Laurel Wreath’s Reflections

I am going off to drink a little coffee, read a bit of the newspaper, be Mom to my three boys, read my book, clean house, mop floors, finish laundry. I will be back for Weekend Reflections later….but in the meantime.

Take a few minutes to RELAX and REFLECT.

God is good.

Heather asked us “What life experiences have you had that He might use to grow others–if you are willing for them to be used…” Also consider your training as well as hobbies. If you have been trained to do something He can use it as well.

When I look back I see many things God used or trained me in, that I would need later on in life. Here are a few examples:

1. I babysat a lot while growing up. I was a young mother; I was able to watch kids in my home so I could be a stay at home mother.
2. I took public speaking in high school, and majored in communication in college. I taught several bible classes as an adult, and was a pre-school teacher when my kids were in pre-school.
3. I was blessed with wonderful mentors; what these mentors taught me, got me through the most difficult times in my life.
4. I learned how to do research, how to find what I am looking for. I was able to use that towards a problem one of my kids was going through.

You see I think almost everything in my life, are life experiences God is going to use later on in my life (in one way or another). This includes my friendships also. I have friends that taught me how to be more sensitive, so with another friend I knew how to reach out. I had another friend teach me what it meant to be hospitable, so when one friend was in need I could help take care of her needs. I had a friend challenge what was said in the bible, and it made me study more and learn more and grow closer to God.

There is nothing I learn that is off limits to God; he can use anything in my life. The way I see it, God is bringing things (or have brought things) into my life for two reasons.

1. To teach me a lesson or stretch me.
2. To give me the tools necessary for something later on in my life.

This includes depression, ADHD, finances, premature baby, diabetes, infertility, having a “gifted” child and what that means, having a child that struggles academically, non-Christian family members, being laid off from your job, being unhappy in your job, etc…. Not all of these have directly affected me, but all of them have touched my life significantly in one way or another. God can use the knowledge I have in each of those areas. I can be there for another, offer encouragement, or have the heart to just sit there and cry with them knowing how it feels.

This relates back to my post about why God brings certain trials into your life. Life experiences are the cornerstone of spreading Gods glory, His mercy, His compassion, we are something tangible that people can see (and hopefully it is Christ they see through us).

Head on over to Heathers to read more.

Thirteen Things that get me through days like yesterday.

1. Lots of coffee.

2. Prayer for patience.

3. Good blogger buddies (you guys are a stress relief).

4. Calling your Mom to gripe about anything that comes to mind (I even forgot to tell her WHY I called I was to busy griping).

5. Getting my hair cut. Yes I look pretty sassy, thanks for asking (red streaks and everything).

6. Shooting off an email to explain to a certain party why this day has me up in arms.

7. Finding out my oldest son was only a few percentage points away from straight A’s this first report card!!! (Mom that is what I MEANT to tell you)

8. Having hubby come to my side of what I am upset about.

9. Having hubby put up with my really bad mood.

10. Knowing God has forgiven you for all thoughts, thought AND said once you ask for forgiveness.

11. Knowing God has forgiven you for all thoughts, thought but NOT said once you ask for forgiveness.

12. Figuring out things are not as bad as originally thought, but still frustrated.

13. Ending your day with a large rocky road shake.

Ok I am going to need some help.

I can cook (when I have a recipe) “winging it” has not been my thing. So I need some fish recipes (and this will be my cat when I do cook fish).

I have been told that when I get my rubber bands off in a week, soft fish is one of the best and most healthy ways to begin my chewing again.I am embarrassed to say the only kind of fish I know how to cook is “fish sticks” bought in your local freezer section. No crunchy stuff, things need to be soft.

How do I go about buying good fish?

Have any good, fish rubs?

And the biggie how do I cook it?

Ok I have given into the hype and I bought the OxiClean Detergent Ball. I have to say it worked for me. I do laundry for three stinky “almost to be teenagers” and the clothes came out smelling wonderful (even the football uniforms). The ball does last longer when you use cold water. You can use hot/warm water but it goes down faster. And I think it does last the 25 washes it claims (if not more). I have not been disappointed by this detergent. Now I will admit I have not sat down and figured out the financial cost of this ball compared to regular detergent, that is something I have to look into.

This works for me.

Head on over to Shanon’s for more wonderful tips.

I have this running joke with God that everything I “planned” while growing up, he changed. Whatever I dreamed He changed.

I wanted to marry the boy I met in 3rd grade, instead he gave me wonderful “manly man”.

I wanted a dream wedding with a white flowing dress, instead I was married in my uncle’s house on a mountain top in a cream dress from a department store.

