Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Now we are intimate friends....

Newsflash: I am busy. And uninspired. Therefore, I log on to facebook occassionally (read: every day more than once a day) to read about the uninspired things that other people are doing. (Laundry, school, "Oh, look at me, I just ran a marathon." Whatever.)

So, someone on Facebook tagged me to write 25 random things about me - and I thought..."Oooh, a lame, uninspired "filler" for my blog." So here it is:

25 Random things about the Maid: (This should hold you over until I get off of facebook long enough to find my list of 101 things in 1001 days! Wink.)

1) It took me more than twenty minutes to figure out how to do this. (Facebook is a mystery and tool of wonder.)

2) I have a Bachelors degree.

3) I pity the person who thinks they are better at Tetris than me.

4) If I wasn't pregnant or nursing a baby most of my life, I still probably wouldn't drink often. I don't hold my alcohol well, it makes me feel sick...and I don't like the taste of most of it. Margaritas and fluffy girl drinks are about my speed. (One at a time)

5) In light of number four, I'd rather eat my calories than drink them...alas the chocolate cake butt that I have carried around for at least 16 years. (Can I blame the teenager?)

6) I may or may not have gone pee in a parking lot of a hotel in my youth.

7) If it wasn't judgemental to say it, I would say that I hate judgemental people. I think that biblical discernment that you use in making your choices is one thing, but judging other people based upon their behavior or circumstances or even their appearance is LAME! I wish I was more like Jesus in accepting and seeking out the people that were different than myself and that needed His love the most!

8) I have been judged more than once. They were wrong.

9) I am the only child my mom had...that is why she made me have 8 grandkids for her. LOL

10) I don't ever want to be pregnant again.

11) I don't know how to cook. Really. I hate it.

12) I love going on dates with my husband. Especially when we have an adult babysitting and we can really relax.

13) Number 12 happens about once or twice a year.

14) I love listening to my 2 year old talk. He is amazing. And wild. And crazy. And funny. And a huge hazard to my health. (Did I mention he is wild?)

15) I don't like vegetables that have been cooked. (Unless they are in a crockpot with a roast...then they are yummy because they taste like meat.)

16) Every time I shop for groceries, I end up throwing something away. I hate that. (It is usually a vegetable.)

17) I have been told by my mom and my husband that I "have no compassion" when my kids get hurt. I wish they understood something about me - that it is how I cope...if I see that someone is hurt, I get scared and start thinking about the worst case scenario. When they turn out to be okay, well I am truly glad and relieved that they are okay, but then I get mad at them for being stupid enough to get hurt and making me worry. Make sense? (See, I really am a good mom. LOL)

18) I want to move where there is snow and rain along with the deadly, scorching, horrible heat we live with. Okay, I could live without the deadly heat.

19) I have lost 250 pounds. Unfortunately it has been the same 10 pounds 25 times.

20) I think that stretchy denim is one of the best modern inventions. (Read number 19)

21) I wish that Obama was not signing Pro-Choice documents and using tax-payer dollars to fund abortions.

22) I hate it when celebrities decide to play politics.

23) There is nothing quite so wonderful as clean sheets on your bed after taking a hot shower and putting on your pjs.

24) I want to get my master's degree and teach.

25) It truly is a sad day when you realize how fast time is passing you by and you have not accomplished all that you dream about. That being said...let's get off of facebook (computer/blogging) and get busy!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Laying it all out there...

Several bloggers I know have made lists of 101 things in 1001 days. I actually made a list on January 1st, but thought I might keep it private. I thought, maybe, that it was personal and something that was really nobody's business. I also thought that, by keeping it to myself, I would save myself an embarrassment or apologies if I didn't get around to those things.

Well...I have decided to lay it all out there...publish my list on this here blog and hopefully find support and friendships to spur me on!

As soon as I can find the list, I will post it.

Sad, huh?

I have a new list:

1) Find list of 101 things in 1001 days.
2) Type and post list on blog.
3) Hit the save button.
4) Hope the list "does" itself.
5) Medicate with food when I discover it doesn't.
6) Sigh.

:) That oughtta hold you over until I find said list. HA!

