Laurel Wreath’s Reflections

just 20 million more to go.

So what does a mother do when she knows it is the first day of football. Well lets see before practice, I took a shower (there was much rejoicing), realized the “clip in the hair” style I have been wearing is getting real old, so I actually styled my hair (no applause needed thankyou). Then I painted my toe nails, lathered myself in lotions, and dressed in my cute shorts and top. That is what any self respecting football Mom does when she knows she will be outside sweating like a pig among all that testosterone =)) And if you think of me as a girly girl, well I think you hit the nail on the head, hehee.

Actually it was a lot of fun, and my oldest son really impressed his coach. Oldest son has been working his tail off this summer because he wants to “be good” this year. He was like a caged animal yesterday before practice wanting to get out there. He kept saying, “I am going to show Coach C I can do this, or I can do that, or show him how much I have improved, etc…”

Coach C does not give out compliments easily. In fact last night he told the team to many of them are still wearing pampers, time to get your tail in gear and buck up. (that is football terms I guess,

Then the coach walked up to me after practice and said, “he looked really good out there today.” I stood there kind of proud and shocked to hear this from Coach C, and I said, “well he has been working hard to show YOU what he is made of, this year is the first year I see the fire lit; that he really wants it.” Coach C walked away saying, “I’m impressed, I’m impressed…” So it has started off good!!

Did you sign up for my giveaway here? Last day tomorrow.

picture allposters.com

I am here today….

(click on picture head on over there)

PS- if you can come by Sunday I have a huge announcement. But you can come Monday and not miss a thing…

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Also today is the LAST DAY to help Parker, and win a lot of free stuff. You have until Saturday, July 28, until midnight EST, last date to donate and enter for prizes.

Head on over here to read all about it, seriously folks there is a lot of good stuff but more importantly this one is a good cause. Thanks.

I will give you a BIG hint why….

Oh practice does not start until Monday, for EVERY. DAY. FOR. A. MONTH. But fitting of pads, turning in paper work and all that jazz is Saturday. So it actually begins Saturday.

Oh, and I am the only one in this all male household that is sighing big sighs, manly man has been at coaches meetings the last two nights (he is an assistant), the boys are excited (as in, football is all that is discussed in this household). Do you see why I blog!! =)) I just have one question……

Is it really Thursday? This week has been going by fast!

1. I am thankful my Mom is a faithful reader, but I know sometime this weekend I am going to get a call saying something like, “I am gone for one week, and that is the week you decide to do TONS of posts!” I am thankful my Mom got to spend some quality time with her older sister. They both needed the time away.

2. I have had a friend surprise me with Adobe Photoshop Elements Classroom in a Book book, that books ROCKS in explaining everything I need to know. So if you don’t hear from me, I am working my way through my Photoshop book, it is my new addiction hobby.

3. I am thankful that my son had a great week away on his mission trip. Ok I am assuming it was a great week because I have not heard from him yet, no news is good news right? He will return on Saturday

4. I am thankful in all God is teaching me, he always gives me so much to think about, that sometimes it takes me a few days to digest it all before I can move on.

5. I am thankful for my freedom I have, right now there are Christians being persecuted and put to death because of their beliefs. May I never take my freedom for granted. And may I stand at the throne and plead for them.

May you be richly blessed this week. Head on over to Sting My Heart for more Thankful Thursdays.

Abraham over at the Desiring God blog wrote an article that is worth everyone’s time to read:But I really like the last paragraph. I have to say I am fortunate I have not had to deal with too many unkind remarks; this post is not in response to anything done or said here. I just really like the policy he put in place:

The comments section beneath a blog post is meant to
further the discussion that the post began. If commenters keep this goal in
mind, comments can be very helpful. I try to do my part by asking myself whether
I am making a contribution to the discussion with my comment. I don’t mean
anything fancy–just something that is encouraging, clarifying, or maybe just
pleasant. Often I discover that my goal is not to contribute but to correct, or
worse, criticize. In these cases, I delete the comment and stay out of the fray.
Another good rule is, if you wouldn’t say it to someone in person, don’t say
it on a blog either. Of course, this isn’t a perfect rule, since some of us are
mean in person too. Maybe better would just be: Be kind and be positive.