I wanted boys, AND a girl; instead I got 3 boys who I would not trade for the world.

I always thought I would live near my family, I grew up around lots of family; instead I live on the other side of the United States and did not have family near by until this year (and it is my husband’s family).

Does God want you to dream? You bet! In fact he loves talking to you about your dreams, he wants you to share them with him. When discussing your dreams you are discussing something vulnerable deep within you, that is where God wants to be. But you have to be ready for changes. Everything God has changed in my life has been a blessing. Did I like God making all these changes…umm NO.

I have always loved to travel (that was a dream) and I married a man who takes me places. We drive as a family every year from Florida to Minnesota (and all the states in between). We travel back to my parents place in Arizona. Our family for many years traveled to Key West because husband’s family was down there. So I was blessed with traveling.

I live across the US from all my family, but I live in a wonderful small town that is perfect in raising children. I have a say in the schools, with the teachers, etc… Hubby knows the Mayor and the people who decide the laws, so we feel we have a say. So even though it took me a long time to accept why I was here, the Lord placed us in the best possibly place.

Even though I had prayed and prayed for a little girl. I am blessed with three wonderful boys that keep me busy, and sharpen my skills as a Mother daily. I won’t ever get that girl, and that is ok. But guess what, I have over 4 nieces!!! I have tons of girls to buy for, I get to be the fun Aunt, and I get to go home at the end of the day if the screaming gets to much.

So yes the Lord changes things, and sometimes that is very difficult. This is the not the life I dreamed while growing up. But it is the life I am glad to have. I am very very blessed. And God heard my dreams, he may have altered them a bit, but I am better off for it. Maybe someday we will work on that church wedding and white dress thing….but than again now being married for 13 years I think I would rather take a big trip after the kids move out =)) It is good to dream, just be ready for changes.

Head on over to CWO for more on this quote.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEX MIX

This one I use for gifts, I make up large batches and then fill some pretty plastic containers with a nice Christmas bow. This give you the salty/sweet combination.

3 c. Rice Chex
3 c. Corn Chex
3 c. Cheerios
3 c. pretzels
2 c. peanuts
12 oz. M & M’s
1 lb. white chocolate (I use white bark chocolate)

Melt chocolate. Mix with Chex, Cheerios, pretzels and nuts. Continue to mix and break up until white chocolate is completely dry. Add M & M’s. Enjoy.

For more wonderful Gift Exchange ideas head on over to Kisses of Sunshine.

Breaker’s Reef by Terri Blackstock

This is Ms. Blackstock’s fourth book in the Cape Refuge series. I enjoy these books. They are Christian mysteries that takes place on a little island off the coast of Savannah, GA. They are easy to read books. I finished this one just during the weekend. So if you are going on vacation or sitting by the beach these would be the perfect take along mystery books. They don’t require that much thinking, does give you an insight in helping those who have had a rough time in their life, and God is always in the center of all things.

Fall Into Reading #1
Fall Into Reading #2
Fall Into Reading #3

Carol at She Lives writes:

If your kids are little and can’t do things bigger people can do, like walk and talk, ENJOY this time, forcryin’outloud! The sleepless nights ain’t squat until you’re not sleeping because she’s not home from the football game yet and you don’t have her friend’s parents’ cell phone number to find out why. The dirty diapers are pleasant compared to the stinky jock straps. The spoon feeding is awesome compared to the, “Ew. I hate cabbage. Why do you even cook it? I’m just going to have a granola bar for supper.” And the fact they can’t talk yet…Ahhhhhhh….Sheer bliss!

PREACH IT SISTER. I could not have said this better myself. Head on over to She Lives to read the rest.

I will let you laugh at my expense.

Manly Man and I went to look at a house that was up for sale. In the last several months we have driven by the house several times. We wanted to see if it was still for sale. There was never anybody home, and a lock box was on the front door. So when we drove by again, I said to manly man “lets just stop and walk around the property, no one lives there”. Well guess what……. Someone lives there.

Ok in all honesty we did ring the door bell and knock on the door before we started to peer into the windows. And I don’t mean I peered in just one window, oh no, I tried every door I looked into every window (granted there was barely NO furniture). Then right before we were ready to leave I see the window blinds open and shut, and I just froze! Then this gentleman comes walking out the front door. I apologized profusely, he was very nice. I guess he just got home when he saw our car in the drive way. I was beyond humiliated. But he did give us a tour of the house, I thanked him for not calling the cops on us. I am still sitting here embarrassed, I guess I learned my lesson.