A Little Garden PHFR

{Pretty}

 

My marigolds are blooming! I planted them from seeds (which I've never done before) and ended up with so many weeds that I wasn't sure that I'd actually get any marigolds... but a couple weeding sessions and some time, and ta da! Pretty. 

{Happy}

Okay, so not technically garden related...

 

Due to some unseasonably cool weather this week, we've had our windows open quite a bit. If it were up to me, we'd go without air conditioning more frequently and just strategically open and close windows, but alas, the head of the household gets too warm rather easily. But having our windows open for the past few days has really been lovely. I'll take it.

{Funny}

Patience is not one of my strongest virtues. 

{Real}

My peas are not doing so hot.

The past two weeks, I've sort of forgotten that plants need water, and so... they're suffering from my neglect. Hopefully the good rain shower early this week and some extra love and care (and water) the rest of this week will help make up for it. The few peas that we've gotten have been so yummy- I'd like a lot more! 

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Links this week: 

FIGHT FAIR: PERSPECTIVE, TATER TOTS, AND TRUTH - Because learning how to fight is so essential to a marriage (and to a friendship, too.)

YOUNG MARRIAGE AND ROLE MODELS- We all need a little something to inspire us. Or a little someone.

THE HOPE TO WHICH HE HAS CALLED YOU- What Biblical hope really means, and what it means for us.


Head on over to see more Pretty, Happy, Funny, and Real stuff over at Like Mother Like Daughter!

Impact

I was sitting with my mom in a coffee shop in my hometown when a song came on the radio. Most of the time, our conversation would continue over the music, but the lyrics are the kind that stick with ya.

"I want to leave a legacy." I think a legacy is something that most of us would like to leave. We want to make an impact. We want to be remembered.

(Here, you can listen to it, too.)

So how do we do that?

Well, we need to be intentional. We're supposed to look carefully at our lives, at the way we're living. We need to be pliable and teachable and open to the word of God. We need to be wise.

Wisdom is the ability to apply God's truth to our everyday lives.


Make the Best Use of Time
The first step is to make the most of the time we've been given. It's easy to let time pass us by without making any progress if we don't know what we're progressing towards! We have to know where we're going.

Take some time to think about your legacy. Think big. What is it that you're trying to do with your life? For example, some of my goals in life are to be a loving and godly wife. Someday, I want to be a mother who leads her children close to God. I want to make a difference in the life of other women by encouraging them and helping them to walk with God.

What if you're not even close to your goals? It feels a lot further off when you're just graduated from high school, and while you have goals in mind, it doesn't seem like there's much you can do to work towards them.

Don't be discouraged! Let's say a goal of yours is to be a godly wife. Well, start becoming a godly woman.

Don't spend your life waiting. Use your time wisely, and use it wisely now.

Discern God's Will
This is a tricky one, because really, we're human. And how can a human being even try to understand the will of all-knowing, incredible God?

Now, I'm not saying that we'll ever be able to understand His will completely. But He's given us a manual in His word.  Try to find the big picture by learning the truth in the Bible, applying it to your life, and living in obedience to Him. Spend time in prayer.

You should also be talking to people. We've been given a community for a reason! Ask for advice from those you respect spiritually, people who have evidence of truth and faith in their lives. Listen to God first, and go to others for confirmation.

Be Influenced by the Spirit
We're easily influenced. By music, movies, billboards, the thing your high school boyfriend said to you fifteen years ago...

We need to be careful. It's important to protect our minds and hearts from the things that the culture deems "true," and focus instead on the things the Bible tells us are true.

Think about it. How much of your day is spent consuming culture? In my household, we watch about an hour and a half of TV every evening. My officemate listens to the radio at work, so I'm usually hearing about five hours of secular music. So really, I'm inundated with our culture for at least seven hours a day.

How many hours do I spend in God's word? How many hours do I spend reading blogs from Christians, how many hours of devotionals? Maybe three hours, tops.

So what has a greater influence on my way of thinking?

Focus on Thankfulness
Take a couple of seconds to think about someone who made a huge positive influence on your life. Someone who you admire, or a role model. Someone you'd like to emulate.

Thinking of 'em?

I always think of grandma when I think about godly women.

And one of her greatest qualities was her thankful spirit. Focusing on the blessings we do have, rather than complaining or dwelling on issues... it makes a big difference in our attitudes and in the atmosphere around us.



Live a legacy-building lifestyle. Make a spiritual impact.

Coffee, B.O., and Bunnies

-1-

This week marks the official half-way point of summer camp season. I'm torn between "how did that happen!?" and "Oh, thank goodness. We're almost done."

Mmm. A permanent fixture on my desk lately.

-2-

This post made my heart sing a little.

DEAR SMALL TIME MEDIOCRE BLOGGER...

