ABCs of Me: Love, Love Love

This ABC is L for love!  Love is so important!  If we do things without love for one another, then what is the good in doing it?  Love Loud Nicaragua is my topic for this month's post. 

Izzy and I have prayed about it and we have decided to go to Nicaragua on a mission trip in February.  The country of Nicaragua is the 2nd poorest country in the western hemisphere(behind Haiti).  Most people there live on less than $2 a day!  Most of us drink coffee that is more expensive than that.  We are going with a team to minister to those in need.  We will serving food to those living in a garbage dump(see above pic).  We will be having backyard Bible clubs and helping to refurbish a school there.  They asked for bookshelves and Christian books to put on those shelves.  I cannot wait to go.

When God called me, I was like BUT God....we don't have the money.  We are recovering from being un and underemployed for 5 years.  We need to do this and to do that, first.  God said, "Trust Me.  I have called you and I will equip you."  Yes, Lord!  Here am I, send me!  I want to have a willing heart to serve these people that most Americans know little of.  The American church is not present in a big way down there.  We want to bring hope to a nation that has very little hope.

All that said to say, we need YOU!  "Why?," you might ask!
1st Pray Pray Pray!  We need prayer!  Where light is to be shown, the darkness doesn't like to be exposed.  Safety in travel.  Passports to be gotten.  Money to be raised!

2nd Donations.  We are taking tax deductible donations that may be donated to

                 1st Baptist Church Hendersonville

312 5th Ave West

Hendersonville, NC 28739

Please put Sarita Edgerton Nicaragua in the memo.

                There are several fundraisers.  I will  be rolling out those in the next couple of days.

If you are local, we are having a car wash in the Blue Ridge Mall parking lot near 1st Citizens on Saturday 10/19 from 9-1.  Donations welcome.

Another opportunity is for you to buy a Christmas tree from us.  We are getting them from a Jackson County man and they will be delivered on Monday 11/25 from 4-8.  There are 4 sizes and 4 prices for these beautiful Fraser Fir trees

5-6 Ft $35          6-7 Ft $40      7-8 Ft $46                 8-9 Ft $55

These are competitive prices and they are local!

Please, feel free to pass this on to anyone you know who might be interested in helping us make our goal of $2000 for the trip.
Thank you for Loving Loud for Nicaragua!




Check out my other posts for ABCs of Me

ABCs of Me: Kharma, Kharma, Khameleon

     I believe in kharma.  I am not a believer in the actual definition of KHARMA which is actions and beliefs of a person including their previous lives affect their current existence.  I don't believe that there is a such thing as a previous life.  I AM a believer in the current cultural definition which is what goes around comes around.  What we put out there comes back to us.  If we are negative, then negative comes back to us.  If we are bad, then bad things come to us.  The Bible puts it this way, what you sow, you will reap.  I believe that!  That philosophy doesn't always explain why cheaters advance or murderers go free.  I believe that ultimately we have to answer to God for what we do or don't do.
    I try to teach my children to treat others better than they would themselves want to be treated.  This is not the golden rule.  It is the platinum rule!  We don't always want to be treated well.  That is why we abuse our bodies with alcohol or drugs or sex or cutting.  We want to punish ourselves or cover up our flaws or hurts or faults.  Thus, treat others better than we treat ourselves.  Do you want someone to be kind to you?  Be kinder to them than they may deserve.  Do you want someone to help you?  Help out someone else!  What you sow, you reap!  The Father in Heaven sees you and knows the intentions of your heart.  Thus, we should do everything tempered with love.  Without love, we do things with a selfish motive.  What will this get me, if I do XYZ? 
    Christ did everything with love.  He came to earth because He loves us!  He endured beatings and mocking because He loves us!  He survived temptation in the desert and the separation from His Father because He loves us!  What did that love get Him?  The earth is His footstool.  He gets to sit at the right hand of God.  He gets to fellowship in Heaven with those whom He loves and believe in Him!  Bonus: we get Heaven and eternal life!  All we have to do is believe!  The rest of the work is done for us.  Christ treated us better than we deserved and better than we treated Him.  The Platinum Rule!  We must follow in His footsteps!  I am!  My children are!  Are you?





