They say it's your birthday ...

It's officially ten minutes until my 35th birthday. 


35?!? 


Yikes! When did that happen? Seriously. I don't know about you, but I still feel like I'm 16. OK, no, I don't physically feel 16, but mentally, I sure do. Where has the time gone?


I'd like to say I've got some sage wisdom to share in my (ahem) advanced age, but that's a negative. I feel like, at 35, I'm finally learning about who I am and how best to deal with and accept myself, the way God made me, in His image. I'm still grappling with what I feel are some flaws in His handiwork, but I trust that He has made me the way I am for a reason. A reason I may never know this side of heaven, but that's for Him to decide. I digress ...


As I embark on a new year, there are many things I want to improve upon and work toward. I won't bore you with the laundry list, but I will share one of the most important things for me. I want to get my FUN back. Yes, it's as trivial as it sounds. 


I want to recapture my spunk. I think the past year has all but buried my spunk and I'm out to retrieve it, Bruce Campbell style. Out with the old fuddy duddy. In with the renewed vim and vigor of years past.


I'm gonna lay my burdens down. Lighten up. Get back my mojo. Yeah, baby, yeah! (Said in my best Austin Powers impression)


Here's to a year of fun and joy! Lots of laughter, silliness, and maybe even a game of Skipbo. Wait, we'd need a goat and a rope for that ... Scratch that. Rewind. 


Cheers! I can't wait to dance my way through all that 35 has to offer! 





Here's one more because I just can't post Sixteen Candles without good old Long Duck Dong!





Love,
Oily Bohunk


P.S. Wanna know a random fact about me? I share a birthday and a last name with Britney Spears (well, my maiden name). I've got five years of crazy on her though. Happy 30th, Brit Brit! 

A heart of thankfulness

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! In true night-owl form, I am up late enough to usher in the first moments of Thanksgiving 2011. 

I'm up, but not because I'm frantically running around scrambling to clean my house and get a menu ready. I'm just up toodling around, getting some things ready for tomorrow, mostly because I'm like a little kid and can't sleep when a gathering or something exciting is about to happen. 

As I was cleaning earlier in preparation to host my in-laws tomorrow, I felt abnormally relaxed. Usually, I would be bouncing off the walls, shouting demands like a drill sergeant, and tending to every nook and cranny of my home in hopes of achieving the "perfect" Thanksgiving.

But not tonight. I stopped while wiping down a dining room chair and thought, "Hmm, wonder why I feel so relaxed? Why, I don't feel stressed at all." 

Then it hit me. I realized that Thanksgiving (or any gathering, for that matter) is not about how clean my house is or how wonderful my meal turns out. It's about the love that is going to fill my home, reverberating off the walls and easing the souls that are contained within. 

We are going to eat. Oh, good Lord, yes, we will eat! We are going to fellowship. We are going to share laughs, hugs, and full tummies all around. 

Do I care if my floor's so clean my guests can eat off of it? No way.

Do I care if my guests feel loved and cared for while they are visiting my home? Absolutely. 

That will be the perfect Thanksgiving. 

Have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

God bless,

Miss K

Handing Over the Reins

I'll spare anyone taking the time to read this (hello, is anyone out there?) my quips about being away so long. I'm just going to own the fact that, for now, I'm a sporadic blogger. Consistency is not my strong point in anything. I'm working on that with several things ... 


I blog when it's quiet and I have time to think. For the record, that is not a lot a time with a husband that travels and a three-and-a-half-year-old mini-me on the loose. I swear, my kid's got more energy than that annoying Energizer bunny, but at least he's infinitely cuter. 


Right now, the house is quiet and I'm thinking. Who am I kidding? I'm ALWAYS thinking. It's one of my many quirks; sometimes I like it, a lot of times I hate it. My mind never. turns. off. Never. Hello, my name is Krystal and I'm an overthinker. I've been overthinking for nearly 35 years now ... I digress. On to the nitty gritty.


Do you ever think about who you are? Why you act/react the way you do? Why you function the unique way you do?


I am all too guilty of this. I am constantly obsessing over who I am, why I act/react like I do, and what in the world the Lord wants out of this semi-crazy, but functioning brain of mine.


