Coffee Talk 6.25.10

Good Morning, Ladies! Once again, it seems that it has been a long time. I hope everyone is doing well this week. Come on in and make yourself comfy. I am just having a little water this morning but you grab your drink of choice and let's visit!

This week has been a blessed reprieve in a crazy summer. We have had NOTHING planned. NOTHING! It has been heavenly. Monday...I was forced, by lack of toilet paper, to stop procrastinating and go to the grocery store. I don't enjoy the grocery store. I used to think it was crazy to have a grocery delivery service but now I can't think of anything more wonderful (and totally off the subject...I just managed to type the entire line above without a single i...how do you do that?). If we had such a service and I could afford it...oh the joy that would bring into this momma's heart! No whining and gnashing of teeth when we walked by the in-store McDonalds without purchasing a Happy Meal. No melt downs when I said no to the tenth box of sugar in a box (translate sweetened cereal). No begging for the new yogurt, cereal, poptarts, noodles, deodorant, or medicine that they saw advertised on TV and just HAVE to try! No two year olds trying to climb out of the buggy, press the buttons on the card machine or screaming like a limb is being removed as you try to check out. No going home to find that in the chaos of shopping, you came home with two bags of groceries not on your list and are missing 3 to 4 key ingredients for that night's supper! In fact, last night...I returned to the store (with only one child in tow) to pick up all the forgotten or restocked items I didn't get on Monday. Sadly, in a house of six, this scenario will have to be repeated next week...ugh!

The rest of the week has been delightful. We have cleaned house, purged some "stuff" to send to Goodwill, enjoyed fellowship of friends coming to swim, played the Wii with Daddy, and really just enjoyed the lazy days of summer (inside mostly or in the pool...cause it is HOT in TN right now!)

I finished an amazing book by David Platt called Radical. Super convicting. I am ready to sell all my possessions and move to a remote country and care for orphans...now I just need to get Tigerfan on board. Seriously, if you need some not so light summer reading, I really recommend the book, it will change how you see your Christianity!

Okay, I need to go be a mommy. One of the things I have loved about this slow week is just having time to play with and enjoy my children. We went to see Toy Story 3 yesterday, so cute! We did a little "photo shoot" of Dancer in her recital costumes and of course Tigercub had to get in on the fun and last weekend we hung out at City Museum in St. Louis so I am leaving you with a few pictures of the crew! Have a delightful weekend and be sure to check out Home Sanctuary for more Coffee Talk.

What You Should NEVER Tell Your Mother

Yesterday, the crew was sitting around the table at lunch. F.B. started kidding his Daddy about being fat. Because he does not have the best eating habits and has a strong dislike for anything in the fruit or vegetable group, I gave him this warning: "You better watch what you say, your day is coming!"

Tigerfan responded that indeed, he gained weight after he got older. In the cocky 13 year old way, F.B. said, yeah, but you said you were always husky. So, I got in on the action. I responded that I had been skinny as a rail growing up and into my early adulthood and look at me now. His response..."Mom, your not THAT fat!"

Love On a Dime by Cara Lynn James

Being a lover of reading, especially during the summer, I was thrilled to discover Booksneeze. It is a book review website that will send you FREE books in exchange for honest reviews about them. I couldn't resist the lure of free books and so, I got onboard. I recently received my first book and read it in two days while we were on a little weekend trip. If you need a little summer reading suggestion, read below:

Love On a Dime is a novel about a young, society lady in 1899 who hides her writing to avoid the judgement of the wealthy crowd she is a part of. Set in Newport, Rhode Island, the story sends you back to an era of propriety, balls, and social luncheons. Cara Lynn James has done a wonderful job of describing the plight of Lillian Westbrook as she deals with the repercussions of her decisions.

Being a lover of historical fiction, I found myself drawn into the descriptions of times past. I loved the contrasts between the social elite and the “working class” that were so prevalent during this time. The characters fit well and I found myself drawn into their stories. I tend to stay away from these christian romances because I often find the heroes of these stories too perfect, however, Jack was a great hero in his humanness. He was imperfect, and I like that.

This book was a great, light, summer read. Not only was it a fun, entertaining story, but the spiritual lessons that were woven throughout have really challenged me in some areas of my own life. If you enjoy a historical romance, I would recommend this novel.

This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson Publishing in exchange for a review.

Coffee Talk 6.4.10

Good Morning ladies!

I hope everyone is doing well. I would like to offer you a delicious treat...but in all that has been going on lately, I have found myself being a little too generous in allowing myself to "cheat" on my new eating plan. So I have gotten rid of most of the "goods" and you will have to be happy with some water or almond milk or a chocolate chip cookie dough Poptart...cause that holds NO temptation for me!

We have enjoyed what has actually felt like the first week of summer this week! Tigerfan stayed home Monday for Memorial day and we enjoyed a nice traditional meal of Mexican food at a local restaurant. Okay, maybe not traditional...but no one had to cook and that was lovely!

We finally got our pool opened and the chemicals regulated so the kids had a great time swimming yesterday. We had a total of nine children over here swimming yesterday and it was great...that is summer! Today, Tigerfan's sister is coming for a visit and we have dress rehearsal for Dancer's recital which is tomorrow. It promises to be a busy week!

I have actually done two days of small things (amazing) although I searched high and low for something that required fixing with a power tool and couldn't find a thing. Then I woke up at 5:00 a.m. this morning and thought about the drain in our bathtub. Shoot, too little too late.

I have just begun reading a book called Organic God. I have only just begun but it is SO good. I am learning so much, already, about the God I have worshipped, but maybe not really known intimately for many years. I have had a lot of "inspiration" that I hope to share eventually, but my thoughts aren't quite there yet. I was hit with a lovely gift from God yesterday that I would like to share. I have been struggling lately trying to really understand or embrace how God really loves me. Ya know. I haven't "arrived", I still struggle, and I wonder how God can really love that. I don't pray like I should. I don't trust like I should. I don't have the unshakeable faith that I should. So yesterday, I was praying about that. Praying that I would be ture and faithful and really KNOW Him. Two different times, in two totally different circumstances, the words of these verses smacked me in the face. I have read them probably a hundred times with out really letting them sink in, but yesterday...they began to sink!

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:16-19

I'm not sure I will ever truly grasp how wide and long and high and deep God's love for me is until I dwell with Him in Heaven. But these words are so beautiful and so encouraging. I don't know that any of you ever struggle with this like I have, but if you do, ladies...be encouraged. Don't just gloss over those words you have read over and over again. Read them and savor them and chew on them for awhile. He loves YOU. Deeply and passionately and perfectly and He wants you to know that!

Okay, I have restless children that need a Momma. I have been convicted lately that I haven't taken the time to enjoy life. I have run around from one event to another and the last year has passed by in a blur with few memories or joys. I have forgotten to just take time to be still and find the funny in the chaos. When I first began posting, I could find a funny story every single day to post about the life and times in the Tigerden and I have lost the ability to find the funny. So I am trying to be more intentional about it. So (drumroll please) this is mostly for my distant family that may be reading, but for the rest of you, enjoy a few moments of entertainment from BB, he is enjoying playing with the video features of the new Mac computer, I am not enjoying it, I do not know how to use it...these moments are endless around here!

Have a great weekend! For more Coffee Talk, go to Home Sanctuary.