Don't you just love when God wakes you up with a scripture for your day? Me too; most of the time... What if it's 4:00 AM? What if the scripture is Proverbs 14:1 "A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands"?
Now I have read that verse countless times, about once a month on the 14th of each month, but I assure you that I have never worked to memorize that one. That one has never been written on a note card to hang on my mirror or slipped into my back pocket to be viewed throughout the day. I haven't spent time meditating on this verse, nor have I really even pondered it.
Of course I have always assumed myself to fit into the "wise" category in this verse. That is until God woke me up at 4 AM with this verse clearly speaking to me. By the way, it wasn't even the 14th or the 15th.
So let me start from the beginning. You see, this last Tuesday was a rough day in the McCullough house. I started my new job teaching a half-day at Ozen at 6:45 that morning. I had a relatively good morning, but I was no longer accustomed to being up and dressed at that time, and I was even less used to working with teenagers for hours at a time. I came home exhausted. Truth be told, in my world exhaustion usually leads to frustration and grumpiness, and that was exactly where I was living that afternoon.
One thing led to another, and Matthew and I ended up in quite an argument. It all started when he did something that I didn't agree with, but like most arguments, it turned into a blame game where no one was even talking about the original issue. Luckily Matthew is a pretty good "arguer" who almost never allows things to get too riled up or voices to be raised much. However, in our heated discussion, he said something that broke my heart. With hurt in his eyes, he said that he feels like I tear him down when I get mad. Supper was on the stove, and we had company on the way, so we talked for a few more minutes and agreed that we would continue the discussion later after we had both calmed down.
Well, lest you think I am super-spiritual, you should know that Proverbs 14:1 never occurred to me during that argument. As a matter of fact, I went away from there sorry that my husband felt that way but still thinking that I was right in the whole situation. Later that night we talked some more, and things were pretty well resolved. We went to bed agreeing that everything was OK, and I knew that I needed sleep to be prepared for work the next morning.
Fast forward to 4:00. Eyes wide open... A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands. A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands. A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands. Oh wait, God, are you trying to tell me that I have been a foolish woman? Actually I'm not even sure if that's what that verse says. I'll look it up when I get out of bed in a couple of hours. Eyes close, and I doze in and out of sleep until 6:15.
So I woke up, got dressed, headed to work and and pulled up my Proverbs of the Day on my computer. As I sat down to read, that verse came right back to me. I did a keyword search only to find that Proverbs 14:1 was almost word for word what I had heard so plainly that morning. Right there, I repented immediately. First I prayed to God that he would change me and teach me how to be a builder rather than a destroyer. Second I sent my husband a text (he was still asleep, and the least I could do was to let him sleep) telling him that I was so sorry and I needed his forgiveness.
Long story short, God speaks! He doesn't always say exactly what we want to hear, but he always says exactly what we need to hear. Thank God that I had inadvertently hidden that word in my heart, so that He could bring it to memory when I needed it. Now I just have to search the Word and listen to my husband, so that I can find out exactly how a wise woman builds her house.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Meal Planning on Monday
If you are at all like me, depending on your mood, the grocery store is either a black hole or a free for all. Sometimes I go in to get milk and come out with "all kinds of good stuff", and other times I have a list of five things and come out with $100 worth of mismatched items.
So to help me organize and maximize my time at the grocery store, I began making out weekly menus and grocery lists according to that week's meals. I am fully aware that this is not a novel idea, and many of you probably already do this. However, I thought this might actually be a good way to share recipes and ideas to make both our families and yours a little better. So bring on the feedback :)
BTW... The colored titles are links to the recipes I used.
Sunday
Tacos (It had to be simple so I wouldn't miss any of the Saints game)
Guacamole
Monday
Spaghetti
Green Beans
Garlic Bread
Tuesday
Lentil Soup
Ezekiel Bread
Wednesday
We always go out to eat between dance class and church
Thursday
Bacon Wrapped Spinach Chicken Strips
Parsley Paprika Potatoes
Friday
Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup
Toasted Tortilla Strips
Sopapillas
Saturday
Cheese Raviolis in Sun-dried Tomato Sauce
Corn on the Cob
Garlic Bread
Happy and Healthy Eating!!!
