An almost free date night...

I have been waiting for this night all week long. The anticipation was almost more then I could bear... Date Night. Not just any date night - but, the first one since the summertime. Yea, it's been awhile. With all of the transitions and moving once and then again - life just got real crazy real fast. I've missed dating my hubby, a lot. Life can be so consuming sometimes and I was just looking forward to 2 hours of just Brad n' I time...no baby, no house, no routine tv shows before bed, etc.

So, at 7pm tonight I put the Ava girl to bed, welcomed our FREE babysitter (yea, she's awesome!) and headed out for a night on the town. Of course, that couldn't have been a smooth transition. And of course Ava didn't go down to sleep easily, as she does EVERY other "normal" night of her life. She cried, and cried, fussed and hissed until I had to go back in, pick her up to calm her down, then attempt the "bedtime routine" again. Followed by more crying, fussing, kicking the bed. She NEVER does that... So I whispered a quick prayer asking for patience and a miracle to lay this girl down quietly so I could go out with my hubby. As I was closing her door amidst her cries (heart wrenching) I heard her sigh as if she was giving in..."Thank you, Lord". After 23 minutes of trying to leave - out the door I went.

It almost felt weird to be in the car alone with just Brad. Strange not to have to reach behind me at awkard angles to replace pacifiers or hand stuffed animals or rattles to someone fussing. There was no "kids sing praise" music playing or me saying, "Mommy is going to the ______" (where ever we go I try to talk Ava through it...she likes car convos). It was just me and the love of my life - alone (sigh) at last. We had a plan - bowling and then starbucks on the way home. Here's where the free part comes in...

Here in IA there is a hair cutting place that gives out "1 free game" tickets to a local bowling alley per haircut. So, at Brad's last appointment he grabbed a few just in case we were ever able to go. So, we bowled three games! And two of those were free! Total cost = $10 for the shoes/bowling! We can do $10! It really was so much fun. I won a game, he won 2. It was great just to reconnect, doing something we used to do pre-marriage and pre-baby. I loved the high fives, fist bumps and clapping every time someone got a strike! Which, by the way... I think Brad got like 4 in a row at one point. Part of me (the strange part) kind of felt sad - I miss this about us. I kind of miss the "just us" every now and again. I love being a momma and wouldnt trade it for the world...but there is something so special about the husband/wife relationship, and in the mix of raising our 1st baby I'm afraid I've gotten caught up so much in babyhood...miss my Bradley.

(Ahem, mushy..... sorry)

After our last bowling game we headed over to Starbucks. This was the second part of our FREE date. You see, we buy whole beans to grind at home...and we are fairly particular about the brews we buy. Starbucks usually makes its appearance. When you buy the whole bean bags @ the grocery store you will see a little note at the top of the bag that says, "return this bag to any Starbucks for a free cup of coffee". Score! So, I had two empty bags ready to be redeemed and no better time then our "almost free date" to use them. :) Almost free again, because, well...they had those amazing pumpkin muffins. You know, the kind with the cream cheese center and baked pumpkin seeds on top... yea, those. So, $4 for muffins. But still - that brings our entire date to a whopping $14!!! In my opinion - you can't beat it! We settled in on the comphy velvet chairs and had some good conversation about ministry, family and our upcoming vacay to FL. It was then I had a chance to just watch Brad, uninterrupted. He's handsome...and intelligent, and passionate and wise. I missed him. And, now that I again had the taste of "date night" I want to make it a goal to do this as often as possible, whether "almost free" or not.

A very wise friend and mentor in my life once told me that in marriage you have to have the three "R's": Renew daily, Refresh monthly, Retreat yearly. What she meant by that was (and sorry, KP, if I botch this) - Renew daily: sit down, away from kids if possible, and connect with your spouse. Talk about life, encourage each other. Refresh monthly: date nights, even if that is putting the kids to bed and having a special dinner on "good dishes", or, renting a movie and cuddling (on the same couch) and lastly, Retreat Yearly: GET AWAY. Something Brad and I have yet to do... Find a weekend to get away just the two of you. Even if its a hotel in your own town - just to get away and focus on each other. Kids, jobs and life are distracting. Save those pennies and make it a priority to leave the kids and find your spouse. Personally, we are going to a marriage retreat in two weeks and I am so excited. It's exactly 5 minutes from our house - but its in a nice hotel and Ava will be with a babysitter overnight. It's not much, and certainly not fancy...but it's a retreat, just me and my love. Kids are important - spouses are #1 priority.