I have made it all the way to the letter K in the blogging through the alphabet challenge with Proverbs31Mama

ABCs of Me: Joy, Joy Joy

        My focus for 2013 has been finding joy. Joy in the journey.  Joy in all things, both good and bad.  I have felt so passionate about it that I led a devotional for my home school board and that became the theme for our school year as an association: Finding Joy in the Journey, Romans 15:13.

        Joy is easy to find when times are easy.  The kids are doing well in school.  All the bills are paid.  Your husband loves you.   Your family isn't crazy.   You are never sad or lonely or depressed or stressed.  Joy is so easy! 

        What about the times that aren't so easy?  What about these situations?

             Depression, job loss, divorce, abandonment, unplanned pregnancy, whiny kids, crazy family, stress, loneliness, or death?  

         How do you find joy in those situations?  How can you possibly feel happy when all that is going down?  First off, joy and happiness are not the same things!  Happiness is a feeling, a reaction to something.   Joy is a state of mind, a state of being, a choice!   You can control that!

         So, what are some practical ways that you can find joy?  When the kids are whiny, praise God that you have them and can hold them and dissolve the whininess.  I know parents who cannot see or hold their children or even have them.  Joblessness is difficult!  I have been there.  My husband has been under or unemployed for over 5 years.  We have had a tough time but I am thankful for the struggle because it made me appreciate the good times!  I have experienced so many hard things in my life.  Things that would make your toes curl and heart ache.  I have spent many years being a slave to those things.  I decided that I would take my dark thoughts and turn them into joy. 

        I had an abortion.  Where is the joy in that?  God chooses to use my story to help others.  Crazy family! Yep!  It makes me appreciate what normal looks like. 

        Where can you find the joy? Dirty dishes? You had food to eat!  Long day at work with a tough boss or rude customers? You have a job in an economy when so many do not.  

        Joy! I challenge you to find it this week or even just today!  Like a muscle, it needs exercising!

ABCs of Me: Ice, Ice, Ice Baby

No, I know! Those are not the words to the song but I am taking a little writer's liberty on this to fit the parameters of my blog post during my trip through the alphabet.  This week is I! We have been learning about the Ice Age and how it could have happened and what conditions would need to exist for it to come about and that led to glaciers and icebergs and a fun cool experiment.  I am teaching my kids that the Ice Age came about after the Great Flood of Noah's time.  The conditions would be ripe for a global ice age to cover the earth.  I, also, am teaching them about what evolutionists believe and why I believe my theory to be more accurate. I want them to know both ideas and then form their own conclusions.  Here are the 2 theories:

Evolution

It claims that there were slow climate changes that happened that resulted in many cycles of ice age and then warm up, ice age, warm up.

Creationist

It claims that there was a very warm time followed by One Great Ice Age. This is explained by the time leading up to Noah and the Great Flood and the Flood and then the Ice Age.

Whatever you believe, there was at least 1 ice age.  There is evidence to support that.  Scientists disagree with the fossils and how to date them(give them age not take them to Dinner and a movie).  But, they do agree with the conditions needed for an ice age to occur:  cooler summers and wetter winters with tons of snow falling.  The snow would come down and never completely melt in the summer and then fall again accumulating over the past year and so forth and so on until there was an enormous amount of snow that compacted and turned to ice..  The biblical account of the world wide flood would account for those conditions as the amount of evaporation that took place would produce much more snow and rain. There is some belief(on both sides) that volcanic eruptions spewed ash into the air blocking out a lot of the light from the sun and thus causing much cooler temps.  This, in turn, would cause an ice age on a global scale.

My kids and I, after studying and theorizing on it, gathered sand and dirt and pebbles and leaves and placed them in a cardboard OJ container.  They filled it with water and put it in the freezer.  After a few days, we took it out onto a hill in our yard.  The cardboard was peeled away leaving us a glacier.  We hypothesized about what would happen as our glacier moved over the earth and came to rest and began to melt.  Happy learning!

