Blue Jean Blahs...

So, I've been working out. Hard. Some of you know this, as I've been posting my progress on Facebook. It's been so good! I have only lost 3 lbs, but my muscle to fat ratio has improved significantly. I've lost 2.5 inches in my waist and 2 inches in my hips. I even bought a size 8 dress for the first time since my wedding dress! I went out Sunday with my hubs (birthday date- woot!!) feeling pretty and lean. We went to the mall to see a movie, then to PF Changs for dinner. We had about an hour before the movie started, so we decided to pick up some jeans for Hubs. He's needed some for a while. I glanced in the mirror in the restroom and thought, "Good job! Kristi, you've been working so hard and it's really paying off!" Two days earlier, I took my monthly progress picture, and I could see some amazing results, even in the short 8 weeks I've been working out. I felt great!

Then we stepped into the department store...

Hubs disappeared into the dressing room to try on several pairs of jeans, so I texted him something like "I'ma try on some jeans 2." They were on sale, after all. I gathered up a few of my favorite cut, but noticed that they weren't exactly the same as my old jeans. Of course, I bought my faves almost 5 yrs ago, when stretchy fabric was not even an option at this particular store. The trouble with the stretch jeans is that they fit so much tighter in the hips and thighs- I think they're supposed to, but I have no idea. I'm no fashionista, which may have been part of my problem.

Back to the story.

I went into the dressing room with what I thought must be my size, and then one size smaller, in hopes that the 2" I'd lost in my hips would pay off... they didn't. The jeans looked AWFUL!! It was most likely the cut, the stretchy fabric, or something along those lines. They seemed to "fit" inasmuch as I got into them just fine, they buttoned in the right place, nothing was "hanging over" the edges, and I felt no pain when I bent over... but they were disgustingly tight. I wanted to cry.

I had dreamt up this amazing moment in my mind of what it would be like to try on jeans. I've never really liked jeans shopping. Somehow, I thought this time would be different. I imagined myself like the girl on the Special K commercial- you know the one- trying on jeans, admiring my new, slimmer figure in the mirror, excited that I could get away with something so cute as a red bikini (although I'd never wear one in public). It didn't help that I was surrounded by overized pictures of 19 year olds wearing the same jeans and looking A-mazing. I brushed it off (sort of), put the jeans away and brushed my hair, suddenly convinced that it was my best feature.

What happened??? Not even 20 minutes earlier, I was giving myself a high-five in the mirror! Now, after trying on one little pair of jeans, I was ready to cry. I told Hubs all about it as we walked across the mall to the theater.  He was unreasonably patient as I vented- perhaps because it was my birthday? We went to the movie and I forgot about my ranting. Afterward we went to PF Changs for dinner. I loved every bite, but in the back of my mind I couldn't help but feel guilty for eating so much. All I could think about were those jeans.

The next day, I was still loaded up on MSG. I felt bloated and moody. I started my workout and hated every minute. That's a first for me. I love working out- always have. Halfway through, I considered calling Hubs for a pep-talk. Luckily, he drove up to the house for lunch at right about that time. He walked in and I started bawling my eyes out while doing squats. You should have seen it! I put down my weights, ran to him and cried, "I don't wanna work out anymore! It's not even worth it if I can't get into the jeans at the mall! Boo hoo hoo!" He tried to hug me, but I was covered in sweat, so his hand carefully touched my shoulder before finding a safe, dry spot on the back of my sports top. He listened for a few minutes as I ranted again, then reminded me of the progress I've made. He pointed out that the pictures showed how much I've changed. He gave me a few encouraging words, and I was all better. I decided to push through the rest of my workout. I'm glad I did. The next day, I was right back on track, and I had a great time working out. I even caught a glimpse of myself in the bathroom mirror and felt thin.

I have been thinking a lot about that experience. How could I let one little pair of jeans nearly make a trainwreck of this particular part of my life? It's silly, really. But it happens. I've been learning so much about my walk with God through working out. I'll go into those lessons in later blog posts. Today I want to focus on discouragment. Sometimes we're trucking along, reading our Bibles, spending good quality time with Jesus, watching our attitudes and seeing little changes in our lives. We feel so encouraged and right with God- but then something little happens that sends us into a whirlwind of discouragment. We blow up at our kids, we disobey God, we lie, or do some other stupid thing. We let one little mistake make us feel completely ruined.

But the truth is this: Trying on those jeans didn't undo all of the hard work I'd done to lose my mama-belly. They didn't set me back at start. All they did was remind me of how far I still need to go to meet my goals. (And sometimes that sort of reminder is a good thing!) The jeans didn't change me, they only changed my perception of me. In the same way, whether I weigh a lot or a little, I am still me. Nothing can change that. Size 14 Kristi and size 8 Kristi are the same person when you get right down to it. Same habits, same preferences, same sense of humor, same pet peeves.

In our walk with Jesus, our goal is maturity in Christ. That's a long road. In my experience, it usually happens slowly and takes a lot of hard work (sort of like exercise). There is abundant grace from God to get there, and He helps us more than we could ever know, but there are tough decisions to be made along the way. There are habits to be formed or discarded. There are obstacles to overcome. Every time we lean on God's grace and walk in obedience, we grow a little more.