Head on over here to read the rest.

Run don’t walk Sept. 18, 2007 to buy the Monk & Neagle CD. I got it in the mail yesterday, and I have been listening to it….YES THEY ARE THAT AWESOME. God’s fingerprints are all over their songs! (Dad this means you too, I think you would really like them).

You can listen to a sample of them here, I have to tell you I liked the sound when I listened to the “sample” but I am telling you IT DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE!! Go here to read more about them.

I will be back closer to the date to reminder you to get the CD!!

Oh and keep watch, I have another CD to tell you about and she also has done a great job….

When recieving this award you are asked to write a post about The Fruit of the Spirit graphic and what it means to you. You can read more on An Ordinary Life Artist blog. With this award you don’t know who nominated you.

Beth Moore wrote a poem for her Living Beyond Yourself (which is a study on the Fruit of the Spirit) study:

(this is only a portion of it)

“So, my Lord, I bring this offering;
a stubborn heart of stone
And ask You, in its absence,
please exchange it for Your own.”

I want to thank who ever nominated me for this award. By receiving this award you made me go back into my study pages of Living Beyond Yourself. I actually facilitated this bible study at church (many years ago), and it is a study that changed my life.

The last portion of that poem is my prayer. I am stubborn and sometime I pray for HIS will allthewhile stomping my feet wanting my will. But daily, really since this study several years ago, I have prayed that he take over and develop the fruit of the spirit in me. Oh there are some days I demand more patience, or self-control, but looking back in my study notes tonight I realized how much I have grown and how much the Lord is teaching me.

Thank you, thank you, thank you one again for this honor, I will display it proudly on my side bar.

I am writing this not really knowing where it will lead when I put the last period on this post. I hesitate even talking about it, but I know there are so many that have the same struggles (or maybe not)?

I am so blessed; there are people who are having to endure pain, health issues, or great loss every day. I have a husband who loves me, I have kids I am proud of. But there are times in our lives we enter a season where we have to CHOOSE JOY.

Let me explain, you would think with all my blessings having joy would come easy. I have come to realize I live as a pessimist. Now I know my husband would say, “no duh.” For he is the eternal optimist. I just never felt comfortable saying “I” was the pessimist, but it has been something I have been struggling with lately. When a situation arrives, I think the worst. When something causes worry, I stress enough for everyone around me. When I pray for something, I feel like I really should not be asking that, I am so blessed.

I could give you a long list of things I think about in this tiny brain of mine, things I know that are not from God. Now I KNOW about taking the mind captive, meditating on scripture and I know my mind is an area of weakness for me. I have been faithful in the word each morning; I told God even if I bring my bad attitude with me, I will still come.

Each morning before I get out of bed I say to myself, “I choose joy.”

I don’t choose to go down dark paths my mind can take me…I will choose joy;

I don’t chose to beat myself up for every little thing I feel I did wrong that day.. God has forgiven me, I will choose joy;

I don’t chose to meditate on my worries…I will meditate on Him.

And that is what I have been doing. I have surrounded myself with music, bible messages, etc… And all of it has blessed me. Sometimes it is easy to turn around your mind frame other times it is a battle. For me personally, this has been a battle for almost 2 weeks. I am at the point of saying, “Ok Lord what I am not getting here, what are you trying to show me?”

I am weary of the battle of the mind, but God sustains me.

It is kind of funny, areas where there is great concerns the Lord has been kind of silent, but in other areas he has been pouring on the blessings (mainly through people who surprise bless me, which I am overwhelmed but knows it comes from God). It is almost like he is letting me work through some things, I just wish I knew what I was working through.

I share this for several reasons, some comments have made me concerned that you only see the “devotional writer” side of me. I like to share the funny stories of my family, or the torture my boys put me through =)) etc… But most of all I want you to know that I am not perfect, I don’t have all the answers, and don’t put me on any pedestal. Anything I write that blesses you IS FROM HIM. My joy is in my salvation.

I guess this is what they call “blogging therapy” =)

Nehemiah 8:10 And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”