Archives for August 2010

Sunday Highlights: Outlaws: Do Not Covet

August 15, 2010 by Amy Leave a Comment

Definition of coveting: “over-desire” of things we don’t have. Categories of coveting:

Neighbor’s life
Relationship
Possessions

Many people see “no’s” in the Ten Commandments but there is beauty on the other side such as truth, generosity, rest, trust and honor. The other side of coveting is to “be content”.

Coveting is misplaced desire.

Our purpose is only in Jesus. First commandment is to love God. Result is the 10th – we’re content.

Treasure Jesus. When we covet we say “I deserve” “You’re not fair’” “You owe me”.

Phil 4:11 contentment must be learned.

Secret is I can do it through Christ. We need Him alone. He is sufficient. When will He be enough?

When is coveting too much?

Me-focused
We exalt ourselves, not humble ourselves
Stimulates evil, not good
Doesn’t bring God glory

What are we pursuing that will be in the trash can soon? What do I want and why? Does God want it?

This one pricked me in the area of possessions and specifically our home. I always feels like the next picture, chair, wall color, lamp will make it just right.

What is the one thing/person you’re longing for that is keeping you from experiencing God?

When will Jesus be enough?

New Chairs. For real this time.

August 14, 2010 by Amy 3 Comments

So about a year ago Sally told us we needed red chairs in our living room.

It looked like this

and Sally said it should look more like this

I agreed and I’ve been searching and searching for the right red chairs. Some I have found but the price wasn’t right or others were the right price and wrong color. But alas, I believe today we found just the right one. Baby Bear would be happy.

Thank you, T.J. Maxx! And here it is in the room:

And yes, true to form, Scott is playing Call of Duty while I blog.

I’m really happy with them.

However.

Lexi is NOT.

We took out the glider and chair. We put the chair at Scott’s desk and then was going to sell the glider. Lexi started to have a breakdown similar to our recliner breakdown. So we decided we’d just take our much-less used white rocker out of their bedroom and put the glider in there and sell the rocker. I thought it was all solved but nooo….Lexi DID have a recliner breakdown and nearly cried herself to sleep because she wanted to keep both the glider and rocker.

We do a lot of things right as parents but apparently teaching separation of emotions and chairs is not one of them.

iPhone 4 Unboxing

August 12, 2010 by Amy 7 Comments

Well the iPhone saga continues and today’s episode is all about getting my new iPhone 4! Yippee! I had to take a look back but it’s been about 6 months since I cracked the screen and 3 months since my 3G died and I’ve been using a 1st gen thanks to a great friend who let me borrow his. This new phone feels so bright and shiny and update and new and fast and all kinds of wonderful.

I have to tell a little story about getting it though. First off, we know I’d been holding out for the white but finally had to buckle after they announced it would be too long. Then after I ordered it, it was going to be 3 weeks until it got here. It finally shipped last week….from China. The original order said it’d be here on Friday but I was doing the happy dance when I woke up this morning and found out it was going to be a day early. Mainly because I’d scheduled the day in the office Friday and I wouldn’t be around to get the package.

So all morning I’m anxiously awaiting lunch time when our normal carrier drives by. After lunch and no driver.

Finally, I see one go by but he didn’t stop. I run out to the front yard and wait for him to come back down the street. I expect him to notice me in the yard and stop. Well, no sir, he went right on by without even a glance at us. I run out to the road and wave my hands hoping to stop him thinking, “He has my iPhone from China on that trucckk!!”

After quickly deciding I shouldn’t jump in the car and follow him to his next stop, I take Emma’s suggestion to call them all the while thinking of planning a trip to the distribution center. But alas, all my fears were calmed when the lady said that was the Express truck and the Courier truck that had my phone from China on it would be at my house by 4:30. Whew.

So I did an unboxing video just after it arrived. I had had no shower since we were going to go swimming and no makeup, etc, etc but catch the end of the video, it just showed life around our house so well…

Dishes Done!

August 10, 2010 by Amy 8 Comments

It takes less than 10 minutes to empty a dishwasher, reload it and hand wish the big pots. So why do I put it off for HOURS? I can’t stand doing it! I’ve come up with two things that help me do it and help me do it now.

Set a timer. Set it for 5 minutes and see how much you get done. Then leave the rest. If you’re at all competitive like me, you’ll try to beat the clock, move fast and find yourself all done. Five minutes. It feels like an eternity when you’re doing dishes but it’s over in a flash!
Reward yourself. Yep, good ‘ol positive reinforcement. For the dishes, I keep two scrubs under the cabinet. One is a sea salt scrub from Arbonne and the other is a Coconut sugar scrub I got from TJMax. When I’m done, I get to scrub my hands, leaving them super silky and smelling good after such a downer of a job.