 The truth, however, is that while all of that hard work builds you up to be more mature, it doesn't change your position in Christ. If you are saved- if you've surrendered your life to Him- you are His child. Nothing can change that. All of your hard work will help you grow, but it won't make you more saved. Sometimes we let one little stumble change our perception of our maturity or position in Christ. I know I've done it a thousand times. I think, "Oh, I thought I was doing so well! I thought I was really on track with what God is doing in my life right now- but I ______, so I must be worse off than I thought! All that prayer isn't working, so it's not even worth it to get up early to pray!" Condemnation sets into my heart and discourages me. Doubt sets in, and it makes me want to give up- even more than I wanted to give up that day after trying on the blue jeans. Sometimes I press through, glad that I did, and reap the rewards of faithfulness. Other times, I'll confess, I give up for a day- or a week- or a month. I give up having my quiet time, or meeting with other believers, or praying. But God is always so faithful to call me back. He is always waiting for me with open arms, drawing me, as the Bible says, with cords of loving kindness. He is, as Hebrews 11:6 states, "a rewarder of them who diligently seek him." When I return to Him, I don't have to go back to "Start", but I am always reminded of the blessings I missed out on while I was off sulking in the corner, instead of living in the freedom of Jesus' love. Blessings of peace, joy and more.

So I leave you with this: Are you tracking along? Or has something as trivial as a pair of jeans thrown you off course? If you have given up, let me encourage you to push through. Get out of the pity corner and run to Jesus. Whether in your goals or in your walk with God, don't give up. God is waiting there for you, with encouragement and love. He is our Ever-present Help. Let Him remind you today, as my hubs did that day for me, of how far you've come and how worth it all of this really is.

Love Week- Days 5 & 6...

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day- are you ready? Just to re-cap, at our house we've been taking time each day to think about God's love, encourage one another and do an activity that expresses love. Check my archives for the last 4 days worth.

Day 5 didn't quite go as planned. I was up till 4am taking care of my son, who (I think) still has an ear infection, even after taking antibiotics last week. He's still pulling at his ears, clingy and not sleeping at night. So we were all exhausted. Courtney cried in her sleep every time he'd start crying. We went to church, came home, did some grocery shopping, had dinner and went to bed. I spoke with Courtney briefly about how we can show God love by worshipping Him, but I confess that it just didn't turn out the way I planned. No biggie- I'm learning that plans don't always turn out- and that's okay.

Day 6 was supposed to be "clean up at the park" day, but the weather turned nasty last night. Sleet, rain, cold cold cold temps- so we found something we could do at home instead: Pray. We discussed 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, which says "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Then we took time to pray for some of our family. I had to try not to laugh as Courtney prayed for my 9 yr old brother, "God, please help J to clean his room, 'cus if he doesn't, Papa said he'd get a trash bag out and start throwing his stuff away- so let J say, 'I'll do it! I'll do it!' and get it all cleaned up. Jesus' Name, Amen." (My dad was half joking, by the way, when he told her that the other day, but it definitely made an impression.)

Tomorrow morning we'll head to Chick-fil-A for breakfast (a long-awaited treat!). It's been a good week, and I'm so glad that I took time to be intentional this week. One thing I've learned through it is that Courtney likes verbal praise, but it is in no way her love language. She would rather have us hold her hand, read to her or help her with her chores. She's an acts of service girl... and a gifts girl, of course- what kid isn't?? As a mama, that's a good thing to know! What are your kiddos' love languages? Tomorrow could be a great day if you can figure that out and hone in on that language to show your kiddos (husband, too!) how much you love them!

Love Week- Day 4...

Day four of Love Week is upon us- today was the day I stepped out of my comfort zone just a bit. We discussed John 3:16 and then made cookies for our neighbors.

We have a great sugar cookie recipe, so we whipped up a batch, added pink icing and sprinkles (ate a few while we were waiting for the last batch to get done) and took them to our neighbor. This is where it got tough for me. We don't know our neighbor very well. He introduced himself when we first moved in, and we've had a few "Can you believe this weather?" and "Has the mail run yet?" conversations, but that's about it... and I've been fine with that. I like to think I'm a fairly outgoing person, but I have come to realize over the last few years that I tend to lean toward the reclusive side if I'm not intentional about community. It's not that I'm shy, I just like my routines. It's easy as a mom of little ones to find myself completely out of touch with the rest of the world and have no idea how I got there. Busyness, sick kids, errands and everything else seem to get in the way. I'm often content with just checking Facebook posts and commenting on my friends' pictures, instead of getting out and meeting new people. Since we've moved to Texas, I confess that I still haven't met many people here. I've reconnected with some old friends and some family, but getting to know anyone new has not been on my agenda.

So, I'm a bit out of practice when it comes to working up the courage to go up and start a conversation with a stranger. Sounds silly, doesn't it? But some of you know exactly what I'm talking about. Well, we wrapped the cookies and started toward the house next door. I kept remembering this idea that has been flooding my head as of late: If I don't step out of my comfort zones, neither will my children. Courtney is such a little mini-me when it comes to her personality. I look at her and I see myself, only without the baggage. She hasn't been rejected at the 3rd grade lunch table yet. She's never been told to mind her own business. She has yet to be a victim of a clique. She just loves everyone and believes they're all her friends- or could be, if they got to know her better. She is confident and outgoing, full of joy and great ideas. I want to nurture and shape that as much as possible while she is young...

