Crumbs from a full plate...

A Good Day

Today was a really good day. We had a lot of fun, accomplished several things and enjoyed each other. One of the projects we did was to paint the boys bedroom, erasing the sports mural they have had now for 4 years. Everyone got involved and did a little bit of painting.

 

 

  

While shopping on Saturday the boys saw some comforters that they liked and told me that they wished they could have them. We had been talking for a little while about painting their room more neutral, so I thought "okay, how bout now." They matched a taupe paint to one of the stripes and suddenly they were totally on board with what I actually wanted. I thought we would paint next week, but they wanted to get started, so we did! It turned out great.

Only so many people can paint at once in the same tiny room, so I also got the girls started repainting our porch chairs and swing outside. We had started them last year with red which requires no less than many coats. Meg had a ball however, and I am pretty sure the drips can be pressure washed off the concrete.

 

Today was a good day, and I think I did several things right in the process. Things that I want to continue to do this summer. ...

First of all, I declared it a Gallamore's only day. From the beginning, before the 9 children dropped by or called asking to play I decided that today would just be us. I told the kids and tried to make it sound like a good idea. Must remember to be proactive in my decisions and guard our family time.

Next, I used the momentum that came with the kids excitement to accomplish something already on my to do list. Must remember to watch for and strategically use these interests.

In addition, I didn't just send the kids off to do something on their own. I got involved in the project when the time was right, even though plenty of opportunities to be lazy presented themselves. I painted with them, took breaks with them and was a part of the process. Must remember to get off my lazy tail and lead!

Hopefully I will remember these things and this summer will be all the better for it.

Listening to the video this morning, I am struck by one of the first things said. Regarding our knowledge of the love of God, if it was getting in, it would be getting out!

This is a great reminder to me about all the knowledge I take in from God's word - does it show in my behavior?

Initiator

God is the initiator of all things faced. Beth Moore said this at the beginning of her Loving Well video, actually as an aside. She wasn't intending it to be part of the teaching, but it is the line that has stuck with me now for 2 weeks.

As I have pondered it, I have realized two meanings. First of all God is the initiator of all things faced. He is in charge, starting everything. I believe that and sometimes it makes me happy. But, there is a second meaning that has come to speak to me lately. God is the initiator of all things faced. It isn't enough to say he is randomly in charge, but he is charge of the things that I decide to face. The areas I try to improve in, the sin I address, the times I need his power to move in my actions. The things I face.

That really speaks to me, cause my laundry list of coulds is so big. There are a lot of things I could face right now in my life, about me, around me. But, it helps to know that God is going to initiate the ones I do face.

Long time no see

Hello blog...long time no see! I can assume that if I don't continue to write then people won't continue to read. But, I originally started this blog as an exercise in discipline for me. It was to give me a reason and a place to write, help me capture memories, and then be interesting maybe to a few folks.  So, in bullet format - here is what is going on right now!

• There are 2 more days of school. I am already starting to have moments of anxiety related to juggling home, kids, work, etc all summer. God has been telling me on a daily basis to calm down! 
• I am working on finishing up the Bible bible study that Linda and I wrote. The lessons are all done, but now I am writing out the messages we taught each week. Linda's are all completed - but I am finding it really hard to do.
• I have been seeing a physical therapist for pain in my back for a couple of weeks. I told her yesterday that I realized I want to walk the line of doing whatever I want with my body but having no effects. Pretty sad, huh.
• 1st year of PTA prez is done and it has gone okay. For sure, I feel more ready for next year.
• One of my cats has decided to pee on the bathmat in our bathroom. Every time it is clean! I didn't believe Joe that he was the culprit, so he graciously stepped it up a notch this morning and in the absence of a bathmat used the pile of dirty towels. Animals are filthy!!!

Are you seeing a theme...lots of things to be done, very lazy girl. I am laying low and trying to gather up my umph to face lots of things.

It's gonna be a great summer!

Last Words

Last night Joe and I were sitting on the front porch enjoying the evening after supper. We could hear the kids playing in the backyard, lots of squeals and giggling. One of us commented that it was nice to hear them play together and the other agreed.

Then we went to see what they were doing...

 

The trampoline had been pulled up beside the back deck so they could jump off the railing. This was necessary to give more bounce cause they were prefecting back flips. Fun, huh!

It totally reminded me of the famous last words of a redneck..."Hey ya'll, watch this!"

Sleeping Beauty

 

Today has been about juggling priorities.

