Tips and Tricks on Eating Healthy in the New Year!

2012 is officially here and with each New Year, comes New Year's Resolutions.  I am reminded each time I turn on the TV that health and fitness are at the top of many Resolution lists each year.  Well, I don't have any magical fitness routines that are going to give you washboard abs, or help you drop a gazillion pounds in 2 days or less.  But I do have a few simple tips on eating healthy. 
Don't misunderstand, I'm not a health nut. We eat plenty of junk and processed goodies around this house. But we do urge healthy choices when choosing snacks and try our best to get balanced meals.  So here are some tips from a regular mom... that struggles just like you to get my kids eating healthy and keep myself out of the cookie jar! :)

Tip # 1:  Trick your mind, keep healthy foods in plain view.Keep healthy snacks in eye shot.  Don't hide those oranges away in a refrigerator drawer!  Place it in a pretty bowl in the middle of your table or on the counter top.  If that is what you are seeing that is what you will eat.  * By the way... I highly recommend Cuties. I know they are made for kids, but I love that there are no seeds to mess with and they peel like a dream. I'm a bit of a Cutie addict right now! I regress.... :)

• Store nuts and dried fruit in pretty jars ON YOUR COUNTER or a nearby shelf.
• Keep granola on hand. It's great for a crunchy snack or to add some texture to yogurt or a salad.
• Store healthy pantry items on eye level shelves, keep sweets and other trigger foods on higher shelves and up and out of the line of sight. High shelves rather than low, also keep it out of your kids line of sight.

Tip #2: Keep everything convenient! The easier it is to grab the more likely you will be to grab it.

• As soon as you get home from grocery shopping, wash fruit and prep any vegetables.  You are more likely to eat fresh veggies when they are ready to go.  If you get in a crunch you take time to wash veggies and will find yourself grabbing more processed (calorie filled) foods. Don't have time to prep... buy fresh veggies that are already prepped. I know it costs more, but so does that bag of potato chips.
• Prepacked smoothie ingredients into individual size baggies by freezing them in muffin tins.  In the morning or for a mid afternoon snacks throw them in a blender and  VIOLA!  Smoothie in an instant!

LacyinLove, has a great walk through for smoothie packs over on her site.


Tip #3: Fridge is a good bet!

• Still searching for a snacks, search the fridge first.  Keep you fridge well stocked with string cheese, cottage cheese, boiled eggs, yogurt, and those ready to eat veggie sticks. You will always find healthier food in the fridge than you will in the pantry. Again, store them at eye level, use that drawer for your ketchup or something. :)

Tip #4: Drink more Water!!

• Stay hydrated!  With all the cute thermoses, and Tervis Tumblers (love them) out there you have no reason not to drink more water!!!  Unless your name is Jared and you don't like the taste.   In that case have you been on Pintrest.... Sassy Water is everywhere right now.   2 qts. water, 1 lemon, 1 cucumber, 10 mint leaves... cover and place in the fridge overnight... yummy flavored water waiting for you the next morning.
• Oh, and don't forget that there are a million and one choices for flavoring water. I really like this one from Kraft. MiO Water Enhancer... Peach Tea is my Favorite so far!  

Tip #4: Protein, Protein, Protein!

• Keep your hunger at bay with proteins!  Broccoli, Nuts, Eggs, and Beans are great and easy choices to keep on hand!  *I like to keep Garbonzo Beans in the fridge sprinkled with a little course cracked pepper, YUMM!

OK, I know some of these are common sense, but they do work for me and my family!  Good luck on your resolutions, or on just eating a little more healthy through the next year. Happy 2012!

Word Filled Wednesday Ephesians 6:10-18

The Armor of God - Ephesians 6:10-18

 ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

 ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

I love watching the intesity in my boys eyes,  as they walk through life.  Boys are such natural warriors, but even as they dress up as the latest and greatest comic book hero, I will forever see my boys as God's warriors. I remind them of that fact daily.

 "God has placed a spirit of bravery and fiercness into each of us, and given each of us the tools to go to battle. We are here to do Great things for God's kingdom... take up the Armor and get ready for the battle, because as you  follow God's plan and share God's word with others , the Devil will not lay idle."