So, here we go! Deep breath...

As we headed out the door, my heart raced. Why? Who knows? Keep going. I had already told Courtney we would go, so we had to follow through. Either I would step out and do the right thing, or I would cower away and break my daughter's heart. So I sucked it up. I "put on my big girl panties". I pulled up my bootstraps- or whatever you want to call it, and we started walking across the yard. We rang the bell. A minute later, a scowl slowly peeked around the door. Oh, great- he doesn't like visitors! He's having a bad day! This was a bad idea! I thought. Trying to break the ice, I smiled and said, "Hi! We were making Valentine's Day cookies today and thought we'd bring some over!" in my most cheerful, sing-song voice. His expression changed, a smile swept over his face, and he opened the door. He seemed genuinely surprised and blessed by our little act of love. We talked for a minute and then Courtney and I headed back across the yard.

...And, exhale.

I am so glad we took the cookies to the neighbor, but I realized that over the last few years my comfort zone has been shrinking. I have got to get back on the ball and stretch myself from time to time. The Kingdom of God is all about people and relationships. If I can get comfortable taking cookies to the neighbor, then I'm sure I can get comfortable doing other things to express God's love to people. Baby steps, for sure, but steps forward, nonetheless.

So my heart for all of you today is that you can find the courage to step out of your comfort zones to express God's love to someone in need. Start small if you have to. Cookies. Brownies. People love food. Think about the kind of person you want your child to grow up to be- and then model that for them, the best you can. Let God strengthen you as you go, but just GO. You never know- when you get out of your comfort zone, you may just find yourself acting like the person God created you to be!

Love Week- Day 3...

It's day three of "Love Week" at our house! Today we discussed 2 Corinthians 9:7, which says,

 "You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. 'For God loves a cheerful giver'."

So, to show love to the people in our community, we gathered toys from our house and donated them. This was a great exercise for Courtney, who is constantly concerned about orphans and the poor. Her heart for them convicts me often. She has decided wholeheartedly that she will adopt when she's a grown-up, and that she will take in any child who needs help. I think a lot of kids at this age become worried about other children, but so often it's inconvenient for us as adults to take time to teach our kids to help. It's so important, as I stated yesterday, that we get out of our comfort zones- or our children never will. (I'm preaching to myself, here!) Some of these activities are so simple and easy- take a bag of toys to the donation center, make Valentine's Day cards for family, etc.- but some are more in-your-face. More of that later. Here is the activity for today, and a pic of my princess with a bag of toys she is giving away:

Have a great day!!

Love Week- Days 1 & 2...

You may remember the Valentine's Day wreath I posted a couple of weeks ago (click here to see it). Well, it's time to get started! Each day, the week before V-Day, I'm taking time to share a Bible verse about love with my 4 yr old. I'm also making a point to tell her one thing I love about her, and doing one activity that expresses love to someone else.

 I completely forgot about it yesterday, since we were at my parent's house, so this morning we simply talked about how visiting & encouraging people can show God's love. 

We also worked on today's activity: making Valentine's Day cards. Of course, her attention span was super-short, but we were able to make enough for her grandparents. As we made the cards we talked about God's love for us and how we can love others by sending them a sweet card. She used an ink pad and her thumbprints to make hearts & polka-dots, and they turned out so cute!

I'll continue to post our activities throughout the week, just in case you're looking for something to do with your little ones and want a few ideas. Maybe what we do here can spark a new creative idea for you! I've planned on several other activities, including cleaning up trash at the park and making cookies for our neighbors. Hopefully this will get us on the right track to start some community service. I want my kids to grow up knowing how to serve, and full of joy when they give of themselves to help someone else. I know myself, and I know that if I don't get out of my comfort zones, then my kids never will, either. So, here goes! Let's take time to be intentional about loving others this week as we gear up for Valentine's Day. It's not just about chocolate and lovers and perfume and what-not. It's a great opportunity to explain true love- God's love- to our kiddos, and help them discover how to show that love to others.

A Sweet Crafty Treat...

I love crafting, especially when my kids can get involved. Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, so I thought, What better way to celebrate than to make something with my daughter? We don't normally make a big deal out of V-Day, since my hubs and I both have birthdays in February, but we usually try to do something as a family; go out to dinner or something along those lines. I thought that this year I'd put a little more effort into it, however, for my kids' sakes. I promised Courtney that I'd take her to Chick-fil-A for some "little bitty chicken sandwiches" on Valentine's Day morning, but I wanted her to really think about love- God's love for us, and ways we can love others. So we made this wreath! The week leading up to V-Day, I'll write a Bible verse about love, plus one thing her dad and I love about her in each of the red papers around the outside edge of the wreath. Then we can talk about ways to show love to our family, neighbors, etc. I'm super excited, and praying that her understanding of God's love for her deepens more during that week. It's sort of like an Advent Calendar- only, modified for another holiday. The point is still the same: To deepen my child's knowledge of God's Word, to encourage her to seek God, and to draw us together as a family.

