LITL: Joyful noises... lots. of joyful. noises.

This is my sweet, wise little girl. At the time this was taken, she was telling me very important things that I could not understand. Partly because I don't speak baby and partly because she was speaking in a pitch I almost couldn't hear. 

Yes my baby girl has found her voice. And it's a big one. I guess that shouldn't surprise me. :P

But other than making me wish I had earplugs, her ... lovely... voice :P reminds me of something. It reminds me of how beautiful of a creation we are. Yes rotten with sin, but beautiful created. "Wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14)

Bekah is discovering the way her lungs, windpipe, vocal cords, diaphragm, lips, and tongue work together to make range of noises that she can make. Although she is still working on understanding how to make or understand the noises we do, and she is years away from understanding the why of any of it. 

Then I wonder why myself. Why did God invest such time and ingenuity into such a flawed creature? Biology always blows my mind. Getting down to the tiny little details. the way God perfectly knit all of our piece together to function just the way they do. The way he created our bodies to make sounds and our minds to make language. Our bodies to find rhythm (some not as well as others :P) and our hearts to detect the music all around us. 

God is so good. :)

We are all familiar with the verse, "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation." (Psalm 95:1) I pray that I will find joy in my Savior every day. I pray that my daughter would know joy. 

I am also constantly begging God to bless me with his wisdom. I pray that my daughter also would find wisdom in the word of God. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

So "sing to the Lord." (Psalm 96:1) Find joy in his wonders, one of those wonders being you. And seek wisdom in his word. Praise him. :)

Revival Song (Ministry update)

ministry update for week of 5/23

"You start where I belong: on my knees." I am definitely doing a lot of praying these days. God has blessed me so much just through daily prayer. I know what you're probably thinking. "Duh! Aren't you a missionary? Shouldn't you know all about prayer?" Yes well this may come as a shock to you, but missionaries are humans. :P I have been especially blessed through praying for people. I have a list of all my contacts, family, friends, partners, and prospects. I pray through them about ten people at a time. On various occasions, I have prayed for an individual who later in the day I find out is going through something or in need of encouragement. It does my heart good to be able to say "Hey. I prayed for you today." :)

Mom in a hurry #2

Breakfast on the stove, dishwater running, cat whining for breakfast, washing machine unbalanced, and baby crying for her crinkly toy. Can't find it so I let her play with a cereal bag. (Don't worry. It was clean.)
Happy baby, happy momma.
Baby toy improvisation for the win. :p

Savy Shopping: Couponing if you have 5, 30, or 120 minutes.

I'll be honest. The Krazy Coupon Lady does almost all my work for me. GASP! I know. I'm a fraud. You caught me. :P But really, if someone has enough time to keep up with extreme couponing for over a dozen stores, let her. I surely don't. And you probably don't either.

If couponing seems daunting, here are some easy tips that i think anyone (with as much or as little time as you have) can do:

IF you have 5 minutes
If you are going out to buy a certain something that you need, go to her list of online printable coupons. Skip right to the section that brand (or the couple of brands you might be willing to buy) might be. If there is one, click on it and print. (You may need to sign up for a newsletter or install a coupon printing program on your computer. This take five minutes, tops, and you can just send the emails to your spam folder if you wont read them.I never do. :P)
For example, the other day I needed trash bags. I scanned the list for Glad and Hefty coupons. I found:
          $1/1 Hefty Trash Bags at target.com

Savy Shopping: I love Publix...

yes I do. I love Publix. How 'bout you?

It's nice to know that I still got it. Yes, after a four or five month hiatus, I finally caught up on my couponing. Lucky for me, the first weekend I did so, there were three inserts in the paper.

I made a few stops this week but by far, my most profitable ones were to publix and (shocker) walmart. Publix is almost always a good trip but walmart is sort of finnicky on the their coupon policies. But this week, the favor was on my side. :P

I got everything pictured here for little over... drum roll... the suspense is killing you... $4!

True story. Here is the break down:

Spring ministry newsletter.

Sadly Trouble can't write. Because if she could, she could have helped me fix all 150 newsletters. But oh well. After much labor and only minute procrastinating, here it is. :)

Spring 2013 Newsletter 

Double standards make me sad.

Its sad when I have to unfollow a feed of daily encouraging Scripture because the comments section is less than encouraging. People say Christians are hateful and ignorant? What about when other people hate us? Why is it okay to beligerently insist that my belief is stupid, unfounded, and horrible but if I just look at you funny, its an intolerant hate crime? Double standards make me sad. (Deep breath)
If it makes you sad, chin up, my friend. Share with me this encouraging Word: No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn’t know what his master[b] is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father. If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.
John 15

Mom in a hurry #1

My deoderant fell behind the dresser today. So I used my husband's. Now i smell like a freshly showered man. Not all together unpleasant.