ABCs of Me: Helping Haiti Heal

Our dear friends, Nicky, Christy, Xander, and Ellie Runk have been called to the mission field of Haiti.  Haiti is a dry, desolate country of about 10.1 million people.  It shares a border and an island with the Dominican Republic.  The DR is a lush, beautiful, tourist destination.  There are rain forests and crops and resorts and many people from all over the world come and visit this part of Hispanola.  It has roughly the same climate and number of inhabitants but why the difference from its neighbor?  The belief is that Haiti is the only country in the world to have been dedicated to Satan.  On August 14, 1791, some people say that voodoo priests met and made a pact with the Devil that if he would help them expel the French, then they would serve him.  I don't know if that is true.  I can only tell you what my missionary friends, The Runks, tell me.
Haiti is full of starving people and desolate lands.  The people have burned the ground all over the country for their crops all the way up the sides of the mountains eliminating trees and flowers and shrubs.  Green things(not talking aliens here) are necessary parts of our ecosystem.  They are needed for oxygen(you know, breathing) and for helping with the rain and thus irrigation of crops which provide food for people.  My friends say that this is the place where hope is lost.  There is even the term that Haiti is where missionaries go to die.  Meaning that they lose their passion for spreading the gospel in the shadow of so much need. 
On a daily basis, families must decide which kid will eat and which kid will starve that day.  They, often, have no shoes and very little clothes.  They live in hovels with sewage running in the street and where gangs and corruption run rampant.
The Runks, serving a group called Global Outreach, were called to Haiti about 3 years ago on a full-time basis after Nicky going on several short mission trips.  They live on a compound and Nicky goes out and drills wells for people in the surrounding communities.  He helps teams provide life giving water for the people while sharing with them the soul saving Living Water.  Global Outreach runs a burn clinic on the compound.  Many children suffer severe burns on their bodies due to cooking over open fires while their parents are out working or searching for work or water.  There is also a school for children so that they can learn to read and write.  They get clothes and at least 1 meal a day.  They provide training for pastors from all over Haiti on how to share the gospel.  There is, yet, another ministry that provides bags of beans and rice for the elderly who are kicked out of their homes and communities and are homeless.  They are deemed worthless. 
The Runks love the Haitian people and want to serve them.  I tried to post a video but couldn't figure out how to embed it so here is a picture of the family. You can friend them on Facebook to see the video or see it on my page.  I shared it as well.

Would you consider coming alongside of this family as they drill wells, feed people, heal people, and love the Haitian people?  Any donation will help as it costs a fortune to live in this extremely poor country.  They have stepped out in faith to obey God's call.  Go to their website RunkMissionHaiti and find more details.  We love this family and know they hearts and how they ache for this tiny, 5th world country.  They are doing what so many people won't.  They are helping those less fortunate.  When you give to Global Outreach with the Runks, they get 100% of the donation.  May God bless you for prayer.  Pray for them and pray for the country.

Hop over to Proverbs31Mama for a blog hop that will blow your mind!

ABCs of Me: Goofy, Geeky, and Grateful

We are plugging along with this alphabet hop.  Now, onto the letter "G".  I chose the 3 words, goofy, geeky and grateful.  Why these 3?  They describe my family and me to a T or should I say a G.

Goofy

We are a goofy bunch!  All of us like to be silly!  There is a lot of laughter, teasing, joking, and joshing in our home.  My hubby and I are constantly ribbing on one another and teasing the kids.  When they were little, sometimes, they wouldn't get "it".  The fact that we were having fun and not being serious went completely over their heads.  As they grow older, they are learning that most of the time, we are joking around or being silly.  They are learning to be the same way.  Laughter is something you will here at our home.  We are trying to be a family that laughs together instead of fighting.  They say that kids laugh over 400 times a day while adults only 4!  I don't know who that they is but they have not been in our home.  I prefer to think of it as laughter is the best medicine.  We will laugh ourselves healthy!  Are you goofy?  Do you ever just act plain silly?  Do people roll their eyes at you?  Try it!  You might like it!

