How Times Change...

We have went from record players to cassette tapes, from cassette tapes to CDs, from paperback books to eReaders, and the list goes on. It's interesting, and (sometimes) at the same time sad, how the world has become so fast paced, and how a lot of the world now depends on technology for a lot of what is done.

I remember there was a time when we used to have handwritten letters...there was pretty stationery and pencils and envelopes and stamps. Receiving a letter in the mail used to take days, now it may only take seconds if you send it via e-mail. There is still the handwritten letters that some have, but not as much as the e-mails, or now, even text messages, it seems.

While a phone call used to be made to talk to someone, a lot of times text messages are sent and received rather than having an actual conversation. My husband said it great just the other day! He said, "in a world where there is all of this social media, a lot of the world is becoming less social."  It's sad, but true.

We strive for our family not to be this way. While we enjoy the electronics, and some electronics and some of the changes in the world are not a bad thing, we still try to limit the time we spend on our devices. Family time and time with friends is usually far more important than "liking" someone's status. Actually liking someone's conversation, what they have to say, actually hearing and listening to what they have to say about what is going on in their life is, a lot of the time, so much more important than scrolling through our social media feed(s). While social media can be fun and a great way to keep up with friends and family we don't get to see or hear from that often, we have to still make certain that we actually communicate in a world that sometimes has a lot of the people forgetting the real meaning of communication.  It's easy to get hidden behind the device, and it's easy to forget to communicate with those who matter the most.  Time is a gift we don't get back.  Once a season in life is gone, well, it's gone...we have to make sure we are making lasting memories!

Our True Colors

Sometimes another word used for a person's true character is a person's true colors. Not the color of their hair, skin, or clothes...that's not what I mean here. I mean the color of their character as a person.



Pick a color. Perhaps a person's true colors are shown when there's not a large audience. I've always tried to tell my kids that they always have an audience of at least one, God is always watching, He is always there. If that is not something to help us make good choices, and live our lives with purpose, I don't know what is!



Just something to think about!

Kindness Matters...It Really Does!

As I type this, there is a bag of clothes upstairs waiting to go to our church (for our church's Shepherd's Closet). Each month our church hosts a Shepherd's Closet, which is an opportunity for the families who are in need of clothing to come to our church and get some of the clothing that has been donated by others for this cause. So, I've been having our kids to bag up the clothes they no longer can wear, and give them to the church for this purpose.

Purpose, it really is! This cause, this once a month opportunity for families in need, it is a purpose that can be added to our lives. It's a purpose to be kind, to help those in need.

The other day I was on my way to work, and my husband and I were riding together. He decided to stop by Mcdonalds to get him some breakfast (I really didn't want anything, I had my coffee in my to-go cup, and all was well with me). As we got to the drive-thru window the girl who handed him his food gave us a Frappé, they had an extra one made, and they offered it to me. I already had coffee in my to-go cup, but I was so happy by their kindness with the offer of the Frappé that I gladly took the drink that they offered. It was something simple, but their kindness helped to start my morning off great!

Simple things, small things, things that may not seem like a really big deal to us, may mean something huge to someone else. For instance, those clothes that people donate for such a great cause, that means helping to provide clothing for people in need. No matter how huge or how small, kindness is kindness, and it does matter!  We all can show kindness, and we need to.

We have this decorative plate that sits in our kitchen that reads Kindness Matters Show the Love, and that is definitely true!

Helping Others

I naturally don't believe in them...the fortunes we pull out of cookies, but it is fun to see what the cookies have to "say" though. Sunday, Justin, the kids, and I went to eat Chinese food, and this was in my fortune cookie.

By helping someone today, you may also be helping yourself.

This could possibly give one a whole new way of thinking, a whole new point of view, a whole new perspective on helping others. While we should want to help others whether we receive anything in return or not, and I definitely am one who likes to help others (even when nothing is expected in return), it makes you think of how true this statement could be.