I'll take a second to just lay it out there and pronounce that I am an overly emotional person. Meaning, I have enough emotions for at least two, maybe three, people. Nearly everything I do comes from emotion. Thus, you can see the obsession with how and why I act and react as I do.


Running on emotions is like walking a dental-floss-thin tightrope with no safety net. It can be the best of times, and it can be the worst of times. When I'm feeling secure in who I am, it is the best rush of my life. I'm reaching out to people, trying to bless everyone I come in contact with, and generally feeling vivacious and full of the Spirit. It's utter euphoria.


BUT, and that's a big, strong but, when I'm insecure (which has been my homeland of late), I become a recluse and just want this big, bad world to leave me in peace. I question my relationships, whether I'm good enough, and what my little gestures even really do to make this world a better place. 


Much of the time, I feel a tug of war between these two worlds. I can vacillate between security and insecurity with the snap of a finger. 


Is this a woman thing, or is it just a me thing? Anyone else out there feel this way? 


After having a pretty rough go of it last week (progesterone blues, anyone?), I've resolved that I want to live my life on the secure side. I don't want my actions and reactions to be dictated by my surroundings, relationships, mood, etc. 


I desire to be a consistent version of me. The best me, the Spirit-filled me. I truly believe that's what the Lord desires of us. To be steadfast, to be strong, to be unwavering in His spirit. 


After all, if Jesus could look upon his mockers and take the shame of their sins in order to save us all, I can surely go about my days with joy and thanksgiving in my heart. 


I've been given so much; I don't want to wander through life being fickle and insecure. In doing so, I'm holding God back from what He wants to do with me. I'm barring the door for His light to shine through me to others. 


I've got to realize that it's not about me, it's about Him. It's not about my try; it's about His will. I need to unclutter my heart so that He can furnish His space there and make it warm and welcoming. Only then will others be able to see Him shine through me and seek to know Him more. That is my ultimate goal. 

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties; 

And see if there is any wicked way in me,

 And lead me in the way everlasting.

~ Psalm 139:23-24

Choosing Strength

I found this gem on Pinterest today. So fitting and so true.

Source

I choose strength. Because that's what the Lord wants from me. Strength in Him. 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart 

and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways submit to him, 

and he will make your paths straight.

~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Looking for Forward Momentum

Lately, I feel like the life I'm living is in a constant state of "two steps forward, ten steps back." And not in some fun, Paula Abdul and MC Skat Kat kind of way. You know, "Two steps forward, two steps back, we come together 'cause opposites attract ..."


Like, for every molehill I surmount, there's a mountain ahead of me I'm going to tumble tragically down. 


My kid actually listens one day when I ask him to pick up his toys and does so without any whining, bickering, or ignoring. Then, the next day he pinches someone at preschool and gets sent to the office.


I make a new friend and feel an instant, I've-known-you-all-my-life connection. Two days later, doubt creeps into my mind and I question whether this new friend even likes me at all. 


I manage to finally get the house cleaned and feel proud of my accomplishments. The next day, I remember that it's my husband's birthday in two days and I haven't even thought about what to get him. Not to mention, I've managed to miss my brothers' birthdays altogether and now have to tuck my tail between my legs and send the "it's late, so of course it's from me" gift. 


Some days, I feel like opening my arms and heart to the world, and shouting, "Bring on the day! Let me be a light unto this world and do all the good that I can with all that I'm given." I am Superwoman, trying to be everything to everyone and sincerely wanting to do it all right.


Other days, I want to put on the heaviest, thickest body armor around and close myself into my house, barring the windows and the doors, removing any piece of myself from connection to the outside world. I'm wallowing in self doubt and seriously wondering if one iota of my being really even matters to anyone else.


I suppose I could lay "blame" for this stage of my life on many things. Maybe it's life with a 3 1/2 year old. Maybe it's motherhood in general, which is not the most forgiving of professions. Maybe it's my hormones and the PCOS that's ravaging my body. Maybe it's Satan, trying to attack me where both he and God know I'm all too vulnerable. Maybe it's because I don't love myself, so I don't see where others should either. Maybe I'm in a valley of life right now, instead of on a peak. Maybe, and this is the scariest maybe of all, it's all true and I just don't stack up as a person the way I should. 


