It is Giveaway Time! August 31, 2012

Hey Ya’ll! Yep, I have lived in the south a while now.  My mid-west roots still show-as I still call that carbonated stuff, pop, not coke.  Sorry.  Though here in Texas we bleed Dr. Pepper and college colors.

So, are you up for a give away?  That’s right. I am giving a way a set of bracelets from the Fall/Winter catalog and a beautiful scarf. I am a consultant for Just Jewelry.  It helps me supplement our income for things that are needed or fun. I love the jewelry as it is affordable, allowing women to be able to keep up with fashion trends without breaking the bank. 

How would you like to win:

Three’s Company-3 row bangle bracelet

Two-toned Teal scarf

Here is how to enter:

• Check out the Fall catalog here
• Then come back and comment what piece (or pieces you like).
• You have to midnight September 5th to enter
• Get an extra entry if you share this post on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, using the buttons below! Make sure you comment letting me know you shared it!

If you liked what you saw, you could earn free jewelry (plus get more 1/2) by hosting a party.  It is easy and fun (you can even do a catalog party-so easy and the rewards are great and right now I have a big hostess incentive going on for the month of September!).  If you are interested, drop me a line at bstratton at justjewelry.com.

A Change or just one of many

It is 5 Minute Friday!  To find out more about it go here.

This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt: Change

Honestly, my first instinct was diaper changes.  It may have been because I just changed the boys right before I saw the prompt.  It is interesting how the boys accept their fate.  There are times that I physically put Lil’ Bud on the changing table, because he denies that he needs a diaper change. Though there are times he tells me it is time.  Lil’ Bit comes willingly-but does not stay willingly.  Getting his diaper off is a lot of fun, getting a new one on isn’t.

I was trying to think how this would be profound to our Christian lives.  When it hit me, there are times we know we are sitting in our own “stink”, but unwilling to change it.  Even though we know in the long run, we are much better off with it gone.  The change doesn’t hurt as much as it would if we stayed where we were.  Then there are times that we willingly accept the change of the old, but fight and struggle against the new.  Thankfully, God sticks through it with us and walks us along the path of the change.  Some of the changes are ones that only He can bring about.

The beauties my boys wear everyday. I love seeing them in different colors.

In sleep August 24, 2012

While at the MOPS convention, one of the sessions I went to was on Social Media-the speaker was LisaJo Baker.  It was there that I heard about 5 minute Friday.  Every Friday she sends out a prompt and bloggers from all over take it and write for 5 minutes on that prompt.  Check her out here.

Today’s prompt: Join

Start

The past 8 months, our youngest has joined us in bed.  He just turned 1 last month.  It wasn’t that we set out to do it, but ended up doing as that was the only way he would sleep (and therefore I get sleep too!).  We have nights where he has slept in his own bed then he gets another tooth, which means another ear infections and the only way he can sleep is with his head elevated on my arm.

These are special times for us, as it is the only time we get with ‘Lil Bit one on one. Recently he has been waking up to wish Daddy good bye before he goes to work.  It sets Josh’s day off to a good start.  I love being able to kiss his little head as he lays beside me sleeping peacefully.  It brings me joy.

One day he will be bigger and join in to another family.  At that point, I will look back with fond memories of when he was mine and I got to be the first to cuddle him.  I hope that over the next few years of his short childhood, I can prepare him for the new family he will join.

Stop

Something more fun today…

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been trying different activities with ‘Lil Bit.  The last one was a lot of fun, though a bit messy.

He got to finger paint with pudding.  He loved it.  I put 1/2 of the vanilla on his tray and he went at it.  Then I mixed chocolate in with the rest and put some of it on his tray.  Here is the fun that ensued!

Oh, squishy!

So serious-have fun ‘lil bit!

That is more like it!

Boy! That was fun & good.

 

Perfect? Where? August 23, 2012

Over the last few weeks I have be chewing over and meditating on what I heard at the MOPS convention.  The Lord knew what I needed to hear and what encouragement I needed to receive.

One of the biggest things, I think, we as women do, is compare and judge.  We are harder on ourselves, but we also compare ourselves and life to those around us too.  The biggest thing I heard was:

                   ……………..Stop COMPARING!

When I compare myself to others, I don’t always add up, and it starts to bring me down.  I see the baby weight I haven’t lost yet, a house with floors scattered with toys in every room, the things I want but can’t have etc.  I spend so much time on it, I become dissatisfied and discontent with my life.

The scene in my living room on pretty much any given day…and one of the precious reasons it is that way.

I love wandering around Pinterest. You know what I find? A picture of what the world says is perfect.  The perfect lunch, the perfect body, the perfect room arrangement, the perfect outfit or the perfect party. Our parents used to call it “Keeping up with the Joneses”, we now have the electronic version of it.   This perfectionary line/life- we imagine everyone else has that we should too- has a cost-monetarily, physically, and spiritually.

Another point I came away with is:

“Spend time doing things that inspire you, not tires you”- LisaJo Baker.

She went on to explain- where you feel the most inspired-stay there.  Relish in it.  But where you feel discontent-LEAVE.  It is not a competition.  Nothing is a perfect is it is made out to be.  (That is why make up was invented and for some of us a necessity!) Again it comes back to don’t allow things in your life that make you stoop down to the level of discontent.

That is where the sin lies…being discontent.  If I remember correctly, one of the 10 commandments is “Do not covet.”   Discontentment is just another skin for covetousness.  You want what someone else has.

The Apostle Paul said, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Phil 4:11-15

The key to a happy life is learning to be content.  That is why I have challenged myself to do the Joy Dare.  Every day, find 3 things you are thankful for.  It is not just the little things like: I am thankful for a house over my head (which I am!).  But also for the hard things of life-places where we can see God and His work.  One of those areas for me was when Josh had his seizure, it was really hard to see past no driving, uncertainty of another seizure coming and bills to be thankful that God is in control-no matter what.

 

Isle of Misfits August 11, 2012

I’ll admit it. I…

…am

…a misfit.

The isle isn’t very crowded, in fact it is quite lonely at times.  I have been trying for years to fit in, but you know what? No matter what I do, I will always be on the edge of most groups.

But I have come to find out a simple truth.  I am not alone.  There are thousands of women who also feel they are misfits.  Just like me,they want to be in the “cool” group.  We spend a lot of time and money trying to be accepted and invited in.  If we just curl our hair this way, find the perfect shirt and pants with the cutest shoes, we’ll get noticed and accepted.

That is it.  We want, no crave acceptance.  No matter who we are.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this the past few days, as I have been on the edge a group feeling even more isolated and a misfit.  Then I hear a quiet voice.

I have to calm my own thoughts to listen. There in the quiet, I hear, “My child, you are MINE!  I accept you.  I created you to be you.  You are unique, that is the way I created you. You belong the only group that counts.”

Are you feeling a bit of a misfit?  Come join me on the isle, our group is always open for another.