The Way Out

Unworthy. . .

This simple word doesn't even begin to describe the rush of emotions I feel as I watch Passion of the Christ. John and I watched it a few years ago and then again tonight. I cry for Jesus and for Mary and for his followers. I want to throw up as I watch the betrayal, torture, and abuse he suffers. I find myself hoping he finds a way out--the way you hope for any hero in a movie. And then I remind myself that this isn't just any hero. This is THE hero of all heroes. Because there wasn't a way out for Jesus, I have a way out.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me."~John 14:6

(emphasis mine)

Because of that betrayal, torture, and abuse--I have a way out and so do you. And we are not worthy. We are completely and utterly unworthy, but covered by HIS GRACE. Thank you, Jesus.

Word-Free Wednesday

Cats. . .What are you gonna do with 'em?

Guard Kitty

Fighting a bag

Is it my turn yet?

Can somebody roll for me?

Something Fun for Sunday

I know there are TONS of ways to listen to free music online, but my good friend (and boss) Julie Wells just shared a great one with me. I am so hooked on PANDORA internet radio. I love how simple it is to hear good music and get turned on to new music that it will select based on what you tell it you like. You can make up different stations--I have a contemporary Christian one, a Cool Chicks one (currently playing), an 80's one. . . I love listening to this while I do my various computer tasks. Plus, when the girls wander by, they shake their little booties to whatever is playing and that always makes me smile! Maybe next time I'll even get up and do a little booty shakin' myself! I am, after all, trying to be/have more fun!
Hope you enjoy it! You can always count on the super cool Mrs. Wells to introduce you to something new--sushi, facebook, and now this. . .Thanks!

P.S. I love Jewel! That is why you see her pic!

t.m.i. Tuesday

The Truth About Me According to My Family
What started out as a silly little survey everyone was posting on Facebook turned out to be very revealing. Who'd have thunk it? My initial thought was to ask my youngest two the interview questions because the little ones always give those endearing, sweet, innocent answers, but then after hearing their answers, I was hooked. I had to see what the others had to say too. And then, because I really couldn't stop myself, I asked my husband the questions too (about me, not his mom). I really am a glutton for punishment!
See what you think. . .
1. What is something mom always says to you?

• Olivia (4): That'll do donkey. (a quote from Shrek--funny, I do say that.)
• Patia (6): Be a good girl.
• Levi (10): Think before you ask questions.
• Madeline (13): Madeline!
• Jasmine (16): Clean your room!
• John : Honey, would you (fill in the blank)

2. What makes mom happy?

• Pretty much each answer had to do with them doing what they were supposed to do, particularly without being told to do it.
• Jasmine: Coffee (SO true!!)
• John: a clean house (which explains why I'm rarely happy?)

3. What makes mom sad?

• Olivia: not listening to you.
• Patia: when we don't obey. (are you beginning to see a pattern here?)

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

• Olivia: jokes.
• Patia: saying something really funny.
• Jasmine: sarcasm.
• John: she doesn't. (okay, now that one made me mad.)

5. What was your mom like as a child?

• Olivia: brown hair
• Patia: pretty, smart (she might be my favorite)
• John: sneaky (he's right. . .)

6. How old is your mom?

• Olivia: 6--I don't know--14?
• Patia: 32 (I love her more and more all the time.)
• Everyone else was close or right

7. How tall is your mom?

• Olivia: wait, I wanna measure you real quick! (she got a tape measure out of the drawer) 4! I say, "4 what?" She says, "just 4."
• Patia: (she also measured first) 30, just 30
• Everyone else guessed close. Inquiring minds want to know. . . 4'11".

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

• Olivia: exercise!
• Patia: do grocery lists, no workout! (yes to the first, no to the last)
• Madeline: correct people.
• Levi: cut out coupons

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

• Olivia, Patia, Levi: clean up.
• Madeline: go out to eat. (when the numbers are down, we are more likely to go out.)
• Jasmine: celebrate!

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

• Mostly the standard fare. . .model, rock star. . .yeah, right!
• Jasmine: Saving money.
• John: writing. (okay, he redeemed himself a little on this one, but he rarely reads anything I write.)

