Laurel Wreath’s Reflections

Ok I am linking, and my flattery for you girl, is that God would not get a post of yours out of my mind this week (hence this post).

Two links in one week.

God recalling one of your posts that you wrote way back when.

And me agreeing with you.

What more could a gal want?

So head on over to Jeana’s Days to Come, to see why I am linking this time. And see Jeana, I am giving you bloggy love too.

Yep, that is what Iris did she Stung My Heart. I spent all day yesterday putting up my Christmas tree, just doing the lights lasted until 9pm last night (I begun at 1pm). I had soooo much help with so many hands (I say this tongue in cheek). I was walking around saying to myself “Deck the Fricken Halls”. Yep I am sad to say that was my attitude.

You see I am a Mother (now I am being real here gals so no hate email) who struggles with having a “perfect tree” and having tons of little hands help me. Am I a terrible Mom if I say I cringe when they are hanging things? But I have to say, I leave them where they are hung and I did let them help. But I will admit I was not singing Deck The Halls or Fa La La La. I really dislike this about myself and I really try to be better each year. And I know there are sooooo many years ahead where I will miss them greatly and wish they were helping me.

So here I am trying to get the tree completed, clean up my house because my Father in Law is coming for dinner. I wanted the image of “look at my peaceful, Christmasy house”. Well the Lord has a way of making you real. My two oldest boys decided to be ugly to one another…..most of the evening. (Sissy here comes the whine). I was ugly back because I was already in a bad mood of getting everything completed and dinner on the table by 6:30 with a smile on my face. I literally shoved things in to bedrooms and shut the door, now I am too scared to open them back up.

So at the peak of my frustration and me saying complaining prayers of “Lord I never get any help around here, it is like an act of God to get them to be nice, and all I am asking for is some JOY TO THE WOLD (or at least my world).”

And how did he answer my complaining prayers. I went outside to walk the dog and there was a small package (thought it was some books I ordered) so I set it aside and went on with my stuff.

Finally after an hour or so I went and opened the package and what was it?……THIS.

Iris, I knew this was coming but the Lord could not have planned the arrival any better. I am jumping up and down to read the Beth Moore book, I am putting in the praise CD because all the boys and Father in Law are leaving for a basketball game. And I am sitting here now sipping some White Chocolate Cocoa, looking at my beautiful tree, thanking God for allowing me to win these gifts and allowing me to sit here and praise him, even though I was so cranky just a few hours ago.

Ahhhhh……Life is good again.

(hey a Florida gal can dream)
compliments of Chaotic Mom13 Things I am generally thankful for:

1. Decorating my tree with my kids.2. A husband who listens and understands.

3. Being able to buy presents for other people.

4. Driving by and looking at all the beautiful lights on peoples houses.

5. Warm snuggle blankets.

5. The soft kind of socks (you know the fuzzy soft kind).

6. I love nice sweat outfits, so comfortable.

7. Singing along to the Christian station with my middle schooler. And talking to him about what the term”To Praise Him In The Storm” means.

8. Dark Chocolate Dove mini bars. (they help in the sanity area big time)

9. Coffee and/or hot chocolate.

10. Being able to chew all things now (since jaw surgery). I even ate peanuts for the first time on the airplane, I was so proud of myself.

11. Good books to read, and people who suggest good books.

12. Nice fluffy pillows I can put my feet up on at the end of the day.

Last but certainly not least:

13. Being blessed by my husband getting a nice bonus from work. We can pay off most off our debt (give me a month or so and I will be able to say we are debt free~except house and one car).

Kind of, but this post says everything I am feeling right now. I know when I read it for the first time it really struck me, and then somethings that I am struggling with right now….this post says it all. And the Lord kept bringing this post to my mind all day because it says everything right now.

Please go here to read: Days To Come ’s post titled Some Things

Thanks Jeana.

Tags: link, secrets, Some things

Some of you may think I am writing this tongue in cheek, but I assure you I am not. We are now entering a new phase here in the “Laurel” household.

What is the new phase you ask?

Well first let me preface this by saying I married a sports lover; I knew this when I married him. Early on in our marriage we had to learn how to balance sport watching with, paying attention to wife time (notice I said we). Manly Man has gotten a lot better, through the years he has turned off important games to listen to me. And I praised God for TiVo because now everything can be paused.

Well the new phase we are entering is my two oldest sons have moved from watching cartoons to sports 24/7. Not that I let them watch TV 24/7. But now they watch the “saved” games Manly Man has on his TiVo.

Ok that is not so bad, except while driving in the car all conversation rotates around “do you think so and so is a good player?”, “what do you think of this team”, etc… sometimes grumpy Mommy has to pipe up and say “NO MORE SPORTS TALK”. They kind of look at me and then sit there in silence. And I feel like the Mom who takes out all the joy in the room.

I want my boys to enjoy what they are doing. After homework they are playing sports outside most of the day. Football is over and Basketball begins.

But how much sports can one girl take? I was so proud of myself for training encouraging my husband to spend more time conversing. But now I feel out-numbered and at square one again.

Thanks for letting me vent. Even my dog and cat are male.

Book poll


I saw this book poll at Callpidder Days, and on Stray Thoughts, being an avid book lover, wanted to participate:

1. Where do you most often buy your books? Online? Secondhand stores? Big name bookstores?

I most often buy them online, Christian bookstore, and Barnes and Noble.

2. If you buy online, which do you prefer - B&N or Amazon.com? Ebay? Christianbook.com? or elsewhere?

I usually check Amazon.com and or ebay.

3. Do you put your name in your books? If so, are you a bookplate or stamp person?

No the only time I write in books is to underline, etc on a book that I KNOW I want to keep.