How could this statement prove true, you may ask. Well, I am one who believes that a person reaps what they sow. We should help others without expecting anything in return, but I also believe we reap what we sow in this life. You do good unto others, and good will be done unto you. Likewise, if you are one who is selfish and is negative, well...you reap what you sow then too.

Everyone has bad days...at least I think so, I sure do! I also think that everyone has good days, and, again, I sure do. In life it seems that almost everything moves in circles. Life itself even moves in circles, from birth to death. I mean, think about it, I remember when my parents grieved the death of their parents, and I also remember when they rejoiced over their grandchildren being born. Now, I am grieving over my own parents no longer being in this world, and one day, if it is in my children's and God's plans, I will rejoice over my own grandchildren being born. Likewise, if it is God's plans, one day my children will grieve their own parents' deaths, then they will rejoice in their grandchildren being born. And...the circle continues.  You see, life itself can even move in circles.

Everything we do in life, somehow or another, we will be affected by it. Good or bad, our choices will return a positive or negative consequence. While I don't believe what the fortune cookie's predictions are...I just don't believe in them, there is one thing I am certain of. The Bible is something I am certain of. The Bible tells us in Galations 6:7: 
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (KJV)

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (ESV)

That is something I do believe!

My Foundation in a World that's Broken

I say that I don't, and I really, really try not to take this life I live for granted. It's not my intentions to take it for granted. I want to soak up every bit of this life that God gives me. It's really a gift!

It's funny (not the haha kind of funny, either) how sometimes a loved one being sick or hurting can really put things in perspective though. It makes one realize how much we really (maybe not intentionally, but we still do) take for granted. We're not promised tomorrow, we may hope for it, but we're not promised it.

The Good Book a.k.a. The Bible says:

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. -James 4:14 (KJV)

yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. -James 4:14 (ESV)

You see, this verse means so much. It means we should cherish the todays that we have, before they turn into our yesterdays. It is never my intention to take this great big life God has given me for granted. It's never even my intention to take the people placed in my life for granted. I want to soak every bit of this life up...the happy and the sad times, the big and the small adventures, and the people in my life who I love more than any of the treasures this world may ever hold. These people are one of God's many great gifts to me!

This world has a lot of brokenness in it. Broken hearts, broken health, and even broken faith. This world is not a completely perfect world. You know what, though? Among this broken world I look to the Lord and through Him and the love I've been placed in...my God's love, my husband's love, the love of our children, and even the love of our family and friends I see the unbroken pieces...the solid foundation...the things I never want to take for granted.

The things and people I never want to take for granted...my husband...holding his hand, his sweet hugs and kisses, and even our date nights...our time together is always precious! Our kids...their laughter and smiles, and just being their Mom is such a gift. Time with our family and friends, soaking in every single minute we can of life with them is a blessing. God is so good! He fixes the broken pieces in this world with the journey He places us on...we just have to choose the right path, and not take any of it for granted.

As I type this I'm leaving Dairy Queen. My husband and I went there after we visited Urgent Care for my husband this evening. All will be well, praise God! We found out he has diverticulitis this evening, but God is our strong foundation, and He's awesome!

While eating dinner (which my husband had to do for his medicine), we both noticed an older couple sitting next to each other in the booth behind us. The guy working there handed them one banana split, and asked if they needed two spoons, and they told him yes. I want us to always be that kind of a couple, my husband and I. While I don't like bananas, I do love date nights with my husband.

This is just my thoughts, this Saturday evening. How the Lord can be our solid foundation, and those He places in our life is a gift. May I never take this for granted, and when/if I do, may the Lord help me to always remember what gift this life is, along with everyone who is in my life. I'm blessed!

Tickets for Two!

As I sit drinking my morning coffee...