I truly don't know. I don't have the answers. If I did, I would do whatever necessary to remove myself from this rut. 


Why am I sharing this? Is it just to get anyone who happens to read it (as if anyone's still paying any attention to this pathetic blog) down in the doldrums with me? 


Nope. I'm sharing this for two reasons. 


1) This blog is about my life and I want it to be honest, so I'm sharing my life right now. Pockmarks and all. This is my free therapy session.


2) I hope that it will encourage anyone who reads it and feels the same way I do, and remind them that they're not alone. Alone is not a great way to feel. I feel it often, whether in a crowd or at home. 


I long to tie this post up in pretty paper with a neat bow, but I just can't. It's where I'm at right now. I just have to trust that God will meet me right where I am. 

Prayer

By: Henry David Thoreau

Great God, I ask for no meaner pelf
Than that I may not disappoint myself,
That in my action I may soar as high
As I can now discern with this clear eye.
And next in value, which thy kindness lends,
That I may greatly disappoint my friends,
Howe'er they think or hope that it may be,
They may not dream how thou'st distinguished me.

That my weak hand may equal my firm faith
And my life practice what my tongue saith
That my low conduct may not show
Nor my relenting lines
That I thy purpose did not know
Or overrated thy designs. 

Stuff and some such

Two posts in one night: this is record breaking for my poor blog. ;) 


Just wanted to share some goings on in our life of late, or what we like to call in our house "stuff and some such." 


First up is a biggie for me. I'm seriously considering/might already be training for a half marathon. A friend of mine suggested I do the run with her, and before I could think, I was like, "Yeah, that sounds great." I desperately need to get in shape. I mean, I'm lugging this old jalopy of a body around when God's given me the time and money to turn it into a muscle car. 


Who am I kidding though? A half marathon is 13.1 miles. I've never even walked 13.1 miles that I can recall. Did I mention that I actually hate to run? I'd rather do the Fox Trot for 13.1 miles than run. If I end up doing this race, I might have to Fox Trot, Samba, or something to be able to even make it to the end. Not to mention it's in four months. That's like 120 days. I've heard of Couch to 5K, but Couch to Half Marathon?!? What am I thinking? 


If I do the race (which I'm heavily leaning toward), I will be running for a good cause: Free Wheelchair Mission. 



Run For Mobility from Free Wheelchair Mission on Vimeo.
 


I think watching that video actually made my mind up for me that I will be running. Because I can. For those who can't. I've always had a heart for the physically disabled, so now's the time to literally put my legs behind it and make a difference. 


My husband thinks I'm crazy to ask for donations in an economy like this, but I'm out to prove otherwise. Remember how I don't like to be told I can't do something? Be on the lookout for a link to my fundraising page once I officially sign up for the race. I can't do the run alone, but I can do it with Christ. 


In other news, I'm super stoked that my little guy is finally into being read to and reading books on his own. Being a bibliophile, I have been bothered that up until now, he wasn't that interested in books and wouldn't sit still long enough to get through one page. I recall wondering if he'd ever learn to love books and see the worlds he could explore through the flipping of the pages. The time has finally come! He loves to sit in my lap and hear stories, and it has become one of my most treasured activities to do with him. We just picked up a couple of new books on a recent jaunt to the grocery store of all places. Here's what we ended up with: 

A beautiful story about finding where you fit in. 

A wonderful book about thanking God for each day.

We read the two tonight, and my son enjoyed the first, while I enjoyed the latter. Seven dollars spent for treasured time together is not too bad. I'm looking forward to the world of books we've yet to discover! 

If you have any personal favorites you'd like to share, please do. I am always on the lookout!

Lastly, if you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll notice I updated the background. I grew tired of the drab colors of the former background. This new background is much more "me." It has pink, butterflies, and sparkles for crying out loud! Hope you like it as much as I do.  

God bless, 

Miss K

Trying to finish strong

Hi Peeps,

Just stopping in to say a quick hello and not necessarily leave you with a whole lot, except plans for blog posts to come. 

You see, I've been doing this Bible in 90 Days Challenge, oh for about 78 days now. Need I mention I'm actually on day 66 of the reading? Which means it's time to hunker down and git 'er done. I'm behind, but not beaten. So, I've been using the majority of my spare time reading the Word and spending some time with the Lord. 