So to help me organize and maximize my time at the grocery store, I began making out weekly menus and grocery lists according to that week's meals. I am fully aware that this is not a novel idea, and many of you probably already do this. However, I thought this might actually be a good way to share recipes and ideas to make both our families and yours a little better. So bring on the feedback :)
BTW... The colored titles are links to the recipes I used.
Sunday
Tacos (It had to be simple so I wouldn't miss any of the Saints game)
Guacamole
Monday
Spaghetti
Green Beans
Garlic Bread
Tuesday
Lentil Soup
Ezekiel Bread
Wednesday
We always go out to eat between dance class and church
Thursday
Bacon Wrapped Spinach Chicken Strips
Parsley Paprika Potatoes
Friday
Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup
Toasted Tortilla Strips
Sopapillas
Saturday
Cheese Raviolis in Sun-dried Tomato Sauce
Corn on the Cob
Garlic Bread
Happy and Healthy Eating!!!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Suprised Myself
Anyone who knows me well knows that I certainly do not consider myself to be a crafty person. I mean I love hand-sewn dolls and skirts we get from friends; I would love to have someone else create a scrapbook for each of my girls; I am constantly looking at big ticket kid's items and figuring out how easy that would be for my mom to make. I just rarely have the resources, knowledge or true desire to get these things done for myself.
That's why I am so proud to post about what I did this weekend. As you probably know, my husband is currently unemployed which causes us to be on somewhat of a tight budget. I can't just run to Target and Rao's or order cutesy presents for friends. However, one of my dearest friends is about to have a baby, and I really wanted to make sure that she had a fabulous baby shower. Under normal circumstances, I would run across town and pick up something cute and way too pricey at one of the local baby boutiques, but that just isn't a possibility for us right now, so what's a girl to do?
You guessed it! I got crafty this weekend... Here are some pics of my gifts to Carson Joshua:
Until next time...
That's why I am so proud to post about what I did this weekend. As you probably know, my husband is currently unemployed which causes us to be on somewhat of a tight budget. I can't just run to Target and Rao's or order cutesy presents for friends. However, one of my dearest friends is about to have a baby, and I really wanted to make sure that she had a fabulous baby shower. Under normal circumstances, I would run across town and pick up something cute and way too pricey at one of the local baby boutiques, but that just isn't a possibility for us right now, so what's a girl to do?
You guessed it! I got crafty this weekend... Here are some pics of my gifts to Carson Joshua:
A Cowboy Kinda Diaper Cake
His Name Plaque
So truth be told, Matthew helped me with his name. I made these for both of my girls when they were born, but I used a stencil to paint the letters. Since I didn't have the appropriate size stencils for these particular frames, I just got my amazingly talented husband to draw the letters for me. Thanks honey!
And speaking of how talented my husband is, I leave you a picture of gift he made for another of our friends' recent baby showers. Their nursery is pirate themed :)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
The Words of my Mouth and the Meditation of my Heart
So we've been going through a rough patch around here the last few months. In my head and in my spirit I know that all is well. I know that God loves us and holds my family in his hands. I know that He guides my every step and provides my every need. I don't doubt at all that we will make it through this and come out the other side without a burn or the smell of smoke on us. But the fact of the matter is that I can't wait until this phase of life is just a part of our testimony.
I know that in my flesh I tend to be a pessimist. I know that I often spend too much energy on the what ifs and the whenevers. My husband says or does one thing, and I infer 20 more things that he must have meant by that. These are things about myself that I have literally been trying to change for years now. God has spoken many scriptures to me over the years that I continually rely on to keep that nasty fleshy part of my personality from popping up, but the other day I think I finally had the much needed paradigm shift deep down inside of me. I know it sounds simple, but I realized in a fresh way that I have the power and the necessity to take every thought captive and make sure that the words of my mouth AND the meditation of my heart is pleasing and acceptable in the sight of the Lord because life and death are in the power of the tongue.
So first, the scriptures that I am clinging to:
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 34:1-3
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
James 1:16-17
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing is given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is not variation or shifting shadow.