So here is what I did. If you're feeling crafty, try something like this with your kiddos. Talk about love. I asked Courtney how a person can know they're in love- how they can know they've found the right person to marry. She said, "You can know because he'll be wearing the perfect shirt!" (Didn't know it was so simple, did you?) Happy crafting everyone. Just use whatever you have lying around, and remember to HAVE FUN!!

I just grabbed all of my craft supplies that were red, pink, or Valentines Day related. Cookie cutters make great tracing tools, if your child is not comfortable making their own hearts.

I used a cake board as our backdrop. It was the only big, round-ish thing I could find.

I folded a paper towel roll into a heart shape, then snipped it every 1/2 inch or so. Then I re-shaped them with my fingers just a bit so they'd be more rounded heart shapes.

We then put glue around the edges of the hearts. I let Courtney use a glue stick, but I think if you pour a little liquid glue into a bowl, a child could easily just dip the heart into it.

And, of course, we dipped the hearts in GLITTER!! I know it's messy, but seriously- your kids are only kids once. Let 'em make a little mess now and then in the name of fun... or go outside... or let them do the glittering in the bathtub.

I then strung the hearts with embroidery thread.

Then we duct-taped everything to the back. Hey, Mama-Crafting doesn't take a degree in art or engineering- just the ability to improvise- and all mamas can do that!

I glued the sticks to the cake board and let them dry with a heavy book on top while we made the hearts. The red papers are what I'll write the Bible verses and encouragments on.

Here it is! Nothing super fancy, but my four year old jumped and giggled with excitement over the finished product. I hung it on her bedroom door with an over-the-door hook.

I hope you all enjoyed our little craft for the day. Thanks for keeping up with me here at mamaisaverb!

Parkour...

Parkour. Some of you may be fans. Others (like me) only know about it because of a funny clip from The Office. Basically, it's free-running. Trying to get from point A to point B in the most creative and efficient ways possible. It's a lot like the game we used to play as kids at the playground. You know, "Don't fall off of the jungle gym! There's a lake of fire down there and a dragon and crocodiles and razor sharp swords, too!!" (Well, that's how we played it anyway.) Back to the point. It's really cool to watch professionals do it. It's not so cool to watch amateurs.

Today was beautiful. Eighty degrees in the middle of January. What?!? One more reason I heart Texas. Naturally, when the kiddos got restless after lunch, I decided it was time to go to the park. Courtney wanted a park with swings, so we went looking for a new place to play. The park near our house has no swings. I remembered seeing a sign for a "Creative Play Playground" close by, so I thought we'd drive by and check it out. It was HUGE! Imagine a wooden castle/fort built just the right size for about 80 kids to play on. There were ramps, tires, slides, swings, stairs, stepping stones and more. It was a tiny metroplex of playground equipment.

I parked the car. The kids and I set off to explore this amazing place. Suddenly, a boy of about 14 or 15 ran straight for us! He jumped and swooshed and bobbed and hung until he got over to the stairs Matthew was playing on. He politely said "Excuse me" and huffed as if he were frustrated that we had been in his way. I promptly warned Courtney to watch out for the guy in the red shirt so she wouldn't be clobbered.

Another teen approached him to ask what he was doing. "TRAINING!!" he said, gasping for breath.
"Oooh, can I come, too?" the other teen asked. So they set off.
"You have to jump from one plane to the next. And you can't touch the ground!" the red-shirted boy said, as he scrambled to climb back atop a 5' high post he'd fallen off of. He grunted as his tennis shoes slipped and slid against the log. He refused to touch the ground, even though it was a mere 6" away from his gangly legs. The other boy got the point, and it became a competition- only, the second boy had some reservations. "Oh, @#%$* no- I'm not gonna break my leg doing something stupid like that!" (glad my kids were distracted at that moment). So the second boy gingerly made his way down and then picked up at the next point.

A girl, about 11 or so, asked what they were playing. "We're not playing!" the boy in red passionately explained. "We're TRAINING!"

I laughed to myself. It was funny. Training for what? Parkour? I couldn't help but think about that episode from The Office, when Michael, Andy & Dwight went free-running through the building. If you've seen the episode, you know exactly what I mean. If you haven't seen it, check out the embedded video below. I enjoyed watching the boys for the next 10 minutes or so, but then I decided to take my little ones over to the swings.

It hadn't occurred to me that these teenagers should have been in school, since it was 1:45 in the afternoon. I glanced over and saw a coach of some sort from the nearby school and realized that he had brought his class out to the park to soak in some sun. He got up from the bench and took a hat to the boy free running through the playground. It all clicked for me. As I saw him talking to the boy and waving about, I realized that the boy was running at the coach's instructions. Ah, ha. It all made sense now.

You know, that boy makes a good metaphor. I thought about our journey as Christians. We are following God's commands. We're doing something that may seem awkward to others at times. It may even make them laugh- or cause them to make fun of us... but then, sometimes, another person comes alongside us and says, "Hey, what are you doing? Can I join in?"

