Stay-Cation days 3-5 recap

I cannot believe that my stay-cation is over.
I am so bummed.
I do not want to go back to reality.
I am positive that my co-workers are ready for me to come back especially the one who covered for me all week!


Day 3 of my stay-cation was c-o-l-d and wet.  I spent my afternoon with my nephew and then picked my niece up from school.  We hung out and then went to church however, my niece didn't feel well and we went home early.  She was not at all happy with me, but I explained that I was taking her home because I loved her and wanted her to feel better.  That didn't stop her from not talking to me for awhile, but she eventually told me she loved me too.

Day 4 of my I crafted all day long.  I got a lot done, but didn't get finished, but that's okay.  There is still time before Christmas.  You will have to wait to see what I worked on as people who read my blog are getting some of those gifts.  I also went to an awesome worship service and got to hear Frances Chan speak.  He is a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!  He is an author and wrote one of the books that we read for my book club.  You can read about that here.  He really challenged us last night to read the Bible and to take it for exactly what it says and to stop trying to make is say what we want it to.  He also encouraged us to do missions right in the city that we live in. 

Day 5 I got up early and picked up my youngest niece so that I could spend the day with her.  She is just over  year old.  She cracks me up and is so much fun.  She is just learning to talk and her favorite words for the day were "boo," "ow," "hi," "baby," and "bye-bye."  My favorite words she spoke were "go-go!"  I love it!!  I will share pics from our time together another time.  I haven't even uploaded them to my computer.  I spent my evening with my neighbor and some wine.  We had a fun - fun evening and laughed and laughed.  She has become such a dear friend of mine.

How was your week?

Book Club

My book club started up again a couple of weeks ago.

This is what we are reading:

We are only a few chapters in, but it is a good book so far and speaks directly to things I need to hear.  I get so worried about being perfect, making sure everything is perfect, accomplishing things, and doing everything everyone thinks I should do that I forget to slow down and enjoy life sometimes.  This book is all about doing exactly the opposite of what I do - it challenges you to s - l - o - w down and take in all that God is trying to teach you and things that He wants you to enjoy.

I am also reading The Help.  I haven't seen the movie, but I hear it is good - so is the book - at least what I have read.

What are you reading??

Day Off

I had the day off from work today.  Most of the time that would mean sleeping in until mid-morning, but not today!  I had gone to spend time with my niece, Tennessee.  I don't have any pics from our time as she wanted NOTHING to do with having the camera out last night.

I got up with the rest of the house got up this morning.  I love waking up to Tennessee in the morning - her smiles  when she wakes up are so, so precious and she gave me loves before we parted ways.

Then I went to get my oil changed- I was in and out in no time.  Because of their speed in changing my oil they left a big mess and I started leaving oil every where I went so, I had to go back to get things cleaned up and make sure it was all tightened up - I wasn't so happy about this.

In between my 2 trips for my oil change I went to the hospital to visit friends who had a darling baby boy on Wednesday.  I got to hold him for over an hour - he is so precious!!

I also finished reading The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand.  I started and finished Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo.  Such a good book - I highly recommend it.  If any of my local friends is interested in borrowing it, just let me know.  It was so good and such an easy read - I finished it in about 2 1/2 hours.

I guess it is time to read my other books!

Have a great weekend!

Book Club - finished for the Summer

My book club has been reading So Long Insecurity - you've been a bad friend to us by Beth Moore. We finished the book this past Friday night.

I learned a lot about myself through this book - I learned to recognize where a lot of my insecurity comes from.  I knew where some of came from before the start of the book, but I learned some new stuff a long the way.

I also learned to redirect my thoughts when those insecure feelings started to creep into my head.

In chapter three of the book, Beth says "The answer to deal with insecurity , believing that everything God says about us is true."  I need to put my security in God and not in others or what they or I think about me.  We too often put our security in things and in other people which is the absolute last place we should be looking for security.

Another thing that I learned is not to judge other people's security.  We often judge what another person looks like or what we perceive their life to look like and think "they have it all - they have nothing to be insecure about."  We have absolutely no idea what that woman is going through unless we are walking in her shoes.

As women we need to help build each other up - we all need to work together to increase our security and to stop allowing ourselves to look for security in all of the wrong places.

I am a work in progress - my insecurity is not cured, but I am more educated and more prepared to deal with it.

I highly recommend this book if you need help in the area of security!

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Even though my book club is now on summer break my reading is not over.  I have 4 other books I have started or want to start.

I am currently 3/4 the way through The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand.  I am a couple of chapters into Becoming a Contagious Church by Mark Mittelberg and One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.  I just bought Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo today and can't wait to start it.  