I reflect on the blessings of the week.  I think there's a lot of life that needs to be remembered, the big times and the not so big times.  I think that every breath that God gives us is a gift, and we should not just let life pass us by...we should live life to the fullest!  As I think these things, I think of how I want to live life, but I want to remember it too...that's one of the reasons I journal/blog...memories. I want to remember the big moments...you know...things like the kids' firsts.  It used to be that I wanted to remember their first steps, first words, first day of school etc., while I didn't take a picture of every single first of theirs, I've tried to be as present as possible, and do as much documenting as I could.  Anyhow, now I find when I mention the kids' firsts it's more along the lines of their first days of high school and college, their first cars, etc., that's what the future now may hold, as we are past the first tooth and first steps phase.  I also journal/blog for special times like mine and my husband's anniversaries, family vacations, etc., but I want to remember the simple moments too...things like sitting at home and sharing a simple evening with my family. I may not always get to journal/blog what I want, but I try my best, because when something in life passes us by...after the moment has been lived, we have our memories and our photos of that time. So...with that being said...I'm going to give this a try (at least for awhile), I'm going to try to jot down as much of life's happenings that I can, and take a few (or more) photos along the way, and I'm going to continue on this journey of having this journal/blog!

I'll admit there are times that I wonder if keeping a journal/blog in today's world is even worth my time. I keep moving forward with it though. Because my main reason for doing this is for me to have these memories documented, and also for my husband and kids to have our memories documented. Sometimes I also wonder if my kids will ever even take the time to look at and read what I've poured so much of my time into, and then I think of how I appreciate my own Mom's photographs and scrapbooks (especially now that she is no longer a part of my daily life...memories of her is what I have right now...photographs, scrapbooks, and memories). One day, this may be my kids...appreciating what I am putting together for them...I hope they too will appreciate our life's story.

So...I continue to write...I write about the simplest of things, and the grandest of them all. I write for me, but I also write for them...my husband and kids. And our story continues...

I've been going into work around 30 minutes later each day this week...that's what was on my schedule for me to do, so I did. It gave me a lot of time to sit and think...some much needed time to do so. Yesterday morning as I was carrying laundry over to our building (also called the "little house" by me, because we used to live there while we were building the house that we now live in), and as I was walking back toward our house, I noticed such pretty leaves, and I was happy to be able to wear my boots to work, and enjoy a bit of the Fall weather.



I'm loving the Fall colors and being able to wear boots to work!

What I didn't realize then though (but I realized later in the day yesterday) was that the weather was soon going to turn more like Winter weather, as it started to snow. As it snowed, I honestly thought of my parents' graves. My Mom used to be so bothered that her parents' and my Dad's grave would get covered in snow, and I would sit and explain to her many times that her parents and my Dad was no longer bothered by the cold snowy weather. It still seemed to bother my Mom that snow was on our family's graves. So I sat at work, and I watched out the window as it snowed. While I kept my thoughts to myself, I was thinking of Mom, and how this was the first snowfall that we've really had since she's been gone. The snow at the end of this week may not amount to anything (and then again it may), but I found myself having to remember what I told Mom so many times...she isn't bothered by the cold Winter weather (and neither is Dad).  I have to believe that my parents are at peace...I choose to believe that, and it helps bring me at least a little peace!

While I was kinda' bummed with the snow, and my thoughts of my grandparents', and Mom and Dad's graves...while nobody else knew I was "kinda' bummed," God knew, and later in the day yesterday I was able to speak with someone who also was hurting by the death of a loved one, but oh, how their words helped me!

As the day went on, I was able to speak with an old man. This man's wife died about a week ago. As the man told me about his wife's death he cried. I just listened, that's really all I could do. The old man told me that people at his church and people he knew would tell him that they were sorry for his wife's death. He tipped the bill of his hat down over his eyes for a bit, as he sobbed. The man then continued, he said, "But I ask them why they are sorry and they will respond they are sorry for my wife dying."  Then the old man told me that he tells those people that yes his wife died, but they shouldn't be sorry, because him and her have been planning this trip for awhile, God just called her to go a little bit ahead of him. The old man continued to cry, and then he told me that he was glad that his wife died before him, because he wouldn't want her to know the kind of pain that he was feeling from the loss of a spouse.