The point is, this boy was running hard and getting an awesome workout. He was getting stronger while a group of girls from his class sat in the shade, complaining and yelling at one another. They were missing out on the benefits that this class outing had to provide. Sometimes people in our churches do that. I have. Instead of running full force, following God's instructions, I just sat quietly, getting caught up in all of the drama that exists within the church (oh, come on- you know it's there). Then, I've also been like the boy who joined in and went for it- but with reservation. "Ok, Lord! I'll follow you... but wait. That looks hard. I think I'll just slowly make my way through instead of hitting it head-on like you instructed." Then I miss out on the challenge. Challenges are great because they stretch us and encourage us when we accomplish them. What I want to be is like the boy running through the playground with no fear, no reservations, and die-hard commitment. He was so focused on his goal that he didn't even notice me staring at him! Where are you today? Are you the red-shirt boy? The other boy? Or are you one of the drama-mamas sitting in the shade? Just something to chew on...

Enjoy this Parkour clip from The Office:

Old Mr.Fray...

I read in a magazine a while back that if your child can't get the point you're trying to convey, you should put it in story form. They may not understand why they can't take their brother's cookie, but they definitely know why a dragon can't steal a princess' favorite toy. Stories help take our kids out of the issue, let them see it from a new perspective, then (with guidance from us), help them realize how the story applies to their own lives. Their defenses retreat when we're talking about dragons and princesses, instead of just scolding them for doing wrong. You know kids- when they feel defensive, they don't hear a word we're saying.

I've been having trouble lately with my four year old getting distracted on her way to obey. "Please brush your teeth," for instance, is interrupted by the soap bottles that need to be reorganized, the towel that would make a great cape, and the bathtub toy that Mama forgot to put away. I wanted to show her that (as we say in our house like, every day) "Slow obeying is disobeying." She also needed to understand that her disobedience has a greater effect than she sometimes realizes. So I wrote this little poem last night. We talked about it this morning, and she totally got the point. It didn't cause her behavior to change immediately- that will take time, discipline and consistency on my part- but the story coupled with our own real examples did help her understand that her disobedience affects the whole family.

So here ya go. This is a story about a man whose disobedience nearly ruined the princess' birthday celebration (*GASP!*)

Old Mr.Fray
by Kristi Wood

There once was a village,
Not far from the sea,
Where everyone worked and lived happily.

They all had their part,
And they all did their share.
And that, my dear friend, made that village quite rare.

Well, it happened one day,
That the princess, so fair,
Was to have a birthday- and her party she’d share!

With all of the people
Who lived in her town.
Yes, she’d share her big cake, and show off her new gown!

There’d be presents and flowers
And ice cream to spare,
For every man, woman and child who was there.

The whole town was stirring,
They all were abuzz!
To think, what a wonderful privilege this was!

They all went to work,
Making presents and such,
To show thanks to a princess who loved them so much.

Now there was a small shop
Near the south end of town,
Where eggs, milk and flowers and fabric were found.

So it made sense that when,
Their supplies were all spent,
The shop was the first place that anyone went.

But it just so happened,
That on this special day,
The supply cart was driven by Old Mr.Fray.

He was a good man,
But stubborn and slow.
He went when he wanted to get up and go.

His boss told him clearly,
“Take this cart straight to town!
No stopping to play, and no slowing down!”

But He stopped to catch fish,
He stopped to draw pictures.
Why, he even stopped to polish his dentures!

He thought, “What’s the hurry?
I’ll be on my way.
No one will notice if I stop to play.”

But the townspeople noticed.
They waited till night.
Finally, over the hill came a light.

Old Mr. Fray
Had made it at last,
But the time for preparing the party had past.

The princess would open
Her window tomorrow,
Only to find a town full of sorrow.

For there would be
No party to share.
No cake, or gown or ice cream to spare.

For Old Mr. Fray
Had taken his time.
He’d played and caught thirty-two fish on his line.

The townspeople yawned
They all went to bed.
“No party this year,” the little one said.

Well, Old Mr. Fray
Felt pretty low.
But then an idea came to him, so…

He opened his cart
And got out the milk.
He gathered the eggs and flowers and silk.

He was quite sorry
For what he had done.
Now he’d make it up to everyone.

He worked through the night,
His coffee got cold.
But he prayed and kept going till the sky turned to gold.

The morning sun said,
“Goodbye!” to the night;
And the town awoke to a startling sight!

The whole town was filled
With streamers and flowers!
Someone had worked through the long night hours!

The princess smiled
As she opened her eyes.
There, on her table- a lovely surprise!

She opened the box,
And what did she find?
But a gown made of silk and solid gold twine.

The whole town was happy
The party had come!
There was ice cream for all and cake for each one!

But Old Mr. Fray
Wasn’t even in town
To share the big cake and see the new gown.

He’d gone on his way
When his work was all done.
He was too sleepy to join in the fun.

Old Mr. Fray
Learned his lesson that day.
It’s better for everyone when you obey.

“If I’d just been there sooner,”
He thought as he sat,
“They would have been ready for a party like that.”

He’d worked awfully hard
And mended his way.
Next time he’ll certainly choose to obey.


Note: Please don't do anything silly- like copy this and claim it as your own work. We're all adults here. If you choose to share, just give credit where credit is due.

The Tongue is a Terrible Thing to Waste...

