Thursday Thank Tank

Well, it's Thursday again. And, despite my best intentions, it has been two weeks since my last TTT. As I've described before, this is an area I struggle with. Trying to mindful of the positive, awesome blessings God showers down around me is often crushed out by pressing concerns, responsibilities, and anxieties. So, in trying to maintain that mindfulness (in no particular order)...

1. Da Hubby's job: Things are not good at his shop. No new work in nearly three weeks. Blessedly, Da Hubby has his system administrator responsibilities to keep his time card full while his engineering responsibilities are fewer. The manufacturing industry as a whole is doing very poorly particularly in this part of the state where it is a major employer.

2. Da Hubby's insurance (again) LOL: Da Hubby has found himself this week with some major tooth pain. Professional inspection leads us to believe that there will be several crowns and bridges in Da Hubby's immediate future. While it only covers 50%, it's better than having no insurance at all.

3. Extended family: Nothing like a birthday and an inundation of birthday cards to remind you that you are loved, prayed for, and thought of! 363 days 'til the big 4-0! *wink*

4. And, speaking of birthdays...I praise Him for keeping me alive and breathing this long so I could make my way back to Him albeit a little later than He probably planned! *wink*

5. My marriage: Sadly, someone very close to me notified us that their marriage will be going through a trial separation. While this couple has been married many years and I only have the perspective of nearly 6 years of marriage, I naively pray that everyone is as happy as Da Hubby and I.

6. Health: Other than some occasional "morning booger noses", all four of us have been healthy this week and no one is on antibiotics...a first in a while.

7. Singing: It seems that nothing right now takes me immediately into His presence more than singing praise and worship songs (about all we listen to around here anymore! LOL). I can hardly get through any song on WFRN lately without bringing me to tears.

8. God's guiding Spirit: I had another article/blog/sermon idea that I had filed away. I took the scrap of paper with my initial notes with me while watching the kids in the church's nursery during last Sunday night's services. In the hour I was in there, I got the supporting Scripture located and the entire outline done...something I hadn't been able to do in MONTHS!

Been inspired by Just Peachy so perhaps stop by and see what she's thankful for this week!

WFMW: The Kitchen Edition

Well, I've trying to think of something since Monday to contribute to "The Kitchen Edition." And, I decided that I have either nothing to contribute or my little "tricks" are so ingrained that I don't recognize them as anything spectacular! *wink*

But here is one little thing I noticed last night as I did my grocery shopping. I used to need serious help organizing my grocery shopping list. And, since I've used three different grocery stores in the last 3 years (all of which were organized completely differently), it became a problem to remember everything and where it was.

So, I took to the aisles of a particular grocery store for about 10-15 and took notes! I wrote down (roughly) what was found in each aisle. I then went home and made up an Excel file where each column was a particular aisle. (One of mine is shown here. It's hard to read but you get the idea.)

So, during the week, I write on my list things we run out of. Come Tuesdays (my grocery day), I put everything into the correct column on my Excel sheet. And then when I get to the store, my list is in the order I will walk through the store! It inadvertently keeps me on budget since I fold the list in three's to fit on my coupon organizer so each "third" should come up to about $20-25 to hit my weekly grocery budget of $65-70.

That works for me! Go to Shannon's site for more ideas to streamline your kitchen-related problems.

Housework Observation

Something that that would make Laura over at I'm An Organizing Junkie say "well, DUH!"

I've never noticed this before:

Assumption one: I hate doing laundry.

Assumption two: I normally I do laundry on Mondays and Fridays - about 3-5 loads each day.

Often, procrastinating about getting those 3- 5 loads done turns into 2-3 loads on the designated day and 1 or 2 the following day.

So, as a result, having to do laundry two days a week just turned into FOUR days!

It's depressing that I 've turned my lease favorite work task into something that takes the majority of my days to do! *sigh* This epiphany is hurting my brain. LOL

Heard in Our Little Viking Hus Lately...