Anyway, just thanking God for my James 1:17 guy and excited to see what the future holds for us. And, who doesn't love an "almost free" date night :) Yay for being frugal!

Words

"A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back."

"Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him."

Proverbs 29:11 & 20

Do I believe Gods word is truth?

Well, of course I do. I've been traveling this road of my salvation and sanctification these last 14 years. For over a decade I've been attending church services, youth groups, Christian camps, purity conferences, marriage get-a-ways (ok, maybe not so much that one), girls retreats, winter retreats, you name it I've done it... including 4 years of BIBLE college with the intent and purpose of learning everything I possibly could about the Bible, how to read it, how to study it, how to live it.

So then, why O why are words still a "thing" for me? Correction... "unwise, ill -timed, hurtful, disrespectful, words". WHY? You would think that after 14 years on this road I'd be one the wiser. But I have a confession... my tongue gets the best of me most days. Now, Praise be to God that every now and again I have amazing victory over it - like a good wrestling match, it doesn't come without pain... trust me, those times of physically biting down to keep quiet hurt. Or, swallowing my pride...that hurts. I know what scripture teaches about our tongues - the power it has and how can rule a life if allowed. I also know that we (as believers) have been given the power to overcome that...should we choose. So with all of this wonderful knowledge and know how, you'd think at 27 years old I'd have a better grip. But, I think my tongue is my proverbial "thorn in the flesh".

It's a daily battle. It's a daily choice, really. It seems so easy, especially as a woman, to be guided by my feelings/emotions rather then truth. And, it seems to me that I HAVE to be hasty with words in this world to get my point across....right?

Wrong.

Gods word is clear. People who are quick to "vent" or hasty to speak are called FOOLS. ouch. How many times will I deal with this issue? ugh. But, there is hope and correction for people like me...who, have a tongue. There was hope for mouthy Peter, bossy Martha and... me.

"And whatever you do in WORD or in deed, do ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Col. 3:17

I have a mortgage payment

The over abundance of our lives has washed over me the last few months...

We went from barely making bill payments on time, wondering what our next meal might be (with a new baby in mind) and not using the heat so we could make other ends meet - to a totally new and different life style. Not saying at all that we are millionaires or really even above normal income families...things are just...different. (wow, weird topic tonight, sorry)

Tonight as I was gathering paperwork, checkbook, bill stubs, etc to get everything in order for tomorrow, "Bill day", it hit me that...WE HAVE A MORTGAGE PAYMENT. (pause) And I don't mean that in an "oops, I forgot...gee whiz its gonna be late now!" way, but a "wow, look at what God has done for us and how overly abundant He has been in providing for us" way.

I am still in complete shock that we own a home, that we have been given a car...a dresser...a tv stand... baby clothes... 2 kitchen tables... etc. I'm amazed at how when I made our prayer list last spring of things we needed and couldn't afford that God knew ALL ALONG the plans He had for us. And while I busily scribbled away, half fretting about not having what we needed, I was being carried along by a God so much BIGGER then my plans or fears or lacking.

It's humbling to open up my green cased checkbook and write this check to the bank. It's humbling to know that my dreams of owning a place where I can welcome people, feed them, love them, warm them... has come true. It's humbling to know that despite my sinful worry or the times I find reason to complain about something broken in this house - that God lets me be here, right now, right here. Always in His love. Always in His will.

I have a mortgage payment tomorrow. Our first one....
Praise be to God!

Monday Muse

My Muse today is actually a collection, er, a theme I suppose... FALL.

This past weekend we (Brad, Ava and I) took a journey downtown to take in the sights at the Sculpture Garden. It was a nice time and a perfect fall day. While the art was lovely (confusing at times) and it was neat to read the plaques about what each sculpture really was I couldn't keep myself from finding other little "treasures" along the way. Fall is at its PEAK right now and I loved catching a few peeks at what it had to offer. There were still a few rose bushes clinging for dear life as we rounded one section of the garden... I think the contrast of dead leaves with one brillant red rose is just gorgeous.

