Groundhog Day

James 5: 16
" Therefore confess your sins to each other and  pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. "


Just like in the movie Groundhog Day, I find myself in the predicament of having to ask for forgiveness every day: over and over again!.  Fortunately, I don't have to relive the same day over and over again (although sometimes it feels like it!).  Usually confessing my sins and asking for forgiveness either to God or to someone that I have erred against, makes me feel better and sets things right. In a perfect world, once you've done your part in the repentance/forgiveness role, everyone should have a nice hug and move on in joy and peace, right? Unfortunately we don't live in a perfect world. With God, if you are truly repentant you're good, but not always with people. We cannot expect to be forgiven in the way we would like to be forgiven. Forgive doesn't mean forget. While we can be truly sorry that we have hurt someone that we love, that doesn't mean they will forget our error. Sometimes that is healthy, especially if you are in an abusive relationship, but sometimes it means we truly aren't forgiven. What can we do? Just keep praying, just keep praying, what do we do we pray!! Don't let the bitterness in someone else's heart pull you off of your knees. We still need to pray for reconciliation, and seek it when appropriate, but we can't  allow ourselves to be consumed with guilt, regret, sadness, or self loathing. Forgive others as God forgives you, but remember to forgive yourself as God forgives you, too.

Today I'm sad. I won't give up the fight (the battle is already won!), but I'm just a little melancholy. "Weeping may tarry in the night, but joy comes in the morning. " (Psalm 30: 5b- ESV).  Probably tomorrow morning...
It really is Groundhog Day today, and good news, an early spring!! That certainly is something to find joy in. Here are some other things that bring me joy...

Coffee!

I got one of these little guys for Christmas.
What a wonderful way to have a hot cup of coffee in the afternoon without brewing an entire pot.
Keurig K10 MINI Plus Brewing System

New clothes!

I think I need another scarf!
An elephant scarf with pom poms and it's blue...need I say more?
Navy Elephant Pom Pom Infinity Scarf- The Pink Silhouette

Food!

Salted Pretzel Brownies-Ree Drummond
food network- The Pioneer Woman

The Beach!

I need this!!
Ocean City, MD

I pray you have a terrific day. 

Remember, Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another,forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you."

Self-ie

Luke 9: 23
" Then he said to them all: ' Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ' "


In this era of "selfies" this is probably a tough verse to wrap our minds around. Does that mean, I don't take care of my physical appearance or try to look nice? No. On the contrary, my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor 6: 19). I am charged by God to take care of it. And, when I balk at putting pictures of myself on my social media, I need to remember this, "He has made everything beautiful in it's time." (Eccl. 3: 11).  We have to walk the fine line of putting ourselves first, and putting God first. He alone can see our hearts. I pray today that as you see your reflection in the mirror or in a "selfie" you've taken, you see how beautiful you are in your Father's eyes. Deny yourself, but don't deny who God made you to be. After all, we are precious in his sight.

Even though we've been cooped up for months (well, maybe days,but it feels like months!), I do try to look presentable.  I don't want to scare away my husband, the children, or the neighbors, after all! So here are a few things that I liked enough to take a picture of, and something I thought would be cute for a casual Valentine's Day.

This top is Macbeth Collection- Margaret Josephs
The BFF Blouse Margarita Casablanca.
I really liked the splash of color on a cold, gray winters day.

I LOVE this nail pen!
Sally Hansen- I Heart Nail Art Pens are easy to use and comes in lots of great colors.
Definitely use a clear top coat when you get your desired design.

I can't wait to add this Tee to my collection.
How perfect for a coffee lovers Valentine!
For Keeps Clothing Company

I pray your week is full of beauty and love. Happy February!

Bulls Eye!

Lamentations 3: 12
" He drew his bow and made me the target for his arrows. "


You don't want to be on the wrong side of the God's bow! Unless he's shooting arrows of blessings, quickly move away!! However, there is nothing wrong with being convicted by God's word. An arrow of truth, shot in your heart, is a good way to turn your life around. Conviction, confession and repentance are a part of walking with God. We fall short, we sin, we are convicted of sin, we confess, we repent. We are human. Thank you Lord for the lessons that we are to learn from your conviction. Help us everyday to confess our humanness and seek you.

My prayer of my children returning to school this week, was not answered the way I was hoping. School has been cancelled for the rest of the week. I'm sure it's exactly the outcome my children were praying for, though. Oh well, at least their faith has been boosted. We did, however, get out of the neighborhood for the first time.  Yay!! The children had gift certificates to Barnes & Noble from Christmas that we hadn't yet used, and we made it to our local Target for a quick grocery stop. It was a fun afternoon.