4. How do you feel about loaning books to others?

I love to hand out books. In fact I have so many books to get rid of and I can not seem to find a buy back book place I may start selling some or just giving them away. Hmmmm idea…maybe I can make a list and first come first serve. We will see.

5. Do you highlight or mark your books as you read?

See #3

6. How often do you visit your local library?

Sad to say, NEVER. I am so bad about returning books, and I then have to pay fines. I find it better to just buy the darn book and not have to live with the guilt. I use to go when my kids were younger.

7. Do you collect any certain kind of book?

Just ones that really hit me, or had a special meaning to me.

8. What do you do when you’re done with a book and no longer want it?

I am struggling with this, I have tons of books I would give away free if I knew who wanted them. See #4.

9. Do you keep a list of or catalog the books you own?

I am beginning to, I use the new program Librarything

10. Any other weird book habits you’d like to share?

Well I am weird in general so how would I know what I do with my books is weird or not, hehehe. I guess I fold the corners down even though I KNOW you are not suspose to. And if I can not sleep I grab my book and read, you may find me at 2am in the morning snuggled on the couch reading (especially if it is a good book).

I won’t tag anyone specifically, but let me know if you do this poll on your blog, or you can answers the questions in the comment section.

Writing about the quote:

“God has delivered us, He has parted waters for us, He has made water gush forth from rocks and sent us our own manna from heaven. He has brought us into our own Promised Land. Will I miss the opportunity to tell the story to our children?”
Ann Voskamp, Holy Experience

Since the freedom from Egyptian slavery, Jews have celebrated this historical event by having a feast called the ‘Seder’. The word ‘Seder’ means ‘order’ and refers to the order of historical events recalled in the Passover meal as well as the meal itself. (Holiday Spot)

What is your personal Promise Land? Now I know God is not done with me until I see Him face to face. God has done a lot of things in my life. BUT

What if I fail to tell my kids how God really worked through my marriage and how God brought us closer together during the difficult times.

Or I fail to mention how I believe God breathed life into my first son because he was born to early and not breathing?

What if I am quiet about how the Lord took our mistakes and our sins and made them useful to bring Glory to him?

If I do fail in these areas, then I think I fail in parenthood.

For my son, we retell the story of his birth every year. How he wanted to come out too early and his lungs were not developed. The nurses had given up on him, but not until the last second when his foot shot up did we know he was going to make it. I tell him God has a special plan for his life, He proved it right then and there.

When my boys are older I will share some of the struggles we had while being married. I am praying they will learn from some of our mistakes.

I also let my kids know about times I have failed, or have not followed God’s will. But despite my sin and failures, God was able to make it something beautiful through the struggles. What Satan had meant for evil, God meant for good. I tell them all the time. As they grow and become young men, they will hear more details of the stories.

This is how I tell the stories of God’s blessings, God’s justice, God’s mercy, and most importantly God’s forgiveness. These are the stories I will pass down, just like Passover when we remember the freedom of slavery and God bringing his people to the Promise Land. I will re-tell my personal stories to my kids so they to can learn how to break out of any slavery they may find themselves in.

Head on over to Loni’s at Joy In The Morning, she is hosting “In Other Words” this week.

I was tagged by Judi to do this! (and of course I would not be upset sweet friend, I am honored)

A - Available/Single? Nope, married
B - Best Friend? My Hubby/dog (tie, just kidding)
C- Cake or Pie? cake
D - Drink Of Choice? Diet Dr Pepper
E - Essential Item You Use Everyday? Hello, my laptop
F - Favorite Color? Sage
G - Gummy Bears Or Worms? Gummy Bears
H - Hometown? (born in ) Tucson, AZ
I - Indulgence? Dove Dark Chocolate mini bars
J - January Or February? February (Valentines Day)
K - Kids & Their Names? 3 boys
L - Life Is Incomplete Without? coffee, ok and my family
M - Marriage Date? Sept. 25
N- Number Of Siblings? 2 (3 including moi)
O - Oranges Or Apples? Apples
P - Phobias/Fears? dying young, losing my husband, spiders (ok anything in the insect category)
Q - Favorite Quote? We act out what we believe. Not what we know (Vickie Arruda)
R - Reason to Smile - kids being kind to each other, good report cards, hubby coming home early.
S - Season? Fall
T - Tag Four People? Lindsey, Blessed Assurances, Mississippi Girl
U - Unknown Fact About Me? I can get my feelings hurt easily
V - Vegetable you don’t like? Asparagus
W - Worst Habit? caffeine
X - X-rays You’ve Had? body
Y - Your Favorite Food? Mexican…it’s all about Mexican!(AMEN!!)
Z - Zodiac Sign? Libra

or torture whichever…

Me, my niece, and my sister (isn’t she beautiful)

This is what “manly man” and I do while visiting, love on all the girls. I don’t like the picture of me, but “manly man” is looking quiet cute so I post this for you honey.

This is a picture I took of my youngest son leading his baby cousin around.

Tags: Family, neice, Thanksgiving

Lindsey from My Splatter Painted Life, tagged me right when I left on vacation. So sorry for the delay. This meme is

Five Things About Me….(that you may or may not want to know).

1. You don’t want to be around me if I don’t get my coffee in the morning.

2. I have to sleep with a minimum of three pillows each night.

3. I only dated guys with brown eyes while growing up.

4. I just got a new phone last week (one with a camera). I am going to have to learn how to use it.

5. I got yelled at last week because I accidentally went ahead of someone in the ladies bathroom at Nordstrom’s. She was around the corner (did not see her) but you should of see the claws come out when I went to go to one of the stalls. Oh my some people need chill pills.

Well that is my five, I am not going to tag anyone now because I need to get caught up and see who has done this and who has not.