11. What is your mom really good at?

• Olivia: exercising.
• Patia: writing. (that's my girl!)
• Levi: smart shopping (good boy!)
• Madeline: see question #8 (she really does have my sense of humor)
• John: being a mom (he's just sucking up, now)

12. What is your mom not very good at?

• Olivia: painting. (she means that I don't let them paint or paint with them very often)
• Patia: playing games with us. ( I want to cry)
• Levi: sports in general. (that is true, sadly in my competition driven family, true. . .)
• Madeline: Guitar Hero. (also true, but I care not)
• Jasmine: Mowing. (true again, never ever done it!)
• John: having patience. (alas, true again.)
• Good news: we had to skip this one and come back to it. They all struggled to think of what I'm bad at. But all were true, some sad, all true.

13. What does your mom do for her job?

• Olivia: get toys for other little kids. (I'm Santa)
• Patia: work at a toy store.
• Older kids: they knew this one of course1
• John: play on the computer. (ass)

14. What is your mom's favorite food?

• Nothing fun to report here, they mostly picked things we had on our menu in the last week. Short attention spans, I suspect.

15. What makes you proud of your mom?

• Olivia: because you do your jobs good and that you love me. (she is sweet)
• Patia: you always love us. (I'm glad she knows this)
• Levi: you take us to church every Sunday. (Thank you! Finally a good answer out of these kids!)
• Madeline: you don't embarrass me in public. (Clearly I need to up my game!)
• Jasmine: your attempts to help me solve my relationship problems.
• John: being a Christian mom. (wife?)

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

• Olivia: Cinderella (Cinderella! Cinderella! All I hear is Cinderella!)
• Patia: Daphne
• Madeline: Mr. Crab because he likes to save money. (Jazz says he's greedy. . .I'm not greedy.)
• Levi: Betty Boop (She's hot!)
• Jasmine: Belle because you like to read. (And because I'm pretty?)

17. What do you and your mom do together?

• Olivia: homeschool preschool
• Patia: read
• Levi & Jasmine: eat together
• Madeline: ride in the car
• John: go to church
• Bad news: based on how long it took them to come up with these answers, we aren't spending enough quality time together. Riding in the car? Are you kidding me?

18. How are you and your mom the same?

• Olivia: same skin
• Patia: we're girls
• Levi: we both like stuff organized
• Madeline: big lips
• Jasmine: we are stubborn (she is)
• John: we both want to raise good kids

19. How are you and your mom different?

• Olivia: we don't have the same hair
• Patia: you are bigger, I am smaller
• Levi: I like to play in the snow and you don't (cold and wet are not my thing)
• Madeline: I'm more free spirit, you are more regulation (she would have the free spirit thing totally in common with her mom)
• Jasmine: I'm (she) more argumentative (no argument here!)

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

• Olivia: kissing (I do love me some kisses!)
• Patia: by what you say
• Levi: you take care of me and provide me with stuff (Madeline echoed this)
• Jasmine: you keep me on track (I try)
• John: you put up with me (and he puts up with me)

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?

• Olivia: grocery shopping
• Patia: grocery store, now workout at church
• Levi: church or anywhere with Nancy (excellent point)
• Madeline: church

This survey revealed three major things to me:

1. I'm doing something right--they see that I value a dollar and want to make each one stretch. They have all helped me clip and sort coupons. They see the list making process and they know I do my best shopping BY MYSELF!
2. They value the basics. We provide for their needs, take them to church, and give kisses.
3. I need to have more fun with my kids. Their childhoods are flying by and I might just be too busy looking at grocery ads and making lists to really enjoy them. Painting, anyone?

Savings Alert!!

I know it is Thirsty Thursday and that I also mentioned something about a hiatus, but I have a SAVINGS ALERT to share with you! If someone has told you there is no such thing as a free lunch, then they were wrong! Okay, well this is an almost free lunch. You do have to purchase a soft drink. I have included a link to the coupon below. The best part of this deal is unlike other free offers, there is not a limit to how many you can print and our Arby's here in Franklin has accepted multiple coupons on the same purchase. What a great way to feed your family on the cheap! Dave Ramsey would be so proud!

