Sunday, November 29, 2009

Living a GREAT life...

"Every life is a story. Whether it is a story worth telling and talking about, though, is up to you. People set out with grand dreams of changing the world, falling in love, doing something amazing. But the drift toward the merely acceptable happens almost without notice. That does not have to be our story." -Donald Miller A Million Miles in a Thousand Years


I am at the end of reading this book, A Million Miles In a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller. I love it. It has reminded me of so much of my life and the times in my life where I think, "This is the best day of my life." Do you ever do that? Do you ever have one of those days you don't ever want to forget. One of those days that you are doing the exact thing that you want to do. Most of mine happen outside. I think I'm a little weird about this. I try to explain it to people some times but I'm not sure they quite get what I'm saying but I live for these moments of thinking "this is the best day". I will tell you a few....



One of my younger ones was when my parents dug a pond in our back yard. I remember me, my mom, dad, and both brothers were outside and our parents let us wade out deep in knee high mud. I remember a year or so later going swimming in that pond. I would jump in and the catfish would nibble at my toes. I remember pretending the creek that ran into the pond was a slip-in-slide and sliding in the mud. We found a crawlfish that day...


I remember the first time I slept outside in our fort me and my brothers made. My older brother and cousin slept in their fort and I slept in a tent with my cats. I caught my hair on fire that night...



I remember being on a house boat with friends jumping off the top and being pulled on an inner-tube with all 5 (or 6) of us girls on that intertube at the same time....I remember thinking that was a good day....



I remember spending the day in Mentone with Q before we were dating thinking that I didn't want the day to end. I remember we found a Frisbee on top of a shed and Q held me up to get it. I remember taking a hike though the woods and laying beside Q leaning against a rock talking about life....



I remember playing ball in the streets of Ireland. I remember standing up in front of hundreds in Africa telling people about the time I asked Jesus into my heart. I could go on and on of memories that are the "this is the best day" but the sad thing is the older I get the less I have these days. I need to change that.


In Donald Millers book he talks about people who have made their stories great because they do great things. Their life is not their own. They live for their creator who makes their story what it is if they listen and obey. These people in the book do great things that impact other people. I want to impact other people, positively in a huge way. I borrowed this book but I wish it was mine to highlight parts and underline. I feel like I'm rambling and not making a lot of since. I wish I could share with you every story in the book. I wish I could share with you how he writes and makes me want to have an adventure everyday. I just think that life is worth living... We should have something to live for. I do. Go read the book! A Million Miles in a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller


"I like those scenes in the Bible where God stops people and asks them to build an altar. You'd think He was making them do that for Himself, but I don't think God really gets much from looking at a pile of rocks. Instead, I think God wanted his people to build altars for their sake, something that would help them remember, something they could look back on and remember the time when they were rescued, or they were given grace." -Donald Miller




"We have to get up off the couch and turn the television off, we have to bow up the inner-tubes and head to the river. We have to write the poem and deliver it in person. We have to pull the car off the road and hike to the top of the hill. We have to put on our suits, we have to dance at weddings. We have to make altars." -Donald Miller

Friday, November 27, 2009

Pictures of the week...from my phone!

Wednesday We took Deci to Chuck E. Cheese. She loved it!
First we went to the Early Works Childrens Musem.

One day Deci told me she wanted to nap in her box....so I let her...nah, Just kidding I didn't let her but she wanted to.


Bubbles! I love this picture.



I love this tree!






Fall Reads!

It's been a while since I've posted anything. I've enjoyed not having the computer home the past week or so and I've picked up more books while Deci is asleep instead of spending all my time on the Internet. It's been quite nice and I'm really in a reading mood now so why not post my fall books...even though I guess Winter doesn't literally start for a while...you know me and my seasons. It's almost December and It just seems like in my mind December is Winter. :)



1. Just Beyond The Clouds By: Karen Kingsbury
This was one of the first one's I read this fall. It wasn't one from a book club or anything. I just Love Karen Kingsbury and wanted to read more of hers but this book is probably my least favorite of any I had read of her books. I think maybe the main thing is that I couldn't relate to the book. It was about a girl that had a down syndrome brother who was a teacher. She fell in love with someone who has a down syndrome sister. Very predicable ending.





2. A time to Dance By: Karen Kingsbury
This one was good. I recommend it if you are are struggling in your marriage and thinking about divorce. It starts off with a couple with kids that have lived together for years and they are wanting a divorce. It's sad because they really are in love but over the course of their life they start putting other things between their marriage and looking to feel loved by other things and then one day they wake up and realize they don't love each other anymore. It was good to read and remember not to let my marriage get to that place.



3. Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God By: Francis Chan
This was one of my Favorite books I read this fall. It's about the Love God has for us and how we are to have that love for other people in our life. Very convicting.



4. Murder on the Orient Express By: Agatha Christie
This was a book club book. I meet with a group of girls that have been my friends since high school once a month to have book club. I LOVE this time with them and it forces me to read books I wouldn't pick for myself. This one was pretty good. It wasn't predictable at all which I like. I was surprised by the ending.



5. True Believer By: Nicholas Sparks
This one I listened to on the way to the beach. It was insanely hard to listen to. It was my least favorite by Nicholas Sparks. I usually love his books but this one was sooooo slow! Very predictable. I didn't like the story line. I guess it didn't help that it was my first book to listen to.

6. Through Painted Desserts: Light, God, and Beauty on the Open Road. By: Donald Miller
I liked this book..but that's about it. This book is about Donald Miller and his road trip. He tells some interesting stories but the whole time I'm wondering who this guy is to think that people want to read about his life. My husband loves him and has read most of his books and says this one he didn't like. This was my first one of Donald Miller books so I'm hoping that I'll like the next one.



7. South of Broad By: Pat Conroy
Oh, I feel so negative about my Fall reads but I have to say that this one was VERY disturbing. It bothered me for at least a week after I read it. I'm very sheltered I guess you can say and things bother me. I loved the characters and I liked the story line for the most part. There were just a few surprises in the book that took me for a loop! This was another book club pick.

8. The Rescuer (O'Malley #6) By: Dee Henderson
This one I wanted to read because it finished the O'Malley series for me that I struggled to read. The first 2 books I really liked but after that they were pretty much the same. A Christian character falls in love with a non-christian character and by the end of the book they are both Christians and they live happily ever after. I do love the other story line besides the romance part. The characters all have very important jobs and something is always going on and you can never predict whats going to happen with their jobs. Glad to be done with that Series!


9. Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America By: Mike Yankoski
Ok, now to the positive! This is my favorite book from the Fall! My sister-in-law recommended this one to me and I'm so glad. It really changed the way I look at homeless people, well, people in general. It broke my heart to have more compassion. To really treat people the way they deserve. To try to see people like Jesus sees people. To see inside their heart. To take time and care, to really care for people. Man, I have a long way to go. I probably should read this again and again and again.


10. Shades of Blue By: Karen Kingsbury
This was my pick for book club and I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Maybe because all the reviews were giving this one a 5 out of 5. Saying it was Karen Kingsburys best book. I personally like The Redemption series by her. This one was slow and very predictable. I was on edge too because it was my pick and I wanted it to be good and my expectations were not met. I did cry though in this book. It's about a guy about to get married realizes that he needs to go back to his high school girlfriend and ask forgiveness for somethings in his past. I won't give too much away. I know some of my book club girls are still reading.






Currently Reading:



11. A million Miles in a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller
I actually just picked this one up today. I can't wait to start...my second Donald Miller book.


12. Hoping for Something Better By: Nancy Guthrie
This is one that I'm doing with My mentor Lisa (www.lisa_writes.blogspot.com) and my friend Jenifer. We are a little over 1/2 way. It's a study of Hebrews. It's been challenging and the questions are sometimes hard to figure out what exactly she is asking but it's been good to be challenged and to dig deeper into the Bible.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Q's hair!

So, Q is growing his hair out for Locks of Love. Awesome thing to do and maybe one day I'll be patient enough to let my hair get long enough so when I cut it off my hair won't be really short. (I look horrible with short hair) Q says that ladies come up to him all the time and say that women would kill for his hair. I would like to meet these ladies because if I can be honest his long hair drives me crazy! He knows it drives me crazy and he is doing it for a good cause so I try not to complain about it too much. The other day he said that he was going to keep growing it out even after it got to the 10 inch requirement length. I would like him to cut it as soon as possible. So I came up with a poll. Do you think that Q should keep his long hair or cut it off? Which do you like better? Here is a picture of how I like it best...keep in mind that He is extra cute here holding Deci when she was a newborn. :) The poll is on the top right side of the blog. Let us know what you think! (In the post below there is a picture of him now with longer hair and just to let you know when we measured it last it was at 9 inches!!!)

Thursday, November 5, 2009

In Everything Giving Thanks!

