Day 2.......

Okay, I don't have much time to be on the computer today! valentine's party tomorrow and Birthday party Sunday for Claire; I have SO much to do !! So, to make it quick:

Day 1 was a redo but I just carried it over into day2 and now I think I am going to continue to keep carrying a lot of these over from now on and never stop doing them. For example, the saying nothing negative, I need to work on that every day, not just day 1!! :) Of course we all know that, but do we practice it?

Here's day 2:

"Kindness is love in acttion. If patience is how love reacts in order to minimize a negative circumstance, kindness is how love acts to maximize a positive circumstance.Patience avoids a problem; kindness creates a blessing. One is preventive, the other proactive. These two sides of love are the cornerstones on which many of the other attributes we will discuss are built."

LOVE MAKES YOU KIND, AND KINDNESS MAKES YOU LIKEABLE. When you are kind, people want to be around you. They see you as being good to them and for them.

"Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man" Proverbs 3:3-4

These really stuck out for me:: (there are LOTS of these for husbands, too, don't worry!)

"Kindness graces a wife with the ability to serve her husband (and children) without worrying about her rights." OUCH!!!!

"The kind wife will be one who greets first, smiles first, serves first and forgives first. They don't require the other to get his act together before showing love. You see the need and make your move, first. "

Proverbs 31:26 "She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue"


TODAY'S DARE:

IN ADDITION TO SAYING NOTHING NEGATIVE TO YOUR SPOUSE AGAIN TODAY, DO AT LEAST ONE UNEXPECTED GESTURE AS AN ACT OF KINDNESS.

Today I had a lot of fun thinking of Charlie and going back to the days when we met and how I felt about him then. I also thought of how much we have grown in the 11 years we have been together and I just became amazed at God's hand in our lives! It was easy after thinking of everything he has done for me, to be kind to him. However, this is also about learning to be kind in EVERY circumstance. Not just when you have warm and fuzzy feelings about each other. So, I plan to continue on with day 2, even in the rough circumstances and the bad tempers. Believe me, the time will come when my kindness will be tested and so will me saying nothing negative!!! SO hard for me sometimes!

I will hopefully be back sometime this evening or tonight with day 3. Stay tuned!!

I didn't do it, I promise!!....

I checked my email last night and the google reader. All the blogs I follow were there. This morning, it said I didn't follow any blogs and it was clear!! WHAT?!!

Anyway, I just want you to know that if I am not listed as a follower on your blog anymore, I did not do it!! I have a new computer and that's all I can think that may have caused it. I don't have time to check everyone's and fix it this morning but I will try to get to it soon. :)

Have a great day & I still read your blogs and you have done nothing to offend me! PROMISE!! :)

*Back with more on the Love Dare later today, I hope!!

Love,
Julie

starting over again......

I have went almost all the way through The Love Dare and maybe I am just being completely ridiculously hard on myself but as I am doing the Husband Encouragement Challenge along with The Love Dare, I am finding so many things that I am just not getting! Call me hard headed but I believe that my husband deserves MY VERY BEST and I will continue to do this Love Dare and the Challenge over and over probably for the rest of my life. I don't want to ever again, get caught in a rut in our marriage. And, I can definitely say both of these marriage tools are working! My husband is so different and considerate (he was before but now, A NEW LEVEL!!!) I am different. I am more thoughtful. I put Charlie's preferences and wants FIRST, most of the time. It is changing me so much but I want to continue to be changed!! I want to continue to be challenged and I want to feel that pain of being pruned because I know it is working!!

