FIA & WIP (Work In Progress)

It's a new week.  It's a week full of possibilities and hope and wonder.  No, it's not anything special--it's just as yet unknown, as every new week is.

Last week was... incredible.  Incredibly good (at times).  Incredibly hard (at others).  Incredibly funny (mainly because of my children).  Incredibly busy (as always).  Incredible.

But it wasn't incredibly "bloggy."  I was so glad to be able to share with you a few days, but I didn't share as much as I wanted to.  Why?  Well... here's the best way I can explain it... in the middle of the week last week, I read this post by Tricia Williford (Have I told you all about Tricia before?  She is an amazing writer and woman--you really need to check her out.), and I thought, "Yeah, that's exactly right."  Our circumstances are different, but she so often says the things that are in my heart.  I write to be read.  But then I look at the Google Friend Connect box to the left of her posts--242 followers.  I look at Jamey's--119.  I look at Patti's--560!  And that's not even looking at the "big" bloggers, who are in a completely separate league.  And I wonder, "Why do I write?  Who is reading this?  What do I have to say that other people aren't already saying a lot better than I ever could?"  And I don't really know the answer.  So I write... or I don't.  It depends on the day, on how hard I have to work to carve out the time, on how much I am struggling with wondering why God brought me to this little blog in the first place.  Yes, I know, we shouldn't compare--we should follow our own path that God has laid out before us.  I get that, I really do. But it really isn't a jealousy thing--and that's something that I really searched my heart for, because honestly I struggle with that.  It's jsut a question of... Why am I doing this?  What good am I doing?  I heard a fantastic quote the other day: "Only one life, 'Twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last."  It's only been a few days, but that quote--and the interview that it came from--are already shaping me in major ways.  (I highly recommend that interview, by the way.  It's a 4-part interview with John Piper on the radio program "Family Life Today."  Here is the link to part one, and you can find the rest on their web site as well.)  So I'm trying to use my time and my talents and my resources in the best possible ways for this short time I'm here.  And sometimes I wonder if I am blogging for Christ or myself.

Right now the answer that I have come up with is... the fact that I am taking such a hard, honest look at it means that my motives aren't entirely bad.  And God has me here for a reason, and so for now I continue to blog.  Until He tells me otherwise.

As for my FIA project... it got a little derailed last week.  Starting on Wednesday, I didn't even look at my tasks/goals and I have no clue what they were.  But as I said from the beginning of this post, it's a new week!  I am starting fresh today.  Mondays are health-related goals, and today's is to drink 5 (or more) glasses of water each day this week.  This will be a good one for me--I am so bad about remembering to drink water.  And tomorrow's task is to host a thank-you get-together for those who provided support for us when I went to Mozambique.  I am really excited about that one.  As of right now, I'm planning on around 15 adults--and another 15 kiddos will be out playing in our backyard.  It should be a lot of fun.  I'm working on a video now, and will share at least the first part of it here when I'm done.

OK, Roo has been upstairs talking to himself for quite a while now--I'm going to grab him before he wakes up the big kids.  Thanks for reading, friends.  I'm a work in progress, that's for sure.

Faith in Action, Days 7 & 8: Kindness cooks & reading books

Happy Friday! Is it just me, or is the summer absolutely FLYING BY?!? Lamb is only going into first grade, and already I miss when all of my kids were "little" and we didn't have to worry about dumb old school schedules. I actually wish (and those of you who have known me IRL for any length of time will probably fall over laughing at this) that I had my act together enough to homeschool her... not forever... just for a year or two. But I don't.  So we're going to have to pack as much fun as we can into the next 6 or 7 weeks.

Yesterday's project was to bake a cake for someone, and it was SO. MUCH. FUN. My kids love helping in the kitchen, especially Monkey.  Take a look at how our project went...

It takes a super hero to bake a cake from scratch!

And a beautiful princess, of course.  :-)

Now THAT is some sisterly love right there.

She made sure there was enough left for herself, though. :-)

Monkey's cars had to watch.

The finished product!  Complete with yellow sugar sprinkles (which you totally can't even see, but that's what Monkey picked out...) and dolphin sprinkles (Lamb's choice).

This was my favorite day of the FIA month so far.  I had tons of fun making the cake (& frosting) with the kids, and I loved listening to them decide who should get the cake.  They settled on a GREAT family.  Not only is the little boy Monkey's favorite person in the world--and both of their kids are great friends to my kiddos--but their mom has been a super friend to me, always willing to lend a hand with babysitting or meals when we needed them or anything else.  She has shown our family so much kindness, I was so happy to be able to do a little something in return.

And as we baked the cake, we talked about other ways to show kindness.  The kids came up with all kinds of things we could give people, so I asked them how we can show kindness without "things."  That really got them thinking.  I loved hearing all of their ideas!  Everything from hugs & kisses to just the tone of voice we use when we talk to someone.  And on the way to our friends' house, we all took turns praying for the family.  It was such a great day with my kids!

