Amy J. Bennett

Happy Thanksgiving

November 24, 2011 by Amy 2 Comments

So much this year. So much.

Adoption process
Addition to the house
Full time position
eBook

Just to name a few. And even those huge things feel incomparable to the protection and joy and wellness and peace and healing He’s brought to us this year. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude.

I’m thinking of you who don’t have anything obvious to be thankful for. Maybe this year it’s not easy to make a list. Some years are like that. But He’s still there and even the hard things are grace. If I’ve learned anything through my eBook is that God can make anything beautiful. And I learned from Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts that even the pain you don’t choose can be grace too.

On Finding Joy

November 21, 2011 by Amy 5 Comments

Today at lunch I took the time to make my manicotti for dinner. Someone please give me a high-five for thinking ahead! Cooking the jumbo shell noodles is one of the first steps. It took a few minutes but the water was a full rolling boil by the end of the required 15 minutes. I noticed though just as soon as I turned the heat off, the bubbles stopped. I figured there might be some lag time as heat dissipated but no, it was instant. I couldn’t help but think back to my confession of my emotional affair to Scott. Before the confession, I felt like that rolling boil inside. Truly, as if my stomach had been put in a pot of boiling water. I was a mess dealing with all my deceit and other emotions. But when I confessed, it was like someone had turned the heat off. Sure, I still had some inner turmoil going on but that sickening feeling disappeared immediately.

That boiling pot also reminds me of what we should be bubbling over with: joy. But deceit and joy can’t coexist. Proverbs says There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace. There could be many reasons you aren’t joyful right now but if you’re not, I challenge you to ask yourself if there is any deceit in your life.

What are you covering up?

Refusing to talk about?

Hoping no one finds out?

Doing when no one is looking?

Find someone to confess it to. Confess to the Lord. I know it’s scary. Really, I do. You feel like no one has been there. No one understands. No one will like you. No one can help you. No one will look at you the same. No one will forgive you. But we’ve all got stuff. And those are just lies from Satan to keep you in your deceitful behaviors. The longer we keep it in, the longer we don’t have our joy and that means the longer someone doesn’t see God’s glory displayed through you to its full potential. So let me help. How would you finish this sentence?

I haven’t told anyone this, but I [have been] _______________________.

Now go find someone to email or speak that sentence to privately. Really. Your joy is at stake.

I talk a lot more about deceit, confession and joy in my eBook Entangled. I’d love for you to check it out if you haven’t. And if you have, please hop over to Amazon and leave your review.

Happy 9th Birthday, Emma!

November 20, 2011 by Amy 2 Comments

It’s been a busy birthday weekend for us. Emma had her turn at her sleepover Friday night. While all the girls were talkative and loud (Scott left the house for most of the party to survive), they were all super sweet and it went well. It’s very interesting to see her friendships really developing. They’re doing all the cheer/chants together. She got her first Best Friends necklace. They all were painting fingernails all night. Thankfully none of the conversations center around boys yet. Just good, girly fun. Very fun to watch her develop into this phase.

Today after church I made one of her favorite meals for Sunday dinner. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, carrots and broccoli and cheese. The theme of presents this year was definitely American Girl. She loves doing all the crafts and taking care of her baby.

After everyone left, Emma got busy playing with her crafts. We made a trip to Michael’s for pipe cleaners, googly eyes, felt and the like and she went to town planning a craft show. She does love her crafts. This evening she decided she wanted to spend time together decorating for Christmas. It’s a little early but Scott is working next weekend and it didn’t take much asking from the birthday girl for Scott to start dragging things out of the attic. She really did help me decorate and I didn’t even have to give her direction on how to space things out. We had Christmas music playing and it really was a great moment for us.

We had our last home study yesterday and one of the questions was “How would you describe Emma?” I answered that Emma is shy, sweet and compassionate. She’s a deep thinker but that gets her into trouble sometimes worrying too much. But she cares a lot for the people around her and always wants to everyone to get along. Sure, she’s can be sassy and such sometimes but it’s the exception, not the rule.

I’m so proud of Emma and who she’s becoming!

November Rain

November 18, 2011 by Amy 3 Comments

I knew November was going to be busy but I don’t think I was prepared for this busy. Between the eBook launch, work and extra stuff like birthday parties and concerts, I am completely whooped. And I have PMS right now which, if you know me, equals crying about how busy I am.