My Friend Lisa is giving Thanks everyday this month on her blog to Celebrate November/Thanksgiving. (She got the idea from her Friend whose blog you can get to by Lisa's blog.) http://lisa-writes.blogspot.com/ I don't get on here enough to do this everyday but I thought I would do one big Thankful Blog. so here goes...


1. I am first of all Thankful for Jesus being my rock and comforter. The one who knows my flaws and loves me anyways. I could go on and on but I am very thankful that He is in charge over my life and I don't have to be!



2. My WONDERFUL Husband, Q! I chased this man for 7 years and I can say today that He loves me more than I love him! He has more patience with me than I could ask for. He puts up with a lot from me but He still loves me and I am very thankful! It's a comforting feeling to know that I can trust my husband 100%. I am so glad that he works hard, 2 jobs, so I can stay at home with Deci. I am thankful that He loves our daughter too!
3. I am so thankful for our daughter, December who we prayed almost 2-years for before she came into our lives. We are so blessed to have such a beautiful child that came out of two people who look like we do! I am so thankful for all the hugs and kisses she so freely gives now because I know one day she will be "too cool" for that. I am so thankful that I get to stay at home with her everyday!




4. I am so Thankful for my family...all of you! I am thankful for how I was raised and all the great childhood memories I have. I think I had the best childhood of anyone! I am Thankful for the family I married into, especially because I have a sister now! I am Thankful for grandparents that Deci has, especially when they keep Deci for me so Me and Quinton can get away! I am thankful for my brothers who taught me how to build an awesome tree house when I was younger and for teaching me how to enjoy the outdoors! I hope Deci always loves playing outside more than she does inside!

5. I am Thankful for my Church and Church family! I Love having a church to go to where I don't dread Sunday mornings. I'm actually very excited about going! I love the people there, they really are like family. I know they have our backs and I know they will help us out if we ever need them.



6. I am so thankful for my friends! New friends and Old friends. I know I am not a very good friend. I'm dramatic and over the top at times. I love to talk and sometimes I talk too much. I can also be very selfish and my dear friends you love me anyways and I am sooo thankful for that! There is nothing better than to have an hour/night/weekend with girlfriends. I need you in my life to keep me girlie! I love y'all!


7. My friend and Mentor who meets with me and Jennifer on Friday mornings and pours her life and knowledge into us! It's so great to have someone encouraging me to grow in my faith. Especially for us two pastors wives who don't know as much as we should about the bible! Thanks Lisa! http://lisa-writes.blogspot.com/





8. I am thankful for Fall and the weather that comes with Fall! I love this time of year! I go back and forth every year about whether I love Fall or Spring the best of all seasons but today, after 3 long days of playing outside, I Love the fall the best!



I am so thankful for so many things but if this post gets any longer no one will read it! :) Join us on your blog for what you are thankful for!! Have a Happy November!




Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween Fun

I got Deci ready to Trick-or-Treat at my Mom's house and across the street is this lovely field with Hay Bails. I have an obsession with fields and hay bails. I think they are beautiful. So we got Deci ready and went out to take some pictures.









After we headed to the church for the Halloween Hoopla! There were TONS of people there but it was so much fun!


Next, We dropped off Deci with Maw Maw and Paw Paw Crow to spend the night and we went to hang out with some old friends from high school. We played the game Taboo, watched YouTube videos, ate a Ton of food (but left with a whole crock pot of Rotel Dip), Played Guitar Hero and stayed up way too late! I took a few pictures but had a hard time getting them on here for some reason but here is one of me and the hostess Kaydee. Check out her website at www.kaydeeroden.com


Side note: I have been a lazy blogger lately. I've been posting lots of pictures and no stories. If you are my Facebook friend you will see a lot of the same pictures so it may be pointless for you to read my blog but I am going to try to post more stories (along with my pictures) soon. I don't think I've told about how my child locked me out of the house one day while I was cleaning. Also they day that my child spayed Lysol in her eyes! Yes, Please don't call DHR. I do watch my child. I was trying to deal with a Mold problem in the house so my child doesn't have respiratory problems the rest of her life. I was spaying the house with bleach and Deci wanted to do the same so she got the Lysol. She spayed her eyes before I could take it away. I panicked and washed her eyes out with water. She was soaked! I was ready to take her to the ER when I read the back of the Lysol bottle and it just said mild irritation to the eyes! Whew! She didn't even cry...except when I was pouring water over her face. :)