Yesterday, Flicka is heard singing over and over and over and...

"You do the holy pokey and you turn yourself around...that's what it's all about!"

Is that a new children's church or toddler salvation message I don't know about!? *wink*

Hope Spring Eternal

2 Cor 4:16 . Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward [man] is being renewed day by day.

Having a rough “momma day” so far. The Vikings appear to have plotted their multi-weekly, slash-and-burn, pillaging of our home this morning…as it usually occurs on Mondays when Da Hubby returns to work. It’s just after 10:30am and there have already been time outs and a trip-and-fall blood letting.

However, hope springs eternal. Renewal in Christ is assured. I am reminded by the tiny miracle Da Hubby pointed out to me yesterday in the front planter of our home. And, I keep hearing Pastor Debbie’s voice in my head from yesterday’s sermon. I am convicted.

We are created to serve God. (Eph 2.10)
We are saved to serve God. (2 Tim 1.9)
We are called to serve God. (2 Tim 1.9 and 1 Peter 2.9)
We are commanded to serve God. (Matt 20.28)

She explained how there is no small service to God. It ALL matters! And, that one’s service is desperately needed in the Body of Christ. What would happen if our physical hearts used all our “spiritual excuses” to avoid its’ service in our physical bodies: I’m too tired. I need a rest. Someone else does it better. Let another step forward to this job.

And, we are all in our different seasons. But, service is NOT optional! It is the heart of Christian life. And, right now, in this season of my life, my area of service is my husband and kids. They are “all” I have time for but that is OK. This is where God wants me right now. It’s too important to do otherwise. My service at home is not so small to be dismissed. In another season, I’ll be able to work more directly in my local Body’s ministries but, for now, I do what I can as He would have me do.

“Being a servant means giving up the right to control your schedule and allowing God to interrupt it whenever He needs to.” So, I say: “Here I am, Lord, send me!”

That's Where The Party's At!

With all apologies to the Newsboys (LOL)...this is from their song "Wherever We Go":

"Hands up
Holler back here
Let’s throw this party in gear
We brought the welcome mat

Wherever we go, that’s where the party’s at

"Hands up

Holler back now

We don’t claim any know-how

We’re giving God all that

Wherever we go, that’s where the party’s at"

Well, better late than never. *wink* The 5 Minutes For Mom blog party starts today. There are already over 280 "guests" participating in this little "meet and greet". So, let me introduce myself!

I'm a born-Catholic, college-ministry-Lutheran, and recently-converted-swingin'-from-the-chandeliers-Pentecostal, daughter of the King.

I'm also a nearly 39-year-old SAHM married to an awesome man of "Scandahoovian" descent from Michigan's great Upper Peninsula with a soon-to-be-three-year-old Svenska flicka and a soon-to-be-14-month-old Svenska pojke. I've been pregnant and/or nursing someone since June 2003! *wink*

I started this blog to help me have a little piece of myself and a place to write and figure things out following the arrival of "Pojke" in 2006.

And, to help round out that picture, here's some cool archived things to help you get to know me even better:

The closest thing I have to a testimony

My faith walk has led me here, here, and here.

Things you might not know about me here, here, and here .

My quirky humor here, here, and here.

Now, please feel free to go to party central and check out all the other bloggy folks participating. Maybe you'll find someone new and interesting to gab with. Just remember your breath mints and no double dipping with your chips, please!! LOL

It's Like A Conspiracy! LOL

11pm Went to bed
2am Pojke awake, talks to himself, falls back asleep
3:30am Flicka awake from bad dream
4am The weirdest, freakiest, loudest, brightest winter thunderstorm storm blows in
5am Da Hubby's alarm goes off
5:09am Da Hubby's snooze
5:18am Da Hubby's snooze
6:35am Storm kicks up again and wakes up both kids again

*sigh*

photo credit: www.ksn.com/weather/lightning.html