What a wise man this man was. First talking about their trip of a lifetime, and then what a selfless act he was trying to show by not wishing his wife to hurt, even after she died, after the loneliness had set in for this old man, he still was showing his wife love after death. Then to think of his faith...how he talked of his wife's death as a trip that they both planned, and God already called her to use her ticket to get to their destination, the old man was just waiting for God to call him for their trip as well. That's faith!



It is true! Love is a Gift

I Must Stay Focused!

You know our family sometimes plays "Phone Stack" at dinner.  It's where we put all electronics to the side and actually have a conversation.  Our eyes are not looking at a screen and we're not typing or talking to someone else, but we're focused on what matters and having a real family conversation at our dinner table.  It's not the text messages that we did or didn't answer at the dinner table, but the REAL family conversations we had around our kitchen table that Justin, the kids, and I will most likely remember.

While I am writing (or typing) this, there are unanswered e-mails to read, a laundry basket full of laundry, and dinner to plan.  That is only to name a few things on my to-do list!  Life is busy!  With that being said, I must stay focused.

There are so many distractions in this world.  There's phone calls, e-mails, text messages, and the list goes on and on.  Sometimes there are good distractions and sometimes there are bad distractions that try to creep into life.  We must stay focused on what's important and keep our attention on what really matters.

I recently wrote about making good choices in life, about choosing the right path, which is so important!  We also need to manage our time wisely and in doing so, sometimes that doesn't mean multi-tasking to get more done.  Sometimes multi-tasking may possibly be a good thing, but there are times when things deserve our undivided attention and we are actually doing more by doing less.  For instance, with our family, one of the many times that deserve our full attention is at dinner.

Times that I choose to be fully focused on one thing are becoming more regular.  It's something I've tried to put into practice.  With today's world and society, the kind of world that expects the "here and now" instead of the patiently waiting crowd(s), it is sometimes hard to manage our time and stay focused on priorities.  There are some things during my day that I have come to realize deserve my undivided attention and that I do give my full attention to.  I actually try to give my full attention to most things that I do.  Sometimes that means me putting my cellphone down, sometimes that means me stepping away from the computer, sometimes that even means me tackling the laundry later, but when I feel that I need to step away from those things I can focus on the more important things.  I can focus on having conversations with my kids, evening walks with my family, and appreciate life without being distracted!  I've come to realize though, I've got to be focused and be really present though (not on my phone or computer), to really be there and in the moment.  I've come to appreciate life more that way and dinner conversations mean so much more!

Remembering...

Memorial Day Weekend, 2014.  Fishing with family (me, Justin, the kids, my brother, Melissa, and Devin).

Devin caught his first fish by himself and Breann got the "Catch of the Day," a bass!

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My thoughts for today...Today has included church, family, fishing, cooking out, a good book, and photography.  Our kinda' day! 

Today was the first time my brother and I visited our dad's grave together since he passed away nearly 3 years ago. We visit and decorate the grave regularly but my brother and I had never visited together since dad died. Justin and I decorated my grandparents' graves for years before dad passed away, and it still...nearly 3 years later...doesn't seem like I should put my dad's grave on the list of graves to decorate, it seems I should still be able to sit and talk with him instead of get on my knees and help my husband fill a vase with flowers.

Life on earth is short and it can either be sweet or it can be as bitter as you want to make it. Treasure every single moment you have, treasure family and friends and make good memories!  As our family was fishing with my brother and his family today, we still had that, we had memories!  We had conversations about dad's fishing trips and we also shared stories of my grandfather (who was in World War II) and uncle (who was in Vietnam).  Bre was very interested in learning our family's history and the kids even visited the graves of their great great grandparents. Death is sometimes sad, but it's also a reminder of the lives that have been. It's inevitable, death will come to each of us, unless the Lord returns before our time...this earthly life is only temporary, but that's why we need to treasure what's important in the here and now and keep our eyes on eternity (where we can have the opportunity to live with Jesus and our loved ones forevermore).

Just some of my thoughts this evening!