 I have quite a bit of work that needs to be done and a little girl who is allergic to something. After a quick trip to the doctor for advice, she came to the office with me armed with a fun lunch, coloring book, library book and a tummy full of Benadryl. She lasted about 45 minutes before she curled up to read on the floor...

It is a blessing to be able to bring her with me and who knows what will rub off from her time at my office. I grew up hanging around a fabric store and it all that knowledge shows up in unexpected ways. Maybe she'll learn to sew here at the church.

Find some time

I just listened to one of my favorite preachers and wanted to share it. Check out this link and listen to part 1 of The Essential James.

http://www.elevationchurch.org/mediaPlayer.php?sermon=164 

View from above

We got invited to a 1st communion this weekend. The sweetest invitation came along with a personal ask from Megan's best-est friend Jessica. So, of course Megan and I went.

We got there too late to be seated with the family on the main floor and were directed to the balcony. Once we sat down and truly looked around, I was so glad we got to have a birds-eye view, cause it was really cool.  Not knowing what to expect, Megan was on the edge of her seat with a million questions. I was hard pressed at times to put into words symbolic acts that made sense to me, but my daughter wanted explained. Of course, isn't that the way of most religious instruction with our children?

The entire service was very meaningful. Ritual is certainly powerful and I was touched by many parts of the service. At one point, I grabbed my bible cause the passage they were reading was just after something I had been studying that week and wanted to read along. This drew a comment from the other woman beside me, and made me realize how much I just need to see the words.

Something has stayed with me this whole weekend. The priest mentioned several times to the parents, "7 or 8 years ago you stood here for the baptism of these children and today you are here taking the next step." What a great reminder as a parent. The commitments made when our children are young are meant to  be kept and the systematic manner in which the Catholic church marks growth allows for accountability. How cool is that?! I spent some time thinking of the commitments I have made with and for my own children, and have begun to evaluate where I am with those.

So, that is my thought for today...where am I with my children's religious education and where did I mean to be?

Thoughts on Giving

“You can’t have a perfect day without doing something for someone who’ll never be able to repay you.”

                                                         — John Wooden

“No person was ever honored for what he received. He was honored for what he gave.”

                                                        – Calvin Coolidge

“If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life.”

                                                          — Billy Graham

What I remember

It was my intention to recap the whole lesson at Mom Time last week here on my blog. It was excellent material, presented very well.

I lost my notes.

But, truly I think I retained quite a bit of what was shared, so I thought I would attempt to recap it anyway. So, here goes...

After Sherry set up the whole idea that sex is vital to our marriage and created by God the "Yeah, buts" started. Beginning with "Yeah, but what if it hurts?"  Excellent question that every woman that has ever given birth is gonna ask. In addition to the physical pain that can sometimes strike there is sometimes emotional pain originating in past abuse. Lots of things can work to make sex painful and Kim H tried to address many of the presenting issues. She made everyone laugh by giving away bottles of K-Y jelly which she heavily recommended for lots of reasons.

The bottom line in dealing with pain: don't ignore it, get help and COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR SPOUSE! My favorite line from Kim H "I had a friend who...okay it was me!"

Of course at a place like Mom Time (read, everyone has youngish kids) a frequent question is "yeah, but what about the kids?"  Babies change things and older kids change things even more. Debbie shared lots of ideas like putting  a lock on your door, being creative with times and locations, making good use of children's videos and other distractions - generally find a way to make it happen.

The  bottom line in dealing with kids: keep them in proper perspective, don't be afraid to let them see you kiss or slip away and COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR SPOUSE! My favorite line from Debbie "Don't make him feel less important than the kids!"

Kim B spoke to all our thoughts when she answered the question "Yeah, but what if there isn't time?" I am most sad about losing what I wrote down cause she had lots of really good zingers, which was good cause she was very pointed about a very serious topic - we need to make time! Wow, probably most wives in the room were hoping that the answer would be "yeah, you're busy and that's okay!" But, it's not. Kim addressed that we need to make sex in our marriage a priority and talked about it from the standpoint of protecting the schedule, planning for it and not making our husbands wonder if he'll get any when he gets home.

Bottom line in arranging our priorities: our goal should be to meet our husbands needs and therefore we should be intentional about making sure sex happens! My favorite line from Kim B "I'm just challenging you all to step it up in this area - make him glad to come home!"

The bottom line for the whole topic can be best summed up in my favorite line from Sherry "Be like Nike and just do it!"