Here are a few things that we found in our travels.

My daughter and I are reading this series of mystery books together.
The latest installment will be out on February 23rd, and she used her gift card to preorder a signed copy of this book.
Joanne Fluke- Wedding Cake Murder 

For some reason, my toddler insists this is the Valentine Tee for her!
I think I may have to go back and pick one up.
Target- Girls Graphic Tee Red- Circo

What a great Valentine gift idea for the coffee lover in your life (hint, hint!). All of these mugs are under $5!

Target- Stoneware Coffee Mug- Evergreen

I pray you have a terrific day, today! 

Snow, snow, snow

Psalm 69: 33
" The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people. "


Help! I'm being held captive by all of this snow!! I haven't been out of the house, except to shovel or play in the snow with the children, since Friday morning. Don't get me wrong, I love my family, but I need to get out of here! I do need a few groceries and to return some library books, so today I'm going to break out. To make my captivity just a tad more prison like, I have inmates trapped here with me. My beautiful, stir crazy children, haven't had school since Friday. Talk about some powerful prayer time these last few mornings! Lord, I pray school opens again soon. Thank you, Lord, for not despising me in my captivity. Set me free, Lord, set me free!!

I have had some sweet times with my children the last couple of days (it hasn't been all prison like). Monday morning, the little girls and I got to snuggle in my bed and watch a couple of  movies. And later that day, we went sledding. When we were good and cold, we came in for some hot cocoa. We also got a nice family movie night in with some fresh popped popcorn and the movie "War Room". What a powerful movie. I was moved from beginning to end. I highly recommend you add it to your family movie library.

Here are a  couple of things I've enjoyed these last few days.

Snuggling with my babies!

Look how much higher the snow is than my little one!
Let me tell you how difficult it is to walk in, what a great cardio workout!!

What could be better than chocolate and marshmallows?
Well maybe not better, but these fun Kraft-"HeartMallows" were terrific in our hot cocoa.

War Room was a terrific movie. I was convicted, hopeful and renewed all at the same time.
Go buy a copy!

I pray you have a wonderful day today, "He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives..." Luke 4:18. 

Get out today, if you can, and proclaim His good news!!

Calm before the storm

Matthew 8: 26
" He replied, ' You of little faith, why are you so afraid? ' Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the waves, and it was completely calm. "


I certainly can identify with the disciples reaction to the storm. I often worry or am afraid of what might happen. I can almost hear Jesus saying the same thing to me, " Why are you so afraid? ".  I walk two little boys along with my daughter to the bus stop in the mornings. Our bus stop happens to be the first stop on the driver's (Mr. Craig's) route. The bus sits and waits at the top of the hill in our neighborhood until 8:15 when the driver heads down to our stop. You literally can set your watch to it. On rainy or cold mornings I wait until the last possible minute to make the walk to the bus stop. I have faith that Mr. Craig will come down the hill at 8:15. One of the boys gets very anxious about waiting in my house (he likes to be first in line at the bus stop). I often find myself reminding him that the absolute worst thing that can happen would be that we would miss the bus, and I'll have to drive everyone to school. We would probably even beat the bus to school if that happened. So really, the worst thing, isn't that bad at all. I need to remind myself that even if things aren't going the way I would like them to, or the way that I would plan, or even if they go badly, I need to have faith. The one who calms the wind and the waves is in control. I will not be afraid.  Amen.

We are about to get a major snowstorm, here. A blizzard! Yuck. Am I afraid, am I worried? Um, no. I don't want to run out of food, and I don't want to lose power (we're supposed to get some nasty wind). But, I'm looking forward to not having to go anywhere this weekend. I'm looking forward to reading some books with my girls and watching some football playoff games with my boys. I'm hoping to get some organizing done. I'm hoping to relax and catch up on some sleep. I'm as prepared as I can be, my refrigerator is full (at least until my son gets home from school!), and we bought an extra snow shovel. Let it snow!

Here are a few things I'd like to do this snowy weekend...

I'm all over this!!

6-8 cups of snow
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 to 1 tsp of vanilla
1 tablespoon Chocolate syrup
1/4 cup of coffee

I signed up for this...I'm going to read!!!
http://www.hcplonline.org/

And, certainly,I could do this!