My Homemaking Mission Statement

Recently, I was reading an article at OrgJunkie.com about creating a weekly cleaning schedule.  I have somewhat done this automatically, and because cleaning is something I kinda enjoy... a weekly schedule is a little over kill for me; at least when it comes to house cleaning.  However, I do struggle with feeling a little unappreciated from time to time, and find myself  hinting for compliments from my husband and kids. But as read Laura's article I couldn't help read one section over and over.  She wrote a House Keeping Mission Statement! WHAT!! Talk about over kill, right... but as I read a peacefulness came over me.  There is definitely something to be said about being reminded of your purpose.  It brought me back to why I am a stay at home mom, and why I love it so much.  It is a my purpose, my service to my family and to obedience to my God.  So I decided I needed a mission statement of my own.  So here it is...

My Homemaking Mission Statement
I will live purposefully, continuing to allow God to prune me and discipline me as I strive to listen to the spurring of the Holy Spirit and obey His commands. I will maintain an inviting and peaceful environment, for my family and anyone that may come into our life/home.   I will set the example of commitment, joy, and orderliness daily, by doing myself or delegating the tasks needed to create a home sanctuary that is above all else pleasing to God. 


Whatever you do, Work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men... Colossians 3:23


I printed it out, framed it and  placed it in the kitchen, beside the coffee pot, (The first place I go in the morning!) I love the encouragement it provides and the reminder of what my goals and purposes are during this season in my life. What would your mission statement say?

In My Father's Shadow -- Psalms 36:6-8

My boys and I were at a waterpark today, when my attention was caught by one of the sweetest twoish year old little girl I have ever seen. As she and her parents walked up and sat at the table next to us I could tell she was very apprehensive to jump right in to the puddles and sprays of water all around her, but she was so intrigued.  She would take a step toward the water, and get startled and run right back to her father.  After a few failed attempts of trying to coax her into the fountains alone, her daddy finally decided that he needed to join her.  She would slowly approach the nearest watergun, or fountain, and just before she was about to get there she would freeze and look back to her father,  begging him with her precious eyes to come with her.

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 Of course, he did what every good father would do and came nearer to her to give her a boost of confidence.  As he neared her on the sunny day, the tall man cast quite a shadow over the small little girl, and as soon as that shadow came over her, Her entire attitude was changed.  She was safe in the shadow of her father, confident to try something new, and obviouly something a little intimidating.  As the shadow came over her, a smile came over her face, a sence of courage and happiness.  She was no longet captive to her fears, but set free by the protection of her own father. 

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I couldn't help but put myself in that little girls shoes.  How many times have I started to walk into a situation, a friendship, or a position that I felt completely inept to handle.  I have felt that aloneness, that overwhelming fear, and selfconciencness.  However, I have also felt all those fears and feelings be filter out by the shadow of my heavenly father.  I love the confidence that I have knowing that no matter where I'm at or what I'm doing that my Heavenly Fathers shadow is present, giving me confidence, power, and holding my hand as I walk up to the next challenge in life. 


Psalm 36: 6-8
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.


Have you asked God to be your refuge?  What area of your life makes you run under God's shadow?

Christian Sisters: We are designed to need each other!

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Yesterday I was watching a TV reality show and the comment was made, "I can't mess up, everyone is just watching, hoping, and waiting for me to fail.  No one likes a success story!"

It broke my heart and instantly resonated with me.  How many times have we been in a group, shared a victory in our life to only be doubted and shot down, or one upped by a so called friend?  I know it has happened to me on numerous occasions. Sometimes by complete strangers and unfortunately sometimes by those very close to me.  I have to admit I've been on both ends of this situation, and it stinks either way! And it stinks so bad, because that is not how we are designed, it's not what we are here for, we are not here to be in competition, but to encourage and support each other. 

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us now give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching"  Hebrews 10:24-25

There is a resounding message and movement among the Christian community right now that screams biblical truth about the relationship that women are designed to have.  Here are a few that have resonated with me...