This post was linked up at Works for me Wednesday at WeAreThatFamily.com

Top Ten Tuesday: Ways to Pray for Your Child’s Future Spouse and Marriage

August 10, 2010 by Amy 6 Comments

In light of our anniversary and some really special Karen Kingsbury books, relationships and marriage have been heavy on my heart this week. It’s so important that we pray for our children and their future spouses, if God leads them that way. I know my parents and Scott’s parents both prayed many of these. It is now my turn to pray for my two girls and I thought I’d share some of the ways I’m doing that. Pray that:

God would help you to lead your daughter to an authentic relationship with Christ
God would help the child’s parents to lead their son to an authentic relationship with Christ
God would lead you and his parents in the paths that would lead your children together
God would keep them pure, in heart and body, until marriage. Specifically, that Satan would not deceive them about love, relationships and marriage and what they should look like.
God would help them raise their son up to be a spiritual leader and humble servant.
God would help us raise our daughters up to be a Proverbs 31 woman.
God would speak to and soften their hearts so they recognize each other when the time is right.
They would have a fulfilling, long and happy marriage.
God leads them individually and together in whatever ministry He has in store for them.
If God gives them children, that they would be praying these same prayers one day.

What else should we be praying for?

See more Top Ten Tuesday posts at ohamanda.com

IKEA Wish List

August 9, 2010 by Amy 9 Comments

I got the new IKEA catalog on Saturday and dog-eared a few pages and thought I’d share.

First, off, they had this green page with lots of green tips and these just made my day.

Did you know…

I guess I should have figured that one out but you know, I didn’t. I’m hoping since it was on this page others haven’t either!

Or did you know…

You have no idea how relieved I am. See, I’ve been doing my part to be green and didn’t even know it!

Now onto the good stuff!

This picture below makes me want to paint my office gray. Really, really bad.

This makes me want to paint my bedroom gray

This picture makes me want to nail old wood to my bathroom wall and buy all new bathroom accessories. Doesn’t that picture make you feel like there’s a masseuse just around the corner?

I want to hang this lighting fixture in my new gray office

And this next one. Remember my yellow cabinet I bought during our little redesign last year? Well that now have it in RED! Gah, someone make me some room in my house for it STAT!

I never thought I’d say this but this makes me want to cover a room in particle board.

And this makes me want to redo my wall collage

OK, enough! What’s on your IKEA wish list?

CVS 101

August 9, 2010 by Amy 7 Comments

Today I got a fantastic deal at CVS…I got $50 worth of stuff for $2. There’s something a little addictive about saving so much money. But the great thing is it’s not bad for you, in fact, it’s GREAT for you. I’ve been asked online and offline a few times how I do it. There are tons of web sites and now even in-person couponing classes you can take but I learned it nearly 3 years ago over at moneysavingmom.com. She has a fantastic tutorial here that should explain it all.

I decided to take a stab at explaining what I do on video for those that are adverse to reading. I’m not sure why you’re reading this if you are, but anyhoo. Now my stab at this is more like a stab with a safety pin than a butcher’s knife. I don’t do a great job. I didn’t have a script, the video is spliced and well, I just hope you get something out of it if you prefer videos over written tutorials.

I just know this CVS thing works and I want you to see that it’s doable. I have saved THOUSANDS of dollars over the past few years and I simply will not know what to do if I ever have to pay for toothpaste or a razor again. I spend no more than 1 hour a week on this and it is well worth my time.

Sunday Highlights: Outlaws

August 8, 2010 by Amy Leave a Comment

Sorry I missed 2 weeks of this Ten Commandments series. It’s certainly not because it’s not good. Because in reality, it’s kind of kicking my butt. A reminder today we got of the purpose of the Ten Commandments is one I want to emphasize and that is, these were written and apply to God’s people. They are not for unbelievers to follow so they can become a child of God. Rather, they are how God’s child should act so that an unbeliever knows that they are a child of God. And in turn, that they also know what God looks like.

So today is Exodus 20:16 what you would know as Thou shalt not lie.

He shared a Top 10 list of lies people tell including some funny ones like “I’m walking out the door right now”, “It hurts me more than it hurts you” “You look great in that”. And some serious ones “I’ll be praying for you”, “I love you” “I do”.

Four reasons why we lie

Pure corruption – get what I want, however I want
Malice – trying to hurt someone
Fear – children do this a lot for fear of punishment. Could be fear of losing marriage, job or friendship
Boasting – expand the truth to make you look good

9th commandment is not only about lying. It’s more broad…do not use words that are damaging or disloyal to someone

Ways we are disloyal or damaging

Lying
Breaking your word
Verbal assassination

Light reveals and darkness conceals. Truth is light and it reveals. Lies conceal. The name Satan means deceiver. He is the Father of Lies. We choose darkness so we can hide. But God calls us to His character. He is light. If our word is not trustworthy, consistent, people won’t ever know who God is.

Be honest with yourself. The battle begins inside. We lie because we believe the lie that life will be better if we do it. Satan has deceived us. Lying only makes life harder and more complicated.

Luke 6:45. Your words reveal your heart. Our hearts our corrupt. We must draw close to God.

Challenge: Measure your words as if God were with you because He is. We would talk a lot less and listen a lot more. Ask God to reveal your struggles you may not even see yet.

I’m not a habitual, corrupt liar as is spoken of in reason #1 or lie just to hurt someone in #2 or even boasting in #3 above. But if there is one area listed I struggle with time to time is lying for fear of someone being upset at me or confrontation. It’s so enlightening for me to see that even these “white lies” have a root of fear. Which, if you know me, fear has always been such a struggle. Even when I think I have it trumped, it still shows up! I’m still praying 2 Timothy 1:7 “God has not given me a spirit of fear!”

Hear the full sermon at NorthRockHill.com