All day I have been thinking about a story that I read over at Home Sanctuary this morning. Rachel Anne has a donkey named Flash that lives in her pasture. He just wandered into their barn one day and never left. They adopted him as their own and have been watching out for him ever since.
The other night they experienced a freezing rain storm and apparently Flash wasn't smart enough to make his way back into the barn. There he stood in the cold night, right next to the very barn that could shelter him. How ridiculous! How stubborn.
Wait a minute...I think there's a lesson here. Flash and I are a little more alike than I care to admit. What do we have in common, you ask? Let me tell you. I'd like to say that when the storms of life come, I run straight for the shelter of my Heavenly Father. It is, after all, the safest and most logical place to wait out a storm. But alas, like Flash, I can be a stubborn fool. Too set in my ways to run for the shelter that is offered me.
"Huddled in the freezing rain, not five feet from the shelter of the barn, the donkey raised his heavy head and looked at us questioningly. 'Huh?' he seemed to say."
Often that's what I do with God. I raise my head, look up at Him, and say "Huh? What is this all about?" I question the storm when I should just be depending on Him to help me ride it out. With His help and guidance, I can safely navigate any storm that life can throw my way.
There is, however, good news for Flash, and for me. Flash has loving owners and they had mercy on him and guided him back to the safety and warmth of the barn. It is much the same with our Heavenly Father. He is full of mercy for us. When we get caught in the storms of life, He comes to rescue us. He gently guides us to a place of refuge from the storm.
Yes, I am a lot like Flash. I too was once wandering, looking for someone to love me. Then God adopted me as His own and has been watching over me ever since.
Isaiah 32:1-2 "Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land."
Thursday, January 8, 2009
4th Folder, 4th Picture
First of all, I want to apologize if it seems like my glass has been half empty lately. I haven't been very positive in my posts, and I'm going to try to change that.
Today, I'm following suit of my friend over at Nieman Express. The idea is to go to your pictures file, go to the fourth file, and then the fourth picture in that file. Post the picture and explain it! Here's mine....
I think the picture says it all. It's my 3rd born, BC. He used to make this face quite a lot. It's his grumpy face. It still makes me laugh. I don't think it's a coincidence that this is the photo that popped up.
No more grumpies for me! : )
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Work and Play...the Balancing Act
Today's Small Thing over at Home Sanctuary was to do a little work before a little play. The reason this caught me as something to blog about is because I seem to be lacking in the "fun" department lately. In fact, I feel like I'm running around in circles, hardly able to accomplish even the smallest of tasks. I realize that some of this is due to Winter Break being lengthened by the weather. There were moments through the holidays where I really just kicked back and had fun with friends and family. Like everyone else, I am catching up on taking down and boxing up Christmas decorations. There are a few extras on my to do list that didn't get done during vacation. I don't think that's what's bogging me down though.
I think Rachel Anne is right. There has to be a balance between work and play. When I spend my days only playing with kids or hanging out in blog land, the house starts to close in on me. When I work too much and don't take some down time for myself, I end up being grumpy mommy/wife. It seems everything I read, listen to on CD, or watch on tv lately has something to do with the topic of how women don't stop often enough to make time for themselves.
For example, it is 2:00pm and I haven't taken the 15 minutes or so that I need to shower! I hate to admit it, but that happens quite a bit. I always think to myself that I'm going to do it after I complete this task or that, but then I end up getting to the end of my day and I'm still in my sweats. I will say, however, that because of the small thing today, I finished up my morning routine and then took time to exercise on my Wii Fit. That's something I enjoy, but don't allow myself to do it until I have most of my housework done.
I'm rambling now. I guess my point is that when I don't take care of myself, (fun being included in the definition of taking care of one's self) I am far less motivated to take care of the ones I love. I am working on the balancing act. I probably will be working on it for many years to come. I am a nurturer. It is in me to take care of others before myself. But then I always reach a point where I am too thinly spread and the well has run dry.