It's been nothing short of amazing. Stealing moments here and there to fit a chapter in, spending three tranquil hours reading while my son was in preschool one fine day, and striving to meet this goal in real time. Thus, I've been taking some time off of blogging to devote to the challenge. 

When I get caught up, I'll be back! There's so much I want to write about; it's hard to keep it from all getting jumbled in my little brain. I want to talk more about the Bible challenge itself and how inspiring it is. I also want to talk about Blog Sugar, and all the wisdom and encouragement I gleaned from it. I want to pursue new directions for this blog (that were mentioned before but never started by my procrastinating self) and infuse this blog with the spirit it's been lacking due to sporadic posting.

High hopes. Pie in the sky hopes. But, hey, what's life without hope? 

Stay tuned ... 

 I'll leave you with a picture of the cutest kid on the planet (OK, I'm biased) on his first day of preschool. Yes, I survived. He's enjoying it, and I'm finding I enjoy the Mommy time, too. 

God Bless,

Miss Khttp://www.blogsugar11.com/

I've got the joy, joy, joy ... where?

Down in my heart? Do I?

Joy. Hmm. Why, as a Christian woman, is that a tough subject to write on? 

I think it's because I feel like I yearn for it. It's not as if I have no joy at all; it's just that I desire a consistent joy. 

Sure, my days are sprinkled with moments of joy. Watching my little guy sleep or learn something new, baking something amazing, reading words or listening to music that captures my soul. I find many sprinklings of joy in my days. 

It's the in between time that I'm concerned about. The moments that come all too frequently where I completely and utterly forget about all that is to be joyful about in my life and give in to the enemy's temptation to be angry and bitter. Over stupid things. Miniscule things. Things that don't even matter. 

I tend to let situations dictate my mood. Steal my joy. Inconveniences. Hurt feelings. Things that were said in error. Why? 

I want to be in a consistently joyful state. On a day to day basis. Because I should be. There are not many things not going right for me in my life. I can create drama where it's not or I can choose to relish in what I have that's right ... that promotes joy.

This topic is difficult. More often than not, I feel overwhelmed by life and not entirely joyful for all the Lord's given me. Isn't that selfish? 

I think it starts with more prayer. More heart to hearts with God. He knows all of what I'm feeling, so why do I try to pretend He doesn't? I'm going to start working on consistent joy.

*I'm jumping in and linking up to Five Minute Friday. I think it's such a wonderful idea and look forward to what it reveals to me. Check it out and join in!*

It's a sad day in Mudville ...

It's a holiday. We had a wonderful family day together, taking in brunch at Goofy's Kitchen (if you've never been, it's a must go when at Disneyland), walking briskly through the Magic Kingdom (too crowded and hot to stay long), and resting together for what we call "Family Nap Time" (FNT) around these parts. 


But something makes me feel like I've just had the Last Supper. 


You see, my baby starts preschool tomorrow. (Before you ask, yes, I have a flair for the dramatic). 


I just want to know how we got from this:

to this:

SO QUICKLY! I feel like I blinked and three-and-a-half years went by. Three and a half of the best years of my life: raising, loving on, coddling, scolding, wrestling with, chasing after, napping, and dreaming with my sweet little man. I now take back ALL those times (and they were numerous) I wished he was in school because the time has now come, and I don't want him to go. It's truly a sad day in Mudville. I'm not sure if I'll even sleep tonight. Sheesh, what a baby I am. 


I just feel like this is the end of an era. From tomorrow on, he is a school boy. I am more excited for him than I can contain, but nervous for how he's going to do and definitely not sure how I'm going to do. For goodness' sake, I nearly broke down in tears when I dropped off his paperwork and they showed me his cubby. His cubby, for crying out loud! 


The bond between mother and child runs so deep; it cuts right to the bone. I love this boy more than I could ever imagine loving anything and I want so desperately to see him succeed and grow to be a godly man. Which is why I have to send him off tomorrow, smiling on the outside while I'm crying on the inside, and let him know I'm giving him room to grow. It's just so hard. 