 ***There are some times that we will not succeed and will not be at our best. However, this is not a time to jump ahead of our sisters and leave them behind, instead this is a time to reach down and lift one another up in our Precious Lord's name! --" Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." Philippians 2:1-4 

***Older must teach the younger!  This is a great responsibility for both sides. Older women must seek out younger women with a heart of Christ,  being willing to be honest, loving, and truly wanting more for their young counterpart. Which also means that younger women must have an open heart to accept the wisdom and sometimes hard truths that we all need to hear; knowing that the information is coming from a place of love and meant to help in our success and influence as Christian women. --Titus 2:3-5 (below)

***Lead by example!  From body image talk, to calm (NON DRAMATIC) reactions, to truly celebrating in an other's successes.  We are representing our families, our churches, and most of all Our Heavenly Father! --^"Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.  Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."  Titus 2:3-5

While writing this post situations and people from my past keep popping up in my mind. There are so many things that I have handled with horrible scowls, and little to no mercy or grace.  So many times l dialogue turned selfish and jealous of a fellow sister in Christ.  But I  do try hand to keep myself in check and keep Christ as the center of my thoughts. I am so thankful for the grace and mercy in which my Savior embraces me; especially during those times of weakness and worldliness.  

Do you struggle with similar situations?  What do you do to keep yourself focused on Christ purpose in your life as a Christian woman?

Wordful Wednesday Psalm 37:4

Psalms 37:4

Delight yourself in the LORD,
and He will give you the desires of your heart.




old pic, but I just love it!



I have always loved this verse, but last year I was doing a Ladies Bible Study, and something was said that made me stop in my tracks and go, OOOHH (light bulb moment; thanks Paula) 

"If you are walking with the Lord the desires in your heart begin to change and aline with his desires for your life."  I'll pause so you can chew on that for a moment... I know I had to. 



Growing up I had this understanding,  I obey God, he gives me my deepest passions (no matter what they might be; money, relationships, career, you get the point... but in actuality after a bit of wisdom being imparted upon me,  this is what I get from this verse now. 

When I am walking with my Lord, and in tune with the path He is leading me down; my desires may begin to shift away from my selfish desires and more in line with God's desires.  I believe with my whole heart that nothing is coincidence and that God's plan is always best and necessary. 
My desires have not changed greatly over the years.  I have always wanted deep down in my gut to be a wife, a mother, a volunteer, a good friend, a nurturer!  That has not changed.  I can not imagine my life any different; however what has changed, is my motivation.  God's plan is no mistake. I love to share my home, my food, my heart and I do that daily through opportunities that God places in my life.  My desires are the same, but my focus has shifted from a childhood fairytale to a mission field for Christ. 

I pray daily that God will open my eyes to His purpose in my life, and that I will continue to have an open heart and seek Him throughout my life. That I will see His work and embrace being His hands and feet. 

What are your desires?  Have your desires ever shifted even slightly to align more with God's plan? 

The Drought is Over.

As most of you know, Texas has a high pressure area looming over the entire state; keeping drought conditions extreme and leading to multiple wildfires across the state.  I, along with everyone else, have been praying my heart out for rain to come into our area, ceasing the drought and bringing new life into our world. Well, to no avail there has been no precipitation...

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Then it hit me... God has been bringing rain all around me, and I'm not talking a drizzle I'm talking a full out storm.  Everything around me has been changing.  We have moved, we have put William in School,  taken on more responsibilities, had deaths in the family, illnesses, and above all else my parents are going through a divorce after 42 years. Talk about bringing out the baggage and insecurities... but through all the rain, I know God has a plan.  I know that although actual precipitation is not present, God is washing away and making clean several things in my world in order to bring new life, to renew my faith, and call my attention back to Him. I just hate that I'm so stubborn and preoccupied that He has to bring a full out tsunami to get my attention. 

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There is a song that sums it all up pretty nicely, by a little band known as Mercy Me. 

"Bring the Rain"

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain
So I pray

Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty

What storms are you facing?  Am I alone here? 


PS:  It actually rained today in Corpus!!! Thank you Lord for answering prayers in every way! So, I say through  it all... Jesus, Bring the Rain!!  If this is what it takes to turn me into the woman I am meant to be; a daughter of Christ who puts  a twinkle in my Heavenly Father's eye; then Lord, Bring the Rain!  I am thankful that God has chosen me, and know He is preparing me and growing my faith through it all.

Why Cup of Daisies?

Why Cup of Daisies you ask?

  A poem in the book titled, "Cup Of Daisies: Poetry and Paintings" by Kenneth Wyatt; took my breath, and at once I knew this was to be the basis of my heart and outpouring in my blog.  Please enjoy.

