Why Not Sweet Tea!!

      


             So obviously, I really like a freshly made glass of sweet iced tea. The funny thing is, living on the west coast, no one makes a good glass of tea. Much less a sweet tea. Sure McDonald's started serving it here and we do have a Chick-Fil-A near us now. Neither make a good glass of fresh tea. Yes, sometimes it is still hot from brewing but, it tastes like the bottom of a burned coffee pot. You know when you get coffee from the bottom of the pot and especially if someone left it on too long. It tastes cloudy and burned. Same with Tea.
             You would think that when I go out to a restaurant, I would order tea. NO. I hate it out. It tastes like dirty water at best and like dirty dish water at worst. And if you don't sweeten it with an artificial sweetener, your not going to get it sweet because every southerner knows, you can't dissolve sugar in iced tea. You put the sugar in while the tea is hot.
             Why the rant? I have been meeting a couple of ladies at a Starbuck's for a meeting every Monday night for about 5 weeks now. Do you know they have NOTHING worth drinking there unless you drink Coffee? Seriously. Their iced tea is yucky and then they try to fluff it up with juice in it. Really? And their hot tea is terrible. Really, I have tasted Vegetarian dishes that were better. And I'm talking about the ones with that white congealed stuff that squishes when you bite into it.
               I went to Peet's one time thinking they would do better. Peet's is the conservative of the coffee houses around here. You know they don't play the weird music and their cups are actually called, small, medium and large. They at least sell good hot tea. (Jasmine Downey pearls, super good and healthy too). And you could make good iced tea from there selection. A good English Breakfast would work. But, again the iced tea they make in the store tastes like... thick. Not full bodied mind you. Thick. Like you could chew it. Also, a bit like a dirty pot was used. And the juice thing in the tea... What is the point! Drink a glass of juice or lime-ade for goodness sakes. That isn't TEA!!! You don't have to be a 2 year old to order a glass of lemonade. It is O.K. to order that.
               Then you order water in a restaurant and they serve you tap water. O.K. I'm in a restaurant that I am actually looking down at the menu and not talking to someone in a goofy hat, can't you open a bottle of water! We all know water is the best thing to drink. So why do the waiters always give me a nasty look? I will pay for the bottled water. Why the attitude about water? I went to a brunch with some moms. The waiter  approached us as we were standing and talking and asked if we would like something to drink? (this was a flat price brunch. Tip included.) He eagerly brought the mimosas and coffee. My water? I got snubbed. "If you'd like water, there is some on the table. You can get it yourself."
              I would love to get my favorite drink out and about. I would love to splurge and get a sweet tea at a drive through or a tea shop while I'm out. Instead, I get a hankering for some tea and I have to head home and make it myself. No splurging there. Well, think of the money I'm saving.
               O.K. I'm done with my midnight rant that will matter to no one except myself.

The Blessings Are Overflowing.

       

            There are so many things in my life that 20 years ago I never would have thought I would do or be able to do. Some I am proud of, some I am still stunned. I had such a small vision of what I wanted to do with my life. I have fulfilled what I wanted to do, I suppose. I just hadn't thought of all that goes with it. When I dreamed of my life, this is where I went;
I wanted to be married to a man that adored me. Check
I wanted 2 kids. Check. Well, double check that one.
I wanted a boy and a girl. Check, check, check and ... check.
I wanted to live in a big house with a yard and a garden. Been there done that. Now I am moving on from that.
I wanted to stay home with my kids and raise them. Well, got that one covered and then some.
I wanted to be the mom that was home all day to bake cookies for when the kids came home from school, have a nice dinner, etc. Use that time during the day to get things done so I could be with my kids as they needed me when they got home. Well, curve ball number one. And it is a doozy!
Homeschooling changes that one enormously. I may have been too attached to the one where I stay home with my kids...