I feel like this begins the process I'll go through over the next 15 years of letting go. Bit by bit, as time goes on, I'll let go a little more to give him a little more room. But not too much. The best I can do is entrust him to my heavenly Father and ask that He will walk the steps with my son that I am not there to walk. 


Father, please be there when he trips going up the steps to class and skins his knee, when he gets his feelings hurt from being teased by a mean classmate, when he's stammering to get out a word as he learns to read, and all those little times where mama's love would work wonders. Be my eyes, my ears, my heart, and my arms when I'm away from my boy. Father, your love works wonders greater than I can ever imagine. With You by his side, my boy can do anything. 


So can I. I can do anything through Christ because He strengthens me. So, tomorrow morning, I'm going to put on my big-girl panties and send my little champ off to preschool, knowing we'll all make it through the day. There will be tears and lots of photos, but there will also be faith that things will go well because God's in control.


Oh, and if you see someone's hands being pried off the door handle of the preschool, it's definitely not me. 

Being in the moment

Right now, sitting in front of my computer at 11:21 a.m., my to-do list is swallowing me up and choking the life out of me. 

I often feel like I could get it all done if I had just ONE day alone. ONE day of utter concentration, no distractions, no kid, no phone, no husband, just me and this mess of a house and life. 

Would that really happen though? Chances are, I'd probably waste the day away blogging, catching up on Facebook or the like. Or I'd get busy "trying" to be productive and get lost in the stack of year-old magazines flipping through and cutting out recipes or things to make/do. 

I need to face it. I'm probably NEVER going to have ONE day of utter un-busyness. Life is not that way. I've got to work with what I have, realize my strengths, curb my weaknesses, and move on. 

Procrastination is one of my major weaknesses, as is overcomplicating things. My brain gets going one-hundred miles a minute, and I can't even start to keep up. The irony of procrastination is that I think I'm putting things off to enjoy the time I have at the moment, but the procrastination just creates more to do in the long run and the things I haven't done eat at me during the time I'm enjoying "the moment," so I'm not really enjoying it at all. 

My very wise and uber-productive husband has diagnosed me with a condition termed "paralysis by analysis." It basically means I'm not getting anything done because I spend too much time analyzing how to get something done (e.g., trying to look at all the brands of a food to see which one's cheapest, planning to redecorate a whole room when all it really needs is a good vacuuming, etc.). I spend SO much time thinking about things I want to do and very little "real" time doing them. The plans in my mind are grand, I tell ya. 

My Superman of a husband just gave me this wonderful advice via email:  "Focus on checking off your to-do list as you accomplish tasks, but don't think about the next tasks while you're completing the current one.  STAY in the moment." I asked him for prayer because I am lacking motivation, but have tons to do. What a wise man. He knows the lazy, procrastinating me and loves me anyway. 

So, with that grand advice, I'm off to start my day. Yep, at noon. Hey, it ain't pretty, but it's honest. That's life. 

Anyone have any tips/tools/tricks for getting more done during the day? Mantras you live by? Scheduling musts? I'm in dire need of anything I can get my hands on as motivation and structure for my day. I'm a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants gal, and that doesn't jive with being a stay-at-home mom. Reason numero uno why I cannot homeschool. Our days would look like a Jackson Pollock painting. 

Send help, please. And a dozen donuts. OK, just kidding about the donuts. Not really. 

I'd like to thank the Academy ...

Oh, sorry. Just practicing my acceptance speech for when I win the award for Most Inconsistent Blogger on Earth. It's been a month since I blogged. Really? No wonder I've been so uptight. All these thoughts balled up in my head and no pounding on a keyboard to let them all out. 

Every time I come to my blog, it makes me think of this:

Now I want to go watch Billy Madison. I L-O-V-E that movie. Shampoo good. Conditioner better ... Stop looking at me, swan! 

Anyway, just dropping by to say how lame I am in all aspects of life lately. I totally fell off the wagon on my eating plan. OK, I didn't just fall off, the wagon darn near killed me by running me over after I fell off. It really is that bad. I've got the few extra pounds to show it. 

I'm not feeling well, not eating well, and not working out. I feel like Chet in Weird Science. You remember? This guy:

Alas, tomorrow's a new day and I am more determined than ever to morph out of my Chet-ness into more of a Kelly LeBrock-ness (circa 1985, of course). 