Cup of Daisies

by:Kenneth Wyatt

Today on the street in the old part of town.

I spied an ol' beggar with head hung down.

Gloom was his partner - it was plain to be seen.

And the clothes that he wore would never be clean.

Holes in the elbows, the knees, and the seat,

There were two kinds of shoes that misfit his feet.

The frown was frozen on the face that was lined,

Plus a long clack rag round his eyes that were blind.

No glimmer of hope 'bout the man could I see,

Not even in the hand he reached out to me.

The old tin cup caught the sun on its rim;

Its emptiness showed that pickins were slim.

Into that cup I dripped a coin or two,

Catching a mumble of a grumpy "thank you."

That would have been all of the story that time

'Bout me and a beggar and a nickel and dime,

But fate stepped up with his bag full of tricks,

For up the street a lady strolled a lady of six.

With face all aglow, blue eyes shining bright,

Dressed all starched and ironed just right,

Ribbons reached down in circles and swirls,

A crown of daisies entwined in her curls.

Happiness abounded - in life not a care-

Her eye then touched on the beggar out there.

Young hearts melt fast, and then, so to do,

From her hair she pulled a white daisy or two.

Softly she placed them in the battered tim cup;

Instantly the old beggar's head lifted up.

Though blind in darknes, I knew he could see

That child standing there in full sympathy.

She patted the gnarled hand, not making a sound.

From the faded black rag, a tear splashed down.

They parted then - now their hearts were as one-

But the truth was clear with what had been done.

The cup rattled louder; it had a new sound.

I walked away with something I'd found.

Let me say it so you'll recall it sometime,

"The love that she gave...beat a nickel and dime."

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love.  Galatians 5:13

"But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."  Luke 18:16


Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  Hebrews 13:5

Being a Patient Mother

Lately I have been learning alot about God.   With the move, trying to make a new house a home, a growing Thirty-One  business, and trying my hand at some free lance writing, I have found myself in unexplored territory.  I am pulled in many different direction, and still trying to find a good balance.

Unfortunately, in the midst of turmoil, I have lost my focus and my patients.  I absolutely despise bad attitudes, but unfortunately it is something I struggle with. I have been going through survival mode, and putting up a very strong front... The Lord has continually used my children to show me  the meaning of Grace, and gives me opportunity to practice patients and self control everyday! 

While looking for some encouragement and guidance the other day I came across these scriptures. If this is something you struggle with I pray they will bring you as much peace as they have me.

A Patient Mother --

Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

The Message (MSG)

 ^7-8"But blessed is the man who trusts me, God,
   the woman who sticks with God.
They're like trees replanted in Eden,
   putting down roots near the rivers—
Never a worry through the hottest of summers,
   never dropping a leaf,
Serene and calm through droughts,
   bearing fresh fruit every season.

Romans 15:5

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,

Galatians 5:22

The Message (MSG)

 ^22-23But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Philippians 4:13

New International Version (NIV)

¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

James 1:3

The Message (MSG)

 ^2-4Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

Corporate Responses to Product Complaint

Those of you who know me know I am not one to complain. When it comes to bad products, I always assuming the bad product I received was a fluke and it wasn't worth my time to sit down and tell a huge corporation how a little nobody house wife from Texas had a less then satisfactory experience with their product.  I mean what were they going to do anyways?

But one day, I had enough. I was having quite a streak of bad products, most of which I have used for years, and I wanted them to know they were at risk of losing a loyal customer.

Picture from: Lipton.com

I was not going to spend hard earned money on faulty products or products that did not deliver what they promised.  I was disgruntled! :) So I decided to start giving feed back. Here is my experience...

Product  #1: Lipton Tea

Problem: Over half of the tea bags in a box of tea busted while brewing.

I wrote a polite, but short and to the point email on their website.

The Response: Within 2 days I had a response in my inbox with an apology and permission to mail a packet to me. Of course I obliged and low and behold a week later I had 4 coupons for FREE full sized boxes of the tea. That is over $8.00 worth of products for 10 minutes of my time.

And Lipton now has a loyal customer!!