Romans 8:18, 24-27
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us...For in this hope we are saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it in patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting men's sins against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Numbers 14:28
Say to them, 'As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you:
Proverbs 18:20-21
With the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach will be satisfied; He will be satisfied with the product of his lips. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
That's a heck of a lot of scriptures you say. Well, did I mention how terribly hard-headed I am? I don't always learn easily, so thankfully God usually speaks the same thing to me over and over and over and over until I finally get it. And here is the fleshing out of all of those scriptures:
My kids are driving me crazy. Why can't I just have one hour of peace quiet?
Praise you God that I have two amazing little girls that are fully functioning, happy and energetic. I pray for all of the women out there who are desperately wanting children today and who have children with serious health and mental issues which keep them from running around the house and hanging on their moms' legs.
My husband just isn't doing what I think is right or best for our family. I can't believe he still hasn't found a job. What is taking so long God?
Thank you God for the man of God that you have paired me with. I praise you that you knew just what I needed to balance out my high strung personality and you put me in the family as you saw fit. I believe that your timing is better than mine and your ways are better than mine. I pray that very soon you will bless my husband with the job that you have perfectly created for him and his personality. I pray for the women out there that really want to be married but have no mate. I pray for the women who are married to ungodly and unkind men. I pray that you will protect and heal those women.
My house is a wreck always. I can't seem to keep up with this place.
Thank you, thank you, thank you that we are so blessed that we can actually own a house. I thank you that there is a family in this house to keep dirtying it up. I pray for those without homes that you would keep them warm and filled and that they would be protected from the elements of this winter as they brave the cold without the luxuries that I have surrounding me.
Dishes and clothes are a futile task. I clean only to have things dirtied. These are my least favorite tasks, yet they are the ones I have to continually stay on top of.
All praises to my God who provides our every need. Even without a means of gainful employment, our family has never lacked in one area. We are so blessed to have cousins that continually hand down clothes to our children, and we tend to find incredible deals when we do go shopping for something. I pray for people all over this world who are hungry, thirsty and naked today. There are children who dig in the dump for sustenance and can't even afford to buy a pair of flip flops. I pray that you would provide money and supernatural means to keep those kids and all others filled and healthy today.
This stinking car is still broken down, and we can't afford to have it fixed.
Thank you God that we have two cars. So many people don't have a vehicle and our driveway is full. I thank you that this comes at a time when we don't really need to cars. I thank you that we have friends and family that can help us out if we ever do need to get somewhere that we aren't able to drive. I pray for those people that need some mode of transportation to get them to and from work so that they can survive.
As you can imagine, the list goes on and on. God continually speaks as we search his word and converse with him. Please don't be mistaken and think that I've got it all under control now. I'm not that spiritual :) I will rehearse these verses and prayers over and over and over for the coming months, and hopefully I will eventually brainwash myself into believing God's Word over my circumstances when the pressures of everyday mommy life pop up.
I know that in my flesh I tend to be a pessimist. I know that I often spend too much energy on the what ifs and the whenevers. My husband says or does one thing, and I infer 20 more things that he must have meant by that. These are things about myself that I have literally been trying to change for years now. God has spoken many scriptures to me over the years that I continually rely on to keep that nasty fleshy part of my personality from popping up, but the other day I think I finally had the much needed paradigm shift deep down inside of me. I know it sounds simple, but I realized in a fresh way that I have the power and the necessity to take every thought captive and make sure that the words of my mouth AND the meditation of my heart is pleasing and acceptable in the sight of the Lord because life and death are in the power of the tongue.
So first, the scriptures that I am clinging to:
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 34:1-3
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
James 1:16-17
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing is given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is not variation or shifting shadow.
Romans 8:18, 24-27
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us...For in this hope we are saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it in patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting men's sins against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Numbers 14:28
Say to them, 'As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you:
Proverbs 18:20-21
With the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach will be satisfied; He will be satisfied with the product of his lips. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
That's a heck of a lot of scriptures you say. Well, did I mention how terribly hard-headed I am? I don't always learn easily, so thankfully God usually speaks the same thing to me over and over and over and over until I finally get it. And here is the fleshing out of all of those scriptures:
My kids are driving me crazy. Why can't I just have one hour of peace quiet?
