Five Minute Fridays: Remember

So...I meant to do this yesterday, but co-op Fridays are super busy, so this is Five Minute Fridays on Saturday. lol! The Gypsy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif hosts 5 minute Fridays...5 min of pure, unedited writing, each week, and I think I want to start joining in weekly...it does not really mesh well for me to do this on my new site, With Eager Hands, so I am going to do it here. If you haven't already, please visit my new blog, With Eager Hands, and subscribe if you haven't already! :D

Remember

Go
I remember it like a cool summer day. Odd that it's cool in the middle of summer, but beautiful to behold. It makes me want to wrap up in a blanket and walk along the beach, hair down, billowing gently as the wind works through it.

As I walk along I can feel the sand polishing away the dry, dead cells on my feet...the same way God is working the dry, dead parts of my soul out of me with each lesson; each embrace.

The waves crash, violent, on the rocky edge which is the shore, becoming smoother, and smaller with every impact. Work in me Lord, until I am so small that I can not be seen, but in all I do, only YOU shine through.

The sun radiates down on the beach. It gives the illusion of a warm day. Blades of grass glisten with dew still not dry from the night before because the sun's heat is just slow in doing it's work today.

Stop

Are you missing a message?

Isn't it funny sometimes how we can get in our own way, and completely miss a message the Father is trying to give us.

Recently, I revised my home management/homeschool schedule. On that schedule, I had this great plan that I was going to get up at 5:00 am, so I could run before my husband goes to work. I wanted to run along our pretty back roads, instead of around the perimeter of our property, which isn't much more exciting than running a track at the gym.

Do you see where this might be going?

All this week I've planned to get up at 5:00, all this week I've failed...until this morning. Last night I prayed God would get me up at 5:00 like I had planned so i could get my run in. I was actually super excited when I awoke to my alarm at 4:45 am (if you can believe that) because I had slept through it every other day this week. I took a few minutes to wake up, got up at 5:00 am, made a pot of coffee, and started getting dressed. I was SO excited to get back to running.

That is, I was excited until I walked out the door.

Somewhere, in all my excitement, this city-turned-country girl had forgotten that in the COUNTRY, at 5:00 am, you can't see your hand in front of your face. No, that's not figurative. You LITERALLY cannot see your hand in front of your face!

Not to be discouraged by the fact that I couldn't see where I was walking, and I had wasted a formidable amount of time trying to get my stop watch to work, I headed out, in the direction of the one streetlight within a mile or so radius. I decided I would nix my original plans, and just run around the adjacent block...surely that was still doable, and still so much better than looking like a fool running around my yard.

Nope. Wrong again.

I STILL couldn't see well, I came across some animal that I had to kick dirt at to scare away (I think it was a possum) and then once I rounded the next corner I saw a larger animal in the shadows. That was enough to make me high tail it home. I ran a WHOPPING .42 miles. Yikes. And I felt like I was going fast, but stopping for that animal must have killed my pace because my time was slow. I was too scared to run around the block again.

God did what I asked. He woke me up this morning, and got me out the door so that I could realize MY plan, was NOT His plan!

Hmmm...so, maybe I was sleeping through my alarm every morning when I never normally do that because God felt I needed more sleep. Gee, imagine that.

So now I will be re-working my schedule again, and praying about it first this time. I guess I also get to go back to looking like a fool and running around my property.

I'm ok with being a fool for Jesus though. Are you?

A Story That Needs ToBe Told

"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Philemon 6

My journey in singing started when I was very young. I was still in elementary school. I entered a "when I grow up" speech contest...and I WON! Well...I won the first round. I went to the semi-finals, and there, I placed 3rd. I was one of the youngest students in the competition, if not the youngest. What did I write about? Much to my family's surprise, I wrote about becoming a singer. My parents thought I wanted to be a vet, or a dancer, but definitely NOT a vocalist.

Partly due to my parents shock, partly due to teasing from peers, and mostly due to my self doubt, I didn't re-visit this dream for many, many years.

When I entered highschool, I got involved with the drama club. I L-O-V-E, love singing, acting, and dancing, so I was so excited to be involved. After performing in my first musical, Kismet, I was hooked.

I became a closet vocalist. I found that cheerleading helped me find, and develop my voice because it helped me learn to support it. I finally got the courage to sing in front of people a few times. I shook horribly the first time, but I vowed to keep making myself perform in front of others until I was comfortable with it.

Fast forward...I've done talents shows, and contests, and sang on a couple different church worship teams (which I LOVED) but nothing has really happened with my singing. As much as I would like to make a career out of it...I can't see that ever happening. I prayed for God to take the desire off my heart and out of my mind so that rather than be sad over it, I would never think of it again.

He said no.