Product #2: Tide Liquid Detergent

Problem: With a change of packaging also came a change of label. The amount of oz./load had changed, yet the product stayed the same. Making the loads per bottle less but the amount of detergent purchased the same. I was getting cheated out of detergent.

This time I called the customer service number on the bottle.

The Response: After some explanation, and a very helpful CSR, named Joan. A suitable explanation was given on a formula change and a few complimentary coupons for Free detergent were mailed again for the inconvenience and confusion.

Product #3: Pet Mate (A producer for dog toys) Dura Bone

Problem: Our dog is a STRONG chewer. I spent $25.00 on a chew toy advertised extra durable for large dogs and strong chewers. Sally(our pooch) had the toy for no longer than 3 minutes before there was a hole in the toy and stuffing all over the floor. I was so frustrated!!

I promptly took a picture of the product and emailed again a polite yet to the point letter, stating my complaint about the lack of delivery in the product.

The Response: Slow, a little over 2 weeks later I received an email response, with an apology and promise to replace the toy. I again gave them my mailing information with a strong emphasis on our STRONG chewer, I was a little frustrated, b/c I had seen the durability of their toys and was not pleased. About 2 weeks later I received this...

Not only did they replace toys, they sent what I would estimate as over $40.00 worth of toys specifically for Strong chewers and a few treats to boot. It was a nice surprise and so far all but one has lasted. The pink and yellow ring was gone in about 4 minutes. Sally loves all her new toys and will remember this when buying more toys!

When it comes to products I will expect to get what I pay for. I have been very pleased  and a bit surprised with the responses from all three of these companies, and believe I am a valued customer.

 I am still not a complainer! I didn't write this to say complain so you can get free stuff, but to say you are an important voice! What you have to say and what you have experienced matters! The company can not fix what they do not know is broken. 

I know today I have focused on complaints, but I do believe positive feedback is good too! Just a note: I did follow up with each of these companies with an email about the excellent customer service I received and the satisfaction of the replacement products.

Please Share:

What do you do when faced with a faulty product or excellent product?

 What are some of your Customer Service experiences?

Safeguard your Marriage

I am very blessed to have a husband that adores me, as I do him.  I am also very blessed to have a husband that is under the same opinion of how to prioritize our marriage. Although, we are definitely not perfect at it, we both try very hard. 
I never want to look back at my marriage and think... "if only I would have told him how much he means to me!" I want him to know everyday that he is MY MAN!! and that I would Fight for him anyday, anyplace, anytime!

I beg you today, make your Husband and your marriage a priority! Don't fall into the busy trap of life... remember how important it is to a model strong relationship to your children!

Here is a great way to start! The Six-Second Kiss

I know my husband is going to LOVE this, I'm sure yours will too!!

One Year Ago Today! November 17th, 2009

I was looking at my pictures today and here is what was in the folder dated one year ago Today! The STORY, William was such a trooper through it all! Wow, that seems like so long ago!

God What are You Teaching Me? A Life Interrupted!

Have you ever been in a moment, when you were able to look back and see the tapestry of your life?   A tapestry not completed by any means, but at a point that you see  the beauty of the creation, and not so much the snags and knots that seemed impossible at the time. Each beautiful thread touched by God's own hands, woven into a magnificent story. A story that at that very moment has a clear purpose in your life.

 6 weeks ago, I started a Bible Study titled, Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer. For several weeks now, I have attended weekly, studied daily, and really enjoyed the discussion; but found myself thinking... How does this apply in my life?  The other girls in my group seemed to have been going through a season of "interruption" or just come out of one... Of course, God has "interrupted" my life before, but what was happening now? 

And then, His word spoke to me... I was looking back over the study, and this verse Hit me like a ton of bricks!

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."  Psalms 139:23-24

I began to pray that prayer.... Which is so scary!!

What was God going to show me? Did I really want to own up to it? Was I ready to do this?

But I continued and day by day, God began to reveal to me that there was a huge part of my life I had not given to him. A part, that I didn't want to give up, I didn't want to let go... it was much to precious and I wanted to keep it for myself, and make sure nothing ever happened to it!

Can I just tell you what a hard time I was having! I am talking major inner struggle, a big knot in my tapestry!!  I want my children to love God! I want them to grow to be warriors for Christ. I want them to have a relationship with God and to know the unconditional love and grace, that covers them daily.

