Thanksgiving 2010

I love Thanksgiving! I love having a day to reflect on the many blessings I have been given. I try to do this every day, but, well...sometimes I just don't.

We spent the day with Chris' family. His mom made a delicious dinner. We got to visit with his brother, Scott and his family...which we usually only do on Thanksgiving. We got to enjoy relaxing and playing games, and visiting, and referring fights between our crazy dogs. It was a wonderful day!

Glimpses of God-November 25, 2010

I saw God in every thought I had of the day-my gratitude, His provisions...just the mere thought of thankfulness. I woke up and laid in bed for a moment and thought of all that I have to be thankful for. I decided that I was going to go through my whole day and thank God for all of my blessings. Here they are:

I am thankful that:

• I got to wake up in a nice, soft, warm bed.
• I have sanitary living conditions...I have a toilet, I have a shower, I have shampoo and soap, I have a toothbrush and toothpaste, and clean running water.
• We have clothes and shoes to wear.
• I only had to make one dish to take for Thanksgiving dinner and that I have a stove/oven to cook with.
• We had transportation to drive us to her home and money for gas.
• My family is all healthy and happy.
• We have a dog to love on and give us joy.
• I received texts from family and friends wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving.
• We arrived safely to enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving with Chris' family.
• We had a fabulously, delicious dinner.
• We got to spend the whole day visiting and enjoying being with family.
• My girls' got to know this side of their family a little better.
• Everyone didn't mind my picture taking obsession.
• My MIL didn't get too upset when Teddy pee'd on her carpet...just minutes before we left, I might add!
• We had a safe trip home.
• We had a home to come home to.
• We have electricity and modern conveniences.
• We live in a country that allows us to be free to worship whom we choose.
• We live in a place where we are safe and secure.
• I can go to bed knowing my children are protected and loved and fed and healthy.
• I have a husband who happily provides for us and makes it possible for me to be able to stay home and take care of my family, and that he supports me in everything that I do, and that he loves me and Averi and Cali with all of his heart.
• I have an awesome extended family and wonderful friends who love me and my family.
• I have a Heavenly Father who has incredibly blessed me and loves me beyond anything I can comprehend.
• I am healthy, and happy, and loved, and filled with gratitude!

I leave you with one of my favorite quotes that is perfect for Thanksgiving:

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. -Melody Beattie

Junker

(Averi is going to kill me for posting this photo because she just got out of the bathtub and OMG!, she has no make-up on and her hair is not fixed!)

Averi has become a "junker". Today we spent the day going "junkin'". That means we went to thrift stores to check out the junk for her new venture. She has started her own business...an ebay shop where she is reselling her "junkin'" finds. Pretty ambitious, I think. Chris is helping her out on it and I think it is such a neat thing for them to do together. But I'm the one who gets to take her "junkin'"...I love that word, can't you tell?

She and Cali got to skip school today because they were at their grandma's all weekend and yes, I'm one of "those" mom's. In my defense, if they were not good students and good girl's, I wouldn't consider it. Everyone deserves a break once in awhile, right? We slept until 11:00 and then set out to find some treasures.

Averi found the chinese rice field worker hat (I'm sure there is a proper name for it, but I don't know it) she's wearing in the picture and the funky shoes. We hit up three different thrift stores in our town. I'll have to admit, I enjoy searching the junk myself. I didn't find anything to buy this time...but I'm on the lookout for a large silver platter, and old, interesting looking dishes, and old barware, and old globes. We are going to try to check some more places out this weekend. Maybe I will stumble upon some real treasures!

Glimpses of God-November 15, 2010

One of the junk shops we visited was a store that employed developmentally disabled people and the proceeds of the sales went to support programs for them. When we walked in there was a girl, maybe early 20's. She looked like she had cerebral palsy, maybe. She was in a wheel chair and her arms were kind of drawn up. She greeted us as we walked in. Then another lady who had some disability, maybe mental retardation, kept following us around asking us if we needed help, or if we were looking for anything in particular. There were several more "special" people in the back around a table playing bingo with volunteers or workers for the program.