Geeky

I have to say that I never thought I would be attracted to a geek.  As my hubby says, a geek is a nerd with social skills.  My hubby does not border or weird geeky but cool geeky.  He knows his way around a computer.  If something goes wrong with mine, he can fix it.  I think that is a wonderful skill to have.  He likes to play video games and board games.  I like to play board games but my hubby plays games like Axis and Allies, Stratego, and Islands(a game he and his friends invented).  They get together twice a year for a Geek Weekend.  That is what I call it.  They call it war weekend, whatever!  My hubby is, also, wired to be able to fix other stuff.  Our fridge is 13 years old.  It breaks down a lot.  We could use a new one.  He keeps fixing it so I don't get a new one.  Same with the van!  It is a 1999.  It wouldn't start every other time I went out to it.  I would have to jiggle a wire for it to start.  He replaced it and fixed it.  He has fixed blown gaskets and exhaust thingys.  It has over 225,000 miles on it!  Think we can make 300,000?  That brings me to lawn equipment.  We cannot get any new lawn mowers!  He will work to fix what we have!  Our John Deere is over 25 years old and he and his dad get it running.  I know that this saves money but I can never get them started!  All that said, I love being married to my geeky, brainy, Mr. Fix It hubby!  He uses his brain and according to Ashton Kutcher, that is sexy!

Grateful

I am grateful for so many things!  I am glad that my husband can fix anything!  I am grateful for my goofy, silly family!  I love that God can use my childhood and my bad decisions for a good purpose.  I relish in the fact that I am not defined by my past.  I am grateful for Heaven and that I get to go there.  I am excited to throw my arms around my baby when I get there.  I am grateful for those who read my blog and find me to be funny or enlightening.  I try!

Head over to Proverbs 31 Mama for the list of other blogs to read!

ABCs of Me: Family, Friends, and Flaws and 40(almost)

In my alphabet pursuit, I am up to the letter "F".    My hubby turns 40 next week and I am chasing him quickly.  I will hit this milestone in February.  Here are some observations as I begin to reflect on my life.

Family
Family is usually stressful and crazy.  But, family in whatever form is family.  Family is the foundation of your identity, your place in the world, and your physical characteristics.  Sometimes, our foundation is not stable.  Luckily, God can come in and repair the foundation and help us to build a more stable edifice in which to house our lives.  The family in which I grew up was/is crazy and weird and not always edifying but I have taken the love, the insanity, and the values and used them along with my husband's to build our little family.  We can't wait to see what our kids say about us once they grow up.  The American dream is to make our children's lives better than our own.  I want our children to have more love, more stability, less crazy, and more surety in who they are than I had(and I had quite a bit of all of that).  We may shelter them and keep from them some of the most crazy stuff, but that is so that they won't have the burden of growing up knowing what it is like to be unwanted and unloved.

Friends
When I was little, my mom said that I never met a stranger.  I would come home from a week at the beach with a new friend.  I never had trouble making friends.  As I got older, the process got harder and as I am approaching mid-life, it is darn near impossible to make and maintain friendships.  With kids and jobs and marriage, adults have very little extra energy to cultivate friendships.  If you move around, then you can often feel isolated.  Differences in lifestyles and jobs can cause a rift in friendships or place stress on relationships.  I am blessed to have some wonderful women in my life who are dear friends.  I know that I can call on them anytime that I need to do so!  What are you doing to cultivate friendships in your life?

Flaws at 40
I chose flaws because we should always look to improve ourselves.  But, aside from being neurotic and pushy and bossy and over sensitive, I like who I am now better than I did when I was 20.  At 20, I had no idea who I was nor did I like myself.  At 30, I was maturing and learning to love myself and love others.  At 40, I am much more fit and fun than I have ever been.  I can run farther and I eat healthier!  Granted, I am in a little more pain and I can't eat as much as I used to and my bladder is well, we as women all know ;).  Let's face it, I look at cake or pizza and gain weight.  I am smarter and have more common sense than I ever have!  I am enjoying life and can't wait to  see what my 5th decade brings!

Hop over to Proverbs 31 Mama for her blog hop! 

ABCs of Me: Exceptionally Eager and Easy Expectations

We began school this week and so far my students have been exceptionally eager and easy.  I spent 2-3 days the week before copying and punching holes and getting notebooks ready.  Then, last Friday, I met with each student and gave them their curriculum.   We discussed what was expected of them.  They had to fill in their calendars with what they are to do.  They have sheets for weekly planners where they filled in what they were to do each day.  I figured out some years ago that my kids love a to do list.  Well, this way each child has their own to do list for everyday.  They mark out when they have done a subject with either a check mark or an X or even using a sticker.  This has made life so much more simple.  Even my Kindergartner has a planner.  I did this one.  It tells him what pages to do in his book and what to read.  It tells him what to read(or have me read) and what the letter of the week is.  We discussed that he may work ahead but not fall behind unless he is sick.  He is already moving ahead and exceeding my expectations. 