I'm hoping to awaken tomorrow feeling well, refreshed, and ready to attack my "spare tire" with a vengeance. I've discovered a new mantra that I am going to put on a loop in my brain, as well as print out and post on every surface I come in contact with (especially those involving the finding and consumption of food): 

"Don't trade what you want most for what you want at this moment." 

Done. I'm over trading feeling good in a sleeveless shirt for a doughnut or being able to fit in my ballet skirt for an enchilada. Seriously. 

I would appreciate any and all encouragement I can get in this endeavor. I like food. A little too much. But, you see, me and food, we're on the outs. I can't hang with grease, processed, or fried vittles like I used to. I gotta spend some well-deserved time with some fruits and veggies to make me lean and clean again. 

If you happen to have the pleasure of being around me when I experience an episode of weakened self-control (which are sure to be many), please do me a favor. First off, make sure you're not within arm's or leg's distance 'cause I might want to hurt you. Once your outside the boundary, kindly remind me of my mantra and what I'm working toward. Just be sure to say please. 

Of Bible Studies and Brownies

I'm random, I know. But bear with me and hear me out on two things. Just two things. Then I'll let you get back to your regularly scheduled programming. 


1. Brownies


Right below is a sacred recipe for the best brownies I have ever had in my life. Seriously. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE read past the first ingredient. I know it will be hard, but you can do it. Test drive these babies. You won't be disappointed. I promise. Take a chance on me. If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown, honey I'm still free, take a chance on me. (Sorry, I spontaneously burst into ABBA songs, or any song for that matter, frequently. Forgive me.) Without further adieu, I bring you: (drumroll, please)


Dark Chocolate Beet Brownies

Servings: 24
Time: About one hour total; 30 minutes active

8 ounces raw beets, peeled and halved (YOU CAN'T TASTE THEM. I SWEAR.) Keep reading!
8 ounce unsalted butter (2 sticks)
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 ¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, not imitation
¾ cup white flour
1 cup chocolate chips, preferably 60 percent or more cacao 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small pot, add beets and cover with water. Heat over medium heat and cook 20–25 minutes until very soft. Drain, puree and set aside to cool.

3. In a medium pot over low heat, melt butter. Turn heat to medium-low and add both sugars. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 2–3 minutes, and remove from heat.

4. Beat the eggs on medium with a mixer for about 2 minutes. Add cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and vanilla extract, and incorporate well.

5. Add pureed beets and butter-sugar mixture and mix well. On low speed, add flour and then chocolate chips, scraping the sides as needed.

6. Spray a 9 x 13 pan generously with cooking spray, add batter and bake 30 minutes until knife comes out clean or with just a few crumbles. Cool in the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack. Enjoy warm!


Make these. Like tomorrow. Your children will gobble them up like they're candy. You will, too. And you'll all be getting your folate, Vitamin C, and iron. Thank me later. I accept payment in brownies and/or meatballs.


2. Bible Studies (or one wonderful one, in particular)


 If you're looking for something to turn your attention away from your children who are on school vacation this summer and driving you bonkers (or if you're just a woman), avert your eyes from "All My Children" and check out this Bible study "Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted." I'm currently more than halfway through this study with a church women's group, and it has impacted me tremendously. As I was sharing with my husband, I don't know whether it's the season of life I'm in or the age I am, but I am finding so much that resonates with me in this study. It's almost overwhelming to feel the Lord reaching out to me in this way. I mean, I've been in Bible studies, but this is probably the first one that has affected me in ways that will change who I am as a mother, a wife, and a person in general. Priscilla Shirer is good! She is on fire for the Lord and she's so authentic. She's a mother of three boys and she's living to tell AND give God glory about it, so you bet your bottom I'm going to listen! 


The ladies in my group are amazing (and I don't mean that in the flippant sense of the word). Each of us have been transparent throughout the study, which I have been so thankful for. We are diverse in age and I feel there is so much knowledge and wisdom to glean from each of the ladies I'm studying with. Suffice it to say, I think this study is better done as a group, but it cuts the mustard all on its own. Who would've thought four little chapters of the Bible could do so much? Please do check it out. Let the Lord speak to you. 