-3-

Went to the dentist this week. Is there anything worse than being poked in the gums with that stupid mini-metal harpoon? Ugh. My shoulders are still sore from being tensed up for an hour.

-4-

Zeke has officially moved into the part of the summer when he changes outfits three times a day. Although I doubt he considers them "outfits." But seriously, doing a load of laundry a day is barely cutting it. Seven loads a week. For two people. <Sigh> It's a maintenance man kind of life.

-5-

After a busy week with 107 middle school students running all over the place, I've come to the conclusion that Camp will smell like B.O. for the next six years. Peeeee ewww! We need some lessons on deodorant along with Bible Study time, methinks.

They're a stinky bunch.

-6-

Even though I'm pretty sure that this bunny rabbit is the flower-eating culprit, it was still pretty darn cool to be able to get right next to him. Fearless little garden eater, this one.

-7-

I may have told Zeke that we could go on a camping/dirt bike trip this weekend. Because we bought a new camper and all, and his birthday is coming up, and the last time he took the dirtbike out of the garage was this time...

See the snow? Yeah.

... but it's Friday, and I've done none of the following: clean the camper, pack, figure out food for the weekend, finish folding laundry (see #4). So this could be an interesting weekend. Or maybe a disappointing one for that hubby of mine. Or maybe we'll just do a recreation of the last time we went camping...

FISHING IN THE DARK

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MOST POPULAR POST THIS WEEK THAT WAS POSTED THIS WEEK: (still following me?) In which I spill my guts and tell you about all the feels.

ROCKING CHAIR

And honestly? I'm just so glad it's Friday. 

Have a good one, all! 

Linked to Conversion Diary for Seven Quick Takes!!

The Light of Your Life Makes a Difference- Part II {Light Changes Everything}

I was having a bad day. In the Great Scheme of Bad Days, probably not the worst ever, but still... a bad day. Work was demanding and busy, expectations weren't being met, and I was disappointed. My attitude was light-years away from where it needed to be. 

And in strode Allison. Allison is a co-worker, and is one of those... cheerful people. You know. The kind who are constantly peppy... those "gratitude list" making, God's-got-our-back, building-people-up kind of people.


I wanted to complain. I wanted to be angry. I wanted to stew in my bad attitude and blame everyone for everything and just sit and pout. 

And Allison? She wasn't going to sit and pout with me. No, her attitude was right. And I felt a tug in my heart. Because just the simple comparison of her outlook with mine? I was definitely in the wrong. 

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As followers of Christ, we know that there's really and truly nothing that we did or could ever do to earn the tremendous gift of salvation. Even so, we've got all these rules that we're somehow supposed to follow.

We've already talked about the fact that we're different, and that our lives should be a reflection of that truth...

THE LIGHT OF YOUR LIFE MAKES A DIFFERENCE- PART I

But what's with that, anyway? Why does our lifestyle matter?

Have you noticed that it's hard to live in a bubble in this day and age (yes, I'm ninety)?

I mean, I live at a Bible Camp, for goodness sakes, and I still encounter plenty of darkness on the daily. Seriously. If it's not right there in my own attitude, it's popping up in the things I watch, what I read, the people I meet, the drama going on in my family, and oh, the comment section on any article on Facebook. Darkness.

Sometimes it all feels like too much.

Why would God put us in these dark places?

Well, because we're supposed to show what different looks like.

We're supposed to be light in all that darkness. 

Our lives need to show others what it is to have a relationship with Jesus, what that looks like exactly.

No pressure- it's small potatoes, right? You're just representing a relationship with the Almighty to everyone you meet. No biggie. (Ha!)

I think sometimes, I really want to do that well. To prove to the outside world that Christianity is all rainbows and butterflies and smiles. And then I turn into some very soft-spoken, demure, Stepford-Wife-esque thing that looks nothing like me. And I don't think that's what God wants. Authenticity, yes. Honesty, yes. Vapid me? No.

So how are we supposed to be a light in the darkness?

1. Doing what is right- justice, connecting with other real-life other people, meeting needs in our communities

2. Living in truth- being honest and authentic, not hiding our own hurts or struggles, even if it hurts our pride. 

 3. Making Jesus the priority- focusing on pleasing our Lord more than making other people happy, putting Him first, keeping faith central in our lives, being learning, growing disciples

A life that's in relationship with Jesus looks different than the lifestyles around us.

And that difference leads us to the next point....

Our lifestyle exposes the sin around us.

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light.- Ephesians 5:11-14

Our lives, the way we live, helps to expose and convict other people of their own sin. Like Allison. Her attitude, her cheerfulness... it showed me just how far out of whack my own attitude really was. That tug on my heart was conviction. 

Paul says that we're to expose sin- but he makes it clear that we're not supposed to be talking about it.