My older ones are loving this freedom and as long as they master 95% of what the material that they study, they have freedom to learn.  Not mastering it means that I come back in and reteach the material.  More than a few times of lower than 95% mastery, we will sit down and discuss what needs to be done to get them back to mastering their curriculum.  I believe that giving them this freedom is helpful for them to become self-motivated.  I will not be going to college or to work with them to motivate them.  That motivation has to come from within themselves.  I am glad to see that when I come downstairs with my coffee that my kids have finished more than 1/2 their work without my having to pester or nag.  They will be rewarded for their behavior accordingly.  If they finish their work, then we have time for field trips and play dates and fun times.
I didn't come up with these ideas all on my own.  I was doing some of it before I met Joanne Calderwood at a local home school convention.  She is the mom who says on her website, URtheMom.com

 "Welcome, Y'all!

My name is Joanne Calderwood,
and I am an underwhelmed Mom of eight kids."

I resonated with that!  I wanted to be underwhelmed not overwhelmed.  I spent the 1st few years being exhausted and feeling like I was running behind and schooling while nursing or pregnant or sick and well, being overwhelmed.  I sat in on her seminars and bought her book The Self-Propelled Advantage.  I got to sit down with her during the convention and talk to her.  I loved how real she is and how I wanted my kids to have what her kids have.  With that in mind, I devoured that book and highlighted it and wrote in it.  I was pleased to see that I was doing over 1/2 what she laid out in the book.  I just had a little more to go.  
I don't do everything that she does because we are different.  I still read the Bible with my kids every morning and we do 2 other subjects together(science and history).  But, after my short time of teaching(20 minutes max),  they are responsible for the experiments and timelines and worksheets, etc.  As they grow and they become interested in different things, they can choose to study what they want.  I want them to tailor their education according to their personalities and their likes and dislikes.  I want them to WANT to learn and not consider it drudgery.

  This is my "E" post and I am a week late but getting ready, set, go for school and then we had a stomach bug so I guess better late than never!  Join Proverbs 31 Mama  for some more great blogs hopping along with us!

I was in no way compensated for my review of Joanne's book or website(other than personal gratification).  I am boasting about it because I think she and they are amazing so you should believe me even more cause I ain't got paid! 

ABCs of Me: Dinners, Daughters, and Dating

On this blogging journey with Proverbs 31 Mama and others, I have begun to discover things about myself and them along the way.  This week has been hectic.  I have been doing all my planning for the 1st quarter of school this week.  A lot of work, at first, but less work during the actual term.  Middle school(for my oldest) is daunting to say the least.  Anyway, I digress.  Here is my "D" post!

Dinners

Now, I am Southern and proud of it and we say supper but supper doesn't begin with a d so dinner it is.  I love food and I love to eat.  I haven't always loved to cook but as I have matured, I have learned that there is nothing better than watching your family love something that you created for them with love.  I am no Julia Child.  I am more like Paula Deen minus the scandal.  We like our chicken fried and our tea sweet and cold.  That being said, I thought I would list some of my family's favorites.

1. Fried chicken strips.
        Marinate the chicken in Webers herb and white wine marinade for at least an hour. 
        Coat in flour or House Autry chicken dredge.  Cook in about 1 inch of Canola oil until
        brown.  Place on paper towel to dry.  Serve with veggies or over salad.

2. Spaghetti
       My sauce has ruined spaghetti for my kids anywhere else.  Check it out here

3. Salsa
       The freshest, most delicious salsa and it is simple, too.  Find it here

4. Braised pork chops(or anything)
      This is a no brainer.  Whatever meat you choose, chicken breasts(with bone), pork
       chops, ribs, etc, will come out so tender and this is too easy.  Don't tell anyone.
      In a large baking pan, place meat.  Season with salt and pepper and garlic powder.
      Add a little liquid until it fills the bottom about 1/4 inch.  Cover tightly with foil.
     Place in an oven on 300 for about 4 hours.  The smell will drive you mad!