Honestly, I think I will have to schedule fun and time into my day until it becomes natural to me, if it ever does. It's a good thing I'm married to a loving man that tells me to lighten up every once in a while! : ) I think tonight I'm going to give myself permission to have a little extra fun today and play some board games with my kiddos tonight after dinner. They've been playing with their dad every night this week but he's at Youth Group tonight so it's my turn to have a little family fun. I am, after all, trying to teach them the importance of working hard so that they can have fun playing.
What are your thoughts on the matter? I'd love to hear from you!
I think Rachel Anne is right. There has to be a balance between work and play. When I spend my days only playing with kids or hanging out in blog land, the house starts to close in on me. When I work too much and don't take some down time for myself, I end up being grumpy mommy/wife. It seems everything I read, listen to on CD, or watch on tv lately has something to do with the topic of how women don't stop often enough to make time for themselves.
For example, it is 2:00pm and I haven't taken the 15 minutes or so that I need to shower! I hate to admit it, but that happens quite a bit. I always think to myself that I'm going to do it after I complete this task or that, but then I end up getting to the end of my day and I'm still in my sweats. I will say, however, that because of the small thing today, I finished up my morning routine and then took time to exercise on my Wii Fit. That's something I enjoy, but don't allow myself to do it until I have most of my housework done.
I'm rambling now. I guess my point is that when I don't take care of myself, (fun being included in the definition of taking care of one's self) I am far less motivated to take care of the ones I love. I am working on the balancing act. I probably will be working on it for many years to come. I am a nurturer. It is in me to take care of others before myself. But then I always reach a point where I am too thinly spread and the well has run dry.
Honestly, I think I will have to schedule fun and time into my day until it becomes natural to me, if it ever does. It's a good thing I'm married to a loving man that tells me to lighten up every once in a while! : ) I think tonight I'm going to give myself permission to have a little extra fun today and play some board games with my kiddos tonight after dinner. They've been playing with their dad every night this week but he's at Youth Group tonight so it's my turn to have a little family fun. I am, after all, trying to teach them the importance of working hard so that they can have fun playing.
What are your thoughts on the matter? I'd love to hear from you!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
From Snow Shoes to Canoes!
The weather we are having this Winter is just crazy! First, in December we broke a record for snowfall. Over 60 inches! It just kept piling up like it was never going to end! I watched in amazement as the toys in our back yard literally disappeared into the snow. The kids missed two days of school before Winter break, and the schools were still closed yesterday. We've been on Winter snow storm advisory on and off for a month now! They opened our school district today, but after nearly getting in an accident while trying to drop them off, I decided it wasn't worth risking their safety and brought them back home.
Today we moved from Winter snow storm advisory to flood advisory. It warmed up above freezing for the first time in a long time and actually rained. It's supposed to stay above freezing for the next couple of days and the snow is supposed to melt up to 12 inches tonight. I don't know where it's all going to go! We're going to have a lake at the end of our driveway. (Photo taken 1/7/09-"Lake Holgate") What a mess. We're going from snow shoes to canoes overnight! I had to make a category here on my blog just for this crazy weather! All I can do is shake my head and try to keep a good attitude about it all.
What do you do when the weather's got you down?
Today we moved from Winter snow storm advisory to flood advisory. It warmed up above freezing for the first time in a long time and actually rained. It's supposed to stay above freezing for the next couple of days and the snow is supposed to melt up to 12 inches tonight. I don't know where it's all going to go! We're going to have a lake at the end of our driveway. (Photo taken 1/7/09-"Lake Holgate") What a mess. We're going from snow shoes to canoes overnight! I had to make a category here on my blog just for this crazy weather! All I can do is shake my head and try to keep a good attitude about it all.What do you do when the weather's got you down?
Monday, January 5, 2009
Menu Planning
When better to get back on track Menu Planning than the first Monday of the year? Rachel Anne over at Home Sanctuary has some great advice on how to plan an entire month's worth or more of meals with some very easy, very practical steps.