I'm no supermom.

But I sure do try.

Motherhood has a funny way of making you feel like the strongest person in the world... and the weakest. All at the same time. 

The other day, Motherhood through me a rough play. And what did I do? I ran from it. Then I ran back to it. And past it. And kept on running. But then I stopped, turned, and walked back. 

For those of you that might be confused, let me clarify. When Peden came home,  I had had enough. I was frustrated, angry, and almost to tears. SO, like the God-sent gift that he is, he took our beautiful, but stubbornly screaming daughter and let me go for a run. On the positive side, I ran the fast mile I have run in a year. On the negative, I didn't find what I was looking for. I didn't even know WHAT I was looking for. 

Notes from last night for those that missed it.

5/17/13 lesson and notes by Savy

2 Kings 1

v 1-8 : Ahaziah was apparently tailgating during football season. fell out of a window (or off a balcony). 

send messengers to his home town to inquire of a Philistine god

Elijah meets them and pretty much says, "Oh yeah go ask that other god. because there's no God around here, right?" loving the sarcasm, dude. :)

Ahaziah knew by the description of him that this was Elijah (the bad news bear, according to Ahab.) :P

Acts 19:13-15 "I know Jesus and I recognize Paul, but who are you?"

Does your reputation precede you? Do people know who you and whom you follow?

v 9-12: Elijah is completely confident that God has his back. 

Matthew 17:20 "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain 'move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Do we live with such confidence?

Point made in discussion: Elijah did not start out with such confidence. When he was living by the brook, he probably lacked confidence when it started to dry out. When he saw the state of the widow's kitchen, he probably only had a little confident. But through faithful obedience he saw the wonders of God, and thus his confidence grew from his faithfulness.

v 13-16: catching flies with honey or vinegar :P

verse 11 tells us that the second cheif "took in the situation" (HCSB) and then answered. His answer, however, was met with destruction. The cheif who came in humility truly understood the situation.

In what way have you misunderstood a situation God put you in and it resulted badly? Did you come to him differently the next time?

v 17-18: "according to the word of the Lord"

How strongly do we believe the word of the Lord? Do we live like it?

2 Peter 1:4 "By these [His glory and goodness, verse 3] He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Matthew 11:28-29 "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves."

Philippians 4:19 "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Romans 8:37-39 "No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!"

2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment."

LITL: Love has a new address.

"The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

I am here to tell you what love is all about. Twister. That's what.

I have two dear friends. Like sisters. I have known Hallay since she was born and Hannah since she moved here from New Orleans in 2005. We have worked together. I've even taught them in classes. Now I feel like they are teaching me. Or at least reminding me. (But more about that later.)

Because this isn't about Hallay and Hannah. Or about me. It's about Jesus and the example that he set for us to follow. As John says, Christ came down and lived among us. he didnt yell down to us from heaven, "Hey! y'all down there! (Because he wouldve had a southern accent.) I love you!" He didn't get in a bus and just pick us all up, haul us to the pearly gates. He came down to us messy, unreliable humans. He became like us. 

Clean slate protocol. (Warning. Dont read if you havent seen the new irom man movie.)

Last weekend my husband and I went to see the new iron man movie. (Fantastic, hilarious, heart wrenching, the whole package. :) Pepper's life is put in danger by Tony's obsession with the iron man suits.

THIS IS WHERE THE SPOILING BEGINS. In the end, Tony initiates what Jarvis calls the clean slate protocol. All the remaining suits are destroyed, in order to show pepper that Tony is letting go.

Everyone brings baggage along the way in life. But when two people start traveling that way together, the quaint little stationwagon starts to get a little crowded. You start cramming in traumatic life experiences, bad teachers, past bullies, old relationships, the childhood dog that passed away. And don't get me started on the extra trailer behind just for all the sets of parents.

I mean come on! You haven't left any room for the kids to form complexes of their own along the way.

Before Tony and pepper could truly enjoy their life together, they had to let go. Pepper had to learn to trust Tony (although that didn't exactly go the way he planned), and Tony had to learn to move on from things he couldn't fix or explain.

1 Corinthians 5:17 reads "If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come." This refers to a new relationship with Christ in which he tosses all your old baggage to the curb. He step on the gas and never looks back. 

When you begin to walk life with someone here on earth, you have to do the same thing. But, unfortunately neither of you in the relationship are Christ. So not only do you have to toss out the other person's baggage, but you have to TOSS OUT YOUR OWN. Pepper couldn't initiate the clean slate protocol. Tony had to do it. 

