One thousand gifts...

After several snow days and some 24 hours stomach bug last week...

35. get well soon card sent from the hospital staff
36. insurance
37.  Starbucks
38. Chick-Fil-a
39. conversations with Michael while babies chat
40. Facebook
41. unexpected mail
42. a winter coat
43. snow day (#1-5)
44. sweet ice tea
45. dreams, hopes and ideas (however crazy they may be)
46. cleaning supplies
47. washing machines
48. cry babies-learning to communication
49.  first words
50. first steps
51. diapers
52. coupons
53. tax returns
54. antibiotics

{beauty} made for so much more than all of this

My husband tells me that I am beautiful....
... even with the extra pounds and stretch marks from fertility drugs, pizza, ice cream and babies.
...even with no shower, boogers in my hair, puke on my shoulder...he still says it.

but

I

don't

believe

him.

This topic seems to be nailing me lately...through a Bible study at church that I am avoiding, books I am choosing, the scriptures passages, blogs I read...I have been constantly smacked with the idea of beauty.

Beauty
(from Julia and Melissa's blogs) 

This one word haunts women everywhere regardless of location or culture or even socioeconomic status. Himba women in Africa smooth their hair into elaborate dreadlocks with the clay from the earth and rub their skin down with it until they appear wholly red-brown burnished and lovely. Women in China, once obsessed with the beauty of small feet, would bind their feet until bones broke and their feet were permanently deformed; the most beautiful feet were a mere 3 inches. American women starve themselves to be as thin as the Photoshop edited models; and as they age they resort to tummy tucks and Botox and expensive creams hoping to achieve the impossible standard of Beauty.

Our hearts were made to crave Beauty.
But what is Beauty? And does it reside in me?

And when my husband says that I’m beautiful, how can I receive those words as truth in a culture that says the opposite?

What am I going to teach my daughters about Beauty?
And most importantly, what does the Word of God say about Beauty?
I am joining Julia and Melissa,  fellow moms of twins, as they explore  True Beauty each Friday.

So today I am beginning to explore beauty.  I think that my brain is conditioned to "feel" beautiful rather than recognizing where beauty comes from.  Last year, I quit buying magazines- no Cosmo, Shape, Fitness.  It has made a big difference in how I feel about myself.  For more than 12 months, I  have fasted from images of  "Babylon" during and after my study in Daniel.  It just kind of stuck and I was much happier not feeling the need to conform to women in the magazine...plus I was pregnant with the twins, so that helped.  I have always struggled a battle with my weight and it has brought me to very low places.  I have tried many things to lose and what I end up losing is hope and willpower...only to feel defeated and trampled down.  I am beginning to realize that  maybe it is more of spiritual battle as well as a mental battle.  I am wondering...how can I accept that I am beautiful in the ways that God made me beautiful without feeling the need to conform to that of "Babylon"?  I think of that Mercy Me song...  Here Bart talks about the message behind the music he wrote with his daughters in mind.

Days will come when you don't have the strength

And all you hear is you're not worth anything

Wondering if you ever could be loved

And if they truly saw your heart

They'd see too much

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

You are made for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His

You're beautiful

Praying that you have the heart to fight

Cuz you are more than what is hurting you tonight

For all the lies you've held inside so long

But they are nothing in the shadow of the cross

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

You are made for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His

You're beautiful

Before you ever took a breath

Long before the world began

Of all the wonders He possessed

There was one more precious

Of all the earth and skies above

You're the one He madly loves

Enough to die!

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

In His eyes

You're beautiful!

You are made for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful!

You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His

You're beautiful!

You are made for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful!

You are treasured

You are sacred

You are His

The girl from church...