             After all of that life didn't seem to factor into my ideas of what it would all be like.
I never thought I'd have 4 kids. Or homeschool. That was for weird people. Freaks. I never thought I could have survived, much less, thrived through all we have been through in our marriage.
My husband and I look back over our 20 years that we have been together and we can easily see where God's hand has been. We can look at the "tapestry" and see the beautiful colors ALL weaved together. The dark sad times with the joyful happy times. Woven together are so pretty.
I always wonder about the stretching times. The times when you feel like God is just asking too much. I mean does HE really not get that I haven't had enough time to get my husbands underwear washed yet? And there is a funky smell in the bathroom that I haven't bleached out yet. There are dinners to cook, curriculum to decide, hiney's to wipe, and all of the other practicals  that keep a family of 6 just treading water. Not to mention, but we must to have, any joy, just that,... joyful things. Going to the beach, walks in the harbor, playing catch with the boys, watching the boys football games, teaching the littles to swim. These things take up time that is necessary as well.
            Then HE hits me a ball out in left field. Really. Not one I expected. I am now on the board of my homeschool group. I'm sorry, doesn't having 4 kids exempt me from being asked? Doesn't that job belong to someone with one, MAYBE 2 kids? Well, this year, God said, "NO!" It is my turn He says.
I pray often that God will send me a burning bush like Moses to make it pretty clear the direction I am supposed to go. I have ignored and justified my way out of not following God's prompts before. Well, it hurts in many ways when you are praying for God to use you and you choke when HE calls. HE makes you realize it would be much easier to just do the difficult task HE asks then... NOT. Either He will give you a swift kick in the back side or worse, HE will find someone else and pass by you the next time. "I guess that one can't be trusted to be given any responsibility."
           Well, as the offer was made to lead this group, I sat prepared to give my regrets and apologies that there was no way I should even be  expected to do the job she was asking.
         Then there it was. The burning bush. Right there. I think I even started to laugh a little and said under my breath. Well, there it is. The burning bush. Even my husband, whom I pray with often, said as I repeated all that the person who asked me had said to me, "Well, how's that burning bush looking to you?"
Which was funny because he also was prepared for me to say no. Remember, he is still waiting for his clean underwear.
            That is when my mind started to go into a state of shock. As e-mails and phone calls and meetings start taking place to frantically get some things done before the school year started for most of us, I started wondering how I could hide from it all. "WHAT HAVE I DONE!!" Really. There aren't any spare moments that are around, unless I stop sleeping (which is what I am doing to write this). Really, I do my daughters hair often while I am going potty myself. (TMI sorry).
             Then we go to church, and the last few weeks it has been brought up that with much a servant is trusted, much a servant is given.

Matthew 25:23

New International Version (NIV)

   ²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
              So the more I am willing to give as far as serving my time, my understanding is that means the more time I should be given. I really need to give lots of time then.
                 I so many times get a visual of my life. I have my hands cupped together and God is pouring oil into them. I am trying so hard to not let any of it out of my fingers to hit the floor. I can't do it. HE is pouring too much, too fast. Funny, because there are several places in the bible that to show wealth  or abundant blessings, it says my cup runs over .

Psalm 23:5

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁵ You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; 

   my cup overflows. 
It talks about something running over. And oil was traded and was an important commodity in bible times. They used olive oil for so much. To have much olive oil, was a sign of wealth. My visual is incomplete. The rest is this: as I start to panic and feel like I just can't do it all. I can't be expected to DO EVERYTHING! How can I keep all of this together and not spill any of it? I know they are blessings but, how can I hold on to it all? That is when I realize, HIS hands are cupped under mine. I'm not supposed to do it all. HE will. IF HE  blessed me with something, HE will take care of it. I just have to make sure that I put HIS things first. And he will do the rest. 
                So as I count my blessings (love that song. I sing it often to myself and my kids), I realize HE is there to count them with me. God is going to bless me as long and as big as I am willing to keep following his burning bushes. If HE makes it burn, He'll make sure I can do it. 
                 NO the 17 year old me would never have been able to do all that I am and have done. But, 17 year old me, wasn't asking God for burning bushes and counting blessings. 17 year old me has learned a few things. Thankfully. 

Psalm 23:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
   forever.

Thank you Lord for the oil that overflows. 