I also know good and well, that  I can't do all that by myself...

But, if I let go, what if something happened to my boys? What if God's plan was different than mine? Could I bear that.. what would I do? What if it wasn't all pretty and sweet as I have planned it in my mind?

As I sat one day thinking about all of this, contemplating God's work in my own tapestry, I knew what God was asking me to do. I had to obey and willingly give God control to interrupt my sweet boys' lives. So I did,  I committed to fight the temptation to control. I made the choice to step back and give God the control!  No matter what God's plan is for our family, individually and together, I will trust in HIM! I will follow unconditionally! And can I just say, God never fails to amaze me! 

Almost everyday since, God has opened doors of discussion with the boys. Over the last week we have talked about Heaven, Death, Truth, Love for Others, things that we talked about before, some alot, but this time it was different. These discussions were on Gods time, and not mine.

Priscilla Shirer says, "When we come face to face with God and respond in obedience, we will see supernatural results."   and I expect nothing less! God will do great things, just look back at the tapestry He has woven in your life and each life around you. Even the lives that refuse to believe, are covered in God's amazing work. 

I am so thankful that I have a God, that never lets me down. Even when I'm not sure of His plan, and I can't see my way through the tangles and snags of my "interrupted" life, God never fails! And I know He will not fail my children either. They must face there own "interruptions"... and I will watch from the bleechers cheering encouragement and guidance as God, the faithful, unwavering, loving, God;coaches them through life.   

A Simple Heritage of True Greatness



Aunt Hallie shares her love With Greg, Jeanifer, and Michael



Hallie Smith, better known as Aunt Hallie, is somewhat of an iconic figure in our family. I never had the privilege of knowing Aunt Hallie, she had already gone home to the Father before I came into the Caldwell family; but it didn't take long for me to realize what an impact she had on those who knew her. As a new bride, in a new family; I eagerly soaked up Caldwell family traditions, time and time again they were traced back to none other than our dear Aunt Hallie! There is not a family gathering that one of Aunt Hallie's famous dishes is not made, or a memory or thought is not shared; and although I didn't personally know her, I feel so privileged to hear the memories that she left behind.

Recently Michael and I inherited a table from his Grandfather's estate. It is a beautifully made table; simple and elegant, with a few love dents on top, but otherwise in very good condition. When the table first came to us we didn't know much about it, other than at some point it belonged to our beloved Aunt Hallie. About a month after the table came to our home, a newspaper clipping was passed along to us. A picture of our Aunt Hallie graces the front,  holding a quilt from the year 1860, and an article highlighting her love and compassion that she so willingly gave to those around her.
The article titled "Cornerstones: People in our lives" is as follows,

"Miss Hallie Smith, who was 86 last week, is seen in the photo above with a quilt a sister of her grandmother made in 1860.Hallie's sister showed the "Drunkard Path" pattern quilt in the art show at the State Fair of Texas in 1934 and won a first-place blue ribbon. The youngest of seven children, Hallie was born in Nevada, Texas, in 1901 and lived there until she moved to Royse City fie years ago. Even though Hallie fell in love several times, she was always too busy taking care of sick people to marry. Hallie not only took care of people, she always took care of things. She is still using the bed and dresser her mother had when she married in 1883. Her dining table belonged to her grandmother and grandfather in the early 1800's and the furniture is in like new condition. Hallie said, "Everthing is alright with me, I'm just as happy as I can be, and I love my home here in Royce City." She added that person can do anything in the world if they try hard enough." By Jan Peoples



There is no doubt in my mind that Aunt Hallie was a vivacious woman, through out her entire life. She had a great knowledge for the blessings in her life and respect for all things, living and non-living.

I feel so overwhelmed when I begin to think of the food, joy, study, love, and sorrow, that was shared around the table, this 200+ year old table; the very table I sit at this instant. What great responsibility to pass on this legacy; the legacy of love, of care, and of greatness that has been poured out around this old wood.

To anyone else this is probably just an old table and a small yellowed  piece of insignificance, but to me and those that knew or long to know Aunt Hallie they bring to light the true greatness of Christ love. A love which touched the life of a truly great woman, whose legacy continues to teach a tremendous life lesson; to those who choose to embrace it.