I also have several other books on my bookshelf that I haven't read.  Good thing I have a 4 day weekend coming up!!  

What is on your reading list??

Challenged

Have you ever heard a repeated message and you just sort of ignore it or push the thoughts in the back of your mind - maybe because you are not really sure you heard it correctly or if you even heard it at all?  

Me?  GUILTY!

Back when my book club read Crazy Love by Francis Chan the overwhelming message I got from the book was to not just talk the talk, but walk the walk, not to sit and be stagnant, but to go and do and tell others of the Good news!  Not to stay inside my comfort zone, but to go outside of it.  Chan states in his book that God does not call us to be comfortable.  He calls us to get outside of our comfort zones - He calls us to go and do - to treat everyone we encounter as if we are encountering Christ.  

I have heard this message through some other lessons and then in the sermon this morning at church!  I really feel like this is a message that God intends for me to hear!  I am not at all sure exactly what He wants me to do with it, but I am positive He wants me to do something!  This is definitely something to be praying about!  I am both excited and nervous to figure this out!  

God is good - all the time and

All the time - God is good!!!

Book Club

My every other Friday night book club has been reading Beth Moore's So Long Insecurity .


This week we will be discussing chapters 9 and 10.  Some of my friends who have already read the book told me to be ready that the book would dig deep.  It sure did.  I read chapter 9 last night and cried through the who thing!

Chapter 9 is entitled ""A Time and Place to Heal"  Beth wrote a petition of prayer to God asking for restoration of security and dignity.  She asked the reader to go to a quiet place where you could get into a comfortable position before God.  Then she instructed to read the prayer out loud and to change the words to your own if you were lead.  She wanted the prayer to be read as your own and for you to truly mean it!  Throughout the prayer she left blanks for you to fill in on your own.

I don't know if it was the words, the thoughts, being real, reading it out loud, being vulnerable, or being on my knees - bowed in prayer to my God, but whatever it was - it got me.  I cried through the whole thing.  I am working really really hard on letting my insecurities go.  It is hard when you've been hanging on to them as long as I have.  I am a work in progress, but I guess we all are.  The great part is that God knows us - He has been there and He loves us just where we are!

I can't wait to see what the rest of the book has to hold!

Sunday

I have been crafting today!  I have been working on Amber's hoop art so that I can get it in the mail to her.  I wish I could show you a picture of the finished product, but 1.  it is not quite done and 2.  I don't want her to see it until she gets it in the mail!

I will be sure to post a picture when I know she got it - I will post a picture to facebook first so, if you are my friend on facebook - be watching for the pic!

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I have picked up many habits over the years - some good - some bad.

One of the bad habits I picked up in life is worrying.  I would say that I have my master's in it!  And it is most definitely not by choice!  I can worry about anything - it is really ridiculous!  Right now I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Why you ask?  I have no clue - I almost wonder if it is I will be prepared if something does happen!  So, I have a goal for myself - to stop - to relax - to enjoy life instead of stressing about it!  I bought a new book that I have barely started, but I hope it helps - it is One Thousand Gifts - A Dare to Live Fully Right Where you Are by Ann Voskamp.  So, if you hear me stressing - tell me to stop and to remember how trully blessed I am!

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I am going to go finish Amber's hoop art now!

Hope you have a good weekend!

Margo

Book Club

A friend and I were out to dinner one evening talking about how we didn't really feel like we were being challenged or spiritually fed at church.  I started telling her about Crazy Love and how I had read about it on several other blogs....she reached into her purse holding up a copy saying "oh, you mean this book?"   We decided we should read it together and discuss and that we should invite other ladies to join us so, that is how our book club began.

Shortly after that I got an e-mail from another friend of church about extra copies of a Beth Moore book she had from her book club.  So, we bought those and that is what we are reading now.

I heart Beth Moore!   I have done several of her bible studies, but haven't really read one of her books.

I am looking forward to everything that God has to teach me through this book.  You see - I am sooooo insecure.  You have NO idea how much!  I really hope that I learn how to overcome that!  We are only several chapters in and I have learned some good things so far!

Giveaway Winner!!

It was so great to read about your words and your goals for the year!

The winner of the Crazy Love book giveaway is....

JENI

Congrats!!!  I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!  I will take it to work and send it home with your husband!

As part of my focus on giving I am planning on doing more giveaways this year so, be watching!!

One Word & a Giveaway!

Last week I blogged about picking one word for the year than making a resolution.  After lots of thinking and lots of prayer I finally discovered my word for the year:

GIVE

Give of my:

time

talents

money

Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.  Deuteronomy 15:10

In his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan says:  "We are each given different gifts and talents by our Master.  The thing that matters most is how we use what we have been given, not how much we make or do compared to someone else.  What matters is that we spend ourselves."