Today my task is to start on a book that Mr. Fantastic and I are going to read together.  Also... I am ashamed to admit that I got behind on my Bible reading--I missed the last TWO DAYS. And since the reading is 4-5 chapters per day, I have my work cut out for me tonight!  I just completely and totally forgot about it.

So I guess I'd better quit jabbering and get reading!  Talk to you soon...

Day 6 & a Day Trip

Today my kiddos and I went for a little trip... down memory lane.  You all met Jamey from Zehlahlum Family when she guest blogged for me while I was in Mozambique, but I actually met her many years before that, when she was just the little sister of my friend Laura. :-) When you're a teenager, 2-3 years can seem like a lifetime, but motherhood tears down so many walls, and a couple of years is nothing.  So when Jamey and I reconnected on Facebook, I checked out her blog, she checked out mine... and over the last year we have done some serious mom-bonding.

And this weekend, she came "home."  Not home as in back from vacation, but home as in the place she used to live before she got all grown up and moved away.  And fortunately for me, that kind of "home" for Jamey is only an hour from my home-where-I-live-every-day.  So today, my kiddos and I went for a little trip.

But what you don't know is that Jamey lives in an area that I consider my old stomping grounds. It's actually not the town where I grew up--it was over an hour away from me even then. But I was in a competition called Bible Quizzing as a teenager, and many of the friends I made in quizzing lived in her town. And because of them, my high school sweetheart lived in that town. I actually think I spent more of my social time in her area than in my own.

So as we drove today, and the big kids were mesmerized by "Because of Winn-Dixie" on the DVD player and Roo was (thankfully) asleep, I had a chance to reminisce.  I looked for familiar landmarks. (It's been several years since I have been down there at all.) I tried to remember how to get to old hangouts. I turned on country music, because that's what I listened to with those friends back then. I remembered good times and bad, wondered where some of those old friends are today, and thanked God for Facebook that allows me to know the answer to that for many of them.

And then we arrived at a house that used to be oh-so-familiar to me, but that I never would have picked out in a million years... Jamey's parents' house.  And I got a chance to see Jamey, to see her younger sister (who was just a snotty little kid back when I was a teenager... sorry, Sarah...), to meet Pickle, Peanut, and Boohoo.  And I got to make new memories with new friends and watch my kids make new friends and... it was a great way to bring the past & the present together.

After our fun morning, I knew I wasn't likely to get much accomplished at home, so I decided to make it a big ol' Day o' Fun for me and the kids.  We left our visit with Jamey and drove straight to our favorite ice cream place, then stopped home just long enough to change clothes before driving to my aunt's house to go swimming.  We got home in time to have dinner, get baths for the kiddos, and put them to bed.

It's been a great day.

By the way, I'm not slacking on my Faith in Action tasks, though.  I haven't done my task for today yet, but it is just a simple e-mail that I need to send... and I need to read my Bible reading for the day.  But... there's no time like the present, right?  So I'm going to get on that now.  Can I just say, though, that this project has been great for me already?  I am so excited to see the outcome, to see myself starting to form some new habits... And tomorrow, the kids and I are making a homemade chocolate cake with homemade frosting to give away.  It's going to be so much fun!  Stay tuned for pictures... :-)

Faith in Action: Day 4

Not much of an update today... I've been keeping up on everything... and having a great 4th of July weekend!  :-)  But just in case you've been missing the face of a certain little boy, here's a shot from his first bath in the big tub...

See you tomorrow!

Faith in Action: Day 3

It's Sunday... I love Sundays.  We've been at our church for 2 years now, and since our first visit there I have loved Sundays.  I love the music, the sermons, the classes, the people.  I love going out to lunch together (which we don't do as often as we used to...), spending Sunday afternoons together, or even the occasional Sunday afternoon nap.

The preceding paragraph is what I repeated to myself over and over this morning... Everything I said there is completely true, but I'm just wasn't feeling it today.  I woke up tired and grumpy... and remember that post about how I shouldn't be mad at my kids just for waking up?  Well, today I was.

But sometimes when you have nowhere to go but up... you go up.  So the day has definitely gotten better.  I enjoyed our church service, as I knew I would, and then we went out for pancakes, and home for naps--and I actually got to take a nap!  Now Lamb is making a craft, the boys are still asleep, and I am getting some much-needed peace and quiet.  Ahhhhhhhh.