Last night I wanted to murder the dog and quit my job, in no particular order. Yesterday morning as I was working from home, the dog slipped in the house with mud all. over. him. So then he got it all. over. the house. There were mud tracks all over all the hardwoods, on my brand new cream carpet, IN MY BED (which wasn’t made) and all over my bathroom counter where he was trying to reach a piece of cake that Lexi had left there the night before. I think that was the final straw for me yesterday. Now I had to re-mop all of my floors, which by the way, I had PAID to have mopped the day before, wash ALL bed sheets and blankets and scrub my carpet clean. Did I mention I didn’t have time for any of this??

Emma’s sleepover is tonight and I’m not prepared in the least. There are still cups, plates, napkins and balloons to get. Pizza to order. Bingo to print out. I’m lucky I remembered to order the cake earlier this week.

In the meantime, Scott is super busy too. He’s helping the church make windows of some sort and trying to help a friend lay tile. I want to go have coffee with my friends and somewhere fit in going to watch Breaking Dawn between all that. Oh, and there’s this little home study we have to do tomorrow afternoon.

In other words, PLEASE MAKE NOVEMBER STOP.

I’m hanging in there although I could use some serious prayers. I know this is just a season. Once I have this work thing licked in about 2 weeks and birthdays and Thanksgiving are done, December is going to feel like a treat. Two more weeks, folks. Two more weeks.

Taylor Swift Concert

November 17, 2011 by Amy 5 Comments

We’ve been planning this TS concert since the summer but then Taylor got sick and postponed. My girls super-duper love Taylor but I got an extra bonus when I found out Danny Gokey was her first opening act in Charlotte. Last minute, though, Lexi decided not to go. I still cannot explain why. She has yet to give any kind of explanation. So my niece happily stepped in her place and we were off.

The meet and greet with Danny was before the concert and it was odd because we were the only four there. We were in a small room. And to be honest it was fast and a little awkward. Normally Danny is super outgoing and talkative. I’m not sure if it was the kids or that his manager was in the room or he could sense that I got totally nervous. I’ve met Danny more times than I can count now and I really wasn’t nervous beforehand but I got super nervous when I saw him. I just know he was either nervous or something because he wasn’t quite as bubbly as he has been in the past. Anyway, he was still super gracious and took pictures with us and signed some stuff for us.

Remind me to burn that shirt and all it’s fluffiness, please. I promise my waist line is in there somewhere.

Danny opened and was superb. He sounded really solid but unfortunately was only given time for four songs. NeedtoBreathe was next. I saw them at Knights Castle after a baseball game a few years ago and that didn’t even compare to hearing them live in an arena. They sang all my favorite songs and were just a joy to listen to.

When Taylor came out, it was already passed the girls’ bedtime. They were slouching further and further down their chairs. But when she came out, they were beside themselves. Emma kept holding her arms close to her and smiling and alternately giving me hugs. You could see the pure joy on her face and it was a great moment.

Taylor is unbelievable in concert. The only other person I’ve seen that compares is Reba McEntire. Superb performer. Amazing sets. Amazing costumes. And really? Taylor sounded amazing.

A great, great night for us.

Future Classic: The Chicken Pot Pie Crust

November 15, 2011 by Amy 7 Comments

OK, so this is going to be funny. Hang in there.

This all started with this tweet last night:

And I was exhausted! But super proud of myself for thinking about dinner the night before. All it needed was the crust which was already frozen in a disc in the freezer. I even remembered to sit it in the fridge before I went to bed. Last night I asked Scott if he thought he could roll it out and put it on and have it in the oven 30 minutes before I got home from the office. He’s really good about cooking if you tell him what to do. I asked him if he wanted instructions then or wanted to do it over the phone while I was at work today. He brushed me off and said, “No, let’s deal with it tomorrow.”

This morning I emailed him instructions telling him lots of details like to sit it out on the counter so the butter would get to room temperature and put flour down and make sure to put slits in it, etc, etc. He never asked any questions.

So this afternoon I get a call while I’m talking to my manager. I ignore it. When I’m done, I call Scott back and he starts in on an aggravated (but not mad) rant. “This dough will not roll out right! It keeps breaking apart! Is it old or something?”

