Laurel Wreath’s Reflections

I figured I had not done a rambling post in a bit, one with no real point or direction, so here it goes.

I am in SUCH BIG TROUBLE, my son goes to a reading tutor 3x’s a week. The place where it is located is to far to drive there, come back home and then drive back to pick him up. Not to mention the cost of gas, and I am one of those people ruining the environment with my big SUV (anyways I digress). So I usually end up killing 2 hours at Kohl’s or Target (they have a Starbucks I say with a big grin), or Wal-Mart or whatever is close by. Well there is a new Business center going in across from where I take my son, what is the first store that JUST opened up. A store called, HALF BOOKS. It is good condition used books. I walked in thinking, oh I am not going to like it, it probably won’t have a great selection (ok so I was hoping so). THEY HAVE A HUGE CHRISTIAN SECTION. Oh my goodness. I am in such big trouble, I have to go by this place 3x’s a week, with two hours to kill in between. Oh what, oh what is a girl to do.

One hour later and two books later I walked out of the store, called hubby and told him I am in such trouble (hey I might need an accountability person, you know to frisk me at the door to see how many books I got). I thought the Starbucks and Target being near by was going to be trouble. Oh but the temptation of half priced books, with a large Christians section. Be still my heart.

Can this mother toot her son’s horn a little bit. They are doing awesome in their flag football. My middle son, who is 11, is playing with kids that are 13-14 years old. There was this long pass to the end zone, with my middle son in the middle with two bigger/taller boys around him, and who comes up from the ground with the ball? Oh yes Mam, it was my younger/shorter son. I think I was the only parent on the side lines who was cheering during a practice game, but dang it, I was proud.

Then my oldest son, had the quarterback throw him a long pass to make a touch down, and it slipped right through his hands. I was bummed for him, well they did the same play again and he caught it and made the touch down. He came up to me afterwards and said, “Did you see me miss the ball I was so embarrassed, but the second time I was going to catch it no matter what.” (and he did) I told him he did good.

Since I am on a roll, my youngest is just good, he is fast and finally has figured what he is doing out there.

When I prayed to God as a young woman, somewhere in the mix I wanted bows and frilly dresses. But God instead blessed me with stinky uniforms, and mouth guards laying around my house. And you know what, right now I am having fun. And goodness if you read all the way down, bless you sweet little heart.

I pray you have a wonderful Friday, and don’t forget to visit me at Laced With Grace on Saturday.

“No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”
Joshua 1:5

1. I have been studying the book of Joshua, and I just love how the ordinary Joshua, could become so extraordinary. I am thankful God can take the humble and make them great.

2. I am thankful my husband gave me the day off Monday. I had a whole day of NOTHING, I read a book, I talked to God, I rested. It was such a gift.

3. I am thankful my boys are really enjoying flag football (first time playing flag), I really enjoy watching them (and it does not hurt that my youngest is the fastest on his team ;)).

4. I am thankful I am not getting up early to take my kids to school, I have been getting up and using that time for my devotional time. Summer mornings are SO much more relaxed.

5. I am thankful for all you guys and the positive and uplifting comments you leave. Some days it makes all the difference for me. Thank you (and no I am not fishing for positive comments now,

6. I am thankful for God’s faithfulness and his awesomeness. Each morning I climb out of bed foggy headed, get my coffee and go sit on my back porch. Sometimes just not feeling like praising God, but just hearing the birds sing lifts my spirits and changes my attitude quickly. Now mind you I won’t be sitting on my porch in a few months in this Florida weather, so I am enjoying it now. So I am thankful for the birds that always sing no matter what.

To join in or read more Thankful Thursdays, head on over to Sting My Heart.

Have a great Thursday.

Crystal at God’s In Control Not Me (don’t you just love the title of her blog) tagged me for a book Meme, she must have heard I LOVE READING. Ok so here we go:

The Rules Are:
Post your responses.
Tag anywhere from 1-5 friends.
Leave comments to let them know they’ve been tagged.
Come back and leave a comment when your post is up.

Next 5 books on your to be read shelf:

A Dangerous Mourning by Anne Perry

Defend and Betray by Anne Perry

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney

The Wager by Bill Myers (given to me by a sweet friend)

Last 4 books you’ve read:

Humility True Greatness by C.J. Mahaney (highly recommend)

The Face of a Stranger by Anne Perry

Randsomed Dreams by Amy Wallace

My Heart’s In the Lowlands by Liz Curtis Higgs

Last 3 books you’ve borrowed (library or friend)

All my Anne Perry Books (thanks Mom)

Last 2 non-fiction books you’ve read:

George Whitfield God’s Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Centry by Arnold A. Dallimore

The Legacy of Sovereign Joy by John Piper (Grace in the lives of Augustine, Luther, & Calvin)

The 1 book you wish everyone would read

For everyone: C.J. Mahaney “Living the Cross Centered Life, Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing”
(Dad write that one down, I would give you mine but I read it once a year. It is only 156 pages, but a great book to read each year)

For women, I highly recommend “Do you think I am beautiful” by Angela Thomas

Ok next question, who is going to put all these books around me away? Who to tag…

Barb (but you don’t have to do until after your daughters wedding, you know I am always nosy in what you are reading).