Fit. Of. The. Century. Wow. It started out as a nice day, and I am sure it will end as one, too- we just had a minor blip in our attitudes after lunch. We've had several days of cloudy skies, two days of rain, and forcasts of 40° temps for tomorrow. Today, however, is BEAUTIFUL! Sunshine and 60°. Perfect, if you ask me. So I decided that I'd get out and stock up so I wouldn't have to run to town during next week's cold front.

We went to Walmart, then Hobby Lobby, to pick up a few odds and ends that I'm out of. Then we met Keith for lunch. Everyone was happy and the prospect of a good grocery store trip was looking pretty good, in spite of the fact that we were closing in on nap time. We said goodbye to the hubs and headed to Kroger.

We found just the right basket (the blue car) and headed in. Matthew started to fuss. We got our produce. His fussing turned to tears. I got him out of the car and placed him in the basket. His tears turned to all-out screams. He continued this for quite some time. I tried to calm him, but he kept at it, trying to get into the big section of the cart, saying "Me! Me!" 

Matthew is 17 months old, so "Me" means quite a bit right now. It usually means he wants something. I had no idea what, since he wasn't pointing at anything. I thought he just wanted to sit in the cart with the food, since his sister often does. So I held him. He did flips in my arms, so I put him down to walk, holding my hand. He tried to run away. Back in the basket. Back to the little car with sister. Back into my arms. This kept him quiet (somewhat) for a few minutes as we picked up cheese, butter and eggs, but by the time we got to the meat, my little boy was screaming so loud that people were staring. He was climbing in circles around me. It was all I could do to hold on to him. They stopped their conversations. I'm sure I was red. Courtney got out of the car to ask why he was being so loud- she couldn't hear her video game over his voice. Really? So, having the main items on my list checked off (milk, eggs, bread & what-not), I made a bee-line for the checkout.

As soon as we got there, Matthew turned on the charm, ringing the "I'm a satisfied customer!" bell and waving to the checkout girl. I emptied out the cart and realized, through his cavemanesque grunts and gestures, that what Matthew had wanted all along were the Cheez-it's in my purse. He saw the bag poking up through the top. Sigh.

It's all good now. He's asleep and Courtney is watching Nick Jr. The house is quiet and no one is staring at me.

As I put the groceries away, I couldn't help but replay the previous hour's events in my mind. It made me think of a few grown-ups I've met in my (short) lifetime. They know what they want, but they lack the communication skills to get it. Or, they're so engulfed by fear or pride that they refuse to tell anyone what they need. They just point and climb and yell, hoping someone gets the point. Then there are those who lack grace in their speech and just say whatever comes to mind, without consideration of others' feelings.

You might hear things like: "I just don't know how to tell my husband I need some me-time. What if he thinks I'm being mean and don't want to be around him?" Or maybe "You're all losers. I can't stand to be around you. I need mature people to hang out with." Or, "No way I'm telling my friend that she gets on my nerves when she texts during our lunch together. If she doesn't know it bothers me by now, then I'm just going to be rude right back to her. She'll get the point."

Sadly, she won't. You'll burn bridges with people who could potentially enrich your life, and he won't realize you need me-time. Your boss won't know that you can't work Saturdays, that girl/guy won't know that you like them, and your friends won't stop calling after ten o'clock. Not if you don't communicate well.

I wish people would communicate more. And not just more, but better. Let's stop throwing fits (whether passive aggressive or out there for everyone to see) and just tell people what we need. Think about it first, pray about it, wait till the right time, and say it in a way that will encourage them- but say it. I'm all about choosing my battles, but if most of your battles are centered around miscommunication, there are ways to solve that. Check out this article for a few tips. I especially like #6: Using "I" Messages. For instance. Instead of saying to Matthew, "You just don't communicate well with me!" I could say, "I feel like I'm missing what you're trying to say here." Sorry, but I have to laugh, because he's one year old. Of course he doesn't communicate well!

Anyway, I (re)learned two lessons today. #1 If it's 30 minutes till naptime, just go home. Don't try to take the baby to the grocery store. Duh. #2 Remember to communicate effectively. I have to check myself sometimes and ask  if I'm getting my point accross in a positive and encouraging way. Am I honoring God with my words? Here is a scripture I try to remember when it comes to communciation:

"Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.  And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!" ~James 3:2-10

Bottom line is this: If you want the proverbial Cheez-it's, tell someone. But make sure that you're honoring God with your speech, not cursing those who have been made in the image of God. Here's to a new year of communicating better. Check out the link to the article above and just ask yourself if you're a good communicator. If you're not sure, ask someone. If you're not, now would be a great time to get humble before God and ask Him for some help. Just two chapters earlier, in James 1:5, we are met with this encouragement: "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." God is the greatest Communicator of all time. Surely He's got what you need:)

Melting the Mountains...

When I was a teenager, I hated hanging laundry outside. The sun always got in my eyes as I tried to look upward at the line so I could clip clothes with those annoying little wooden hangers. After a while, I would get a cramp in my hand, causing my fingers to twist just enough while opening a clothespin, and pinch my finger with the little spring. Sometimes the whole thing would just come undone! GAH! But that was life. So I'd go out later and take my crispy clothes out of the  Texas heat, take them inside and crumple them a few times to soften them up again before being folded and (sometimes) put away. I could have saved myself the crispiness if I would have gone outside and taken them down, instead of leaving them out ALL DAY. But out of sight, out of mind, right? Okay, I'll admit it- I've never enjoyed laundry, whether hanging it in the sun, taking it to the laundromat, or washing and drying from the comfort of my own home. The only time I think I've ever really enjoyed the laundry was before each of my children were born. There's something sweet about folding newborn clothes in anticipation of who is to come... but, *sigh* let's get back to the laundry.