Self Acceptance

Recently I found myself watching a late night talk show host interviewing a beautiful blonde, young, talented, actress. I listened as the host asked numerous questioned and also to her responses each filled with more self doubt than the next. Her low self esteem became so evident that the host even stopped her mid sentence to give her some "fatherly" advice and a little pep talk about self acceptance. I found myself feeling so sorry for her and yet relating with her so much. As a teenager, I always felt sub par. I remember thinking to myself if I could even be average that would be better than what I am now. Nothing I tried (and I tried alot) ever made me feel more popular, or special, or more accepted. I listen to women of all ages now and my heart aches for them as they begin comparing themselves, My hair is too straight, Mine is too Curly, I have freckles, I have brown hair and I want blonde, I weight too much, I weigh too little, I have so many wrinkles, I have gray hair, I look to old, I look to young... the list goes on and on.... I know I have been there!
Until just a few years ago, I still looked at myself in the mirror every day picking myself apart and telling myself I didn't deserve certain things because I was frankly not attractive enough. Then one day while doing a Bible Study it hit me like a brick! God made me this way! THIS WAY!! He made me to have curly hair, freckles, crooked eyes, and spaghetti arms, and all of a sudden I was able to look at myself through the eyes of my Heavenly Father. If you are a mother you know when you are holding your little one in your arms, you don't see their freckles as a disturbing sight, you love each sweet spot on their little face; that is just the way God sees us and I believe the way we should view ourselves.
I still struggle sometimes, especially when going into a new situation with new people... "Will these women accept me? Will they secretly think I'm dressed strangely? or that my hair cut is ugly?" But I have to just step back and remember that it doesn't matter what anyone thinks. I am here to serve my God, not to impress with the latest trends and beauty treatments. I have to remind myself that I should be much more concerned at the appearance of my heart. I try my hardest to beautify my heart through Christ alone and to remember, I am accepted through and through by my Father; as are you sister!
Thank you Lord for making us just the way you planned. Lord you have made our planet so beautiful, you have given us wondrous stars to peer at in the darkness, and you have made us in your image, the most beautiful of all. Please help us to see the beauty that you have instilled in all creation! Thank you for being such a wonderful example of beauty through your Love and your Son. I love you Lord. Amen.

What Hair?

Well I have been growing my hair for about 19 months and I finally chopped it off the other day. I was so glad and surprised to know that I did actually have enough to donate to Locks of Love. What a great cause. http://www.locksoflove.org/

My Reversal of Destiny.

I have been broken. I have allowed worldly talk to take hold of my heart and pull at my every insecurity. I have allowed my past to cripple me, and make me feel unworthy. I have allowed Satan a foothold on my very soul, enough to paralyze my courage and my ability to be a diciple for my one and only Lord. It is stopping!! I am now aware! I am addressing my issues. I will no longer allow my need for perfectionism, my need for acceptance, and my need for worldly shelter to get in God's way. I am weak, I am weary, but I am growing in faith. This weekend, I experienced my reversal of destiny. More to come, God is doing great things!

Struggles and Insecurities... uuhhhhggg.

For a while now, I have been missing bible study. I missed having the commonality with other moms(of all ages), I missed the commonality of having women around that were willing to be "real", willing to lay down their guards in order to lift one another up as sisters in Christ. I finally decided I would be brave and do something out of my safe house, find a bible study. It is always amazing to me to see how God lays out cards one by one, and it all comes out to his glory. It is amazing to me that through a minister, Michael and I had met once, 4 months ago while looking for a new church home, that I would find not only a Ladies Bible Class, that offered everything I was seeking relationally, but also a study that would open my heart to hear God speak to me to the very pit of my soul.
I have over the last several months, been discouraged by my family and my church family. Hurt by the leaders of the church. Confused with why God would put my family in such a hard situation. Questioning everything I believed as a christian... and finding no answers except that I was lost and confused and feeling very alone. I have found myself feeling lost, shutting down to those around me. Several of our dear friends also left the church and we are now worshipping together in a home. Which brought up a whole new issue for me, b/c now instead of trying to ignore the sin and trials that were happening in our past church I had to face them dead on. I had to open myself up to trust people from the same family I was running from. I found myself daily wondering... what is their purpose? What are they going to do to hurt me? Why are they doing this to my family? As this continued on, I went out of town to help take care of my mom post surgery... I always get myself worked up to deal with situations with my family... and found myself on edge. Questioning every word said, every action taken. Very much on the defensive, and allowing it to carry on to every other relationship in my life at the time, my husband, my children, my dearest friends, and my church family(you know the ones I was avoiding).