The whole time I'm in the store I'm thinking about the limited opportunities these people have for employment, social interactions...the opportunity of just feeling like a functioning member of society. I'm currently reading, Going Rogue by Sarah Palin. And I also just kept thinking about how she told her family that her baby was going to be born with Down's Syndrome. She wrote a letter or email addressed to her family and friends telling them about Trig's disability in the voice of God and then signed it from, "Trig's Creator, Your Heavenly Father." The one thing that really stood out and what really had me thinking today was this ,

"Children are the most precious and promising ingredient in this mixed-up world you live in down there on Earth. Trig is no different, except he has one extra chromosome,"

And so while at this store today I thought on this...each of these people are precious. Each of them were created by God...the same God who created me. And just because they were not born "perfect"...which who in this world is???...they were created for a purpose and they deserve to live a rich and rewarding life.

It was very heart-warming to experience this. When we went to check out (this was the place were Averi bought the funky shoes), the lady who was following us around was working the cash register. They called up someone to help her out. I was so amazed with the tender way this volunteer/worker assisted. She walked her through each of the steps on the cash register and in giving us change. It was just a very enlightening experience that I saw God all over. He is the giver of life. He has a purpose for each of these special people. He has given the volunteers and workers special hearts to help give opportunities of independence and employment.

I left wanting to be a better person. I left thinking, "What can I do to help?" I left thanking God for allowing me to stumble upon this little store-not knowing what it was when I arrived. I left so touched, and with such a perfect "teachable" moment for my daughters to see that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect...and that it is our responsibility to offer something of ourselves to help these special people live rich and rewarding lives.

Something You Just Don't See Everyday...

I see this every time I drive thru Lexington, OK on my way to Asher to my MIL's. It is a VW Bug spider. That is a real, full-sized VW bug!!! It sits next to a car lot/mechanic. It used to be a VW lot...where they sold and serviced Volkswagens.

Every time I pass it, I think...I need to get a picture of that, it is too cool, and maybe it won't be there one of these days, and it is a memory of mine-seeing it every time I pass by this area." (A lot of thoughts at once, huh?) Before we approached it on our way home from picking up the girls today from Grandma's, I asked Chris to pull over and let me get a "good" pic of it. I have tried taking pictures of it before-driving by and trying to shoot the picture...that never worked. So, stopping, getting out of the car, and taking the picture was what I did today. I love that my husband is so patient with me and my obsessive picture taking. Anyways, I just wanted to share it here with you all (if there is actually anyone who reads my blog) and show you a very unique landmark in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma.

Glimpses of God-November 14, 2010

Your heart is your love,

Your love is your family,

Your family is your future,

Your future is your destiny,

Your destiny is your ambition,

Your ambition is your aspiration,

Your aspiration is your motivation,

Your motivation is your belief,

Your belief is your peace,

Your peace is your target,

Your target is your heaven.

My glimpse of God today is in the love that I share with my children. THEY are my love. THEY are my future. I feel it was my destiny to be a mom and to provide a happy, nourishing home for them. It is my ambition to provide a happy, nourishing home for them. A home where they feel loved, wanted, secure, happy. A home where they want to be. I aspire to be a loving, patient, kind, helpful, nurturing, thoughtful, respectful, positive mother to Averi and Cali. They motivate me to work at becoming a better person. My belief is that they are gifts from God...blessings that I am so unworthy of, but so ever grateful that He entrusted me with these two beautiful souls to love, cherish, teach. I am at peace that I am right where I need to be at this time in my life-at home, taking care of them and their needs. My target is to grow them into courageous, loving, spiritual, caring, passionate, helpful, kind-hearted, gracious women. I thank God for honoring me with this privilege.

BOOMER SOONER!!!!!

OU beat the tar out of Texas Tech. We always play so good at home...not so good last week at A&M or before that in Missouri. We're hoping for a good game at Baylor and of course, OSU! We had a fun time at the game. Before the game we hung out and tailgated at the rv with the gang. Tim grilled us some awesome hamburgers and some elk sausage (I'm not that adventurous, though).

Glimpses of God-November 13, 2010

My heart swelled with pride for my Oklahoma Sooners!!! Here we have 18, 19, 20 year old guys who run out the tunnel onto a field with 80,000+ screaming fans. They have cheerleaders, pom pom girls, ruf neks, sports reporters, and all kind of distractions all around them. But the majority of the team ran down to the north end zone, kneeled down, bowed their heads, and PRAYED! It was very touching!!! And I saw God completely glorified in that moment!

Then I was even further impressed when I saw the opposing team, Texas Tech, do the same...

Friends

A night out with our friends and no kids for the weekend!!!! Tim and Jodi are celebrating their 16th anniversary. Chris and I tagged along for the night. We had dinner at a place that was on my 100 list of things to do/accomplish...