Then there was this guy... a late bloomer. It was the teeniest plant I had ever seen, hiding under the rest of the plants. Dying...but, the color was just so pretty. I know - you are probably thinking- wow, she is weird..admiring DEAD or dying plants... it's ok, I am. There's just something about finding beauty in things that intrigues me - always has.

So my muse today is just the beauty of nature in this season. There is SO much of it... everywhere. Hiding in the smallest places, or maybe just right outside your front door. God is good to allow us eyes to see and noses to smell his seasons. :) I am thankful and grateful for two senses that so many people go without. How spoiled I feel today -even now as I look out my window and see the little yellow leaves falling off of our tree... God is good to me in so many little ways.

Thoughts from Elisabeth...

As I mentioned awhile back I am reading through a pretty neat book by Elisabeth Elliot titled: "A lamp for my feet". It's her thoughts, prayers and reactions to scripture and lifes events... I always enjoy reading how other people view life. Anyway, as promised - here is one snippet that I just wanted to share as its something I'm working on, personally, and know that others can benefit from hearing, as well.

Volunteer Slaves

"Slave" is not a word most of us nowadays "feel comfortable" with. It is significant that most modern Bible translations use "servant" instead. For a slave is not his own, has no rights whatsoever, is not in charge of what happens to him, makes no choices about what he will do or how he is to serve, is not recognized, appreciated, thanked or even (except by his absence) noticed at all.

Once we give up our slavery to the world, which is a cruel master indeed, to become Christ's bondslave, we live out our servitude to Him by glad service to others. This volunteer slavery cannot be taken advantage of - we have chosen to surrender everything for love. It is a wholly different thing from forced labor. It is in fact the purest joy when it is most unobserved, most unself-conscious, most simple, most freely offered.

Lord, break the chains that hold me to myself; free me to be your happy slave - that is, to be the happy foot-washer of anyone today who needs his feet washed, his supper cooked, his faults overlooked, his work commended, his failure forgiven, his griefs consoled, or his button sewed on. Let me not imagine that my love for YOU is very great if I am unwilling to do for a human being something very small."

Elisabeth Elliot - "A lamp for my Feet" (1985)

Sewing Project

I did it! This was my first sewing project from "sewing school". We each chose our material and made pj bottoms! I loved this material as soon as I saw it - we call Ava our "Monkey" so its just perfect for her!!!

While I did not totally understand the "casing" or "selveges" language of this project...it was a lot of fun and now I'm looking forward to working on and finishing the shirt to match!

This class has been so good for me and has given me inspiration and motivation to get going and be creative. What a blessing it was to spend time with ladies from the family, too. :)

Decorating: Fall style

As some of you know, and have read, I do NOT consider myself to be a great home decorator. To be perfectly honest... I don't have a clue. What I think might look good ends up looking like a college dorm room (not that thats bad...if you are IN college) rather then a home. (sigh) I recently purchased a subscription to BHG (http://www.bhg.com/) in hopes of building my notebook of decor ideas - afterall, those people get PAID to think of those genius ways to decorate. And I figure I have enough on my plate right now, so no use in getting all stressed out about the fact that I did not inherit any kind of interior design brain cell. :)

Anyway, I have come across a few things in my home recently that I set out for Autumn decor that, although probably misplaced or poorly set up, make me smile and remind me that it really is the simple things in life that count :) While I'm no amazing designer - I like these little things and they do make my home "seasonal" and happy during this great time of year.

And, another thought came to my mind recently that gave me extra encouragement about this topic... my love for people, the way I welcome them into my home and care for them speaks so much louder then any fancy decor and nicely set table. While those things DO have a place, they are no substitute for kind words and warm welcomes. Those things can be the best decorations of all! So, I blog about this now so whenever I get down on myself in the future (I know its coming) about how my home is just "so so", I can reference back - and possibly encourage one of you, too.

By the way... I'm always open for decorating ideas. Especially if you've found something cheap and easy. :)