More photos are in the Members Area!

A Word I Try Not to Use!

"Hurry it up!"

Those are words I cringe at hearing and even saying.  I can NOT stand the word hurry.  I find myself sometimes using the word hurry, and honestly, when I do I pray to the Lord (sometimes silently, but nevertheless, I pray), asking Him to help me maintain my time more wisely.  A lot of the time I don't feel that the Lord is rushing me, and I feel that being rushed is sometimes the world's way of making us distracted from what is really important.

This life is rushed!  With technology it seems to sadly be becoming even more fast paced.  For example, a letter (or mail) used to sometimes take days to be delivered, and now we can just log onto the internet and it can be delivered (via e-mail) almost instantly.  Don't get me wrong, sometimes technology may be a good thing, but sometimes it can be not such a good thing as well.  It seems that as I get older (and I'm not that old, I am only in my 30's) the more I realize how fast paced the world really is.  Technology isn't the only way the world has become fast paced though.  Sometimes our schedules may become so filled up we feel like we have to literally run to get everything done.  The more fast paced the world is becoming the more I find impatient people dwelling here, and I WAS one of them.  The Bible tells us to be patient and longsuffering, if we are in a hurry, how can we be patient?

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; -Colossians 3:12 (KJV)

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience -Colossians 3:12 (ESV)

If I'm being honest, and I am, I sometimes am the one who gets behind the slow driver on the road.  Yes, I'm still doing the speed limit, but sometimes there is that person who is in the car in front of me who is just barely moving, and I am in a hurry to be somewhere.  These are the times I think of how I would like to be able to be like that person, no not be that person, but be able to be slower like them.

If I'm being honest, and I am, I sometimes am the one who rushes her kids out the door on a school/work morning.  I sometimes find myself telling them to "hurry it up, and get in the car so we won't be late."  Then, to be honest, I regret those words.  Yes, I had good intentions, I don't want any of us to be late to work/school, but I rushed my kids out the door.

You may be thinking so what is the big issue of rushing your kids out the door, but it is an issue, if/when it is done.  Let me explain.  It's not just rushing the kids out the door, but the pattern that goes with it, and the result of it.  Everything, Okay, maybe not everything, but a lot of things seem like seemed like had the words "hurry it up," to go along with what we were doing.   I then started thinking of if our schedule is really that busy, then it was hard for us to stay focused on what mattered most and keep our priorities in line.  If we were in a hurry, how were we being patient, and how were we able to stay focused on what mattered most.  Maybe life should still be busy, but not too busy.  I shouldn't rush my kids through life, I shouldn't rush through life, God has given us this gift of life, and if I'm rushing them out the door to school, or if we're always rushing in what we're doing, we are unable to really take the time to enjoy the time God gives us to enjoy.

Life had developed the pattern of rush, rush, rush for us.  Not anymore!  I've made it to where, if it takes me two minutes or two hours, instead of two seconds to get what needs to be done finished, then I will do it at a realistic pace, and I will get it done in the time that God has allowed me to get it done in.  The word, hurry, used to be a regular word used in my vocabulary, but I have tried my best to eliminate that word.  I do NOT want to rush through what I am doing, because every single thing that we do is a part of our lives, so why do we want to rush through life?  I know I certainly do not want to rush.  My kids' school years is a part of their childhood and a part of their lives, and I don't want them to rush through it, and I don't want to rush through it, and that even means I don't want to rush them out the door to the car on school mornings!  I will take the time to stop, breathe, and enjoy life.  I will not rush my kids out the door to school, I will not rush them through life, and I will not rush life for our family.  Yes, sometimes I still find myself using the "h word" ("hurry it up"), but when I do, I find myself asking God to help me not to rush and to help me manage my time wisely.  My goal is to completely eliminate that word from my vocabulary, when it comes to everyday tasks and routines, I don't want to rush, I don't want to be in a "hurry" through life!  I find myself praying to the Lord to help me not to rush and not to rush my family, but to enjoy this time, that He has so generously given us.  Life is too short on this Earth, why would I want to rush anything?  I don't want to be in a constant hurry, I want to manage my time wisely, follow the Lord's lead, and enjoy life with my family!