Free Arby's Sandwich!

Word-Free Wednesday

Ahhhh. . . .Spring!

Okay, well yesterday seemed like Spring! Today, not so much!

At least it is sunny!

I know it is Word-Free Wednesday and all, but I would be remiss if I didn't explain my absence absence. I know the 4 or 5 people who actually follow along must be absolutely beside themselves. And poor Pam in Canada. . . Anyway, as I have already revealed in my Dirty Little Secret Pic, my life is a mess. Okay, maybe not my whole life, but my house is for sure! So, I am taking a little hiatus from blogging and Facebook to focus on getting my home shaped up. I'm actually pretty excited about the process! A friend mentioned the other day that they don't keep a lot of stuff in their home and what they keep, they use. How refreshing! I want to live like that! So, over the next few weeks, (who am I kidding? Months!!!) I will be cleaning up and clearing out! Since one of Dave Ramsey's favorite sayings is, "sell so much stuff your kids think they are next!" this new goal of mine will fit in nicely with what we are learning in FPU. I will still do a post here and there as writing is very therapeutic for me, but just don't look forward to something everyday!

In case I haven't said so, thank you to my good friends who have been following along! It is so much fun to share the chaos of my life with you. Again, it really is like therapy for me! A weird, voyeuristic, free sort of therapy!

Financial Peace Friday

I'm really enjoying to whole budget process! What could feel like a straight jacket actually feels full of freedom. Sure I have to stop and think about every penny I spend, but the good news is, I stop and think about every penny I spend! And, here's a newsflash--we actually have enough money to pay our bills and provide for the basic needs of our family. Will we be taking any extravagant vacations this summer? Probably (definitely) not! But, more good news--if we choose to save for one, we can go on one! See how I can feel free?


"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." ~ Proverbs 21:5


One more added bonus this week: Kids doing chores! Don't misunderstand, my kids have always had chores in a very loose sense of the word. But now, thanks to a written budget, we can pay them a commission (allowance) and hopefully instill some of the money management skills we are acquiring. It is my hearts desire that they not be in the position we are in when they are 30ish. Also, I do not want them to live with me forever. . .


So far, thanks to our tax check, some new found discipline, and God's immense grace, here is what we have accomplished:

1. Payed off our van. ($4252)


2. For the first time ever we have a savings ($1000)


3. We are using a budget!

And now, just for fun--a common sense approach to getting out of debt!
My Face book friends have already seen this, but it is so worth sharing again! Remember, buying kids you can't afford doesn't count, so don't beat yourself up if you are in debt up to your eyeballs because you adopted a couple of cuties.




via videosift.com

Thirsty Thursday

Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD. ~ Psalm 25:7

When I first read this verse my heart sorta skipped a beat. I know there isn't a wasted word in the Bible, but some seem more factual and some really connect. When I read these words, they really connected with me. I can recall so many "sins of my youth", some of which make me blush now just thinking about them. I told you last week that I was sorta a lush in college, but that really started early in high school and lead to my arrest for possession of alcohol by a minor my senior year. I snuck out of my parents house, crossed state lines when I was supposed to be at a friends home just around the corner, smoked cigarettes (and a couple of them smelled sorta funny. . .) swore like a sailor, and lived with 2 different guys before I was married (gasp. . .) so, you can safely assume that the white wedding dress was a bit of stretch for me. Alas, because my mother reads this and because this is not t.m.i. Tuesday, this will conclude the airing of the dirty laundry portion of my post and I will just skip to my concluding point.

I am forgiven. Maybe not by some of the people I offended along the way, and possibly not by my parents, but by whom it counts, I AM FORGIVEN. God sees me according to His love, which is perfect, and clean, and pure, and GOOD. So, even though I have never been worthy of it, I am forgiven.

"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him. ~Psalm 32:1,2

If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and that He died on a cross and rose again, your "youthful" sins, or the ones you just committed five minutes ago, are forgiven too!

