends" had been up to between the hours of 1am and 6am. Wait a sec. That's not allowed. It's been so long since my breakfast was not accompanied by status updates, pictures of my friends' kids, and posting comments that I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself.

I opened up my Bible instead, and continued in my study of Galatians. Well, I guess I shouldn't call it a "study" if I'm just reading and taking a few notes. But you get my drift. I read the Bible instead of facebook. And it felt good. 80)

That isn't to say that I didn't want to hop on fb several times today. In fact, I realize that I think in status updates. By that, I mean my thoughts almost automatically form into short, witty, amusing or grumbling statements. I thought of a few while driving to Wal-mart and back this morning. 80P Several times I caught myself thinking about how I needed to check this or that or contact this person about such and such. It's just kinda weird not having that constant connection. Thank God for my Blackberry.

I had to pause for a moment to make sure God isn't asking me to give that up too. 80) We're safe so far, as long as I don't let it get out of control. ;0)

So, what did I do today? Not much more than I normally do really. After breakfast and my Bible reading, the kids and I went to Wal-mart. Exciting, I know. I'm quite sure Mo and Julie are jealous. ;0)  We ate lunch, I looked up some stuff on the internet (researching for Josie's Christmas presents), Josie went down for a nap, and then so did Deuce and I. Later, I picked up around the house, and did a couple loads of laundry. And, here's the kicker: I cut up some carrots and a cucumber. Man, I am boring. Well, at least I went for a run this evening. And then I baked brownies (Thank you Heidi), and proceeded to eat 6 of them.

I really hope that subsequent posts will be more exciting. Seriously, I need to get out more. Or at the very least have more inspiring things to say.

Preface to my Decision

Last night I decided to listen to a sermon by Eric Ludy titled "Spiritual Athlete." The plan was to listen to the sermon and then watch some TV. I figured I'd throw some Facebook in the mix, as usual. The sermon was 2 hours long! It was challenging and encouraging and inspiring.

There are three basic ideas I got from the message:

1. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Unfortunately, we forget that the Spirit - that is, God's Spirit - is also willing to help us get through whatever we're dealing with. I don't need to (nor should I) lean on my own strength. I must allow God to be who He says He is! That does not mean I get to sit back and do nothing.

2. Ekkakeo is the Greek word for "lose heart" in 2 Corinthians 4:1, 16, 1 Thessalonians 5:17. It also means empty of the fighting spirit, exhausted, wearied, tired, faint. It basically means spiritual flab, and we should have none of it.

3. Athleo Stehano means "contending for the crown" in Greek. See 2 Timothy 2:1-7. Our Christian walk is a battle. We must always be ready and alert to obey our Commander's instructions. Disciples of Jesus Christ do not get downtime. The battle is right now! The enemy looks for breaches, weakness in us, and we cannot allow him even the slightest foothold.

At one point, Eric Ludy said, "I cannot stand in the way of my God's agenda." And then later he asked, "What is it that you allow to supply your needs other than God?"

Immediately, "facebook" popped in my head. And then I felt God prodding my heart, "would you give it up for Me?" I wouldn't say that I was addicted to facebook, but I spent A LOT of time on it. A lot of brainless, wasted time. It's not like I was doing anything harmful. I just wasn't spending my time as God would have me spend it. There are more important things that I should be doing.

1. Focus on my children. Josie plays so well by herself, I find myself taking advantage of that. And Deuce is such a good baby. They need me to interact with them throughout the day, and not just when she asks me to read her a book or he cries. I need to be the best mom I can be for my kids.

2. Read the Word and pray. This is a no-brainer, considering that it was the Holy Spirit that suggested I give up facebook in the first place. It only makes sense to spend more time with Him on a daily basis.

3. Be productive. I am really hoping that I can keep the house in a little better order if I focus a little less on updating my status and more time on doing my chores. Plus, I'm pretty sure I'll need to keep myself busy to avoid the desire to automatically hop online when I get a bit bored.

Anyway, this all really boils down to Philippians 3:7-11. In a nutshell, NOTHING compares to knowing Jesus. Everything else is rubbish, and I count it as loss.

Lord, You are faithful, and as silly as it sounds, I know that You will give me the strength I need to be obedient. Thank You for loving me and pursuing me. Amen.

PS. I did go on FB to announce my sabbatical, and I didn't watch TV, if anyone was wondering. 80)