(I'm on crunch time, so I'm trying to check as many things off my list before the year is up.)

We had a lovely dinner. I highly recommend the Tilapia (blackened, of course!).

After dinner we went to Riverwind Casino. That was fun! Then we stopped at Sooner Legends where Tim and I were going to karaoke, but didn't...he wasn't feeling well (thought he "had a case of THE DIABETES"-long, very funny story). So we ended the night and I got to go home with the best looking guy in the bar...

Glimpses of God-November 12, 2010

I saw God all over the place today! When I was talking about my blog, my friend, Jodi, asked me, "Are you gonna write that you saw God while sitting at the slot machine winning money." Well no, that's not really where I saw Him. But I did see Him in all the relationships that I am so privileged to be a part of.

First, my sweet Mamaw offered to ride down to Asher with me to take the girls to Chris' mom's house for the weekend. She kept me company on the looooong drive home.

And God was definitely with us when we hit a horrible rain storm and I couldn't see a thing in front of me! I had to pull over on the side of the road for a few minutes to let the rain die down a little.

God has blessed Chris and I these amazing friends. We always have so much fun together. I never laugh as much as I do when I am with these two. They are HILARIOUS!!! So God was definitely in the joy that we have while with our friends. And maybe, Jodi, God may have had a part of me winning at the slot machine!

Pride

I made a list at the beginning of the year of 100 things that I wanted to do/accomplish this year...I think I may have mentioned this before. One thing on my list was to visit the veterans memorial where my Papaw's name is listed. Today being Veteran's Day seemed like a pretty good day to go.

When I first arrived there was a group of kids from a local school there. As I walked up I noticed my niece, Tori, in the group. I thought it was kind of cool that the school saw the importance of showing these kids the idea of Veteran's Day, and to take them to the memorial to show them all the names of the people of our area who have served in the different wars.

I found my Papaw's name, Wilburn Utah Hurst. A big feeling of pride welled up inside me. Pride for the fact that this name carved into this stone slab was someone whom I loved and thought the world of. And pride of the thought of him serving his country in World War 2. And pride that he was a Marine. And pride that I, too, was loved by him. And just pride that he is memorialized for the sacrifice that he gave.

I really don't know much about his service. I know he was a Marine. I know he served in World War 2. I know that he was injured and awarded a Purple Heart. I really wish I knew more. I was 19 when he died and oh how I wish I knew more about this time of his life. Like...where did he serve? Germany? Japan? How did he feel about the war? Did he make any friends among other soldiers he served with? Was he scared? Did he leave a sweetheart behind?...just things like that, I would love to know.

I love that they have created a memorial for our veteran's. I think it is so important for us to recognize what they have done for our country...from WW1 through Iraq. I personally would love to thank each one of them...especially the one listed whom I dearly loved.

Glimpses of God-November 11, 2010

While visiting the memorial, I just kept having thoughts of my Papaw. And just how lucky I was to have known and been loved by him. I often think about what he would be like now. And what he would think of my girls. I wish they could have known him!

My glimpse of God today was in the wonderful memories that I have of Wilburn Utah Hurst, the lessons that he taught me, and the love that he showed me. One particularly sweet memory was one that occurred shortly before he died: I was all depressed and self-absorbed (like most 19 year olds) because me and my boyfriend had just broken up and I was going on and on how life was SO bad. He looked at me and told me, "You need to look around you and see that your life really isn't that bad. I work with a girl who is pregnant and her husband gave her AIDS. So really in comparison, you're life isn't that bad!" Ummmm...no I guess it wasn't. And you know, that has stuck with me all of these years. Anytime I think I may have it bad, I just think...there is somebody out there, somewhere, who has it a lot worse than I. And you know what else, I have found that by taking the focus off myself and thinking of someone else has made me a much happier person. So today I thank God for the life of Wilburn Utah Hurst!!!

Autumn Splendor

I'm lucky to live in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods. It is an older neighborhood so it is full of huge, beautiful trees. Every fall I am amazed by the beauty that surrounds me...gorgeous colors of red, yellow, brown, and gold. I think this is one of the things that makes fall my favorite season. I snapped this picture of the Crepe Myrtle that is right beside my driveway. The picture really does not do it justice. It is full of all different colors. A lovely and comforting sight as I'm returning home each day.