Drink that in!

Word-Free Wednesday

The Great Chili Debate:

Is this the perfect bowl of chili or does it need something else?

Take the poll or leave a comment!

Not enough info leads to t.m.i. Tuesday

Some peoples say, "I hate confrontation--I'm not good at it." I am not one of those people. I don't start fights on the street or anything, I'm just not afraid to give my opinion or speak my mind. I know, shocking, right? But, I do have this bad habit of avoiding a conversation that might lead to a no answer from someone in the position to tell me no. Here's how this usually works--I'm planning on going out with girlfriends for dinner, but instead of just telling my husband about it, I write it on the calendar which I leave open on the counter, for anyone (i.e. my husband) to see. Then a few days before the event, I casually mention it and has no idea what I'm talking about and I blame him for not looking at the calendar. I do whatever it is I planned to do and in my book, he can't be mad because he should have looked at the calendar. Very passive-aggressive of me, don't you think? Now I'm not advocating this style of "communication"--it is just what I do. Well, let me just say that this back fired in a big way on Sunday night. Which in turn lead to my Manic Monday crashing right into my t.m.i. Tuesday. Please read on--this is after all a cautionary tale.

If you have been a faithful follower, you remember from my Inaugural Post that I blogged about setting up a Facebook page last Sunday. Clearly I'm not keeping secrets--I POSTED IT ON THE WEB FOR ALL THE WORLD TO READ. ( Hello, Pam in Canada!) You see the similarity between my calendar on the bar and the web posting. . .well, he doesn't look at our calendar and he doesn't read my blog either. His problem, right? Well not really. See, I already knew how he felt about Facebook, but instead of talking with him and showing him what it is all about, I announced to the world on my blog I had Facebook and neglected to discuss it with him. This time my shenanigans really came back to bite me! He was mad! Super mad! Didn't tell me goodbye before work or make my coffee for me on Monday morning kinda mad. All day yesterday I felt horrible. Couldn't eat, couldn't focus, cried, sulked, suspected my own husband of being up to know good himself--just another Manic Monday!

So what is the moral to this story? Just be up front even when you know you might not enjoy the conversation so much. It saves so much hurt, and in this case suspicion, in the long run. This by the way is the same thing I have told my older children NUMEROUS times. In fact, I have a special little word for what you do when you don't tell the whole truth and that word is LIE. That's right--not a fib, not an omission, not even an innocent act of passive aggressiveness--it is a lie. I will not be a liar. When it comes to communicating with the ones you love the most, there is no such thing as t.m.i.

Because you indulged me by reading my cautionary tale of woe, here is treat for you from the '80's.

You gotta love the '80's!

Something Fun for Sunday!

Today our sermon at church was one in a series from II Peter 1:5-6. The topic was self-control. Sounds uplifting right? Well, actually it was! Sometimes I trick myself into believing that self-control or will power is a trait that you either possess or you don't, but that just isn't true. It is a choice we make. A choice to control our own selfish desires, however natural they seem, and submit to the will of the One greater than us, Jesus Christ.

My two greatest tests of self-control come in the form of anger and food. Since this is supposed to be a fun post, I'm only going to cover the food issue today. If you want to learn more about my anger issues, catch me when I least expect it promptly after my kids have been disobedient. You will probably see first hand how I struggle to control my anger. Anyway, back to the food. What average lady doesn't struggle with food issues? Now, my problem is compounded by the fact that my husband has started to get serious about being fit and healthy. You know what happens when a man decides to lose a few pounds--they just fall right off! Meanwhile, I've been eating reasonably well, drinking nearly no Coke, and working out three times a week for the last two years. What do I have to show for it? A few more muscles and a few less pounds, but nothing drastic. What am I lacking? You guessed it--self-control. I often eat (healthy things) when I'm not hungry or eat too much (healthy food) even though I'm full. So, after today's sermon, maybe next time I'll think before I eat!

Wondering where the fun stuff is? Check out this video below by Anita Renfro. She is super funny and I think you will see how this relates! Have some fun this Sunday!