Cupcakes

                 I had a very long week. My oldest went away for Junior High Camp. That alone made it difficult. Not all of my chicks in their roosts.... Something felt askew all week for that alone. Then I found out someone that had claimed to be a "dear " friend is threatening to sue my husband's company, my 4 year old lost his second tooth (somewhat traumatic for him), my second son fell on the blacktop and road burned his knee pretty bad, bled a lot. It is still weeping the next day. My mom had to go check in my 83 year old grandma to see if she can still live alone. I was presented with information about part of my family I thought I would never know (And didn't realize how sad I had been to not know it). THERE WAS A MOUSE IN MY HOUSE!!! (It's dead now!! AAAHHH..) I have joined my homeschool groups board and am working feverishly to get so much done for a big meeting we are having, to share what will be happening this next year, and trying to show some people that I truly think we need to move in a direction with the group but, am getting resistance due to cost. Vision doesn't include cost. God will cover the cost if the vision is HIS. We have the ability to test this. (sorry tangent). I have made calls this week to people I hadn't talked to in years. And kinda wish it were still that way. I have to line up all of the curriculum for all 4 of my kids before school starts back up. I am having trouble with  science. I don't really like to teach science. It can be messy. And sometimes too detailed. I love history. Can we just do history all day??? My garden is dead. RIP. I've done laundry all day. Ugh! I hate laundry. My house is cluttered with stuff in places it shouldn't be. I have boxes in my living room that need to be unpacked. I was going to finish unpacking. There never seems to be enough time. I don't know where to put it all anyway. My landlord is taking 4 weeks to replace the half open blinds. Everyone can see in. I just want to do it myself. Went to 2 meetings at night this week. The first one went until 10:00 p.m. I usually am in my jammies and cuddly on the couch by then. That was tough. Got a lot of work done though. The other one was awful. The lady talked too much about herself and it was BORING! Don't tell my kids I said that word. It's a bad word in my house. I'll have to scrub the floor or something. Oh yea. I already do that. I miss my cleaning lady. She was awesome.

                It has been a long week. I am feeling low. And tired. 

                My friend comes by this evening while I was on the porch with my husband talking about the day. And brings me a box of CUPCAKES!!! Really. Cupcakes. Vanilla with cream cheese frosting. They are beautiful. And they taste heavenly. Really. We skipped dinner. We all ate cupcakes. We really did. That is a true friend. One that brings you a treat just because. And when she said she was free for all of the kids to play (she has 4 as well), I said, " Oh. I'll be stuffing and addressing 130 envelopes to send out for the homeschool meeting." She says, "I'll come by and help." WHAT!? Did you hear what I said? Addressing envelopes. That isn't fun. She heard me. That is a good friend. I think I love her.                     Cupcakes.... ummm. I think there might be one or two left. Maybe I should go have another half. 

               Thank you friend, for the cupcakes. That was just what I needed today. I think it will be a great weekend. 