This verse helps me to remember to manage my time wisely.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven -Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV)

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven -Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV)

Kindness Counts!

The other day our family ate dinner out with some friends at a nearby, but well known, restaurant.  The waiter was nice, our drinks were never empty, and before we left that evening he came to us and told us his name again and told us if we ever were to dine at the restaurant again he'd be happy to be our waiter. 

As we were on our way home, my husband and I was discussing how impressed we were with his service.  My husband decided to call management at the restaurant to leave a kind comment on the waiter's service.  The manager seemed surprised to receive such a call.  My husband was told how rare it was that the restaurant would receive a kind comment, rather than someone calling in just when they were unhappy with something.

This made me think of how easy it is for us to complain and grumble.  Shouldn't it be just as easy to say something kind (especially when it's deserved)?  Kindess does count, and is even perhaps more important, in a lot of situations, than what a complaint would be.

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. -Proverbs 15:1 (KJV)

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. -Proverbs 15:1 (ESV)

Kindness counts!

Back When On Sundays...

On our way home from dinner with friends this evening Justin and I were discussing some of the things that have changed, compared to when we were growing up to the present day's things.  We were having this conversation with our children and they were so interested in learning about our childhood and comparing it to their childhood today.  One of the things that we discussed that has changed is how Sundays are now.  I recall our parents often talking to us about how their lives were growing up, and it was neat discussing the changes from our childhood lives to our present day lives with our own children.
Actually, I recall how my parents have told me many times that they wish that life was the same in their adult life as it was when they were growing up.  I think they meant life was a lot more simple then.  I've often found myself wishing that very same thing for a lot of the things in today's world.  One of the things I wish were still the same as back when we were growing up is the simplicity of a Sunday.  I would love for our kids to experience that.  There was actually a time when some, if not most, businesses were closed.  Sundays were set aside for God and family and not for the dollar.
I recall when business was not at the top of the list, but God was at the top of the list for a lot of people in the world.  Following right after God on that list was a person's family and time well spent with them.  Now it seems like a lot of people in the world is in a race to see who can become rich and make the most money faster and a lot of people don't even take time to say a daily prayer little on step foot through a church's doors on Sunday morning.  Sundays now have become more of a distraction for a lot of people, rather than what it used to be about.  During our childhood Sundays were about the Lord and family.
The Bible tells us how the love of money is the root of all evil, and I think that when it becomes a distraction from what's really important that is true.
1 Timothy 6:10 reads: 
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (ESV)
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (KJV)
While I realize people are supposed to work, it is sad to think how the things of this world have become so important.  Sundays should still be as important today as they were back when I was a kid.  We are serving the same God now as we were then.
We discussed many other changes that took place over the time of our childhood to now.  The kids were interested and listened to every word.  It was great to take a stroll down memory lane with our kids and I may have to write (or now, in this modern day age, type) more of the changes that have taken place over the years as we think of them.

Not Letting Life Pass Me By

 There is a song that asks Jesus not to pass someone by, basically, for Jesus to always be with that person. The way I see it, the Lord is always with us, every waking morning He has not passed us by, He has chosen to wake us up and give us life. God is as involved in our lives as we will let Him be! 
 The sad thing is with today's technology and fast paced world, sometimes life still passes us by. We choose to look at a computer or cellphone screen rather than those who are in our family or in our presence in the here and now. Technology can sometimes be such a blessing, but sometimes it can be such a distraction from the more important things too.
Since when did a text message or any other non productive thing become more important than our families?  I think it all comes down to time management.  I think there is a time for everything.  While that text message and that e-mail can sometimes wait, time does not stand still for our children, they are growing up way too fast.  I want to live as full of a life as I can with my family (and sometimes that means without an electronic in my hand).  I also want to teach my kids the importance of doing this too, so that one day they can show their kids just how important their time is to them as well.  It's also important I show them the importance of life without an electronic in their hand every single minute for the here and now as well, because this means they are building meaningful friendships and living even more productive lives that way as well (which means maybe even more memories will be made).  While electronics may not be all bad, if we spend every waking hour on them then they have become bad real quick.  We have to manage our time wisely and not let life pass us by.  We need to not take life for granted, and not let it pass us by, and sometimes put the cellphones and other electronic gadgets down and replace them with time with our family and friends.

