to everyone! I pray 2008 was all you hoped for and that 2009 will be even better!
Tracy
That's what I am talking about!
15 years ago
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Random Pictures
I had to get a new USB thingy for my camera so I could share some pictures with everyone.
Silly and her friend the "turkey'.
My brother at his retirement ceremony.
Cousins!
Three peas in a pod! These three were inseparable while we were there.
Like everyone else, next week will be busy, busy, busy for me. I still have lots to get done, so if you don't hear from me before Christmas I hope everyone has a blessed holiday and remember to take time to recognize what it's all about. May God be glorified!
This is a house in our neighborhood! Ummm, things have sure changed over the years when it comes to outside decorations.
Silly and her friend the "turkey'.
My brother at his retirement ceremony.
Cousins!Three peas in a pod! These three were inseparable while we were there.Like everyone else, next week will be busy, busy, busy for me. I still have lots to get done, so if you don't hear from me before Christmas I hope everyone has a blessed holiday and remember to take time to recognize what it's all about. May God be glorified! Tracy
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Fostering
My friend A has started foster parenting and she has the tiniest little 1 week old baby. She is so precious, but oh so tiny. I could not imagine taking care of a baby that small. Silly weighed a little over 10 lbs. ( yeah I said 10) and The Rock Star weighed 8.9 lbs. Her little head fit right in the palm of my hand. Pray for her!
I'll be back later because my beloved DJ was tagged. How fun!
TracyTuesday, December 16, 2008
Gifts
I cannot believe Christmas is NEXT week! I still have so much to do and if you know me at all then you know this is not the norm. I am a true bargain shopper and I usually start buying for next year the day after Christmas. I am all about a good deal! I rarely ever pay full price for anything. I've only got to get The Rock Star a couple more things, but I am at a total loss for Silly. She hasn't really ask for anything in particular so......
Just a little update on The Rock Star and The Guitar Player-they broke up last Thursday! No worries, he has moved on. By Saturday he had a new girlfriend. For the sake of the blog we will call her BFF because that's what they "were"! So, we'll see how it goes. Thank goodness I have a little while before Silly starts dating. She still thinks boys are disgusting because they have stinky arm pics! Not pits, but pics. O to be 5 again!
Tracy
Just a little update on The Rock Star and The Guitar Player-they broke up last Thursday! No worries, he has moved on. By Saturday he had a new girlfriend. For the sake of the blog we will call her BFF because that's what they "were"! So, we'll see how it goes. Thank goodness I have a little while before Silly starts dating. She still thinks boys are disgusting because they have stinky arm pics! Not pits, but pics. O to be 5 again!
Tracy
Crazy Weather
I don't know about the weather where you all live, but here it has been up and down everyday. Either it's freezing cold all day and night or it's muggy and raining all day and night. I think it's been colder here than it has in a long time this time of the year. You don't know if you should wear a hat/scarf/gloves or a short sleeve shirt and a raincoat. Today is one of those dreary gray days.
Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!
Tracy
Hope everyone has a great Tuesday!
Tracy
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Blood Pressure
It's amazing how your blood pressure level can go from normal to off the charts in like 0.5 seconds. I've posted before about the parking situation here at our lovely campus. So, I go out to leave for lunch and I am parallel parked between 2 cars. The one in front of me is too far from the curb and the one behind me is too close to the curb. It took me 10 minutes, 75 times of pulling forward, backing up, 5 times getting out of my car, and about 9 inches from hitting the bumper of the car behind me before I could even get out of the parking space. By the time I was done I was sweating and my face was burning hot. I wonder if anybody was looking out their window to witness such a thing. If they were I'm sure they were laughing. At least that's what I can do now. Good times!
Tracy
Tracy
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Powerful
Sorry I've been slack on my posting. I guess the holidays got the best of me. I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving. We definitely have SO much to be thankful for. My friend Lyds sometimes posts about a daily devotion we receive from Proverbs 31 (go here to sign up-you will not be disappointed). Anywho, yesterday's was about being a good wife and mother. Seeing how I am a wife and mother it really hit home with me concerning the actions that I have on the future of my children. See below....
December 3, 2008
I Can’t Believe My Husband Feels Dishonored Renee Swope
“Then when the king's edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm,
all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest."
Esther 1:20 (NIV)
Devotion:
My son Andrew was having a rough afternoon; he was tired, he’d been disappointed by a friend and he had homework. He tried to hide the tears dripping down his cheeks as he gritted his teeth and completed his worksheet.My husband JJ was sitting across the room watching football, occasionally glancing over at our son and me. I thought about something fun JJ could do with Andrew to cheer him up. Then I thought about how it would encourage Andrew if his dad recognized he was upset and "engaged" with him.
That wasn't happening. So, I invited JJ into the situation by suggesting he turn off the TV and come talk with Andrew. At this point, I was not thinking very honoring thoughts towards my husband. It got messy. JJ felt insulted. I felt frustrated. Finally JJ said, "Tell me what you want me to do."