That is all. Brownies and Bible studies. Good stuff, eh? Nourishment for the body and the soul. 


God bless, 
Miss K

Pondering a new direction for this poor, unattended to blog

Hello there (assuming there are any readers left of this pitiful little blog),

I haven't blogged in a coon's age. Truthfully, I've been wrestling with the time, purpose, direction, etc. of this little ol' blog. I've felt guilty for wanting to put time into it when there are so many other things worthy of my attention, unsure if this is what God wants for me at this stage in my life, not comfortable/satisfied with the direction/focus of the blog, so I've just been ignoring it. It's like that huge pile of laundry that assaults your sense of smell and personal space when you step foot in your laundry room, so you just shut the door and pretend it isn't there. But it nags at you, calling you to just work on it so you can keep up. 

Thus, this blog is nagging me. It's telling me to poo or get off the pot. Seriously. Sorry for the crassness, but that's all I can think of as an equivalent due to my fourth grade boy sense of humor.

I don't want to abandon this blog altogether. I think as a writer it's therapeutic for me, and I hope that people who read it (people probably insinuates more in number than actual) will get something worthwhile and encouraging from it. 

With that said, I don't know if other bloggers feel this way, but I am insanely uncomfortable just putting my whole life out there on this blog for anyone in the world to see. Sorry, I've watched too much 48 Hours Mystery and To Catch a Predator if you get my drift. I'm a wee bit paranoid (OK, more than a wee bit, much more like obsessively) about my personal space being invaded. I have no problem baring my soul for all to see, but I can't stomach putting pictures, facts, etc. about my family just out there to float in the Webosphere where anyone can visit, follow, troll, stalk, etc. PLEASE note that I am not in any way judging those bloggers who do so. I think it's fantastic and wish I had that kind of personal security.

So, what's a blogger to do? I've been toying with other ideas for the site. I've been thinking more about what I'm passionate about in life and what I desire to share with others to make their lives easier and better. I don't feel like showing readers the latest video of my kid singing his ABCs (albeit super cute) is necessarily something that's going to enhance their daily lives. Maybe I'm wrong, but my gut says so, so I'm going with that. I sincerely feel that God is calling me to redirect the blog to something more helpful and purposeful.

I'm thinking of creating tabs and allowing readers to skim the site for things they want to read and not assaulting their brains with my sometimes mindless drivel or stream of consciousness randomness. Although the stream of consciousness is likely to continue because that's just a part of me. ;) 

I've become really passionate lately about having a natural home. What in the world does that mean? It means no chemicals in our home, in our food, or in our atmosphere (at least in as much as we can control it). I'd love to share bits and pieces I've found to make natural, organic living easier and more affordable for the everyday family. You know, recipes, coupons, ideas, articles, information, and all the good stuff I can find to encourage us to all make the best decisions for our families. 

It won't be limited to this type of material, but I would like to repurpose and refocus this blog so it's worth more than a free therapy session por moi. I'm curious to know if this kind of material appeals to any of the readers. Perhaps I can then stop assaulting all of my Facebook friends with my unsolicited pleas to buy organic produce and stop abuse of people, animals, the environment, etc. Who knew I was a closet philanthropist all this time?

If this sounds of interest to you, won't you drop me a line or a comment to let me know you'll be along for the ride? 

God bless,

Miss K

P.S. I'm thinking this may include a complete redesign of the site and possible new title for the blog. Exciting! 

A minor inconvenience for me, a world of difference for someone else

Today, I'm going barefoot, in order to raise awareness for Tom's Shoes One Day Without Shoes campaign. If you've never heard of it, here's a great video to introduce you to the cause.





It's a minor inconvenience for me, to be brutally honest. As a stay-at-home mom, I don't have to venture out today if I don't want to. I can be barefoot in the comfort of my own home. 


However, it is a commitment. It's an awareness. It's a chance to begin teaching my son how fortunate we are to live in the country we do and have access to the things we have, and that there are many, many people in this world who are far less fortunate. I want to raise him with a global consciousness. I want him to see the plight of the third world, that he might rarely take for granted what he is given and give thanks to the Lord for all the blessings he receives. 