FiddleDeeDee (because I want to see if she reads beside blogs, and if she doesn’t I don’t blame her, her lack of sleep would be the culprit)

Shalee’s Diner (even though she gave some great review at the beginning of May, I would like to know what she is reading now)

Susanne from Truly Captivating tagged me about my dreams.

With this meme it asks: What are your dreams? Not things that God has promised you, but things you dream about or things that you whisper in His ear. What are you believing God for? Be bold, Be Honest, Be courageous!

Well amazing enough, talking about my dreams was the very first post I did of the year here
I said:

I don’t know when it started but I am scared to dream. Mainly because I want God’s will no matter what, and it seems whatever I dream He changes. I feel things deeply so when I dream and things change I tend to get my feelings hurt. The Lord has been teaching me how to turn over my dreams and desires to him, but still dream big. He has been saying, “Come on girl, give me all you got, DREAM BIG”.

So dreaming is something I have been working on this year.

If I could give a list of my dreams:

1. That my youngest son catches up to his grade level in his reading this summer. And passes an important test he has to take June 28th.

2. That my house sells this summer and we get the chance to either move into a new house or begin building.

3. To grow in knowledge of Christ, the more I study the more I want to learn.

4. That my sons grow and show a desire to learn more about Christ.

5. That my husband grows and desires to learn more about Christ.

6. To lose that stinkin 5 pounds that seems to always come back.

7. And for my way out there, laugh at the thought, dream…I would love to write a devotional book maybe sometime in my life. That dream is a hoot though, I can not spell worth a darn and my sentence structure is to be desired. That would totally be a God thing, but it is something for later on in life when the kids are older. “Maybe something like, ‘I survived the Testosterone World’ ” hehehehe.

Consider yourself tagged, and come back and let me know when it is up =)

(click on picture head on over there)

Hey, I read the book….(to read more head on over to Internet Cafe)

“Lower your expectations of earth.
This isn’t heaven, so don’t expect it
to be.” ~ Max Lucado

For this quote I am going to refer you to my Laced With Grace devotional, because having high expectations is something I struggled with lately and the devotional describes how Christ taught and led me through it. My post is over here.

And if you have time, I am over at Internet Cafe today.

Head on over to Sting My Heart, she is the wonderful host this week for In “Other” Words….

The girls at Pinks and Blue’s Blog is having a Dooney & Bourke Bag give away….head on over here for details.

Psm. 130:3 If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings,
who would stand a chance?

1. If you asked me Monday if I would be a TT post today, I would say “no way” my heart is shattered too much for me to even think of thankful things. But God is good.

2. I am thankful God never lets me go, even when I am irrational, angry, disillusioned, and ready to walk away from any Christian service that might involve me stepping out in a leap of faith. The Lord knew I was not serious, even when I thought I was.

3. I am thankful for bible verses who gently remind me “we all fall short” the verse above has been my verse for the week. For I know I would not stand a chance, any good you see in me is because of HIM, so why should I be shocked when another person shows their human sinful side.

4. Friends (blog friends) who let you show your ugly, angry, side and still talk to you and encourage you are worth their weight in gold. I pray one day the Lord allows me to be there for them.

5. I am thankful to have parents that, still today while I am a grown adult, I can call up and just sob like a little child and know I find comfort and prayer in their midst. I am thankful for a husband who is a comfort.

6. And I am thankful for a christian church body who comes together.

7. I am thankful my middle son graduated from 5th grade and as soon as the ceremony started I began crying, and manly man said “we are only saying the Pledge of Allegiance and you are already crying!” (hehehe, what can I say, God blessed me with Mom tears).

He got a PE award, a Academic Presidential Award, Honor Roll for the Entire School year award, and then his graduation certificate. Can you see my puffed up chest. I am proud. But Lord help me I now have two middle schoolers.

God is good, and he is good ALL THE TIME. What a week. Thank you Iris for hosting this each week, many times it is like healing ointment on an open wound.

Head on over to Sting My Heart for more Thankful Thursdays, so what are you thankful for today?

First off I want to thank EVERYONE who prayed for me, please still do (re:my last post). Also, Dad was worried you might think I was indirectly talking about my husband, NO I am not. It is not a family member situation.

Secondly I do feel the prayer, I really, really do. Today I woke up for the first time without a dark cloud over my head, and I know it is because of prayer. Keep it up, there is a long road ahead for a bunch of people that live around me. Friends who speak truth in my life, even when I am not in the best state of mind are INVALUABLE. The Lord has truly blessed me via blog world, and I don’t know what to say except thank you for your prayers. Please continue if it comes to mind.

Oh well more tomorrow during my TT post.

Thank you very much.