Glimpses of God-November 10, 2010

Whenever I see beauty in nature my thoughts always go to God and his perfect creation...I may have mentioned it before in my post about the sky. But every time I drive through my neighborhood and see all of these majestic trees covered in colors that just take my breath away, how can not think of the creator of such beauty. I've been singing this song in my head all day long....

How Great Thou Art

Stanza 1:

O Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all

The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,

I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout

The universe displayed;

Stanza 2:

When through the woods

And forest glades I wander

I hear the birds

Sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down

From lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook

And feel the gentle breeze;

Refrain:

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Stanza 3:

When Christ shall come,

With shouts of acclamation,

And take me home,

What joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow

In humble adoration

And there proclaim,

"My God, how great Thou art!"

Refrain:

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

The Worst Mother in the World Award Goes To....

ME!

Cali usually has choir practice after school until 3:15. However, today there was no choir practice and I didn't know it! So I show up to pick Cali up at 3:15. I notice there are no cars in the line for pickup. And then a teacher motions me to drive down the lane a little. And there's Cali-the only kid left at school. And she has this wild & crazed look on her face.

I ask, "Was there no choir practice today?" And the teacher responds, "No, it was cancelled. We were about to take Cali to the office and call you."

Cali gets into the car and as soon as the door is shut and no one can see her, she starts bawling!!! And I feel awful!!! She says that she thought I got into a car wreck and died. I asked her why she didn't call me. She says that she thought I died in a car wreck and couldn't reach my phone (???). I repeatedly tell her I am SO sorry. I feel so bad because I can just imagine how scared she probably was. It took her quite awhile to recover from the trauma. But here we are at bedtime and she forgives me and loves me again!



Glimpses of God-November 9, 2010

As I'm getting ready for bed, while I'm laying in bed trying to go to sleep (but instead going over the events of the day in my mind), and as I'm saying my prayers, I keep thinking about trust.

Cali was quick to forgive me. She knew that it was an honest mistake that I forgot to pick her up at the end of school. She knows that I love her immensely. She knows that I only have her best interests and well-being in mind in anything that I do for her. I told her that sometimes I may be late, but I will ALWAYS be there. She trusts me completely.

So while playing this all over in my head, it makes me think about the correlation of this situation and my trusting God. Sometimes I have felt that God has forgotten me. Maybe it is something that I have prayed for that didn't get answered in the time I felt it should, or didn't get answered the way I thought it should. Maybe it was a situation that I was in that I didn't feel I should be. Or perhaps, it boiled down to me thinking my plans for things in life were better than God's.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this...I need to be more like Cali. I need to have complete trust in God. He loves me immensely. He only has my best interest and well being in mind. I need to trust that He will ALWAYS be there to "pick me up" when I need him. And although he may be late in my thinking (of answering prayers or offering blessings or whatever I'm wanting immediate results on), He will ALWAYS be there.

I leave with you one of my favorite Bible verses:

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track. Proverbs3:5-6 (The Message)

Catch Up

I have to admit, consistency is not my forte!!! I'll have to ask your forgiveness, catch you up on all the happenings here (and the glimpses of God), and promise to work on being a better blogger.

Here is what we have been up to....

Thursday, November 4th-We went shopping after school in search for a dress for Averi to wear for her school dance which was Friday. My mom met us at the mall and we had dinner together at El Chico. I was so worried about shopping for this dress because: 1. Averi is pretty small for her age
2. She wants to shop in the Juniors department
3. A lot of stuff in the Juniors department won't fit
4. She thinks the stuff in the Girls department is too kiddy looking

We began at Dillard's first in the Juniors department. All the dresses started at size 3...she is lucky if she can wear a 00. I didn't want her to get upset that nothing would fit so I suggested we go look in the Girls department. Of course, she thinks it all looks too kiddy. So I suggest we check the Petites department, and everything there looks "too old ladyish!" We head back to the Juniors department. She finds 3 dresses that she likes and goes to try them on. Silently I am praying that something will fit because she has a complex about her size and I want this to be a positive experience for her. All three dresses are size 3. Well, HALLELUJAH, PRAISE THE LORD...they fit! And she chooses the one she likes best. And even better, it was on sale!!! So I found me a dress too.




Friday, November 5th-Averi had her friends over to get ready for the dance. Cali also had a friend over. Poor Chris was here with 9 females, well 12 if you want to count the dog and the two cats. He's a pretty good sport about it. It was amusing listening to them getting ready. I drove them all to the dance and my car smelled like a perfume factory. I don't know how many different perfumes/lotions those girls had on, but OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!!




