Musical Monday

I don't know about you, but there are some songs that I hate having stuck in my head and others that I hope will stay stuck so they continually remind me of Biblical truths.  Gratitude by Nichole Nordeman is one of the latter.  I was asked to accompany this song for a soloist in a wedding back in college and I'm so grateful that I was introduced to it.  The lyrics remind me of my Sunday School teacher's (*Hey Jenifer!) favorite verses that she has also brought me to love: 

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord ; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."

Habakkuk 3:17-18

I pray that God would give me a heart of continual gratitude, through the good and the bad, through the easy and the difficult...I pray this for you as well. 

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade

Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid

But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight

Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time

Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please . . .

I Love the Blakley Boys!

7 Quick Takes Friday

1. Well, we've been back in town since Monday, but I just now feel like I've caught up on everything.  It is always good to get a vacation from the norm, but it seems that it takes another week to bounce back from a vacation!  Laundry is done and the house is pretty clean, so now I'm ready to enjoy the weekend!

2.  Elijah got 3 more teeth while we were gone last week, so I am very thankful he is a fairly easy teether!  It could have been real torture in a hotel room, but he did great.  Check out this picture I took this morning...I can't believe how much his teeth have already come through. 

3.  One more thing about last week's vacation...We stayed with some friends of ours at the end of the week and had such a good time.  It's always good to go somewhere where you can feel so at home and welcome.  When we got home, however,  I was unpacking our toiletries and found several things that I knew weren't ours.  I was confused for a second and then remembered that Justin had packed our stuff up to leave.  Apparently he forgot that we weren't staying at a hotel where you can just take the shampoo with you!! He basically just cleaned out the shower at our friends' house!  I now have their shampoo, some body wash, and (get this!) some hand soap!  (Apparently he cleaned off the counter, too!)  Well...it's just another reminder of why I do the packing for vacation, and I guess I have to be more careful about packing to return home, too.  I remember checking the bathroom that day to see if we left anything behind, and obviously we did not!  Oh, well.  Maybe we'll be invited back again...if I can get a handle on Justin's sticky fingers!

4.  (If you are my mom...you may not want to read this one!)

Elijah has been crawling everywhere these days, and as I've mentioned before, he is much more interested in Jazz's toys than his own.  Literally, his ball that rattles and is so colorful can be sitting right next to Jazz's boring, plain ball, and he will go for her's everytime!  Now Elijah has discovered that Jazz's food bowl is more exciting than his toys as well.  I've had to "redirect" him several times away from her bowl.  One time he turned it over and got water all over himself, which he did not like! I had hoped that incident had scared him away, but apparently not.  Yes. It has already happened. My 8 1/2 month old child has tasted dog food.  I guess that officially takes me out of the running for mom of the year...or ever!

Yesterday morning, I left Elijah crawling in the living room while Jazz was eating her food and I went back to the bedroom for a few minutes.  I didn't think one thing about the scene that I had just set up!  Sure enough, I went back and Elijah has one piece of food in his mouth and one piece in his hand.  Disgusting!  Atleast I know that Jazz didn't freak out on Elijah...but I kind of wish she would have so Elijah would stay away from the dog food! 

Any suggestions for keeping Elijah away??

5. I have checked out FlyLady before, but never really stuck with anything.  This week I am doing so well!  I have a renewed sense of discipline for our home after being away for a week.  I am ready to Fly!  Check it out...it's a good time to get things in order with the holidays coming up!

6. If you live around Elkin and haven't been to Finder's Keepers yet, you should check it out!  It's a new consignment shop that sells household items.  No clothes, so it's kind of nice just to go check out the household stuff she's got.  It's on North Bridge Street, on the left, if you're heading toward Belk's.  I'm really into consignment shopping right now, and since this area doesn't offer the best shopping expereiences, I feel like it's a good opportunity to shop for items you might not find in stores right around here.  I just took some stuff there yesterday, so I'm hoping it will get sold quickly! 

7.  A friend of mine just introduced me to E-mealz, and I think we are going to get along great!  I just signed up the other day and we had our first E-meal last night.  If you don't like planning your menu each week, but would like to have a better plan, then this is for you!  There is a small fee, but in return, you receive a meal plan for a week along with a detailed shopping list.  I know that a good plan can save lots of money, and we all want to do that, right!

Join in on 7 Quick Takes Friday!

Worth a Thousand Words Wednesday

Happy (late) Halloween!

Now it's your turn...share some pictures of what's happening in your life right now!

Join in for Worth a Thousand Words Wednesday! Here's what you do:

• Post pictures that you want to share on your blog. Feel free to write about them or let them speak for themselves!
• Fill out Mr. Linky below with your name and your link to this week’s pictures (be sure to link to your post and not just to your blog).
• Include a link back here from your post. (You can grab a "Thousand Words Wednesday" button on the right - just copy and paste!)
• Be sure to check out other links and comment...everyone likes to get some feedback!