Initiate the clean slate protocol. throw out your baggage. Let it go. Trust. You will form new baggage along the way. Together. I guarantee it. :P

Love Triangle: me, my family, and my job.

When my daughter smiles at me I feel the same way as when I walk into a YMCA and kids run up and hug me. All i have to do is watch her sleep and it thrills me. Thrills me as much as telling kids stories from the Bible that show them how much God loves them.

Does it make me a bad mom to say that I love my job as much as my family? :P

Strangely these were the thoughts that kept me persevering through the doubt that I could a wife, mom, and missionary all at the same time. God has called me, and he is able to and will equip me. :)

So yeah. Ministry. I have a confession to make. Hopefully no one will hate me for it. In the flesh... I am extremely lazy. :( Monday, I slept until mid afternoon, and once i lost that big chunk of the day, it was so hard to resolve myself to anything, whether it be exercise, cleaning, or making calls. However, I did meet with a friend to practice my ministry presentation. Not only did I have a great run through, even while caring for the baby, but she is also considering partnering and spreading the word. :)

So yesterday i resolved myself to getting up at six am. yikes!And I was actually quite productive. I didn't get as much as wanted done because of a praticularly needy baby that day but still. I made four calls, left two messages, and got one really great response. Following up on that response in the next couple of days. 

Unfortunately my KCT coach cancelled our first call because of health issues, but i am looking forward to our first call next week. 

So over all not a terrible start. :)

Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

My new journey, my new self.

"I pray for the patience of job and the wisdom of solomon. And what does God give me?"

"A daughter. Isn't His sense of humor funny that way?"  :)

I drafted this months ago and just rediscovered it. LOL. I think it was a conversation between my husband and I while I was pregnant. But while I have you here, I guess I would like to say a few words in honor of mother's day. 

I once saw a poll in Parent's magazine about whether or not a woman should use a picture of just her kid(s) as he picture on a social network. Many women said that that entailed losing one'sidentity or that they were more than just a mom. Boo, I say. There was one mother however who voiced my feeling better than I probably even understood them at the time.

She said that having her daughter had permanently changed her. That he daughter was an extension of her own identity. In the movie "A Time To Kill," Matthew Mconahey's (sp?) character calls it "life beyond her own." I know exactly how this feels.

I have been preparing to return to ministry with a large portion of time. I haven't got a breast pump or arranged for babysitters, because I have always imagined doing ministry with her in tow. And she doesn't interfere. She feels like and extension of my arm. A natural part of me.

I love my daughter and the way she has changed me and my life. :)

LITL: An odd prayer

The other day, In my quiet time, I was reading Ephesians 3. One verse in particular stood out to me. 

"In Him we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him^. So then I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory." Ephesians 3:12-13

Paul is speaking to the church in Ephesus of the great power and blessings that God has for those who believe. Obviously we should be bold in revealing to others the mystery of the gospel, the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the free gift that is salvation. 

So in response to this verse relating to being bold, what did I do? I prayed for meekness. I prayed for God to help me to be timid. For those of you who know me, this is a God-sized request. :P

But I am not saying I'm shutting up. God has areas in my life in which I needd to be bold to share, like Paul. But that is easy. What God is truly breaking me for is to be able to discern when to be bold, and when to step aside and let someone else speak. 

Be in prayer. This won't be easy for me. But I am already seeing the blessing God is bringing about through it. :)

Strangely, I think God will show something in order to teach us the exact opposite.

I'm baaaack!

I know. You've missed me, haven't you. Pining away, checking facebook every day to see if I posted a new blog. Or perhaps getting by on the adorable baby pictures all over my timeline. Yeah. I can't get enough of her either. :P

Well, I have returned. After a three month vacation (HA! haha! right.) I have returned to the blogging world. I am excited about whats in store for the future.

I am starting a new phase of ministry, after having completed a special training. I hope to start posting weekly ministry updates, to keep those curious informed, and to keep myself accountable to managing the time God has given me. 

Of course I still have that adorable doodle bug pictured above. I hope not to let her take over the blog too much. But i will be occasionally chronicling motherhood every once in a while. Don't worry. This will not become a purely mommy-blog. 

Finally, if you know me, you know one of my greatest struggles and convictions is the fact that I am horrible at keeping a daily time with God. I hope to return to frequent "Lingering in the Light" posts to share the things God is doing in my heart and in my life. 

Hope you will enjoy the ride alongside me. :) TTFN. (Yeah, the Pooh nursery theme is starting to get to me.)

PS. if there are any suggestions, stories, updates, etc, you would like to see more of, just send a shout out. You know where to find me. :)