Saturday, November 6th-We headed to Harrah for Averi's final soccer game of the season. They played awesome and won the game 4-0. Averi played great!



Cali went to a friend's skating party and Averi went home with Abbey so Chris and I got to eat at Steak 'n Shake in Midwest City. Yum-Yum. It is probably a good thing that they don't have one in our town.

We made it home just in time to see the Sooners get creamed by A & M! :(

Sunday, November 7th-Mamaw had us all out to the farm for a huge birthday party for me, Papa Jim, Randy, Tammy, Shalana, and Kathy. We had a delicious lunch. And we had a wonderful afternoon just visiting and catching up with family we don't get to see very often.



See my new dress?

Monday, November 8th-After everyone left, I started cleaning my upstairs bathroom. It took me 3 hours!!!! Let me tell ya, I cleaned the heck out of it...baseboards, drawers, changed out some of the decorations. I gave it a thorough deep cleaning. I need to do that for each room of my house. That's my goal this month...to pick a room and give it a complete go over. I will spare you a picture of my bathroom so here is one of the beautiful sky yesterday evening....



And a picture of Papa Jim and Benny sitting on the front porch at the farm-we go visit them every Monday after piano lessons...



Glimpses of God-November 5th thru 8th, 2010

When I think of each day and where I saw God, there are actually several places in where, how, what, why I saw Him. Let's begin with last Thursday. God really answered my prayers in finding a dress for Averi's dance so easily. It is not easy being different. And I know Averi hates the fact that she is so little and very limited on the clothes she can buy. She wants to wear things from Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe or Rue 21 like her friends do. But they just don't fit. She hates the idea of shopping at "kiddy" stores like Justice. I tell her over and over and over..."God made you perfect, be happy with how you look. You have not reached your full height, you still have some growing to do. I'm short, you are probably going to be short-get used to it." She just doesn't quite get it though. She wants to be exactly like everyone else. And I can't say that I don't understand...she was tormented in 6th grade by people commenting on how short she was, saying things like, "You look like a kindergartener." I told her to tell them, "Well your ugly and I still have some growing to do but your just going to get uglier." But she told me that wasn't very nice. Maybe she's right. So it was a huge blessing to find a hip dress that fit. I know it did a lot for her spirit!

Friday I made a big pot of hamburger stew. Only Chris and I would actually eat it. Have I mentioned that I have two of the pickiest children in the whole wide world? I called my mom and asked her if she would like to stop by and get some for her and her husband, Stan, on her way home from work. She told me that she was really ill with a headache and she couldn't. After I took the girls to the dance, I took some out to her. She was really sick! I'm glad I had the prompting of God to call her and offer her some of our food.

Saturday was just an all out glorious day. We got up and had breakfast together than got around to doing the things that we had to do that day. I see God all the time in little moments like these. Nothing big going on just the sheer blessing that God has granted me this family...a husband who knows the good, bad, and ugly and loves me anyways and two absolutely perfect daughters. I know there will soon come a time when it will be just Chris and I so I cherish the times we get to spend together just being.

Sunday...My Mamaw always made a big deal about everyones birthdays. She would always cook a big lunch and have everyone over to celebrate. She is 81 now and things aren't as easy for her as they once were and I know this really bothers her. She has told me many of time that getting old is no fun when you can't do the things you used to be able to do. And let me tell ya, she used to do ALOT!!!!

Here's a little story...She used to work all week long then on Fridays after work she would come and pick me and my brother, Jason, up to stay the weekend with her and Papaw. We would go out to eat on Friday nights, always to Western Sizzler. Then we would go to Wal-Mart. Then we would go to Braums. EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT! On Sunday mornings she would get up and get us all ready for church and she would cook a big breakfast (we're talking eggs, sausage gravy, HOMEMADE biscuits, grits...THE WORKS!) While cooking breakfast, she simultaneously worked to get Sunday lunch in the oven to be cooking until church was over. Lunch, oh lunch.....roast beef, potatoes, carrots, broccoli casserole, salad (with HOMEMADE ranch salad dressing), and always a dessert. Unbelievable!!! There would always be me, Jason, Mamaw and Papaw, my great grandpa, my aunt, my uncle, my dad, sometimes another family from church. Sometimes there would be a friend/girlfriend/boyfriend of my aunt, uncle or dads. It was your quintessential "Norman Rockwell" Sunday dinner.