At the same time, I started through the Beth Moore Ester study, I began to realize.... Yes, there are some people that are out to make you feel weak, and unworthy. We live in a mean world, and it's not going to change until Christ comes back. But more that I have so many insecurities. I have tried to fill the void in so many ways, with blame on others, with strong church leadership, with a perfect husband, with dressing my children perfect and expecting perfectionism from them, with walls of safety, with deeds. And every time I found myself disappointed, lonely, and mad! I have taken any insecurity that starts to bubble up and allowed Satan to feed me with so many lies, that I had started to question EVERYTHING in my life. Even those with straight motives and pure hearts. I'm not going to continue into all the rest, but I am going to leave you with a list of epiphanies and verses, that I am working towards, through prayer and keeping my personal insecurities in check, through security in Christ.

1. Don't miss the will of God, Seek it through his word. Philippians 2:13, Ephesians 1:11

2. God does not want to be an anonymous coincidence in my life... where there is a blank, He will always fill it in.

3. I cannot amputate my history from my destiny.He has plans for me and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

4. God does not care what I look like, He seeks beauty within me, the beauty I will only find through the Love of the Lord. 1Peter 1:3-4, psalms 90:17

5. God appreciates my weaknesses, He does not see them as a fault but rather an opportunity. 1Corinthians 1:26-31

6. If I start to feel anxious and unworthy. I need to identify the threat, and look to God for the wise answer. 2 Cor 10:12

7. I can not fulfill my God ordained destiny while straddling the fence. I must die to myself and put on my Royal Robes as a child of God.

8. There is no denial in courage. I must face my faults. I must face my insecurities. Do not be afraid. Psalms 138:8 1 John 4:18

9. If I perish, I perish. I can not have conditional faith. Ester 4:16

10. Who Knows? I do! I will always know that you are my God! Ester 4:14

Church is a Lame Hobby.

As many of you know, for several months now Michael and I have been searching for a new church home. We searched several congregations, met so many wonderful Christians, but never felt like God had opened up a door for us to serve in those congregations. We learned so much as we visited around, but most of all we learned that we want to be more evangelistic. We want to be a part of a church body that is seeking people out to teach them the truth. To be vessels for Christ! We Do NOT want to DO church, we want to BE the Church! We have been so confused with the leadership at our past church and frustrated with the amount of self focus in the body. It is so easy to fall into the "lazy boy" way of worship... and frankly we aren't and don't want to be those type of Christians. Anyways, I say all that to tell you God has blessed us with a new church family, or an old church family. The elders at our old church showed there true hearts to enough people, and others started looking for a new church home as well. So for right now, we are "home churching", with a wonderful group of families. We are meeting in different homes and are working together to heal from past hurts and disappointments, and refocus on Jesus and teaching others the Truth of Gods word. This is something we are going to try for a while and see where God leads us. We want to be honest, accountable, and most of all true disciples of Christ! So please pray for this group of people, Please pray that we will be able to keep our excitement and passion for Jesus, and will have a strong faith to walk through the doors HE is continually opening. Nothing is impossible with God!!

Investing in our marrage.

Michael and I read a while back about date nights with your spouse. We always have good intentions to have time away from the kids, time to focus on one another and relax with one another. We usually just do something with the brothers b/c we enjoy being with them and including them in EVERYTHING, we like having a strong family unit, we enjoy seeing our children interact and learn during activities... but one term struck us. The author used the term "investing" in your marriage. And it hit home. We are trying to remember just that and spend more time "investing' in our marriage, which is also a huge investment to our close family.

A few weeks ago, our sweet Aunt Nanny and Uncle Rick watched the brothers while we went and had some couple time. We headed to Port Aransas for dinner at Virginia's. Obviously feeling some freedom:)

The view from the ferry boat.


Then end of dinner. We spent our evening sitting outside, watching the seagulls, and waves. It was a wonderfully amazing evening... I love this man so much.