Simple Woman's Daybook

Simple Woman's Daybook

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Outside my window... a steaming 34 degrees, snow on the ground, lovely day. :)

I am thinking... that I need to get out a clipboard and make a list of everything I must do this week.

I am thankful for... the peace of God.

From the learning rooms... amphibians, muscles, Ohio heroes, lots of other stuff.

From the kitchen... three cakes this week- duck/frog baby shower, webkinz pink & white cat, family birthday.

I am wearing... light blue fleece pjs.

I am creating... cake designs AND 25 items to put in the Valentine bags for the widows.

I am going... to change Chase's diaper and straighten up.

I am reading... Sunrise (again- actually skimming it since I finally read all the books in the series before it and now it makes more sense) AND Summer- both by Karen Kingsbury. Actually, I've taken a break from reading while I watch a Korean Drama- Job Well Done. Will be back to reading in about a week.

I am hoping... that the achiness and chest heaviness I feel today is just a 36-hour thing.

I am hearing... Lego Star Wars.

One of my favorite things... Kroger Popcorn.

Praying for... My Mom's surgery tomorrow, the Ward family- who lost their 4-month-old baby in a car accident, a high school friend who lost her baby in her sleep last week, a friend's Mom who was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer, brother-in-law Dan, a heart that trusts the Lord completely.

A Lyric or Two...
Still, My Soul, Be Still- Keith & Kristyn Getty (video below- if you don't know this song, you need to learn it!!)

Still my soul be still, and do not fear though winds of change may rage tomorrow.
God is at your side, no longer dread the fires of unexpected sorrow.

Chorus:
God You are my God, and I will trust in You and not be shaken.
Lord of peace renew a steadfast spirit within me to rest in You alone.

Still my soul be still, do not be moved by lesser lights and fleeting shadows.
Hold onto His ways with shield of faith against temptations flaming arrows.

Still my soul be still, do not forsake the Truth you learned in the beginning.
Wait upon the Lord and hope will rise as stars appear when day is dimming.

A verse to share... 

Exodus 15:11 Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

A picture thought...

California Rolls. ♥

A few plans for the rest of the week... basketball practice, school, prayer group, choir practice, school, basketball practice, 3 cakes, school

Come on now... you know you want to do this too!!!

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Friendships- To Commit or to Not Commit?

WARNING! This blog entry will not be organized or well written AND I'm going to share my heart. If you aren't interested in it, don't read.

When I think of friendships I think of 5 different levels of relationships you can have with people. They are-

Level 1: You may or may not have eye contact. You may or may not smile. NO exchange of words at all.

Level 2: Generic, "Hi, how are you?" One sentence conversation in passing.

Level 3: A real conversation. Lasting at least one minute. Where you both equally exchange thoughts.

Level 4: You share something from your heart with someone- a prayer request. You are getting to know someone- digging deeper to find out about a person. When you are at a function you sit with them, they sit with you. They notice when you aren't there and they ask. You are comfortable with each other.

Level 5: When you have a JOY or a SORROW you call/e-mail this person because you trust them. You know them. They know you. You count on them. They are your F R I E N D. Not just a person you pass in the hall or office.

I am a people person. I want/need LOTS of friends. I want/need GOOD friendS. MULTIPLE!! In high school and middle school I had a TON of Level 3 friends/acquaintances. I'm not saying this to brag. Please don't take it the wrong way. I wasn't really part of a certain group. I didn't have a GROUP of good/best friends- Not much level 4 going on and certainly no level 5- thank goodness for the Lord and family. I was a "floater" who was friends with all sorts of people- cheerleaders, band members, athletes, choir peeps, smart kids, head bangers, stinky people, snobby people, weird people, drama club, etc. I felt comfortable in (almost) every group I was in.

In college it was MUCH easier. I had almost everything in common with about 90% of the people there. I easily made two Level 5 friends- Stephanie Hayes Sylvester-Johnson and Amy Ward Mathias. Even my roommate could have been a level 5 friend if I had given her the chance. (I was sort of a jerk- adjusting to being away from home for the first time. She lived with me so it was much harder. We didn't have the space you need with real BFFs.)