The Maid

PS - Anyone seen my list? Oh, and Sandra...I already checked under the bathroom rug.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Tattling

Have I ever mentioned before how much I hate tattling?

Just a couple of things I have heard today:

1) "Mom, _________ just told me she is going to fart on my bed."

My loving reply, "well at least you aren't in it, honey."

2) "_______ just picked her nose and ate it."

My response, "good, now I don't have to feed her dinner."


And as I ponder the day I have had, I can't help but pray for the future spouses of these delicate little flowers, these ladies. (And I use the term loosely.) And I might just throw a prayer up to heaven for myself...because somewhere in this house are the boogers that didn't get eaten. (I think I just threw up in my mouth.)

Sigh.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Happy New Year!

What a wonderful time of year! We can look forward to God's promises and a fresh start!

I want to encourage everyone to not only make resolutions in your physical world...but to do so in your spiritual life. God's word says in 1 Tim 4:8 "for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."

I have begun to realize as each year passes by, how very little our time is here on earth. With the passing of each of my children's birthdays, holidays, and school years, I come more to terms with the fact that my wish lists (i.e. resolutions) are quickly turned to regrets. Things I wished that I had done, improved, attempted, said, or prayed about have become my bucket of expired wishes. I don't want to live that way anymore. I really hope to tackle 2009 head on! I want to leap into the year with joy and enthusiasm, hope and faith. (Just a quick add on...I've begun to notice my own birthays are passing at the speed of light...and I feel as if not only does time fly, as the saying goes, but time also marches on...MY FACE! Can we say wrinkles boys and girls? But, back to my joy, hope, blah, blah, blah.)

This year, in fact, I think I will keep my wish list simple. Intentional. Things that I want to be and do well, not a list of physical changes I want to make to the person that God made me. In fact, most of you would agree that if we live intentionally for Christ, we will want to take care of the vessel that God gave us to tool around this earth in and the physical resolutions to get fit, lose weight, clean up our act, drop a bad habit or two, etc...will all take care of themselves.

I figured if I wanted my year to go better, I had to do better. So my list of 31 flavors...one for each day of every month...is below. I hope you will be inspired to try just one thing on the list yourself. We can make 2009 our best year yet!

Here are some of the maid's wishes from the happiness hotel: (in no particular order)

1) Support missions and missionaries in a meaningful way.
2) Kiss my kids, every single one of them, every day. (Yep, even you, teenager! Sorry.)
3) Say yes to my kids about something every day. (Just to the right things.)
4) Begin new family rituals...and make them special.
5) Unplug the phone at dinner.
6) Unplug the t.v. for a week.
7) Laugh every day! :)
8) Pray expectantly.
9) Give something away every day. Sometimes it will be a smile, sometimes a gift.
10) Hold my baby. A lot. He won't be little for long.
11) Don't think about house work while holding my baby.
12) Sing or put on music an dance when doing house work.
13) Sing and dance for no reason at all.
14) Stop yelling. Unless the house is on fire.
15) Complain less.
16) Worry less. (Eventually, maybe not at all!)
17) Don't compare myself, my life, my kids with anyone else...be uniquely me!
18) Learn to truly forgive myself and others.
19) Talk less, listen more.
20) Cook, bake, and eat without guilt.
21) Do everything without guilt! (Everything that God wants me to do, that is!)
22) Tithe faithfully.
23) Support and trust my husband more.
24) Take no for an answer. (Don't try to control/manipulate anyone.)
25) Say no...and let that be good enough. I don't have to do anything I don't want to do. (Except floss.)
26) Express gratitude every day...and don't forget to send thank you cards for kindnesses.
27) Begin and end my day with Jesus.
28) Get my Master's degree. Or at least start it.
29) Do more things out of love and not because I have to. (i.e. Serving my family, etc.)
30) Enjoy the journey. (I can do all things through Christ!)
31) Don't talk about people negatively.

That is a lot to chew on. I know. I am having a hard time swallowing it all myself. But guess what? I know I can do it. I also know that it is worth doing. My kids might just look back one day and remember me as that Godly, loving mom that had a gentle and quiet spirit...but I would settle for kids who called me on Mother's day. So...here goes my attempt at being the change that I want to see in the world. (Thanks Maya Angelou.)

Happy New Year!
The Maid