I'm telling you all of this because this is my glimpse of God...the love Mamaw has for her family, the service that she so diligently gave to her family, the sacrifice and care that went in to these Sunday dinners. I think about my life and Sunday mornings around here: Hit the snooze button about 5 times until your like, "OH CRAP!", jump out of bed, holler at everyone to get up and get ready (about 3 times), lay out clothes on the bed for Cali, get ready, help them (Averi, Cali, AND Chris) get ready, rush out the door, usually grabbing a bag of dry cereal or a Rice Krispy Treat to eat in the car on the way to church. And there is no Sunday dinner cooking in the oven to be ready for us when we get home. We usually hit El Chico after church.

I really admire that lady! And the love I see that she gives to her family is something that has got to come directly from God! Because God IS love.

On Mondays we always go to visit Mamaw and Papa Jim after Averi takes her piano lessons. Her lessons are only a few miles from their house. As we were leaving there was the most amazing looking sky. I always think of God and His Majesty when I look at the sky. I mean WOW! He sure is creative. There were all kinds of amazing colors. The picture I posted does not do it justice.

Sorry for this epic long post...if you are even still reading. I'll try not to lump like 5 days into one post again.

I'll leave you with a bible verse that I read this evening that really spoke to me:

learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow's cause. Isaiah 1:17

#36

Today I completed #36 on my "100 Things to do in 2010" list. I found a Bible study to attend. And today was my first day attending.



I am attending BSF: Bible Study Fellowship, which is an international organization that has very in-depth studies on various books of the Bible. This year we are studying the book of Isaiah. A whole year to study one of the prophets, wow! I am going to learn so much. I have read the book of Isaiah before, but it was way over my head and I didn't really comprehend much. I am beginning the study a few months late (classes began in September). It will be ok, though.

I talked to a few people at the study and they were very praising of BSF. Some have done all the studies that they offer-which is like 8 different ones. I hope to have the opportunity to complete them all over the years. They only offer 1 study per year...well from September to May then they offer another the next September. Some of the others that are offered are: The Life of Moses (I would love to attend that one!), Acts of the Apostles (another I would love to attend), Genesis, John, Romans, Matthew, Israel and the Minor Prophets....heck, I want to attend them all!!!!

One thing that I really like about it is you have homework every day, so you spend time in God's Word every day. This has always been a challenge for me...I hate to admit! I'm always thinking of something else I need to be doing or would rather be doing, unfortunately. But now I am challenged to spend time every day reading and studying God's Word, and I have to tell ya, I have learned so much in just the one day that I have!

Because the picture above is really boring (it's my name tag from BSF), here is a little eye candy for you. Here are the girls all dressed for Halloween:



Averi as Alice:



Cali as a cuddly lion:



And Teddy as a princess:




Glimpses of God: November 3, 2010

I had been planning on attending BSF for more than a month now, but each week I would talk myself out of it...something would come up, or I just wouldn't really feel like going, or whatever. I woke up yesterday morning and I prayed and asked God to not let me talk myself out of going and to not let anything get in the way of me going. I have felt for a long time that I really needed a structured Bible study to get me growing spiritually...I have felt kind of in a rut for awhile.

Anyways, I'm trying to get everyone up and ready for school/work and everyone is griping or moaning and groaning about having to get up. My children ARE NOT morning people and neither am I so mornings at our house can be kind of crazy. Well, Teddy goes in Averi's room and pees...she has not had an accident in the house in like 2 weeks! Averi's griping about having to clean it up, Chris is asking me to help him find something to wear, and Cali won't get out of bed. So needless to say I'm feeling a little frustrated because I have to make Cali's lunch, get myself ready to go, and get everybody out the door. The whole time of the morning chaos I'm thinking to myself..."maybe I'll just not go, I have too much to do today, I won't know anyone there, I feel awkward going into somewhere new and trying to become a part of something that has been going on for 2 months already, etc."