Anyway, college ends and everyone goes home. And if you go to college out of town then when you all go home you probably aren't going back to the same towns. That is what happened with me. Stephanie lives in Roanoke, VA and Amy lives in Coshocton, OH. Still, these girls are my BFFS- kindred spirits. I can go to them with any pain and they are right there sharing my burden.

And I haven't even mentioned my Mom or my Sisters. I am sure they know that they are obviously a Level 5 OR if I'd create a higher level they'd be in it for sure. I ♥ my Mom, Dawn, & Brooke.

Okay... drawing it back in...

This past Wednesday night after prayer group AND choir practice I went home feeling BLAH. I was feeling like I had almost all Level 1 & 2 encounters at church. (I did have ONE level 4 that night.) Anyway, I was in a "poor me" frame of mind. Thinking after 13 MONTHS, although I am serving a lot at church- always there, I haven't made any REAL FRIENDS- levels 4 & 5!! I still feel like if I wasn't there at all, everyone would be fine. Nobody would miss me. Nobody would think, "I sure wish Amy was here." or "I wanted to tell Amy something." I felt like after choir was over I walked invisibly out of the building.

After talking with Mike AND the Lord (and sleeping) I felt a tiny bit better. Still blah in the morning but my focus was better. (Keith & Kristyn Getty really help in that area. God has blessed them.) I asked God what I could do to help the situation. What would He want me to do? What am I doing wrong?

I was reminded once again that in order to have friends I must first BE a friend. So today before I went to church I decided that I would try my hardest to speak with as many people as I could at church. I would be positive. I would encourage where I could. I would STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT zone and open up to people. Here is how I did:

Level 2: I spoke to 27 people

Level 3: of those people I had REAL conversations with 12 people.

Level 4: of those twelve people I had 5 experiences in level 4- one of which was totally about someone else.

I put myself out there. Maybe if I keep putting myself out there others will also put themselves out there, too. It is so easy to stay in our safe zone. To speak to our FRIENDS. You already have enough connections. But what about the new people?? Sometimes I wonder HOW MUCH LONGER will it take for me to make a real connection? 

I struggle because I am a people person and I have space for LOTS of good friends. Not everyone is that way. Some really just want a small group of intimate friends. I understand that. But surely I am not alone. Am I??? Am I the only person in my entire church who longs for FRIENDS? REAL friends? I want to be LEVEL 3 with E V E R Y O N E!!!! I need several level 4s and I need lots of level 5s. Come on now, people. Let me in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today our Pastor spoke about small groups- the struggles and what is helpful. The point of encouraging and walking together. At one point he said, "There has to be a commitment to nurture relationships." While this is true, I want to add something to it. There has to be a commitment to START relationships.

January 10 on the 10th

(Blog post slightly edited. Was falling asleep writing this last night.) 
**********
Hello. My name is Amy and I don't have any original ideas so I'm copying off of my friend, Kathy. :) Just kidding. The truth is that Kathy is A W E S O M E and I loved this idea so much that I knew I had to try it for myself. :) The problem has been REMEMBERING to do it. The past 2 or 3 months I've remembered halfway through the day and by then it's too late. (If you want to read Kathy's blog for yourself you can see it HERE.)

So, here it goes. On the 10th of every month you are supposed to share 10 pics that document your day.

First I woke up and got breakfast for everyone. Just cereal.

Then we did a little school. (Didn't finish it all but will for sure today.)

 

Then we made signs to welcome Phin home. Our college friends adopted him.

Then we went to the airport to welcome home Phin Smith from Ethiopia. Dad James went and got him. Mom Kelly had already met him in Ethiopia a month ago. Sister Halle and Brother Judah met him for the first time.

After dinner the kids played a little hide & go seek.

We went to church a little early tonight so the kids would  be able to play basketball for a while. Here I am playing with Alison. I love this bball. :)

During Awana we sang Happy Birthday to Caleb Manwiller.