I only have a few minutes on the computer as I am trying to limit my computer time and be more disciplined. So, I am going to share with you Day 1 of the Love Dare. I am starting over!! Well, here goes:

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in Love." Ephesians 4:2 NIV

"Love will inspire you to become a patient person. When you choose to be patient, you respond in a positive way to a negative situation. You are slow to anger. You choose to have a long fuse instead of a quick temper. Rather than being restless and demanding, love helps you settle down and being extending mercy to those around you. Patience brings an internal calm during an external storm." pg.1

"This Love Dare journey is a process and the first thing you must resolve to possess is patience. Think of it as a marathon, not a sprint. But it's a race worth running." pg. 3


TODAY'S DARE: DAY 1:

"THE FIRST PART OF THIS DARE IS FAIRLY SIMPLE. ALTHOUGH LOVE IS COMMUNICATED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, OUR WORDS OFTEN REFLECT THE CONDITION OF OUR HEART. FOR THE NEXT DAY, RESOLVE TO DEMONSTRATE PATIENCE AND SAY NOTHING NEGATIVE TO YOUR SPOUSE AT ALL. IF THE TEMPTATION ARISES, CHOOSE NOT TO SAY ANYTHING. IT'S BETTER TO HOLD YOUR TONGUE THAN TO SAY SOMETHING YOU'LL REGRET."

Okay, here goes!! Starting over again! Be praying for me!!

Love,
Julie

another wild post....

Didn't get to go to church services today. Lily was sick. She's better now. I hate it when my kids are sick. I wish I could take their place every time. Poor babies. :(

Got my running shoes yesterday. Nikes. Silver & kind of a mauve purple. I will have to take a picture. I know a lot of people don't like Nikes for running but I do. These fit the best out of all the options I looked at. Also, I wore Nikes for 7 years playing basketball and they never really hurt my feet. Maybe I won't like them so much after I put some miles on them but for now, they are great!! :) Also, a GREAT price!! Charlie & I both got shoes for what I would have paid regular price for mine!! I LOVE a great deal!

Still haven't found the perfect computer. Still looking. I am such a tightwad. I also have to buy a new printer so I am just cringing at the prices. Laugh if you want. I am serious. This is why my computer is ancient and about to kick the bucket on me. I just hate to buy anything expensive. See above on running shoes. Haha. :)

So, it's a lazy Sunday. I am going to head out in a little bit and get Valentine's for the kids Valentine's party next week and stuff to make them a box.(SO excited about this!!!) I also need to get their Valentine's presents from Mama & Daddy and Charlie's gift. Also, I have to get final things for Claire's birthday party (her birthday is the 15th.) So, I have A LOT to do today!!

Going to do some baking and cleaning. Already did 6 loads of laundry and 2 loads of dishes. Cleaned our bathroom and dusted from the wood stove soot. Argh..... well, hey, it's heat and it's free!!! (we cut our own firewood off of our property)

So, now I am off to go running while the kids nap... I don't know how much I will be blogging this week. Kinda busy!! Lots to do and plan!! Family: I am mailing birthday invitations so you should get them sometime early this week. Sorry it's so late! But, that's how we roll around here. :)

Have a great week, everyone and remember, to keep up the Husband Encouragement Challenge!!! Also, the 31 Days of Praying for your husband are great, as well!! Do these along with the Love Dare and you will be knocking Satan out right and left!! :)

(If you need information on any of the challenges or the love dare just email me at mama2clairelilydrew (at) gmail (dot) com. using the symbols, of course, not the words! I will be SO glad to help you in any way!!)

Love,
Julie

*LOVE, LOVE this on the bottom of my shoes:

"I run like a girl; try to keep up" ;)

a look at my 2009...

A few things I want to share with ya'll!!!!

*Hubby found extra work to take up some slack with our finances!! :) Thanks SO much to the good person who is offering the job!!

*The Love Dare is AMAZING!!! Wow. It's just really kicking my tail all over the place!! (more on this later) ;)

*Income tax return coming soon which means:

1. get ahead on bills!!!

2. home improvement projects

3. new computer (hopefully!!)

4. and these

Because just as soon as I get these babies, I get to start RUNNING again!!!! I am SO excited and I just can't wait!! Running does SO much for my state of mind and I am looking forward to the alone time, time to pray and think and hear God. That's what running does for me! :)

*starting on my annual first of the year DEEP cleaning just as soon as I get through cleaning up after this sickness, YUCK.

A few things on my list to do:

*take down light fixtures and wash thoroughly

*Wash walls (yes, I do this)

*Clean out and scrub refrigerator and freezer

*organize pantry, girls closets and bookshelves

*organize bathroom cabinets (Again, ugh.)