I have been menu planning for a while now. We have a large family, and the last thing I need to worry about during the busiest time of my day (the evening) is that ever lingering question "what's for dinner?" So I sat down and broke out some files and some paper and began to gather some of our favorite meals. From there, I started to piece together a few weekly menus. I tried to do a month at a time, but I just couldn't commit to sticking to it. Something always came up or ingredients got used too soon. With just one week and a grocery list though, I can stick to a budget and for the most part, be faithful to make what is on the menu for each day.
When a menu is a success, I enter the recipes and the groceries needed into my computer. I then print off a master copy, put it in a protective sheet, and place it in a binder. That's how I am up to 8 weeks of working menus for my family. Now and then I try a new recipe, and I keep those in a separate protective sheet until I can work them into their own menu.
I try to keep my menus pretty simple. I use crock pot meals on nights when I know my husband will be home late. I will put at least two nights of chicken in so that I can cook the chicken for Thursday while making Tuesday's meal, or put beef together with beef. (You get the idea.) I schedule leftovers on a weekly basis. I will even confess that sometimes when I'm cooking something elaborate for my husband and myself, I feed the kids cereal. (They love it!)
Menu planning is all about what works for your family and your schedule. It doesn't have to be some complicated, perfect plan. I've tried several ways and this is what has worked best for me so far. If I could give any advice though, I would say definitely save your menus from weeks/months past. That way you can look back and see what worked and use it again. Take it from someone who's tried many ideas. It will save you time in the long run.
Well, I'm off to see what's for dinner this week and maybe even make a couple more new menus by gathering recipes from my stash. : )
Have a great week!
I have been menu planning for a while now. We have a large family, and the last thing I need to worry about during the busiest time of my day (the evening) is that ever lingering question "what's for dinner?" So I sat down and broke out some files and some paper and began to gather some of our favorite meals. From there, I started to piece together a few weekly menus. I tried to do a month at a time, but I just couldn't commit to sticking to it. Something always came up or ingredients got used too soon. With just one week and a grocery list though, I can stick to a budget and for the most part, be faithful to make what is on the menu for each day.
When a menu is a success, I enter the recipes and the groceries needed into my computer. I then print off a master copy, put it in a protective sheet, and place it in a binder. That's how I am up to 8 weeks of working menus for my family. Now and then I try a new recipe, and I keep those in a separate protective sheet until I can work them into their own menu.
I try to keep my menus pretty simple. I use crock pot meals on nights when I know my husband will be home late. I will put at least two nights of chicken in so that I can cook the chicken for Thursday while making Tuesday's meal, or put beef together with beef. (You get the idea.) I schedule leftovers on a weekly basis. I will even confess that sometimes when I'm cooking something elaborate for my husband and myself, I feed the kids cereal. (They love it!)
Menu planning is all about what works for your family and your schedule. It doesn't have to be some complicated, perfect plan. I've tried several ways and this is what has worked best for me so far. If I could give any advice though, I would say definitely save your menus from weeks/months past. That way you can look back and see what worked and use it again. Take it from someone who's tried many ideas. It will save you time in the long run.
Well, I'm off to see what's for dinner this week and maybe even make a couple more new menus by gathering recipes from my stash. : )
Have a great week!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Company and Company Girl Coffee
Welcome to Company Girl Coffee! Today I am in much need of a second cup of coffee...or three, or four! Stay for a bit, help yourself, and I'll explain. Once a year I temporarily lose my common sense and behave like I am 20 again. For six years now (I was in my twenties back then) we have been gathering with our friends to celebrate and bring in the New Year together. This year we had a total of 12 adults and 7 children New Year's Eve. We play games and talk as we catch up on each other's lives. It involves a lot of laughter, food, and staying up late. I look forward to it every year, but every year it gets a little harder for this thirty something year old to forfeit her sleep.
Last night I stayed up with the girls playing a silly game and having a ball. It's great to just let loose and laugh with them. The setback is, I'm feeling a little tired today. Staying up late 4 nights in a row is starting to take its toll on me. Go figure. It's the best though. I couldn't think of a more perfect way to start the New Year than to be surrounded by friends and family.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
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