This book was amazing!  My book club read it and we had some awesome discussions about it.  It challenged me.  I want you to have of your very own copy of the book!  If you have already read it then maybe you know someone you could give it to.  

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below telling me what your word for the year is.  If you don't have a word for the year tell me what one of your goals for this year is.

One winner will be chosen by random draw on Monday, January 31, 2011.

I can't wait to read about your words and goals for the year!

  

10 thoughts

So, it is already November 10!  Can you believe it!?! 

I have seen blogs where on the 10th of every month they do 10 on 10 where they take one picture every hour for 10 hours.  I always think that I am going to do this and then I get home and realize that I forgot! :(  So, I have decided that on the 10th of every month I am going to give you a list of 10 things.  Every month will be something different.  Because it is November I am going to give you a list of 10 things I am thankful for in honor of Thanksgiving!

1.  that I have the love of an amazing, steadfast God
2.  my loving, supportive family
3.  my loving, supportive friends
4.  I have a roof over my head and food on my table (okay - I know this is two!)
5.  every winter I have someone to supply me with firewood and asks nothing in return
6.  I have a job
7.  I live in a country where I have freedoms
8.  I have 2 nieces and a nephew who love me
9.  my church family
10.  my health ** 

** If you read my blog a few days ago I was complaining about how impatient I am because I was waiting on some test results.  I say was because all of the tests are done and they all came back clear!! YEAH!!  What an answer to prayer!  This doesn't mean that the issue that caused those tests and all that stress is gone, it just means that nothing major is wrong - no cancer, no tumors, no cysts or anything else that I had automatically assumed it was.  I do have to start hormone replacement therapy to try to help resolve the issues...seriously hormone replacements at 35!?!  I just hope they help and that the side effects aren't bad!

Crazy Love

I have been reading the book - Crazy Love - Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan.  There are four other ladies that are reading it with me and we get together every other week to discuss what we've read. 

The book is really good so far and it has raised some good questions and has given us some good discussions.  It has also made me stop and think about my faith and my walk with Christ.  One of the questions we pondered this week was whether or not we could be "all in" for God?  Could you, would you completely trust in God and follow wherever he lead?  If Jesus came up to you and said, "drop everything and come, follow me" could you do as the disciples did and follow?  I don't think that many of us could or would.  We tend to want to control every aspect of our lives rather than letting God take control and lead.  I know I sure like to be the one in control.  There are times though when I have let go and let God take the reigns and it is so amazing, but yet I can't do that fully all of the time. 

The last chapter that I've read is titled Profile of the Lukewarm.  It talks about lukewarm Christians.  After reading that chapter I didn't feel all warm and fuzzy - I felt like I wasn't a very good Christian.  This chapter gave a ton of scenarios on what it meant to be a lukewarm Christian - I would read one and think to myself - that's not me - I am good.  Then the next scenario would come along and I would think - oh man that is me and I wouldn't feel so great anymore.  This went on through the entire chapter.  So, where does that leave me?  Well, I am going to say that I am probably a lukewarm Christian half to most of the time.  So, what am I going to do about it?  I am going to start to try to be more Christ-like in my words and actions.

If you haven't read this book before I suggest that you start.  I look forward to the rest of what God has to teach me through it!

 

Prayer...

I don't pray nearly as often as I should, but it is something that I am working on.  I am a work in progress...aren't we all?


I have been reading a blog from a woman here in town - a blog recommended by a friend.  It has inspired me to read a new book and most recently it has inspired me to think about more than my little world right here.  Recently there was a post about donating vitamins to children in Africa - it talked about how these children often only get one egg a week as a source of protein and that along with this egg they get a vitamin.  They are asking for more vitamins because they are all out. 

I of course headed to the store to buy vitamins!  But it also broke my heart....I just kept thinking about how blessed I really am as I sit in my house with all of my things.  I can't imagine living in a world where your only source of protein comes from the one egg you get a week, but hey guess what - I/we do live in that world!  It's just that it's not on my radar - well, until now. 

I had a really long time in prayer that night - I prayed that God would help me see Him more everyday in my life and to be aware of the needs of others.  I prayed that He would use me in whatever ways He wanted to.  Guess what?  I now have thoughts of doing a short terms missions trip next year to Africa.  Just saying blogging that scares me.  That was one of my biggest fears years ago that I would say "God, use me.  Use me where you want." and Him saying - I am sending you to Africa.  I don't know if that is really what He is saying to me right now or not, but I am listening and I am praying and if that is where He wants me then, that is where I will go. 

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me"  Matthew 16:24