Do you know people who really like drama? The more tragic, the more depraved, the more horrible a situation or sin, the more interesting and dramatic it is! That's why soap operas exist, really. It's all about the drama. The trouble with that is that drama makes our own lives look sort of... boring. And lack-luster. And it makes sin look far more appealing that it is. 



We're not supposed to get wrapped up in the drama- it's shameful to even speak about those dark, secret things. 


Just live for Jesus. God will do the rest. Let Him do the convicting. We're just to live our lives for Him, and He'll change hearts. 

But we shouldn't be surprised when our way of life is attacked, or when the way we live makes people angry.

See, if we're living a lifestyle that's in harmony with our God, people notice. They'll see it. And honestly, they won't always be very happy- because it makes them uncomfortable. 

Conviction makes people crabby- we don't like to change, after all. And we really don't like being proven wrong. 


Our lifestyle will draw people to Christ

So, we've been looking at Ephesians, right? 

Well, I think it's worth noting, here, that the city that Paul's talking about, Ephesus? 

It was a dark place. They were pretty heavy into idol worship, magic spells, calling upon demons and making curses... there was a lot of darkness there. 

And it changed. 

In fact, within three years of the church beginning in Ephesus, the city changed so much that businesses that once were very successful- those marketing idols, in particular- went out of business. 

People were being drawn to Christ. 




Our lifestyle matters. It really does. Not because living a certain way or following certain rules will help us to earn our salvation, and not because we want people to think we have it all together. No, authentic, honest, real-life relationship with Jesus changes us. And that change? It can change the world. 

Happy Independence Day!

Sand, Sand Everywhere

{Pretty and Happy}

Okay, so not technically sand. But there is sand in the vicinity.

{Funny}

Children always seem to find a way to get the greatest possible volume of sand all over their little bodies. ("Yes! I do want to rub three handfuls of sand in my hair! Definitely!")

{Real}

Summer time in our household brings lots of sand... into the house. 

Entryway sand, from Tuesday. At noon. (I try to sweep the entryway twice a day in the summer- yes, it's that bad.)

But hey, I'll take a sandy house over a snowstorm any day!

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And now for some links and things! 

LINKS:

I'm a huge baby and get super attached to inanimate objects (see post here wherein I cry over a car). I think that may be part of why this post hit home... 

5 Lessons I Learned by Losing a Diamond

... and I'm gonna have to do this by tonight, because these would be totally perfect for watching fireworks...

Mason Jar Lanterns

POSTS THIS WEEK/FROM THE ARCHIVES: 

Camp totally has my heart these days ... mostly because I.never.leave. 

Swim. Splash. Love. Camp

We bought a new camper (!!) last weekend, which means that this may have been the last camping trip in ye old tiny trailer...

Fishing in the Dark (What We Did This Weekend)

... and we got some news this past week that there will be no Testicle Festival this year. Sad.

Balls. True Story.

PRAYER REQUESTS: 

Please pray for safety this weekend- there are gonna be tons of people driving their boats around on the lake (yay Fourth of July!)

And also pray for a family in the area who lost their mother- a young mom was riding her bicycle with her 1-year-old and 3-year-old in a carrier, and was hit by a vehicle. She passed away in the hospital- both her children are doing all right. 

Also- say a special prayer for all those who serve our country, and for their families! Their sacrifice has made it possible for us to have the freedoms we enjoy! Thank you!

Thanks to Like Mother Like Daughter (and congrats on the newest addition to the family, ladies! He's beautiful!) and Clan Donaldson!

Weekender 06.28.14

FRIDAY: 

High: Home from work at precisely 5:15 pm. Zeke was miraculously already there.

 Low: None really. Except a misunderstanding at work? But that doesn't really count- it wasn't the weekend yet.

SATURDAY: 
  

High: Tied between hanging out with Zeke's cousin Tim, and "the bunny" that Zeke and Tim shot with bow and arrow... and actually using the bows and arrows for the first time since Zeke brought 'em home.

Zeke came into the house and told me they'd shot a bunny with bow and arrow and that they put it in the golf cart. I flipped out a little. Until I met "The Bunny." See his floppy ear?

 Low: Another tie... leaving my purse in the archery store (whoops!), and getting a welt on my arm from the string of my bow snapping back (I'm a big baby, I know.) 

SUNDAY: 

High: Slept in, missing all three church services we could have potentially attended, but oh, the snuggles and snoozing were just too good. I needed it. And also, my purse was untouched and waiting for me at the archery place. And also, we bought a camper off of Craigslist.

Low: Headache. I think it was due to lack of caffeine. I'm an addict.

All in all, a pretty nice, quiet (and a little boring- but don't we need that once in a while?) weekend.

On to the week! Happy Tuesday, all!