Musical Monday

Last week I helped Justin lead the music for a secretary's conference.  He asked me to sing the song "Our Hope Endures" by Natalie Grant.    I personally have not endured tragedy in my life, but I definitely know others who have and remain hopeful and joyful in the Lord in the midst of difficult circumstances. 

I love the lyrics in this song, bringing words to the questions we so often have.  But this song ultimately points us to hope in God by reminding us of His attributes.  Emmanuel - God is with us.  El Shaddai - All Sufficient.  In order to not be overwhelmed and undone by unexplained difficulties we face, we have to focus on God and who He is.  When we truly see God for who He is, we are ultimately reminded of who we are.  Sinful, broken, but overwhelmingly loved by a God who sent His Son to die for us.  Without a loving Savior to look to, our situation would be too much to endure.  I pray that your hope will endure...through whatever you are facing or will face.

OUR HOPE ENDURES
You would think only so much can go wrong
Calamity only strikes once
And you assume that this one has suffered her share
Life will be kinder from here

Sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

How do we comprehend peace within pain
Our joy at a good man's wake
Walk a mile with a woman whose body is torn
With illness but she marches on

Sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

Emmanuel, God is with us
El Shaddai, all sufficient

We never walk alone
This is our hope

Our Hope endures, the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

"This I recall to mind, therefore I have hope. Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.  'The Lord is my portion.' says my soul, 'Therefore I hope in Him!'"  Lamentations 3:21-24

Christmas Shopping on a Budget

Today, over at Momfessions, the Christmas shopping topic is for "something different."  I don't really have any more gift ideas, (I'm hoping to gain a few myself this week), but I can share "something different" about where you can look for gifts. 

I've been doing my shopping in consignment shops lately, and I've been surprised at the amount of brand new items you can find.  I really shouldn't be surprised because I've consigned a few brand new items myself.  (You know...clothes I just knew I would be motivated to fit into one day if I bought them on sale or the candle holders I just had to have when I saw them but couldn't ever find a place for them at home!) 

In the same way it's smart to shop for a "slightly used" car whose first owner has paid the initial full price, it's not a bad idea to check out consignment shops where you can find some previously owned, but still in the package, brand new items.  I've found some great frames this way.  Just the other day I saw lots of brand new, boxed Hallmark ornaments at a local consignment shop.  It's worth checking out, if you're shopping on a budget.  I hope you find some good stuff!

Here's another Christmas tip:  Check out Vistaprint if you are interested in personalizing stationary/notecards/notepads/etc. for Christmas gifts.  There are always items for free (+ shipping) that can make great gifts.  Personalized Christmas cards aren't cheap!  So here's what we're planning to do this year...We'll create our Christmas Card picture/message as a photo, then upload it for a postcard here at Vistaprint.  You can get 100 postcards for free, upload your picture for a few bucks, then spend just a few more for envelopes.  While you're there...create your own return address labels for free and your Christmas cards are well on their way to being done.  (I wish they would stamp & lick them, too, but it looks like that's up to me!)  But be careful...it's easy to get hooked on this website!

Be sure to check out Momfessions for more Christmas gift ideas for "something different" today!

Worth a Thousand Words Wednesday #2

A friend of mine took this picture of Elijah at our church picnic a few weeks ago.  It was so cold, so he was pretty bundled up.  It was his first time wearing shoes and his first time in such cold weather.  He's my little bundle of joy! 

Now it's your turn...share some pictures of what's happening in your life right now! 

Join in for Worth a Thousand Words Wednesday!  Here's what you do:

• 
  
  Post pictures that you want to share on your blog.  Feel free to write about them or let them speak for themselves!
  
  
  
• 
  
  Fill out Mr. Linky below with your name and your link to this week’s pictures (be sure to link to your post and not just to your blog).
  
  
  
• 
  
  Include a link back here from your post.  (You can grab a "Thousand Words Wednesday" button on the right - just copy and paste!) 
  
  
  
• 
  
  Be sure to check out other links and comment...everyone likes to get some feedback!
  
  
  

Speak up!

I'm out of town this week, so I've given you some more time to take the polls on the right of my blog.  (Sorry some votes got deleted in my spontaneous blog facelift!)  I'll be blogging on the poll topics you see in the near future.  I would love to know what my readers already think about cloth diapering and homemade baby food!  Hope you're having a great week!

Gifts for Her!

My friend Sheila is hosting a blog carnival this week to share Christmas gift ideas.  If you're like her (and me), the gift ideas/shopping/wrapping are all up to you.  And I know I could use some help this year!  So check out her carnival this week at Momfessions for the different people/children in your lives.  (And if you need help on what to get me this year....just ask!)  ...kidding!

Today's focus is on "gifts for her".  One of the items on my "gifts for her" list this year is definitely going to be a great piece of silver jewelry, handmade from my friend Casey.  (And I'm not telling you who's getting it or exactly what it is, so don't ask!)  Casey is incredibly talented and you'll want to check out her hand-crafted silver jewelry from Silver Shed Studio.  Here's a taste of what you will see...

Now head on over to Sheila's blog to find a few more gift ideas.  Be sure to check the rest of the week, too!