Trying New Things...

I feel like I have had a really productive day today!

My interview went okay (I'm not a good judge of how these things go), I am supposed to find out something by Friday. Please continue to pray. I'm definitely still praying! There were some very interesting developments which I will share later with you all. Suffice it to say that GOD IS GOOD!!! Amen? Amen!

My mom brought my kids home today. They went unexpectedly to spend the night with she and my dad last night. My parents had just come by to visit yesterday and my daughter started begging to spend the night, so I relented. Anyway, my mom was going to start teaching me to crochet when she came back with the kids today. EXCITING!!! That was new venture #1. It went okay, but about three or four stitches in, I thought it would be too hard, and considered giving up. However, my mom really encouraged me to keep going. So, here is my progress as of this evening. You all may laugh, you may think this is pitiful, but I was really pleased with my progress. I CAN FINALLY CROCHET!!! Albeit, in an amateur sort of way...

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We went to the library and I picked up lots of Spanish stuff for kids, as I'm starting to teach my kids Spanish this year. They kept asking, "how do you say that stuff?", so I decided there would be no better time to start teaching them than when school starts and while they are so young! Right? I think so too.

Lastly, I see on some of your blogs all of these little tags and pics regarding Jane Austen books, and well, please do not throw rocks at me or gasp in horror as I tell you the following truth about me... I HAVE NEVER READ A JANE AUSTEN BOOK...there I said it. I'm so glad I finally got that off of my chest! LOL! I don't have a lot of time to read, so I check out audio books as much as possible. I picked up Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma. So, please wish me well as I branch out into a new avenue of literature, not to mention a new section of the library.

After my new experiences, I came home and made a beef stew (yummy!) for supper with some buttery rolls (heavenly, Michelle!), and sat down to work on my new project - a crocheted something or 'nother...

Goodnight all.

Where's My Soap Box?...

I'm about to delve into more medical reports, but wanted to take a moment to post something that I feel is very important...

...give me just a second, I have to pull my soap box out to stand on...

James 3:2 "We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check." NIV

I am not going to tell you where I was, or when I heard this, or who even said it. I am just going to give you the circumstance of what was said, and how it made me feel.

I was sitting down, and two people were behind me talking... The first person said "oh, there goes so-and-so"...The second person said "my, he/she has really put on weight, he/she used to be so slim"...

OUCH!

No, they weren't talking about me, but it hit me just as hard. Since I got married I have gained quite a bit of weight. So, when I go somewhere, especially a place where people have known me for years or even for most of my life, I'm a bit self-conscious. I'll admit it. I am concerned that they think "boy, has she put on the weight".

Am I alone? Do we all have these insecurities?

I dare say we do.

Then why, why, WHY???, do we say things that point out others' insecurities, others' weaknesses? Why?

What if this conversation took place in church? What if these two people were talking about someone that was my relative, and I overhead them? What if I came into church feeling a bit insecure, visiting for the first time, and I heard this conversation taking place behind me? How would I feel? Is that a church I would want to continue to attend?

People hear us that we don't always realize are listening. These two people obviously did not think they were talking loud enough for others to hear, but they were.

This really applies to every place we frequent, even in our homes - because our children are picking up on everything we say and do. If I talk about somebody, they hear it, they learn it, they MAY even repeat it... I saw a good sign outside a church this week that said (this is as close as I remember it), "if you only say nice things about people, you never need whisper."

The book of James has so much great teaching on taming the tongue, and I need to learn it as much as anybody. What happened in this story I told above really was an eye-opener for me, and I hope that I will learn not to make this same mistake...

Pulling His Weight...

Okay, so once again I am a couple of days behind....

On Tuesday, Michelle and her family had dentist appointments, so I kept her littlest boy -Nate - for a few hours. When they got home I had my kids and Nate outside playing, so Jacob and Amber came out to play with them for a few minutes before we had to leave. It turned into longer than a few minutes, it always does! But that was mainly because Michelle had to help me with some computer issues before I left! Anyway, while the kids were playing somebody spotted a strange event. We saw a red ant pulling a bee across the driveway. The bee was obviously dead, but it was just so amazing to see this tiny ant pulling this huge bee!

He was working so diligently and not giving up....

Hmmmm, could there be a lesson in this somewhere??? :0)

Certainly one I need to learn from!