I have to take a certain approach to laundry. It usually goes something like this:
Laundry [looming in closet]: You will never conquer this Mountain! I stand firm with the stench of time and the power of discouragement!

Me: "Yeah, you're probably right. Ok, I'll most likely get to you tomorrow."

{The next day, when the baby is wearing that pair of jeans for a second time- you know the one- it's the pair he spilled ketchup on the day before. You wiped it off, so it's not noticeable, but you can smell it- yuck.}

Laundry: I told you that you could never defeat me! MWAHAHAHA!!I'm HUGE and insurmountable!

Me [with a fierce frustration brought on by the tears of last night's meltdown when the kids' favorite PJ's were not available]: That's IT! I am the woman of this house! I WILL conquer you, oh Mountain of Doom! My children will have their favorite PJ's tonight if it's the LAST THING I DO!!

So, with that, I violently hoist myself off of the couch, grab the laundry basket and start to sort- and wash-and dry- and fold- and even (usually) put away. YESSS!!

I win.

That's a good feeling. I've decided it's a lot like peeling a bandaid off of your arm. If you do it slowly, it's painful and you may just decide to gently put it back, hoping it will magically fall off on its own... but if you just rip it off and get it over with, it's done and you can forget about it. Until, that is, the next day, when you have to wash the hub's work clothes, or the towels or whatever. I like the FlyLady's motto: "A load a day keeps the CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) away!"

Now, since being gone a solid week at Christmas, my laundry mountain has become a huge nuissance. It seems that, no matter how hard I've tried, I simply have not been able to finish it. By the time I caught up from Christmas, the kids' laundry basket was full. When I finished that, the basket in our room was full. (I wash them seperately because I have to use a certain detergent for the kids' laundry.) Anyway, today was the day I was finally going to catch up. Hallelujah! It's almost done! I put the last load in the dryer and went to the computer. About fifteen minutes into the dry cycle, I heard it.
Beep!

Beep!

Beep!

What is that?? I went to check, and my dryer was overheating. Of course, I stopped it immediately and checked to make sure I didn't need to grab the fire extinguisher. All clear. Whew! My dryer started to cool off, but refused to turn back on. I had the kids' clothes inside, and HAD to find a way to dry them, if I didn't want them to sour. The last thing I want is to cuddle with my kids and smell that gross "laundry stayed wet too long" smell. So I went to work. I had to find a way to dry the clothes...

So, since it's Texas and 70 degrees in JANUARY- What?!?-  I decided to make a clothesline. I'm no engineer. In college, I did terribly in math & science. In fact, I majored in social work. But I was determined. So, I searched the house to find a long rope, but only found a piece of extra hose that we bought for our refridgerator's ice dispenser. That'll work! I looked for something outside to hang it on, but found nothing. Back into the house. I looked in my closet and found some old railings that don't go to anything but I refused to throw away "just in case" we ever needed them. Today's the day for you guys! Come on! Duct tape? Check! Now, something to hold it up once the weight of the clothes comes down on them- Bamboo! (don't ask). Then, I found a bunjee cord and rigged it around our chimenea for extra support, since one side was wobbly. I have no idea how I did this, but here's what I got:

BAM!! I can't express how good it felt to get it done. Sometimes I am amazed at what I can do if I have to. Now our clothes will be dry, and my hubs can check out my dryer when he gets home from work. No worries. Laundry mountain: CONQUERED.

So here's the lesson I re-learned today. We are all, I truly believe, stronger than we think we are. 

How many times have you seen someone go through a crisis and hear them say something like: "I never thought I could get through something like this, but here I am."

If you're a Christian, you have something really cool living inside of you. Nevermind the mental image that just popped into your head of the little alien dancer from Space Balls singing "Hello my baby, hello my darling..." Oh, that didn't pop into your head? Ok, then I'm weird, because I was totally thinking of that!! Back to the point...

If you're a Christian, you have something really cool living inside of you- the Holy Spirit. God's Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:16 says, "Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?" Cool, huh? The Spirit of God lives in you- that means that when you are at a loss, when you are overwhelmed, when you need some help, some strength, an idea, some joy, or whatever, all you have to do is look inside of you and see that God is helping you. Hebrews 4:16 says, "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."

Now, my problem today was a little one- my dryer broke. I needed to do something out of the ordinary that I wasn't sure I could do. But with God's grace, I had an idea, I found the right supplies, and I was able to make it work- without a meltdown, praise God! But I've found several other times in my life, in harder times, in more complicated situations, that when I looked to the Lord and realized He was with me - and He was IN me- I was able to accomplish more than I had ever dreamed. I was able to stay sane through more than I should have. I was able to finish when I wanted to give up.

So let me encourage you with this: If your mountain is calling out insults, and when you try to conquer it you're met with impossible obstacles, find the Living God who has chosen to dwell in your heart, call out to Him, and let Him work in and through you to do the impossible. Take in Psalm 97:5 "The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the LORD of all the earth." What is your mountain?