When we got home from Awana, and all kids were in bed, I did Cardio Party.

 I read the passages in the Bible that I needed to read today so that I can finish reading the bible in 1 year.

Finally, I popped some popcorn and got a super book- Forever by Karen Kingsbury. I finished it. YAY!! I ♥ happy endings. I feel like I AM a Baxter.

(You can go HERE to see other 10 on 10 posts by total strangers.)

Watercolor Ponies- Wayne Watson

All of you Moms (or Dads) with little ones around the house...
You have to skip to minute 2:40 for the song cause Wayne Watson is talking at the beginning. HOWEVER, what he's saying is a great message!!!! Lyrics under video.


There are watercolor ponies
On my refrigerator door
In the shape of something
I don't really recognize
Drawn by careful little fingers
And put proudly on display
A reminder to us all
Of how time flies

Seems an endless mound of laundry
And a stairway laced with toys
Gives a blow by blow
Reminder of the war
That we fight for their well-being
For their greater understanding
To impart a holy reverence
For the Lord

But, baby, what will we do
When it comes back to me and you?
They look a little less
Like little boys every day
Oh, the pleasure of watching
The children growing
Is mixed with a bitter cup
Of knowing the watercolor ponies
Will one day ride away

And the vision can get so narrow
As you view through your tiny world
And little victories can go by
With no applause
But in the greater evaluation
When they fly from your nest of love
May they mount up with wings
As eagles for His cause

Family Scripture

For some time I have wanted a scripture verse or passage that I could call my "family scripture" and that we could all memorize. Sort of like a family motto- our mission statement. About a month ago the Lord finally gave it to me. I'm so excited about it. Here it is:

Colossians 3:12-17
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothes yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

I shared the scripture with everyone in my home and informed them that we were all going to memorize it. Abigail jumped on the task and memorized it immediately- she's the only one so far. I have a few of the verses memorized but honestly I haven't applied myself as I should. The craziness of holiday gatherings is over so we plan to get with it.

As soon as I read these verses I felt like I was reading my heart. I come from a very close family. I am the middle of three sisters with no brothers and we loved it that way. I won't lie and say we NEVER disagreed but as the years have gone by we have become the best of friends. I am so thankful for them. The Lord really  blessed me. And if that isn't enough, our children are also best friends. Between the three of us we have 10 kids- I have half of them. But it's amazing how the Lord fit the ten of them together so perfectly. We three sisters each had a girl in 2000. Then between 2002 & 2004 we had 4 boys. Then between 2004 & 2005 we had 2 more girls... and then there is Chase. :) He doesn't exactly fit in... the next boy is 5 years older but everyone includes him since he's the littlest and SOOO cute. ;)

As I get older and mature a little I not only realize how important and special family is but also how important PEOPLE in general are. I am a sinner- a loser. Yet, the Lord blessed me with such a wonderful family. If the Lord would treat me so great knowing that I'm a jerk, hateful, impatient, cranky, selfish, lazy, etc. then who am I to treat anyone- family, friends, strangers- any different?

So, back to the scripture... what does it mean? I like to look up words in the dictionary to help me understand more and dig deeper...


1. compassion: sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it 
2. kindness: a kind deed : favor : the quality or state of being kind
3. humility: humbleness, lowliness, meekness, modesty
4. gentleness: mildness of manners or disposition
5. patience: forbearance, long-suffering, sufferance, tolerance
6. forgive: to give up resentment of or claim to requital for: to cease to feel resentment against
7. love: appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value

8. unity: oneness
9. peace: harmony
10. thankful: conscious of benefit receive
11. dwell: to remain for a time
12: teach: to impart the knowledge of
13. admonish: to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner
14: wisdom: good sense


This is how the Lord wants me to live. It's a big challenge and I'm sure I'll fail every day. I'm hoping, however, that with the Lord's help as we memorize these words that we will take them to heart and act them out in our lives. Not only in our home amongst the seven of us but also in our extended family, with our friends, and out in the world among strangers. This truly is the desire of my heart.