As for my FIA tasks, yesterday I read my assigned Bible chapters, something that will continue every day this month, although I haven't done today's yet.  And today I will start a gratitude journal, which couldn't be better timed!  I want to use this journal not as a place to write big long entires, but to just jot down things that I am thankful for. This month, I hope to specifically track things that I am discovering about myself, my family, my life, God, etc, as I go through this journey; but as time goes by I may do things like... list 10 things I'm thankful for about my husband... or 5 reasons it's good that my kids are morning people... or something like that.  Also for today--and really this whole week--I am trying to be very prayerful about this "project" and making sure that I am growing from it and honoring God through it.

But for now, I'd better go wake up my husband... and figure out where we're going to see fireworks tonight!

Day 2: A new name, a better focus

Good morning! I hope you’re all still asleep as I’m writing this—no one should have to get up at 6:00 on a Saturday morning… but Roo hasn’t learned that yet. So here I am.


I am excited to share with you what I put together yesterday. First, the name. Our church has been doing a sermon series on James called “A Working Faith.” The idea is that salvation is not through works, but faith in Christ should produce action. In other words, faith without works is dead. (See James 2:17) And isn’t that really what I am trying to do? I want to serve and honor Christ in my everyday life. And so, I bring you… “Faith in Action”, my 31-day journey.

As I mentioned yesterday, my task for the day was to list my resolutions for each day, but also to define my broader goals—what do I really want out of life? I want my individual tasks to relate to my goals—I don’t just want them to be some random jobs to do. It took a lot longer than I thought it would, but I am very pleased with the results. Some of the days have a bit of a theme to them… On Sundays I’ll be working on a gratitude journal and I’ll have a prayer focus for the day; on Mondays I’ll be focusing on health & wellness; and on Thursdays I will be doing kind acts for others with my kids. But the rest of the days are just filled in with the various tasks on my heart.

So here, my friends, is my completed list.

Faith in Action

Key Verse: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22

Goals:
• To serve God in everything I do (“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24)

• To grow in Christ (“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7)

• To share the love of Christ with those around me (“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14)

• To be a better wife, mother, and friend (“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14)

• To serve others (“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4)

• To be content in the Lord regardless of my circumstances (“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!... I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:4, 12b-13)

• To use my time, skills, and resources effectively (“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16)

• To be healthy, honoring God with my body (“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” I Corinthians 6:19-20)

Tasks:
• July 1 – Create list of goals & resolutions

• July 2 – Read my Bible every day, using this guide

• July 3 – Start a gratitude journal, pray about using this month to serve & honor God

• July 4 – Health Day: Exercise 3 times per week throughout this month (starting today)

• July 5 – Create a cleaning schedule of my “regular” duties (so that I don’t get overwhelmed and just give up on them)

• July 6 – Pursue a ministry opportunity (I have a more specific task in mind, but I’m going to choose not to share it on the blogosphere!)

• July 7 – RAK Day: Bake a treat for someone

• July 8 – Read a book with my husband (throughout the month)

• July 9 – Write a note of encouragement to someone

• July 10 – Gratitude journal & prayer focus on marriage

• July 11 – Health Day: Make sure I get at least 5 servings of fruits & veggies each day this week

• July 12 – Make a special dinner for my hubby

• July 13 – Finish my Mozambique journal

• July 14 – RAK Day: Make a card and/or craft with someone

• July 15 – Invite someone to dinner (the dinner doesn’t have to be that night :-) )

• July 16 – Write a thank-you note to someone who has been a help to me

• July 17 – Gratitude journal & prayer focus on kids/family

• July 18 – Health Day: Drink at least 5 glasses of water per day this week (I know it should be more, but considering that I usually drink 1-2, I think this is a good place to start)

• July 19 – Host a thank-you dinner for everyone who provided support for my Mozambique mission

• July 20 – Work on a project around the house that I have been putting off (So many to choose from…!)

• July 21 – RAK Day: Make dinner for someone

• July 22 – Do a special project with Monkey

• July 23 – Limit my internet time to 15 minutes/day for the next week

• July 24 – Gratitude journal & prayer focus on ministry opportunities/direction

• July 25 – Health Day: Track the food/calories I eat this week

• July 26 – Write a love note to my hubby :-)

• July 27 – Invite someone to church

• July 28 – RAK Day: Kids’ choice :-)

• July 29 – Do a special project with Lamb

• July 30 – Pray for a friend… while they’re listening! (Way out of my comfort zone…)

• July 31 – Gratitude journal & prayer focus on relationships

So… wow, that seems doable, right? I am so excited to share with you as I go through this month. I hope that you will be inspired to grow and maybe formulate some goals of your own. If you do, would you share them with me? I said this yesterday, but you can post a comment about your goals here, or you can post on your blog and leave a link. I would love to know if you do a journey of your own, whether it is 31 tasks like mine, a general list of goals that you’re aspiring to, or even just one simple thing you’d like to accomplish. There is strength in numbers, friends.


Alright, I’m off to feed my little guy his breakfast, then read my Bible, then head to 2 parties. I hope you all have a great weekend!