Daughters

Having daughters is amazing!  They see things so differently than boys.  They are a tremendous responsibility!  We have lost the desire for women to be ladies in our society and I find that tragic.  What is wrong with being both soft and strong at the same time?  If it works for Viva paper towels, can't it work for our daughters?  I want to raise my daughters to find their self-worth in their identity in Christ.  I don't want them to compare themselves to those emaciated women on the covers of magazines.  I want them to embrace the bodies that they were given, warts and all.  I want that for myself.  That brings me to my 3rd "D"....

Dating

Boy, am I glad I don't have to be out in the dating world right now!  Seems like a lot of work.  I feel for my daughters and sons as they come of age to date at around 30 ;).  I am so glad that my husband has the gift of discernment because I always wants to see the good in people and often overlook danger.  Beware those who come a calling for my children.  There are some rules that are non-negotiable for dating/courting my babies.  You don't comply, you don't date him/her.  Period!  But, we have many years until they are 30.  We have some time to get used to the idea!

Hop over and check out the other ladies!  Have a great weekend!

ABCs of Me: Cussing, Carolina, & Coffee

My past posts on this blogging journey have been pretty intense. For the letter C, I thought I would lighten it up a little bit!  If you missed the last 2, you can see them here and here. You can read the others traveling on the journey with me at Proverbs 31 Mama.  Here we go!

Cussing

I dislike cussing or cursing, whichever you might say.  So many people just let the words fly in their everyday vernacular and they never realize that they are even saying it.  What happened to the days when men didn't use foul language around women?  I guess that respect for others has gone down the drain.  That being said, when I ask people at work to control their cussing, they do respect me enough to try.  One girl even introduced me to her friends as the woman trying to change the world 1 tongue at time.  This type of language can be effective.  If people heard me utter words like that, they would back up and know I mean business.  But, when you drop the "F" bomb like you would the word "the," the effect is lost.

 Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.   Ephesians 4:29

Carolina

I was born in North Carolina and grew up since 4 in South Carolina!  I am a Carolina girl in my heart, born and bred.  I love my North Carolina Tarheels and pull for the South Carolina Gamecocks except when they play my Heels.  I know my history of both states.  I am proud of my southern accent and I can place a SC accent to within 50 miles.  I have no desire to live any farther north or south.  I love when people tell me that I sound southern.  Well, I am!  I may sound quaint or stupid depending on who is commenting but I still love the sound of a southern accent over any other one in the nation.  No offense to any other states but I think that the Carolinas are the best 2 in the union.  We have beaches, mountains, rivers, and, of course, Pepsi, fried chicken, Low Country boils, and grits.  Bless your hearts!

Coffee

I like, nay, love coffee.  I can't start my day without it!  Danger to those who encounter me before I have had it!  Just kidding(maybe)!  Coffee is wonderful!  I want to drink it so hot that it burns going down.  I will drink it black or with creamer.  I will not drink it cold!  Cold coffee drinks are an abomination and I avoid them at all costs.  I found a lump in my breast several years ago and the doctor suspected that it was a cyst.  He advised me to go without caffeine for a few weeks.  Everyone in my home was miserable!  Am I addicted?  Maybe but I can stop.  I really can! 

If you blog and want to join up with us, please do so!  I am going to go and enjoy this beautiful Carolina day with a cup o' Joe!

ABCs of Me: Beauty, Brain, and Brawn

Beauty, brain, & brawn.  Can anyone person have all 3 of those?  I think so!  And if you don't mind me saying so, I think I have all 3!  Now, I am not bragging but I have been on a long journey to come to these 3.  While I am still growing and developing, I have a great start on beauty, a brain, and brawn.

Brawn

Brawn is defined as muscular strength.  When I was a teen and into my 20s, I was skinny, super skinny.  I looked great in clothes and could eat anything I wanted.  But coming into 25-30, I realized that eating like that was no longer possible.  After having kids, the words super skinny would never ever define me again!  I gained a bunch of weight but decided that I could work it off.  I began to run, do squats, lift weights and eat properly.  What happened?  Well defined shoulders and arms and toned calves and butt are what happened!  While I came to grips with the scale and its failure to say what I wanted it to say, I gained muscle and strength.  At 18, I couldn't do a push up or pull up.  At almost 40, I can!  I can run 5 and 10Ks and mud runs.  I am stronger, physically, than I was 20 years ago!  Brawn?  Yes, I have it!