There is a girl from our church.  I don't know much about her.  I don't know much about her family.  She is beautiful and kind.  She is soft spoken and elegant.  When she was in college, I sent her a care package.  I admired her voice and her relationship as she sang duets with her father in church.  Since then, she has grown up.  Over the last months I have spent hours praying for her... I guess this makes you feel closer. She isn't my friend, although she could be.  In 2007 she married.  Last May, her husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.  After a many treatments, I felt hope as I prayed for them.  Then she was pregnant.  I don't remember all the details, but it seemed that little boy's heart had a hole, which eventually healed.  He was born healthy.  Praise the Lord.  This last week I felt a strong burden for her, her family, and the journey of cancer.  Since Christmas Eve, her husband has battled the end stages of cancer.  I would wake at night and pray for peace.  For them to have plenty of pictures and video so that little boy will be able to "know" his Daddy when he is older.  I prayed for a miracle.  I prayed for healing.  I prayed for preparation.  I prayed for their hearts to be full of his/HIS love.  I know the Lord has given them plenty of mercy and grace.  She is a strong woman. She is surrounded by family.  This morning her husband was healed as he entered the gates of heaven.  I know her days are difficult.  Please join me in praying.  She isn't just a girl from my church.  Her name is Laura  and her son is Landon. 

multitude Monday

20. peaceful Saturdays
21. dinner with friends
22. sweet tea
23. coffee with friends
24. more connecting
25. late night conversations with my husband
26. tax refunds
27. home improvement projects
28. dinosaurs
29. Grandparents stopping by
30.  Hoover Floormate
31. 100 days of school
32. haircuts
33. learning the books of the New Testament
34.  reading books

One thousand gifts...

I have been challenged to acknowledge big and small gift from our Creator.  This last week has been more difficult and easier than I expected.  I thought now would be a good time to join the many who celebrate multitude on Mondays.

**I ordered the book and will begin the study with Bloom in a few weeks...join me here!

1. successful surgery for my Little Guy
2. sleeping in my own bed
3. no cavities!
4.  coffee
5.  and hazelnut creamer
6. grandparents
7. conversation with friends
8. laughing with family
9. my car
10.  warm coats
11.  snow
12. flexibility
13.  my lovely husband who takes care of me
14.  matress warmers
15.  good books (Recently: Plan B by Pete Wilson and  I will Carry You by Angie Smith)
16. my job
17.  my husband and his willingness to stay home with my children
18. pretty headbands
19. sisters and "sisters"

I'm going to do it!

I will finish the 10.3 mile run in honor of Lilian Grace on April 25.

So what is your job?  To keep me accountable.  I currently don't have any running buddies- and I am a little chicken to get started in our town's running club- from the looks of the pictures they are skinny, fit, experienced runners- which I am not!!!  But, I have a plan...plotted out on my calendars in red ink...

We quit the gym to save money...so I will be running outdoors or on with the Wii Fit. Outdoor running is only a problem for 2 reasons...#1 I don't have a double running stroller and so I can't take my children with me and #2 it is flippin' cold outside- so I can't take the kids anyway...which means I must run in the morning before they wake or after they are asleep-- both times will be dark.

So... you have tall shoes to fill.  I already have talked myself out of three runs because of the cold dark awaiting.  I will accomplish this goal to honor Miss Lily's 103 days on this earth.  I have put together my running playlist...a mixture of fast, motivating songs.  Tomorrow is 3 miles...  

I'm going to do it!

Memory Verse #1

I can hardly believe that another new year is already here, but I am very excited about what God has in store for me and my family in the coming year.


I really believe that God is going to do some amazing things in the year 2011!

In 2009, I joined the Siesta Scripture Memory Team (SSMT) for a one year plan of scripture memorization with Beth Moore. God used His Word to speak to my heart in amazing ways that year! I have known for some time that I needed to be memorizing scripture again and for awhile now have been looking forward to the beginning of a new year. I found in the year 2009 that the accountability of memorizing scripture with other ladies was such an encouragement.


So.....I decided to join the Siesta Scripture Memory Team again this year. I've got my index cards and and I am ready to make my first entry for 2011 with these verses:

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded,

YOU NEED TO PERSEVERE so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.

Hebrews 10:35-36 NIV

I would encourage any of you that might not have been planning to participate in this to hop over and check out Beth's blog and learn more about the SSMT.

COME ON...It's not too late to jump in and we'll ALL hide God's Word in our hearts in 2011!