*Get Drew's room, FINISHED......

and,

START SEWING!!!!!! (I want to find a simple book of easy projects that I can teach myself and therefore, teach the girls later) I know a little bit about sewing but I want to practice, practice, practice and just get SO much better!!

Well, that's all I can think of for now but ya'll know me and you know how I LOVE to make lists, so I will be back with more, I am sure!!! :)

Love,
Julie

Love....

Charlie & I have started the LOVE DARE book. Our church also bought a copy for every couple to work on together which I think is a great idea. Already, this book has changed me.

I am trying to apply these principles to my children as well as to my husband, where appropriate. For example, the first day's challenge is "to say nothing negative to your spouse". So, I will say nothing negative to my husband or my children. Have you ever tried to do this? Have you noticed how many negative things we say in just an hour's time?! Much less a whole day or even, heaven forbid, EVERY DAY?

So, today, I started noticing just how negative I am to those I love. I noticed and even admitted guilt when my day started off rotten and kept getting worse. Yes, there were things that were not my fault. But, my attitude stunk. Hence, the reason, it kept getting worse instead of better. I even yelled several times and that is one thing that I hate to do to my kids and to Charlie. I am definitely seeking forgiveness today.

After praying and telling the kids how Mama was wrong to act that way and why, I prayed with them for God to forgive us for being selfish and ugly. I don't know if they understand but I want them to know what to do and where to go when they mess up. Because we all do and that's what's so cool about GRACE.

Well, just thought I would share that with you today. If you can, would you pray for Drew? He is very stopped up and with the phlegm is having a hard time breathing/sleeping. I am keeping it down with saline nose drops, humidifier, some Vics baby rub, and the steamy bathroom when it gets bad but I would appreciate the prayers that it doesn't get any worse. We have a dr.'s appointment but not for a couple of days and Claire & Lily have some pretty sore throats and are running a little fever. So, prayers would be very appreciated! Thanks! Have a wonderful week!

Love,
Julie

Hello!.....

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! :) Thank you so much for the sweet cards and emails! Your Christmas/New Year cards should be arriving soon in your mailbox, if they haven't already. I am really sorry that I was so late getting them sent out. I tried.

We have had a wonderful Christmas! First of all, Charlie got a week off from work, unexpectedly. It wasn't great because it was a week without pay or unemployment (long story) but it was great because we got to spend a lot of time and have a fantastic Christmas week instead of a rushed week. Thank you, Lord, for that. See, there is good in everything, even financial difficulty. :)

So, our Christmas spending was cut back even more, but that's okay, because we just focused more on important things and the true meaning of the Christmas season. Charlie bought us the book, "The Love Dare", as one of our Christmas presents. We have just started doing this and already Satan has attacked us in almost every area of our marriage. It has been rough but it's funny, too, because we just fight back that much harder and WE are winning! If you haven't started this book, I cannot recommend anything any more than I can recommend this book! It's great!

The girls have had a fun filled time with their Daddy and with cousins and visiting family. It's been a wild week and we are looking forward to settling down this week and just getting back into our groove. :)

Charlie's dad is doing pretty good, considering. He has a really great attitude about everything. He's good like that. :) They did not find any cancer in his bones and it is a really early stage so, those are all great things. Hopefully, they can take care of it with radiation. Please continue to pray. We sure do appreciate all of your prayers. :)

We are looking at a rough year again. HOPEfully, things will improve finanacially and otherwise. We are praying and prayerfully considering some options available to us. Please pray for Charlie as he makes a lot of decisions for the future of our family. He really is trying so hard to seek God's will and direction in his life. I am SO proud of him and in all of almost 11 years (next week) of marriage, I have never seen him walk as closely to the Lord as I see him walking now. It gives me goosebumps just talking about it! :)

*Well, I have to go lay clothes out for church tomorrow and read my love dare for tomorrow and get some sleep. I will try to post pictures of our crazy kids and their wild antics at Christmas if I can get the computer to cooperate! (Because of the week off of work, I will have to wait a little while longer on our computer, that's okay, the Lord is sure teaching me how to wait patiently!) :)

Happy New Year!

Julie