I get everybody gone, take Cali to school (luckily Chris drove the car pool to Averi's school today), and come back home to get ready. Teddy has been out in the backyard all morning after her incident earlier so I let her in thinking she is good to go for awhile. I start to get ready and I only have like 20 minutes until I need to leave. I hear Teddy downstairs barking and I ignore it thinking she's just barking...she just does that sometimes. I finish getting ready, come downstairs and the stench hits me in the entryway. Teddy has left me two, TWO huge presents!!!! It was like the dog hadn't pooped in a week or something. She is not a very big dog so I was shocked! So I have to clean it up, talk to her about USING THE BATHROOM OUTSIDE, and get all my stuff together to go. All this time I'm thinking to myself, "I'll just not go, I'm gonna be late, I don't want to walk into someplace where I am new late, This just isn't gonna work today, etc." But that calm, still voice inside is like, "No, you're gonna go, you've been planning to go, you've been wanting to go, this will be good for you, etc."

I leave, start heading that way, and I try calling Chris so that he could look up for me on Google maps a certain road that I need to take to get there. I could have just headed up the interstate, but I thought going this back way may be faster since I was running low on time. Well, Chris didn't answer his phone. Again I have the negative thoughts, and again the reassuring ones.

I decide to take the interstate since I don't know what road to turn on for the back way. And I get going, think I might be able to make it with time to spare, when all of the sudden the traffic comes to a complete stop! We inch along and the whole time my negative thoughts and reassuring thoughts are battling each other. The big hold up is an oversized load that is pulled off onto the shoulder, it looked like a pair of airplane wings! I keep watch of the clock and amazingly it looks like I still might make it.

I pull into the parking lot of the church with 5 minutes to spare! This in itself is unbelievable because back at the airplane wing hold up I only had like 7 minutes. And it was a good 5 miles from where I exited (the church was right off of the exit)!

All morning long I had been trying to talk myself out of going. Things were happening to get in my way of going. God knew the importance of me going and He made it happen. Had I pulled into that parking lot and it been starting time or later, I probably would have turned right back around and headed home. But I had 5 minutes to spare! Time to get in, find out where I needed to go, and actually be somewhat early. God is good. I leave you with my Bible verse of the day that is on one of my iphone apps:

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised those who love him. James 1:12

The Year of the Woman

I voted yesterday, did you?




Then I stayed up way too late glued to the tv watching the results. I won't talk politics on this blog. I have certain principles and values that I believe and stand for, which more than likely are completely different to some of yours. There is really no point for me to try to push my political views on to you, nor you to push yours on me. So that's that!

What I do want to talk about is the governor race here in Oklahoma. I feel it was such a positive message to my daughters. We made history last night and elected the first female governor of our state. But what is so amazing is that both of the candidates were female! I love what that reflects....that gender is a non issue! There is nothing that can hold you back from pursuing your dreams just because you are a girl. We are a fairly conservative state and look what we did...we took the two most qualified, respected, trust-worthy individuals and nominated them to become our next governor. It didn't matter that they were both women! Way to go, Oklahoma!

I've heard this analogy before and really liked it and wanted to share it with you:

God did NOT take Eve from Adam's head, to lord it over him;
Nor did He take her from his feet, to be trampled by him;
But God took Eve from Adam's side, from next to his heart, to be loved, cherished and protected (as needed) by him, to be an equal companion at his side.

Glimpses of God: November 2, 2010

So here is where I saw God this day:

What I witnessed last night in Mary Fallon's victory speech was what I think God wants...ACKNOWLEDGEMENT!!! At the beginning of her speech she said that first and foremost she wanted to thank "her father, her HEAVENLY FATHER!" WOW. So many times I think people are afraid to acknowledge God because of the repercussions that might occur from people who may become offended. But she didn't let that stop her. She acknowledged God, she thanked Him. She KNOWS that she would not have been elected if it wasn't part of His plan.

For far too many years we have turned away from God...prayer being taken from schools, people afraid to mention God in political/public forums, people wanting God to be omitted from the Pledge of Allegiance, Bibles being banned, etc. But here's the thing-look where we have gotten in doing all of this. I believe God wants us to turn back to Him to give credit where credit is due. I hope this is a start and that more people publicly will proclaim God as the Creator and Ruler of EVERYTHING!

We are all loved immensely by God (Democrats AND Republicans-ha!). All He asks is that we love Him back. To give Him glory. To acknowledge His sovereignty, His provisions in our lives. God knew who was going to be put into each of the offices that were voted on last night. He didn't sit up all night watching the projections and results biting his fingernails worrying about whether His candidate was going to win or not-He knew! And I bet it put a great big smile on His face when Mary Fallon thanked Him!

Glimpses of God: November 1

Where did I see God today? I saw God in the peace I've recently found regarding my existence...my purpose. And all day long this verse kept coming to mind...