Brain

I hate it when people say, I have brains!  No, you have 1 brain unless you have 2 heads!  Anyway, I digress!  I have a brain!  Yes, I do!  I have always been smart especially where books are concerned.  I, also, have drive and determination.  If I fail at something the 1st time, I will work and work until I get it.  As I am aging, I find that my brain power where people are concerned is growing.  I have never been a good judge of people.  I  was always too trusting and quick to see the best in everyone.  I have learned that what people put forward is not always the truth.  It is the truth that they want you to see.  I have become better at reading people.  I am still good with trivia, puzzles, and I am still a voracious reader.  My brain is constantly in use and that is a good thing!  I don't think that some people ever use theirs, but again, I digress!

Beauty 

I have never been what people consider beautiful.  My mom told me I was beautiful and I believed her because she is my mom and she wouldn't lie to me.  Guys told me I was beautiful but there was usually something that they wanted from me.  I never really thought I was beautiful, inside or out.  I struggled with beauty for the better part of my life.  That struggle stemmed from my belief that beauty was only physical.  As I began to develop my brain, I realize that I wasn't pretty inside.  I was damaged, hurt, and scarred and that wasn't attractive.  As the Lord began to heal me from these scars and all the damage, I began to feel worthy and like I have value.  God began to show me where He called His masterpiece(Eph 2:10).  I am something of value!  So valuable, in fact, that He sacrificed His only Son so that I could live!

As my value and beauty became less distorted, my view in the mirror became less distorted.  I began to see myself through His eyes.  The extra pounds?  Those were gained while having my babies.  The scars on my abdomen?  Those were gained so that my children(and I) could live.  My freckles and wrinkles?  Signs that I have sat in the sun and laughed.  Breasts that aren't as perky as they used to be?  I was able to feed all 4 of my living children with them.  I am so blessed and God didn't make me to be junk.  I am a masterpiece, His workmanship.  Worth more than a Van Gogh, Renoir or Picasso.  Yes, little ol' Southern me!

The last piece fell into place when I had my 2nd daughter.  People tell me that she looks so much like me.  If I say that I am ugly, then what does that say about her?  She is so stunning!  I don't want her to have that distorted, damaged view of herself.  I want her to see her value from the get go.  Finding healing in this area will help my children see their beauty.  I am beautiful!

Beauty, brain, and brawn.  Yes, we all have them.  They just need to be honed and discovered!  We are all creations of the Great Creator.  He doesn't make junk!  We just take His masterpiece and paint over it with our own finger paints and watercolors.  Can you imagine doing that with the Mona Lisa?  No!  Why do we do it with God's work?  What are you doing to allow God to clean up the canvas?  Have you discovered your 3Bs?


If you missed my Letter A from last week, click here.  I am blogging through the alphabet with Proverbs 31 Mama.  Check her out along with all the other bloggers who are on this journey!  You might just find some great recipes and great stories!

ABCs of Me

VoiceBoks is having an event so that the bloggers on there can get to know each other better. It is called ABCs of Me. I will try to keep it to a minimum of words(yeah, right). Read to Z and you might learn some things about me that you didn't know!


A-adopted at age 5

B-beautifully made by God

C-Christ follower

D-different because of Christ(just ask those who knew me before meeting HIM)

E-educated despite what people think when they hear that I wait tables

F-firm. I have been working out and have muscles for the 1st time in 37 years!

G-gregarious....I can overwhelm people sometimes!

H-hopeful

I-Internet non-savvy....is that a word?

J-Jesus freak

K-kind

L-lover of my husband and kids

M-mommy

N-naps....I love them!

O-out going!

P-passionate about my passions

Q-quick witted

R-raised by grandparents...see "A"

S-sarcastic at times....Southern belle all the time

T-transformed

U-unique

V-voracious reader

W-witty

X-eXhausting....you will be tired being my friend

Z-zonked out...or at least I wish I could most nights before midnight!