Bearing Good Fruit

When my kids were a little younger I always made it a point to ask them what was the best and the worst part of their days and I also asked them what was one nice thing they did for someone else during the day. As they've gotten older they still talk with me about their days and I continuously try to show them how important it is to do good for others and to do good in life.

The Bible reads in Matthew 7:17:

So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. (ESV)

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. (KJV)

This is so true! The good we do shows in our life as well as in the lives of those we do good for. Likewise, if we make poor choices that shows as a result as well. We are the "tree," and I pray that my children as well as myself are known by our good fruit. It's so important!

How I Live Today WILL Matter to Me Tomorrow!

That's something to think about!  Yes, it's true, how I live today WILL matter to me tomorrow!  A lot of people say things like "live for today" or "the Lord keeps no record of sin, so it doesn't matter what you did yesterday," or "don't let yesterday or tomorrow rob you of today's joys," or even "why worry about yesterday or tomorrow, live for today."  I agree with all of that!  I find that I worry far less now than I used to.  I'm also finding that as I get older I appreciate time!  So, if I agree with all of those sayings then you may wonder why I am saying "how I live today WILL matter to me tomorrow."  Maybe you even are thinking I am being hard on myself, when it's actually the opposite!  Let me explain...

I've come to realize in this fast paced world filled with too tight of schedules for some, overflowing to-do lists for others, and in the time of the "here and now" where everything needs to be done almost as soon as the task is assigned that we sometimes can tend to forget what's important.  Think about it!  Years ago there was no such thing as the internet, no such thing as e-mail, and what was filling up a mom's schedule was things to do more with her family and things at home rather than her list at the office.  Today we rarely hear of "snail mail," and maybe that's why some think of it as such (it's too slow of a method to get something to someone) and moms are too tired after a long day at the office to focus on the things that most likely matter way more to her than her 9 to 5 job (such as her home and family).

Honestly, today's society has come to appreciate technology a little too much.  In a lifestyle, such as today's world, that needs and expects everything to be done (at least almost) immediately people are working long past their scheduled hours at the office, they are on their smartphones way too much, and social media is becoming more of what many are connecting with...they connect with the internet and the expectations of today's life more than they're able to connect with their family.  I don't want to be that person!

If I'm being honest, and I am, there have been times that I have spent a little too much time online, browsing the web or even blogging about my life instead of living it.  I have always (as I think we all do) want to manage my time wisely.  TIME IS PRECIOUS!  I'm not saying that the internet is completely bad or even that blogging is horrible, I love being able to journal life (my main reason for my blog), it's great to look back at posts and pictures of things I've did and we've did as a family...it's a great way to remember!  I must remember though, and this is what I strive for, to actually LIVE those moments!  If I spend too much time on my phone or on the computer, and don't take the time to put them down and live in the moment then I will just be there, and while my family appreciates that, it's important for me to share in life and live that moment with them!  Like it or not, my kids are growing up (way too fast), I'm not getting any younger, and I refuse to let life pass me by while I'm busy looking at a screen.  Sure, I may still use my phone and/or my computer, but I have to be intentional with my time.  I have to use my time wisely, it is a precious gift, and it's not meant to be lived on a screen, but life is meant to be lived with those who matter the most to us, the Lord and our family and friends!  If we don't spend our time wisely then we won't have those memories that we will cherish tomorrow.  We need to live with the Lord's purpose in mind and live life with a purpose, not just on a screen.  So yes, how I live today, WILL matter to me tomorrow!