Vtech Innotab Case Tutorial!

 




SO... I looked all over the internet and could not, for the life of me, find an Innotab case pattern. I thought, Surely I'll find one- it's supposedly one of the hottest toys on the market for Christmas this year, and roughly the same size as the Leap Frog LeapPad- the other popular choice of the season. I was wrong. Couldn't find one anywhere. I looked for about two days and finally came across this blog on Woven Pages by Elena. She gave a brief tutorial on how she made a case for her daughter's Nintendo 3DS. It was so cute, and inspired me to create a case that was perfect for my little girl's Innotab. It cost about $16 for materials- which is roughly what I would pay for the clunky, plastic and mesh case at Target (including tax)- only this one (I think) is WAY cuter:) It holds her Innotab and nine cartridge games. Here are a few finished pics, with the tutorial below. P.S. Forgive me if I misspell. I'm in a hurry so my daughter won't walk in on me and see the pics I'm posting, as she will not receive this for another 7 days. WOW! Only 7 days till Christmas:)



Inside is fleece, which protects the case from scratching. I used two pieces of fleece on the front and back sections to add thickness to the bag. Innotab fits snugly inside.



Pockets are on the back of the bag. Three rectangular pockets held shut with velcro.





Game cartridge pockets. Three large pockets with three sections each. Holds a total of nine cartridge games.





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So here ya go-The tutorial:

First, you'll need to gather supplies and cut your fabric. Disclaimer: I am not an expert. This is a rough tutorial, based on my memory and a few notes & pics I took while making the case. I tend to wing-it when I sew, so this may annoy some, while it may inspire others. I just hope it helps someone, even if only a little!



BEFORE YOU CUT: Note the direction of your pattern and cut it accordingly. My pattern had little trees, so I had to check before I cut or sewed anything together to make sure my pattern was heading the right direction.

I used 1/2 yd fabric and about 3/4 yd fleece. If I had used Option B for my pocket covers, I may have needed a bit more fabric.

STEP 1:

I made the pockets first.

*Place the fleece over the wrong side of the fabric. Fold the edges of the fabric over the fleece and sew. See pics: 

Next, add velcro to the right side of the fabric. I put the soft side here so that if it wasn't shut well (you know kids), it wouldn't scratch and hang on her clothes.

Next, sew the pockets onto the bag. The bottom of the lowest pocket starting at about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the bag- center them the best you can. Sew around the left side, bottom and right side of each pocket. Leave the top open.

Then, sew two seams, at 2.25" into the pocket from either side (see pic). This creates the compartments for the pockets. Do this for all three pockets. You'll want to leave half an inch or so between pockets to give yourself enough room to sew on the top flaps. I'm sure this is all as clear as mud.

To make top flaps, either A: Fold edges under and hem (this is what I did). Later, use fabric glue or a no-fray solution to prevent it from unwravelling.

OR

Option B: Cut your fabric strips at 6x8", fold in half (inside out), sew along three sides, and turn inside out. Turn exposed edge inside of itself and hem shut. (this is what I would have done if I'd thought of it sooner and had a little more fabric)

OR

Option C: I'll let you make this one up on your own. I'm sure there's always room for improvement:)

Sew the top flaps onto the pockets by placing them with their right sides to the right sides of the back fabric. Sew them as close as possible to the pocket tops, without sewing the pocket tops closed.

Trim excess fabric if you used Option A. Wait to add the no-fray until you're completely done with the project so it can dry overnight. Add velcro to the pocket top flaps.

Step 2:
Next, sew the fabric pieces together so that you actually make a bag! I've assigned letters to the fabric diagram to make it easier (I hope).

Should look something like this when you're done:

Step 3:

Sew the fleece pieces together to make a bag, the same way you sewed the fabric pieces with ONE EXCEPTION: Double up your front and back pieces. Lay two front pieces on top of each other and treat it as one. Do the same with the back. When you sew the sides on, you'll actually be sewing three layers of fabric.

(In this pic, the top layer is a side and the bottom two layers are identical "front" pieces.)

You will have two bags. The front and back of the fleece liner will each be two layers thick:

Step 4:

Turn each bag inside out. Place the fleece liner inside of the fabric bag, so that their right sides are together. Hem around the edge where they meet, but LEAVE THE TOP-FLAP EDGE OPEN.

Turn the bag inside out through the top flap edge. Should look something like this:

Tuck the fleece liner into the fabric bag, tuck the top flap edge into itself, and hem shut.



Sew velcro into place so that you can fold the flap over and close the bag (refer to picture near top of post).

Step 5:

Fold two 3x5" fabric strips and the shoulder strap strip in half (right sides together). Sew along two edges and turn right-side out. Press if desired:

Attatch D-Rings to purse with strips. Loop the strip through the D-Ring, then sew onto bag. Be careful not to hit the D-Ring with your needle:)

Loop ends of shoulder strap through the D-Rings and sew. This is not an adjustable strap- if you're feeling super skilled, go for it- I am not there yet:)

You should now have a cute Innotab Case! I hope it was clear enough to make some sort of sense... or at least inspire you to make your own cute little child's tablet bag.  Thanks for reading!