Tinker Bell's Gifts or Talents

            I have an odd habit that my husband pointed out once, that when I read anything or watch a show or movie, I am always looking for the God message in it. Weird, huh? Really, I see messages of Christianity and God in so many books and movies. I think some call it world view. Scooby Doo teaches you to really stop and scrutinize what others tell you. To never take anything for face value. That may be a mask and someone trying to do something in a way that isn't out in the open. There might just well be alterier motives. This is what I teach my children. There are messages both good in evil in everything around us. Some intentional and some, not so sure.
           Have you ever seen the movie Tinker Bell? I know it seems like a funny question to ask an adult but, really it is a good movie. It is all about how Tinker Bell came to be. If you know anything about fairy lore, you know fairies are born when a baby laughs for the first time. What you learn in the movie is how she became a tinker fairy and truthfully how she struggles with her gift or talent. Not to give away the movie but, after she is born, Tinker Bell must "choose" her talent. Funny thing about choosing is that she doesn't really choose. The talent "chooses" her. Or it is what she is born with and this is how she finds out. She doesn't really even want to go towards the hammer. It follows her and glows "brighter then anyone else's gift ever glowed!" Now comes the beginning of the dilema, she now catagorized as a tinker and she must go with the other tinkers. She is less then thrilled. The two tinkers are well,... dorky, geeky. She would rather go be a garden fairy or a water fairy. They are pretty and their talent is "useful".
             She spends so much of the movie rejecting her talent to go after something she thinks is much more glamorous. She tries many different talents and flops terribly at them all. Yet, you see she is overwhelmingly gifted in tinkering with things. Making things work. Even when she "runs away" to be alone she ends up tinkering with something trying to fix it. It is something she is just drawn to.
             I wonder, am I a tinker fairy? Do I possess a gift from God that I don't think is important enough or glamorous enough? Do I reject the talent that is right at my finger tips all day long? This is a good question for us all to ask. I asked my kids. I made them think about how do we discover our talents? A glowing hammer isn't going to appear out of thin air and circle us to tell us we should be a contractor. But, we do things everyday that tell us what our talent is and what gifts God has blessed us with.
            Don't be discouraged if your talent is organizing or cooking. Maybe you are an encourager. Are you really good at make-up? and hair? We have been taught in church the last couple of weeks that God doesn't bless us with gifts and talents to make our lives happy and comfortable. Not to bless ourselves. We are given those talents to bless others.
           Tinker Bell finds out, and so do the other fairies, that tinker fairies are one of the most important fairies. Everyone needs the tinkers. It may seem like a non-luxurious job but, it is so needed to make everyone else's life run smoothly. Tinker Bell finally understands that her gift is a blessing and she is proud that she is so good at it. She saves the day with her many tinkering abouts. The sad part for Tinker Bell was, she wasn't going to get to do the glorious job. She had to stay back and continue to tinker while everyone else went to far away places to do their jobs. It seemed she was missing out on the spotlight.
             God needs all of us. "Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with  Christ." 1 Corinthians 12:12 We are all needed. All of our "parts" or talents are important. If everyone was a garden fairy, nothing would grow. There would be no water, or light, no bees to pollinate and no tools to help you plant. 
             Be proud of the gift you possess and figure out how to use that gift to the best of your ability. Be a Tinker fairy and be proud. 

Keeping My Sense of Humor

        

"Do you like my silly face, Mom?"

           Who knew that raising kids would be so.... funny? I mean, we all have moments when we want to cry, and especially times we want to scream (and truthfully many times we do both). But, laugh? No one told me this. I used to love comedies, at the movies, now who needs them? I've got kids. Right? And the amount of children you have living under your roof is directly correlated with how often you will laugh. Well, that is if you remember to stop and look around at the absurdity of the situation you are in.
            Examples are plentiful, but let me share a couple from the last couple of days. Night before last, I had gotten everyone in bed, and was enjoying my end of the day shower. You know when I get to wash off all of the "stuff" that has accumulated on me. Both physically and emotionally (I pray a LOT in the shower). I emerged feeling peaceful and calm, only to open the curtain to see 2 year old girlie standing there. I gave her my stern, "You better get your booty in bed." This was followed by her mumbling something and whimpering. I repeated as I followed her, as did she, mumbling and whimpering. After I successfully chased her back to bed, I finally told her, "I can't hear you with your binky in your mouth" and pulled it out. When she promptly said, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" very sleepily. I snapped, "To get to the other side! Now go to sleep!"
This was all followed by my darling husband busting up in the hall outside her room. "O.K. It's funny, but, I was focused." He said, "focused? You didn't miss a beat!"
               Flash to today, same said 2 year old is sitting on the potty, throwing a bit of a tantrum. I am really not sure why. She's 2! Does it really need anymore explanations?! So in the midst of the tears, screams, and (let's face it ) drama, she screams. "I'm a BIG GIRL! WHAAAAA!" Yes, I did step back and laugh. I have felt this very feeling in the midst of a break down but, it is still no less ironic to those around.
               The comedy of the moment is many times forgotten and brushed aside. Mom is often tired, busy, or even feeling less then joyful and the moment is lost. A moment that God put there to lighten the feeling. But, I worry that if I am not paying attention or someone isn't, we will miss those moments. Mom's breathe. This is that time when we are down in the trenches and it gets hot, messy, stinky, and darn it, I want my tea!! But, God is blessing you with the tiny moments. Pick your head up out of the trench and look back into it. Life with kids, is funny. I know my family has been known to make perfect strangers laugh. So often I have wanted to snap, "I'm glad you think my life is so entertaining! I'm so happy I could make YOU laugh today!" That is when we need to look back in. It is funny.
                O.K. gotta go. 2 year old girlie is missing and quiet. Not a good combo. Last time I heard this much silence in my house, the now 10 year old boy was redecorating his bedroom with a container of baby powder. Yea, not pretty. I think he was 2 then as well. Gotta love toddlers.

