A little kick in the bum for myself :)

So I'm following this blog called She Reads Truth.  It's basically a bunch of women going through the same devotional together and they're using social media to encourage, challenge, and pray for each other.  An online accountability group or Bible study, so to speak.

I did the first devotional sort of non-committedly (is that a word?).  I didn't get much out of it, but that's probably because I read sporadically and sort of hurried through them.  But when that devotional ended and they started a new one, I made up my mind to do things differently this month.  I really love this idea and I really want to be involved this time.  I need the accountability, challenges, and encouragement. So I decided to make some goals and challenge myself to be more involved.

There are a lot of blogs that I follow pretty anonymously - meaning, I read, but don't comment *hangs head in shame*.  I haven't gotten over my blog shyness yet.  :/ I should probably address that sometime.... But this blog and She Reads Truth community is going to be different.  I want to really be a part of this.  I want it to change me.  So even though I'm posting this about six days late, here are the goals I've set for myself.

• To read the devotional every day
• To talk to someone about it once a week
• To journal about it twice a week
• To post, comment, or tweet about it three times a week.

So here goes post #1.  Check back soon for post #2 and a fun little blog surprise! :)

In the meantime:  What has the Lord been teaching you lately?  I'd love to hear!

Weekend of Awesome-ness

So after writing this post and mentioning that we weren't going to be able to go to Canada, my wonderful, amazing, awesome hubby comes home the next day and asks if I want to go to the beach for the weekend since we couldn't do our family vaca.  Ummm... YES!!!!

I am a total beach bum and am so down for spontaneous beach weekends.  Looks like we got our mini vacation after all. :)  Isn't God kind?

Our hotel was right near a Sonic.  I sort of have a major addiction to Sonic (formed during my two years in Texas when I lived 1.5 minutes away from one.  Happy hour slushies?  Every. DAY.)   I think we ate at Sonic a total of four times during our short weekend there.  Yea, my stomach kind of hates me now, but it was so worth it! 

The US Airforce Thunderbirds also happened to be in town, so we got a cool airshow all weekend.  The traffic it caused wasn't so awesome, but it was pretty nifty watching these huge planes swirl and twirl, and dip and dive-bomb.  

We spent the day lazing in the perfect, warm, sun, and then cooling off in the chilly, but refreshing water.  We read books, tossed a football around, people watched, ate way too much greasy food, and just basically had the most awesome two-day vacation ever.  

Sorry for the blurriness - I can't figure out how to fix it! :/

One of the things I love about OC is the street performers that come out at night.  My favorite is the Spray Paint Artist.  He is so cool!!!!!  

We also saw a hyperactive kid playing guitar and harmonica so fast we thought he was going to pass out.  We're horrible people so we sat and giggled at him while we ate our ice cream.  Don't worry, he didn't know.  *sheepish smile*

The last time we went to OC we sort of got hooked on this arcade game.  We played so much we ended up with enough tickets for a football, a lanyard, and cute little beach decorations that make our bathroom look pretty.  This time?  We got addicted to an even bigger, better game.  

You know those weirdos you see with a million tickets coming out of their machine?  They have to practically wear their tickets in order to carry them all around.  They're the ones that win those awesome prizes that cost thousands of tickets and not the measly 100 or so that normal people win.  Well... We were THAT couple.  

Seriously, guys.  We had almost 12,000 tickets... I was carrying them around in a plastic bag because I couldn't hold it all in my hands.  But I'm not ashamed of our geeky-ness; we totally had a blast and made some hilarious memories.  We also won an awesome Coleman tent that I carried around proudly for the rest of the day.  Funny, right? Who wins a tent at an arcade??  

We do. :)

Suffice it to say, it turned out to be a pretty spectacular weekend.   While I still wish we could have made it to Canada with our family, our weekend at the beach turned out to be just what we needed.  We both came back rested, de-stressed, and definitely tanner.  Or redder in my husband's case (hehe!) 

We are blessed indeed. :)

Choosing Joy

Psalm 33:4-5

For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.  The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

"He is faithful in all he does."  

 :) That's a really assuring sentence.  Sometimes I feel so faithless, but it is so soothing and comforting to know that in ALL He does, He is still faithful.  The "justice" part of me often thinks of God as... retaliatory?  

If I do something bad... then God will punish me.  If I do something good... God will bless or reward me.  This promise reminds me that I can trust Him to be acting for my overall good and growth and benefit no matter what I do or what kind of day I'm having.  

I encourage you to take this little phrase and put it in your mental pocket today.  :)  Remind yourself today of God's faithfulness and unfailing love for you in all that He does.  

Today I'm praying that you know His righteousness and truth in your heart.  That you see His faithfulness worked out in your life today.  Though He is righteous and just, his unfailing love is EVERYWHERE.  I pray that you see that unfailing love in every thing your eyes rest on today.  I'm praying for the kind of eyes that see Christ in everything.  :)  And I'm praying for joy to rule in your heart - over all the stress, over all the noise, over all the frustration and chaos.  Just joy.  :) 

This is a letter I wrote to my husband this morning to encourage him at work.  I wrote it this morning full of joy and truly assured of the promises of God's love for me in this verse.  This morning after receiving a sweet text from my husband.  This morning while I was thinking about my relaxing night to myself in the evening.  This morning when I thought we were going to Canada for an extended weekend stay at a cabin on the lake.  

Then my day happened.

As soon as I got home from work part-time-job-#1, I got a phone call with some information that could potentially mean no longer working at part-time-job-#2.  

Then hubby came home needing to eat and dash so he could get to his small-group meeting on time.  I completely forgot about making dinner [fail] because of the phone call and ended up making a mess in the kitchen [fail] while I tried to make a quick dinner and get him out of the door on time [fail].  

On top of that, we had to finally come to terms with the fact that we are not going to be able to go to Canada this weekend.  Hubby's passport expired in May and the renewed passport has still not arrived yet.  I know we just had a vacation in March - and it was truly WONDERFUL... but these past few months have been stressful, especially for hubby.  This is his childhood vacation spot and I was hoping a mini vacation would help loosen up those shoulder muscles that have been permanently tensed since his first day at this job.

Tonight, I was struggling to feel that same joy and complete trust in God's unfailing love that I did earlier today.  But I KNOW He is good.  I know there is a meaning for all of this.  I know He loves us and wants what is best for us.  And I know that He is faithful.  Always.

So while I might have been wallowing in self-pity [just a little!] at the beginning of this draft,  I am choosing to trust Him in this job situation.  I am choosing to believe that staying home this weekend is for our good and benefit [and not because I did something bad!]  I am choosing joy while I tidy up my messy kitchen.  :)

Be blessed today, friends.  I hope you choose joy today too.

Youngster hubby fishing in Canada - is he too adorable for words? ;)