On this day, I pray that more people become aware of what it's like for those who live without shoes. I believe it's honestly something that most Americans rarely even consider. It is probably downright preposterous to some of us. But, it's reality, and it's harsh. 

This is our world. We must take care of it, and the people in it. Won't you kick off your shoes and join us today? 

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you ...

Without a dope beat to step to ... RIP Aaliyah :)


Seriously though. It's been quiet entirely too long on this blog. I know why, and I intend to expand upon it in a series entitled "Under Enemy Fire." 


Look out for it, starting sometime within the next week ... 


God bless,
Miss K

More hours in the day ... week ... year?

OK, I know it's not just me. Oh, please, tell me it's not just me. Here's my conundrum:

Am I the ONLY ONE who sees what other moms have time for in their days/lives and wonders how in the world they get it all done and remain sane and somewhat put together? 

I'm really struggling with this one lately. Really. My token answer for most things tends to be that "I don't have time." Why is there a pile on the kitchen counter of Christmas cards? I don't have time to put them away. Why are there four separate piles on the desk of God-knows-what? I don't have time to file it all and decide if I should keep it and where it should go shall I decide to keep it. Why do I have 14 (yes, probably 14) scrapbooks that are blank and just waiting for me to put my little hands on them and create? I don't have time for that stuff. Between the laundry, house, three-year-old tornado, etc., I JUST DON'T HAVE TIME. 

I know my husband's sick of this answer. Frankly, I'm sick of this answer. It seems the more I see people who seem to have an infinite number of more hours in their day, the more it drags me down because I just assume I'm doing something wrong. I'm spending too much time out of the house, I'm on Facebook too much, I'm reading blogs too much, I'm blogging too much, I'm watching too much TV, etc. 

There is an ounce (perhaps more) of truth to this. I have an addictive personality and tend to gravitate toward time-sucking activities. Words With Friends, anybody? Hello! So, I have to own that portion of it. I need to start really examining A) what I do spend my time on and B) what I would rather be spending my time on. 

Let's face it: I'm never going to be one of these "It's 4 p.m. and I've fed the children twice, washed the windows, baked some muffins just because, worked on little Jimmy's ABCs with him, darned my husband's socks, and sewed new curtains for the living room just in time to begin my gourmet dinner of ham, potatoes, and homemade bread with bananas foster for dessert." Ehhh. Ain't gonna happen. And that's not really what I'm looking for anyway. 

I want to have more control over my time. Isn't that paradoxical? I do have control over my time. I really do. Ouch. That stung. Telling myself that hurt. You know why? Because it puts the responsibility all on me.  

I need to bring this before the Lord, every day. I need to recognize time management as a weakness of mine and ask for the Lord's direction and provision every day. 

It's like when Leonardo DiCaprio says in Titanic, "You learn to take life as it comes at you, to make each day count." I want to make each day count. Because, in the end, I'm not going to reminisce about how many friends I had on Facebook or how many years I watched a particular TV show, that will all be dust in the wind. I will reminisce about the people closest to me, the experiences that shaped me, and the winding path the Lord took me down. 

I want to recapture what is mine: my time. Here's to making it count! 

Today, we celebrate ...

Poop. 

Yes, that's right. You didn't read it wrong. I said poop. My almost three-year-old did his first #2 on the potty today. All by himself. Then he ran to tell me about it. I haven't been so proud or felt so accomplished since I birthed the child! 

It's a relief for me, but it's also bittersweet. Seeing him run around in big boy underwear is just a sign that he's growing up all too quickly. Time is flying by, and it seems like the harder I pray for it to stand still, the more rapidly it moves. I'm reminded of a quote from Ferris Bueller's Day Off:

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

Isn't that so true? I don't want to miss any part of life. I want to savor every moment, the sweet and the sour. It all adds up to a work of beauty that I hope to look upon in my old age (hopefully very old age) and relish. 

Take a moment today to savor life. Dance like a fool in your living room to a great tune. Stop and smell some beautiful flowers outside. Smile at a stranger. Share God's love. We all need it. 

The Lord works in mysterious ways. If I can get all of this from a simple #2, you can find something today worth reveling in as well. 

Blessings,

Miss K