P.S. I found her. She came crawling in the room with her brothers raccoon skin cap on saying, "I'm a skunk mommy. Oh what do skunks do?" Yea, gotta stop and laugh a little each day.

Art of Being Joyful

                                                    5 Thimbles by Paula Grizzell DeMarini

          I read a great book. I am not a book reviewer by nature. I do love to read but, with life the way it is in our household right now, I don't have much opportunity to read for pleasure. I am usually studying about what or how to teach a particular subject to my kids. Or I am researching a topic for someone (usually myself, my husband or helping one of the kids).  Then of course there is the time I should be reading my bible. Well, I an aunt of mine posted on Face Book about a book that one of her cousins wrote about her childhood. She said it was good. I was intrigued. She is family and she is writing about my family-some I know -some I don't. I would love to know more about. I was really thinking it was going to be more about family history. A little geneology. I even e-mailed my aunt to ask her about the book. She said it was interesting to her because she knew everyone and it was what was going on when she was growing up. But, maybe not so interesting to me, or someone that didn't know everyone one.  

         Well,..... Sorry Aunt Feda to say you were not right. I loved the book. My husband really loved hearing the stories. He even said he wanted to read it when I was done and he doesn't really read those kind of books. Yes, there were people I knew the names (my mom was mentioned once) but, the story and the heroism in the book brought such intense emotions. I was struck by the theme of gratitude in the book. The joyful way she wrote about such difficult events and topics that was her life. Her life was anything but, rich and happy in the way you and I look at it. The mother in this story encouraged me to be a better mom. One that doesn't complain so much. One that doesn't get discouraged by such trivial things. This mom didn't know the meaning of ME time. She devoted her whole life to the care of her children. This isn't a sappy, sacrifice yourself for all of those around you to be a great person. It is a sacrifice yourself for the furthering of others and yourself will be furthered in the end. 

"But, many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then." Matthew 19:30 NLT

(For my purest family. "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first." KJV)

             This book is a MUST read for those of us struggling with what it is God is doing in our life and why he isn't trusting us with so much more. Beware if you buy the book and don't tell me, you may be getting one for Christmas. I liked it that much. And beware of the effect in your daily life it may have on you. You may suddenly look at your life and those around you much differently. As well as, you may suddenly want to do some mission work. Local or far away. There are many here that really need help. Food, blankets, sweaters, water, a bible, etc. What would have been different for the family in the book if more had participated in their well being? How many DID participate in the help and care of them? This is actually how a village helps to raise a child. 

             Please take the time to read this inexpensive little paperback book and let me know how it effected you. And First cousin once removed Paula Grizzell DeMarini, what a fantastic perspective you have. Your willingness to right kindly about unkind things and people was amazing. You have a gift for saying things in a joyful manner. I hope I can learn and be so kind.

What Brings Joy in Your Day?!

          

           First, this could get a little PG rated so, if you're not married or under age maybe you might want to wait to read my next post. Sorry, had to add the disclaimer. 
             So, I was thinking about my days. How there seems to be chaos, and busyness all day long. Well, really often even into the night. My daily responsibilities are quite numerous. To name just a few on a regular, mellow day (of which there is never one of those). 

1. Getting everyone up on time
2. prodding on the dressing and chore time
3. bathing and dressing not only myself, but the 2 "littles"
4. making beds
5. cleaning up
6. breakfast
7. DISHES
8. clean-up anything else in the way for lessons
9. lessons
10. refereeing squabbles
11. encouraging
12. laundry
13. planning meals
14. grocery shopping
15. vacuuming 
16. potty patrol (2 year old still needs to be reminded to go)
17. sweeping
18. fielding any phone calls
19. calendar juggling
20. taxi driver to get to appointments and classes on time
21. time keeper
22. floors to wash
23. bathrooms to clean (showers, etc)
24. wiping noses, faces, and anything else that needs to be wiped
25. Lunch
26. DISHES
27. prepare dinner
28. get everyone ready to come in and eat
29. encourage them all to eat said HEALTHY meal
30. DISHES
31. cleanup 
32. bathes
33. p.j.s
34. stories
35. potty monitor
36. booty wiper
37. bedtime tyrant
38. Vitamin giver and watcher that they take them.
39. meanie that makes all stay in bed!