Praise you God that I have two amazing little girls that are fully functioning, happy and energetic. I pray for all of the women out there who are desperately wanting children today and who have children with serious health and mental issues which keep them from running around the house and hanging on their moms' legs.
My husband just isn't doing what I think is right or best for our family. I can't believe he still hasn't found a job. What is taking so long God?
Thank you God for the man of God that you have paired me with. I praise you that you knew just what I needed to balance out my high strung personality and you put me in the family as you saw fit. I believe that your timing is better than mine and your ways are better than mine. I pray that very soon you will bless my husband with the job that you have perfectly created for him and his personality. I pray for the women out there that really want to be married but have no mate. I pray for the women who are married to ungodly and unkind men. I pray that you will protect and heal those women.
My house is a wreck always. I can't seem to keep up with this place.
Thank you, thank you, thank you that we are so blessed that we can actually own a house. I thank you that there is a family in this house to keep dirtying it up. I pray for those without homes that you would keep them warm and filled and that they would be protected from the elements of this winter as they brave the cold without the luxuries that I have surrounding me.
Dishes and clothes are a futile task. I clean only to have things dirtied. These are my least favorite tasks, yet they are the ones I have to continually stay on top of.
All praises to my God who provides our every need. Even without a means of gainful employment, our family has never lacked in one area. We are so blessed to have cousins that continually hand down clothes to our children, and we tend to find incredible deals when we do go shopping for something. I pray for people all over this world who are hungry, thirsty and naked today. There are children who dig in the dump for sustenance and can't even afford to buy a pair of flip flops. I pray that you would provide money and supernatural means to keep those kids and all others filled and healthy today.
This stinking car is still broken down, and we can't afford to have it fixed.
Thank you God that we have two cars. So many people don't have a vehicle and our driveway is full. I thank you that this comes at a time when we don't really need to cars. I thank you that we have friends and family that can help us out if we ever do need to get somewhere that we aren't able to drive. I pray for those people that need some mode of transportation to get them to and from work so that they can survive.
As you can imagine, the list goes on and on. God continually speaks as we search his word and converse with him. Please don't be mistaken and think that I've got it all under control now. I'm not that spiritual :) I will rehearse these verses and prayers over and over and over for the coming months, and hopefully I will eventually brainwash myself into believing God's Word over my circumstances when the pressures of everyday mommy life pop up.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A Little Down Time
Like every other woman in this world, my life is crazy. Although I am currently staying home with my two wonderful daughters, I really believe I had more hours in the day when I worked outside the home for eight hours a day. Maybe it's because we are home more, so there is usually a mess being generated as fast as I can clean the last one up, but the sad truth is... I can't seem to keep up.
I browse through numerous blogs on a regular basis, and it seems that most everyone else in this world has got it together. However, I know that the reality is that most moms have a life very much like mine filled with laundry, potty training, crafts, meals and dirty dishes and priceless hugs and kisses. That's why I am creating this blog... because I need a way to relax when I get "a little down time."
Long ago I used to journal the old fashion way, with pen and paper. Then I moved on to typing my thoughts down on my Myspace page as a form of blogging, but it's been months and months since I've used that page at all. So when all else failed, and I needed to find an outlet for the things that I am learning, I finally gave in and turned to creating this particular blog.
So, if you're looking for some polished and intellectually stimulating reading, this is probably not the spot for you. This is just my way to share my thoughts, prayers, trials, successes and the things that God is teaching me as I walk out this thing we call life.
Blessings
I browse through numerous blogs on a regular basis, and it seems that most everyone else in this world has got it together. However, I know that the reality is that most moms have a life very much like mine filled with laundry, potty training, crafts, meals and dirty dishes and priceless hugs and kisses. That's why I am creating this blog... because I need a way to relax when I get "a little down time."
Long ago I used to journal the old fashion way, with pen and paper. Then I moved on to typing my thoughts down on my Myspace page as a form of blogging, but it's been months and months since I've used that page at all. So when all else failed, and I needed to find an outlet for the things that I am learning, I finally gave in and turned to creating this particular blog.
So, if you're looking for some polished and intellectually stimulating reading, this is probably not the spot for you. This is just my way to share my thoughts, prayers, trials, successes and the things that God is teaching me as I walk out this thing we call life.
Blessings
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