I said, “No, I just made the other half of that batch like 2 weeks ago and it was just fine. Maybe you put too much flour on it?”

Scott says, “No, I didn’t. Even before I started it was falling apart. I rolled it back in a ball and tried again but then as soon as I touched it, it fell apart. So I just picked it up in pieces and laid it on top. I just wanted you to know when you saw it.”

I said, “That’s fine, honey. We’ll still eat it.” And it really was fine. It was 5:00 by this time and I was stuck in traffic. I really didn’t care what it looked like. And I was super proud of him for doing it without grumbling. On the rest of the way home, I was just thinking about what a good guy he was and when I cut my piece out of the pie I would enjoy it so much more knowing that he had done that for us. Yadda. yadda.

Then I get another phone call before I get home. Scott says, “Was that sugar cookie dough you had in a cylinder tube in the freezer?”

It dawns on me immediately what he’s done. “Yes. You didn’t use that did you?”

Yes. He did. He didn’t read the email carefully so immediately went for the first frozen thing in aluminum foil in the freezer. Little did he realize I had already put the pie dough in the fridge so it was already thawed for him. He said he even checked the freezer up and down when it was flaking so badly and still didn’t see anything.

So he says, “It tastes pretty good though. I figured it out when I took a bite and it was so sweet.”

Holy cow. Funniest thing EVER.

Top Ten Signs of an Emotional Affair

November 15, 2011 by Amy 2 Comments

Are you unsure what an emotional affair is or wonder what one looks like? The following list is an excerpt from my eBook Entangled. It’s not an exhaustive list of ways to recognize if you’re in an emotional affair and there are many more details in the book. But if these spark something in you, I want to highly encourage you to read Entangled.

You think about him all the time.
Your daydreams are consumed with him.
Songs make you think of him. You may or may not share lyrics.
You write poems or stories reflecting feelings or fantasies.
You think of him when you dress or fix your hair.
You confess dreams or feelings for each other.
When you’re not together you remain connected. Your spouse is unaware.
You desire to see him or being where you know he will be.
You refer to each other as girlfriend/boyfriend or office wife/husband.
You wish you’d never met your husband or you fantasize his death.

You can check out more about the book at the site EntangledBook.com

This list is linked with Top Ten Tuesday over at ohamanda.com.

Entangled: The River

November 14, 2011 by Amy 4 Comments

God gave me something really cool this weekend regarding Entangled. Well, lot’s of things but I want to share this one. You’re going to have to read an excerpt of a chapter though to get the gist of it. The following is from the beginning of the Love chapter.

A flower, watered by the rain, grew on the side of the riverbank. When the rain stopped, it reached through its roots to the river. The flower bloomed like never before. In time, the river dried up and the flower wilted until the rain came back gently. However, the flower was the same as the others now, never blooming as it once had when fed by the river water.
That was the gist of a metaphorical short story I wrote the year after my affair ended. It defined how I felt about what had happened. Scott had been providing what I needed to survive. When his “love” felt like it ended, I started looking elsewhere to survive. This new person, the river, made me feel like I never had before. But that was temporary. Scott eventually began pouring his love out again and I could bloom once more. At the time I wrote the story, I just knew I would never feel complete.

I went on to talk about how our source of love should be from God and not man. I used the verse in John 15 where it talks about Jesus being the vine and us, the branches.

Now, before I sound like some disciplined saint, I have to be honest and say I have not been reading Scripture lately like I should be. Sure, I listen to sermons and music and read books but haven’t sat down with the Bible like I should be. All my extra time has been spent on launching this book. It’s no excuse, but true.

Last night my Bible opened to Jeremiah 17 and of course I recognized 17:9 so I decided to back up a bit and read what was leading up to that verse. And look!

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7, 8 NIV

I mean, are you for real? The same weekend I launch this thing he gives me a picture of the EXACT thing I had written years ago, for sinful purposes, at that. Another beautiful reminder of how our source of love is only in Christ. I love that it says in a year of drought, it never fails. Yes! When we have those times of drought when our marriages and relationships are suffering, if we are getting our love needs met through Him, we will not fail. In fact, the beginning of the passage says we’ll be blessed.

God is so cool.

If you want to read more from Entangled, please hop over to the site!