             I really could go on and on. Let me tell you, there is so much left out. Not to mention the surprises that I am always blessed with everyday. I will enlighten you a little on a few examples of those little interruptions blessings I get through the day. 

1. Potty training. That we poop in the potty. Not the floor.
2. bumped heads, arms, noses, legs, toes, and more
3. band aids!
4. unexpected visitors
5. dawdling
6. disagreements
7. leaking garbage disposals
8. weird smells
9. spilled food, drinks, soap, ice, toys, etc. on the floor to clean
10. markers (do I need to say anymore) 
11. toilet paper rolls-totally unrolled
12. tu-tu's getting caught
13. fingers stuck in various holes
14. odd objects in noses
15. things missing that were possibly swallowed. Or not

             I think you get the idea. I don't live a quiet and serene life. When I quit work while pregnant with my first son, my boss said she would keep my job available for awhile for when I got bored and wanted to come back..
UMMM.... REALLY?!
It's been almost 14 years since he was born (WOW I didn't realize I had one that old!!) and I don't think I have had a moment of boredom since then. NOPE. No boring days. I can truly say that. And really mean it. 


            Now, back to the title of this post. What brings joy into your crazy, busy days? What things give you that stranded on a beautiful white beach in the middle of nowhere with all of the comforts you couldn't live without, moment?
I truly thought about this as I hear new moms and new brides that look at my busy life of a husband, and 4 kids and homeschooling and they say, "No WAY! How do you do it? How do you not loose yourself? How do you find "ME" time? How does your husband still know you love him? How do you still know he loves you?!!" (First, we all know I have issues with ME time. So, we'll leave that one alone. )
                 So, here is my top list of what gives me my joy.

1. SWEET TEA (you knew that was coming. RIGHT?)
2. chocolate
3. a cold day, with homemade soup on the stove. And a glimpse of my children all getting along. For a moment.
4. T.V. time in the evening with my husband (that is our dates)
5. Early bedtimes for the kids
6. NOONERS!
7. talking on the phone with my childhood friend while we both clean up the kitchen in our homes
8. Laughter
9. reading the Bible first thing in the morning out loud with my husband before anyone else gets up.
10. playing games with my family
11. Oh and did I mention a little AFTERNOON DELIGHT
12. OOPS and Sweet tea

          I wonder if you notice a few patterns. First, I do a lot of dishes and cook tons...
Also, I love sweet tea (no surprise) and I love my husband. Those moments that I listed in the last list, are what brings my day joy. When I realize that I'm not feeling too joyful and I'm more grouchy then pleasant, I need to find one of those things on my brings joy list to do. It means I have gotten sucked into the "have to's" and the the vortex of busyness.
Yes ladies, I know we are busy and tired and stretched to our limit. It seems so much easier and less trouble to reach for the chocolate, a latte, or a sweet tea but, if we are truly looking for refreshing moment, actually a little flustering moment, take a moment with your Honey. Nowhere in the Bible does it say to delight in your latte. It does say to delight in each other.  Proverbs 5:18 says- May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
         Yea, it really says that. So, in case you have forgotten, You used to delight in him often. Before kids. Before dishes. Before poop on the floor. Remember how you would get so excited about seeing him before you were married? Now when he walks in the door, do you stop. Do you even acknowledge that he is home? Do you go out of your way to do the special little things he likes? Get him that special treat from the store? He is the one that used to bring you joy in the middle of your day. Is he still?


         Also, if you haven't read Song of Solomon (some Bibles call it Song of Songs) lately, go for it. Actually, try reading it out loud to your husband. You might be surprised what is in there. Now that you are an adult and are able to really experience all that he says in the book. Go for it. Have a little joy in the afternoon.