"For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." Psalm 139:13-14

Let me back up a bit and explain myself....

I was born to teenaged parents. My mom was 16 and my dad was 17. I was not planned; in fact, the mere news of me arriving, I'm certain, brought a lot of heartache to a lot of people. I'm sure my mom and dad were scared to death on how their families would react. And I'm sure their families were disappointed that the lives they had imagined for their son or their daughter would not be as they had hoped. Here they are now dropping out of school, getting married, and raising a baby.

So, I grew up with a feeling that had I not been born, everyone's life would have been less complicated. Now, let me make it VERY clear...nobody ever MADE me feel this way. They never told me I was unwanted or anything, it was just always a feeling I had...a responsibility for their unhappiness. I looked at their lives...they divorced when I was three, remarried, my mom had other children, they did not get along and they had lots of problems in their lives throughout the years...so I always thought that I was the cause of all these problems. Had I not existed, they wouldn't have them. And this feeling has really weighed on me for a very long time.

It has been a total work in progress: this reversing of thought. I now know that God put me here for a reason. He formed me in my mother's womb. He is the creator of all things, and He created me fearfully and wonderfully. His works are wonderful...I wouldn't be who I am right now without my experiences in life. And although sometimes I felt pretty bad about myself or my circumstances, it was those experiences that encouraged me to do better for my life. It wasn't just a total epiphany, but I've come to be at peace with all of this and I am so thankful that I can begin at 39 to understand that I'm here only because God allowed it...He has a plan and now I have the peace in my soul that I am wanted, I am loved, I WAS planned.

THIRTY NINE: Growing Up

Today is the day I turned 39...about 29 minutes ago to be exact. Is it a coincidence that I'm beginning my blog on my birthday? No, actually starting a blog was on my list of 100 things to do this year (beginning January 1st), but I'm just now getting around to it. That's kind of how I roll...I'll always get around to doing whatever it is...and so I have here today, my 39th birthday, began my journey in the world of blogging.

So, for starters, I'm Mandi and I'm 39 years old (you already knew that though, right?). I have THE BEST husband in the world. His name is Chris. We have two lovely daughters (actually they are the two most beautiful, talented, intelligent, happy, loving, most ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL girls in the whole wide world!). Their names are Averi and Cali. We recently added a sweet little Corgi pup named Teddy to our family. I recently retired from my job of being a Director of Children's Ministry. And now I am Director of Casa de Campbell.

My purpose for this blog is to have a place to come and ramble, rant, record, and reflect on all the happenings in and around my life. In doing so I hope to catch a Glimpse of God every day.

Let's start with today, my 39th birthday!!!

After getting everyone up and out the door, I curled up on the couch and cried and cried and cried while I finished this book...


(I definately recommend!)

Then I went to lunch with this very special lady...


(My Mamaw)

While at lunch I got a call from my sister, Lyndsi, who just so happens to be the school nurse at Cali's school. This girl was sick and needed me to pick her up from school early...


(Hmmm...what do you think?)

Then a little later, I picked this girl up from school...


(Who told me she tried to get out of class to call me and wish me Happy Birthday, but none of her teachers would let her go use the phone! How dare them!!!)

We drove through our favorite drink stop....


(A large Diet Coke with Vanilla, thank you very much!)


Then whisked this girl off to piano lessons...


(Her piano teacher is like 90...really, I'm not kidding!)

My sweet mom had us out for dinner and made me this (my most favorite thing that only she can make)...


(Taco Salad, YUM-O!!!!)

She also had this for me....



And this girl helped me blow out my candles...


(Good thing it was a 3 and a 9 instead of 39 actual candles because A) I'm just getting over bronchitis and B) I'm not sure 39 candles would have actually fit on the cake...how depressing is that thought?)

After we visited for awhile and watched Dancing With the Stars, I came home to these....


(Like I said, I have THE BEST husband in the world! He also cleaned the kitchen for me which I had been neglecting to do since yesterday...remember what I said earlier about me getting around to doing things???)

It's been an all out wonderful day!!! I will have to share my Glimpses of God with you tomorrow morning...more like in just a few hours. This blog post took way longer than I expected and I've got to go to bed!!!! Oh, and remember when I said I turned 39 like 29 minutes ago? Well that was like almost 3 hours ago. So I'll get all deep and philosophical with you all tomorrow, I mean today. Later today.