So I did. Andrew loved my idea to go do something fun with his dad. In minutes, his homework was done. His tears were gone, and so was my husband. JJ was very frustrated. It wasn’t because he had to miss football. It wasn’t even what I said. It was how I said it. He felt dishonored by the timing and tone of my words. I couldn’t believe he felt dishonored. I felt so misunderstood!
I calmed down and thought more about what had happened. I remembered that JJ’s preference is for me to call him into another room away from our kids when I don’t agree with him. He’s also asked me to share my thoughts in a non-critical tone. It was very hard to admit, but I knew God wanted me to honor my husband's perspective and preferences.
Just a few months ago God had taught me the importance of honoring my husband through the story of Esther. Esther was chosen by the king to be his new wife because his first wife, Vashti, dishonored him. The king’s advisers insisted the king remove the queen from her throne because they were afraid her decision to dishonor the king would influence other wives to dishonor their husbands.
That passage reminded me that, although I may not influence a whole kingdom, my daily decisions are far-reaching. As wives, our words, actions and attitudes towards our husbands influence many. We influence the kind of women our sons will marry. We influence how our daughters will speak to their husbands. We influence how our friends might talk to their husbands after hearing how we talk to ours.
So, now I had the opportunity to apply this truth to my marriage. I have to admit it wasn’t easy. My pride insisted that I had the best of intentions. I thought so highly of my husband that I wanted him to be the one to speak into Andrew's hurts and right whatever was wrong.
Maybe Vashti had good intentions. Maybe she was trying to prove what seemed like a good point, but it lead to her downfall. Whatever the case, a bigger point was proven: a wife’s influence is far reaching when she dishonors her husband. I couldn’t change what I’d done that day. But I could change how it was impacting my little kingdom. With God’s help I told JJ, "I'm sorry for dishonoring you," and I said it in front of my sons. My pride was hard to swallow, but it went down a little easier knowing that honoring my husband honors God, and also influences my sons who I hope will one day look for wives who will honor them, too.
Dear Lord, I want to be a woman who honors my husband, but it’s hard when that means giving up my desire to be right. Help me to honor You, my husband and others in my thoughts, actions, words and decisions. I pray that my life would have a Godly influence on those around me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Tracy
December 3, 2008
I Can’t Believe My Husband Feels Dishonored Renee Swope
“Then when the king's edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm,
all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest."
Esther 1:20 (NIV)
Devotion:
My son Andrew was having a rough afternoon; he was tired, he’d been disappointed by a friend and he had homework. He tried to hide the tears dripping down his cheeks as he gritted his teeth and completed his worksheet.My husband JJ was sitting across the room watching football, occasionally glancing over at our son and me. I thought about something fun JJ could do with Andrew to cheer him up. Then I thought about how it would encourage Andrew if his dad recognized he was upset and "engaged" with him.
That wasn't happening. So, I invited JJ into the situation by suggesting he turn off the TV and come talk with Andrew. At this point, I was not thinking very honoring thoughts towards my husband. It got messy. JJ felt insulted. I felt frustrated. Finally JJ said, "Tell me what you want me to do."
So I did. Andrew loved my idea to go do something fun with his dad. In minutes, his homework was done. His tears were gone, and so was my husband. JJ was very frustrated. It wasn’t because he had to miss football. It wasn’t even what I said. It was how I said it. He felt dishonored by the timing and tone of my words. I couldn’t believe he felt dishonored. I felt so misunderstood!
I calmed down and thought more about what had happened. I remembered that JJ’s preference is for me to call him into another room away from our kids when I don’t agree with him. He’s also asked me to share my thoughts in a non-critical tone. It was very hard to admit, but I knew God wanted me to honor my husband's perspective and preferences.
Just a few months ago God had taught me the importance of honoring my husband through the story of Esther. Esther was chosen by the king to be his new wife because his first wife, Vashti, dishonored him. The king’s advisers insisted the king remove the queen from her throne because they were afraid her decision to dishonor the king would influence other wives to dishonor their husbands.
That passage reminded me that, although I may not influence a whole kingdom, my daily decisions are far-reaching. As wives, our words, actions and attitudes towards our husbands influence many. We influence the kind of women our sons will marry. We influence how our daughters will speak to their husbands. We influence how our friends might talk to their husbands after hearing how we talk to ours.
So, now I had the opportunity to apply this truth to my marriage. I have to admit it wasn’t easy. My pride insisted that I had the best of intentions. I thought so highly of my husband that I wanted him to be the one to speak into Andrew's hurts and right whatever was wrong.
Maybe Vashti had good intentions. Maybe she was trying to prove what seemed like a good point, but it lead to her downfall. Whatever the case, a bigger point was proven: a wife’s influence is far reaching when she dishonors her husband. I couldn’t change what I’d done that day. But I could change how it was impacting my little kingdom. With God’s help I told JJ, "I'm sorry for dishonoring you," and I said it in front of my sons. My pride was hard to swallow, but it went down a little easier knowing that honoring my husband honors God, and also influences my sons who I hope will one day look for wives who will honor them, too.
Dear Lord, I want to be a woman who honors my husband, but it’s hard when that means giving up my desire to be right. Help me to honor You, my husband and others in my thoughts, actions, words and decisions. I pray that my life would have a Godly influence on those around me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Tracy
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