Love these Jamberry's, and what a great cause!
(shop here)

I pray if you are in an area that is forecasted to be affected by this snowstorm, that you are prepared and that you actually find some joy and calm in this blizzard. Even though I'm sure I haven't prepared for everything that could happen this weekend, I am confident that God is in control. I have faith that He will see me through this storm. Amen.

Let the shovelling commence!!

It's all about that base

1 Corinthians 3 :10
" By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. "


Paul is referring to giving the people of Corinth the foundation of Jesus Christ, and that God is sending others to help build on that foundation. But...each one should build with care. He wants the Corinthians to see, that even though it was him (Paul), and other good people bringing the word, that they are just people and that the real foundation is God Himself. It would be like me today, identifying my foundation as a Protestant or an Evangelical (just examples, there's nothing necessarily wrong with identifying your faith). It's when we are only those things, without Christ, that there is a problem. Having good, godly people help you build your faith in Christ is important. Thank you, Lord for putting so many of those people in my life. The real focus has to be on you, Lord. Help me to build my faith wisely in You. Amen.

Wow, not sure where that is came from today. Let me leap off of my pulpit now and tell you my motivation. I really wanted to write about the foundation for my foundation (as in makeup). Lol. Thank you Lord, for the lesson. I really don't wear a lot of foundation in my day to day. I usually just do eyes and lips and maybe a little blush, and save my foundation for special occasions. But, now that I'm a getting just a tad older, I find that I use foundation more and more and that just foundation isn't quite enough. I've been using these 2 products regularly lately. My daughter, the teacher, recommended this first product.

Smashbox Photo Finish Shadow Primer.

I've been using this everyday I put on eye makeup (which is most days).
It really helps to prolong my shadow. Love it! 

Smashbox also makes this great  award winning Foundation Primer.
Definitely on my "must try" list.
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

The other product I've been using is this.

  Figs and Rouge Mattifying Emulsion Primer.

I received a sample of this in my Ipsy glam bag a couple of months ago, and I'm hooked.
It helps diminish pores, fine lines, and shine. Good stuff!

My prayer for you today is that your life's foundation is in Christ. He made you a beautiful creation. You are His child. You are a daughter of the King!

Love letter

Ephesians 5: 25
" Husbands, love your wives. just as Christ loved his church and gave himself up for her, "


One of  the greatest responsibilities in the Bible is the one God gives to our husbands. So today, I'm going to write my husband a love letter...of sorts.

This was our last morning in Disney, last January.
  We were so tired and happy !

My Dearest Husband,

How do I love thee, let me count the ways!
Well, one thing that I don't care for is your constant nitpicking!  I mean seriously, who cares if everything isn't absolutely perfect when you walk in the door? I mean really. You're lucky I'm still here and sober most days!
And as for being the perfect wife and mother during the day and your sex kitten at night...not with four hours of sleep, buddy! What I am most desirous of is a full eight hours of sleep someday in this lifetime. I would also like to sneeze without peeing myself, but we know I might not get to do that either after giving life to our beautiful children. But, I digress...
How do I love thee? And quite frankly, why do I even still love thee??
I love you because you saw in me the angel I never was and hoped to be. I love you because you were so painfully honest the first time you asked me out. I mean, seriously, who asks a woman with three children out to dinner on their first date, and then the very next question is, " Do you want any more children? " ?  You did, Love, you did. And I went out with you anyway!
I love it that you always want what is the very best for our family. You always strive for the best in all of your projects. You have a great vision for how things should be done well. Nothing in my house is duct taped together, that's for sure. Of course, not a lot in my house is finished either, but I'm trying to be nice now.  I know that one day, we will have a beautiful home.
I love that you have a heart for others in need, and that you are as sensitive as I am when you hear a sweet song on the radio, or even when you see the sad commercial with the starving puppies on the television.
I love that I feel safe with you. I always have. You have protected me physically and emotionally, you are always my advocate (except when we are having an argument), and I know I can always count on you.
I love that through the darkest hours in my life, you have been there to hold my hand and pray with me, never leaving my side. You've also shared some of my greatest joys. You have been my strength and my hope.
I love your faith. I know your heart is in the Lord and that you want that same thing for our children and for me, and that you are by my side at church and at Bible study, learning and growing with me.
I love that you want to grow old with me, and that you have hopes and plans for our future together.
I just love you, in spite of you sometimes (as I'm sure you could say the same for me), but I  love you with all of my heart.

Love,
Your Favorite Wife!

My Dearest Husband and our beautiful children at our favorite place in Maryland, St. Michael's , last summer.

I pray you have a wonderful weekend. 

Spend it with someone you love and truly love them for being who God created them to be.