I was confused. I didn't know why God would have me continue to do something that I couldn't be successful at. Too often I forget that I am incapable of seeing the big picture, and that I need to just put all my trust in my Father.

Our local festival, which is held annually, was on the horizon, and they always hold a singing competition. I was going to skip it this year. God kept bringing it back up. I finally said "Fine! I will do it. I have no idea what I will sing though." He said I would sing a Christian song to help spread the message of our savior Jesus Christ so that other's might be saved. Ok...but what song. "Here I am to worship" came to mind, but I dismissed it because it is SO popular. The next day Jason told me he thought I should sing the same thing. That was confirmation enough for me. So...I will be singing "Here I am to Worship"...A Cappella. I'm not even sure I know all the words. I've only been able to practice it a few times...but, as He reminds me often, because like a toddler I'm constantly forgetting...It's not about me!

So I will sing my heart out, and pray that I win even one more life for Jesus. If I advance in the competition...wonderful, my song for every round is a Christian choice, and I feel at peace because I truly am not competing for myself this time, which is a wonderful feeling. I pray that God will use me, and that I will bring glory to His name.

I really feel that God is telling me I will be using my singing for something. I am going to try my best to just ride the wave and see where it takes me. I know as long as it's all for His glory, it has to be good! I'll try to update with pictures, and how it goes. :) Thank you so much for stopping by and reading!

Image: Pixomar / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Cutting the Carbs of Idleness!

I'm guest posting today at Joyful Mothering! Go check out my post on what the "bread of idleness" is, and how you can cut it out of your spiritual diet!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

In our homeschool this week… I think I have decided that we are going to use My Father's World as our curriculum. Now I just need to decide on an affordable, effective, spanish curriculum for the kids.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…This was finally a relaxing week, but we have lots of stuff coming up in the next few weeks!

My favorite thing this week was…when I told Coby to hurry up and get dressed or he could stay home with Brutus and he told me "but Mama, Brutus is not a great talker!"

Questions/thoughts I have…Holy wow...I hope I can begin to make sense of all these different choices before it comes time to choose a curriculum for next year!

Things I’m working on…a new blog!!! Curriculum planning for the Fall. Finalizing plans for this month. A crocheted dress, inter-change-a-bows for my store, and a doily for my mother-in-law.

I’m reading…Anne of Avonlea, Biblical Motherhood

I’m grateful for…my family, my children, and so many other blessings that I've received from God

I’m praying for…the fallen soldiers this week, a ticket to Relevant, provision in our finances, the health of members of my husbands family, and for a few different friends as well.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…
Eating smores at our backyard campout!

It's almost THAT time again....are you ready?

I sat down with my morning cup of coffee, and started browsing around online...when I should have been doing my bible study. Even so, it was worth while, because, I found a bunch of FREE resources! As I am gearing up for NOT back to school, and trying to figure out what curriculum we are going to use still and look into different things for lesson planning and such, I was really excited to find these resources. Especially as a first year homeschooler. Who DOESN'T love free, useful, stuff! So here's the link, it's on the free page, in The Old School House Store. I'm getting them on my iPad, so I can read them in iBooks! :) If you click around on that site, you can find a link to a free digital copy of the Summer 2011 magazine too! Or just stop by my facebook and follow the link. Happy Reading! Enjoy, and let me know if you decide to get anything!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal

In my life this week… I have been super duper busy playing wedding planner for a dear friend of mine's wedding.

In our homeschool this week… I am preparing a camping curriculum to start with the kids next week as something both fun for the kids this summer and informative for when we take our camping trip at the end of the summer.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share… Sometimes, it's just not going to happen, and that's ok.

I am inspired by… ">My "mom's of many" friends. My friends that have 4 or more kids, and still manage to do so much...when I'm doubting whether I'll be able to do something or not, I always tell myself, if "so and so" can do it, so can I.
Places we’re going and people we’re seeing… A wedding on the 23rd for one of my good friends. :)

My favorite thing this week was…Dancing with my baby boy at the wedding. He missed me and I made sure I got some one on one time in with him. He is so stinkin cute!
What’s working/not working for us… What's not working, is doing nothing...I need to get my butt in gear!

Questions/thoughts I have… Am I insane for trying to do half the things I do?

Things I’m working on… A sun dress for a friend. A doily for my mother in law. A new recycled nursing dress pattern!

I’m reading… Anne of Avonlea...and I should start The Tempest and True Grit soon! lol!

I’m cooking… Yummy cupcakes from scratch again...I made chocolate with chocolate peanut butter icing, and lemon with strawberry filling, and cream cheese frosting! I also made these AWESOME appetizers called BLT bites...I'll post the recipe soon!

I’m grateful for… The talents God has blessed me with so that I can bless others.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Coby lost his first tooth this week! I can hardly believe he's so big!