Sacrifice

Well, I continue to be touched by they book Love Dare. It is primarily to help with my marriage. But I am using it in all my relationships.
The chapter I just read was about sacrificing. It starts out with the verse 1 John 3:16 HCSB. He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down or lives for our brothers. Then it goes on to say that we are quick to sulk when we are the ones who feel deprived or unappreciated. And when life is difficult for us we notice. But do we for our spouse? Or for anyone else?? We just notice when they complain. And then too often we say they are getting on our nerves, or we are tired of hearing them complain. But then when we complain we expect people to feel bad for us.. this is not fair.. right?? But when love is at work It sees the weight beginning to pile up and it steps in to help. Love makes sacrifices. Jesus loved us before we ever knew him. He sacrificed his own life for us. We should be able to Love our spouse and friends enough to help and listen. Jesus taught us that the evidence of love is found in seeing a need in others and doing all we can to satisfy it. Matt. 25:35
So, I am really enjoying this book. I will probably go back thru and read it again.
Life in general is going ok with me. Last week I went to the Dr. for my sinuses and my ears. I found out that tubes in my ears were swollen shut and I had fluid and air bubbles behind my ear drums. So they put me on steroids and a decongestant. It has helped. But I can say I do not like how they made me feel.
Aaron and I have come to an understanding or an agreement I guess you could say, on video games. We have come up with days and times. It is working out so far. Thank the Lord. His job is in jeopardy. Please help me pray that if he loses it that God will send him a different one.
I am meeting some new people at a church meeting I go to every Tues. I am so glad that God sent them my way. I am just thankful for all my friends. I know that God has put us together. I need my friends for encouragement and to have fun with and to walk thru this journey called life together..
The kids are good. Gavin is learning new words and new things every day. He is so smart. And he is so polite. He is still always saying thank you. I love it. Carlee is doing good in school. Her word wall words are coming along and she is learning math. She loves to tell us her math problems. They are working on addition right now. And Julian is doing good. He is learning that homework is getting harder and harder and he gets more every year. He is not real happy about that.
Well, that is all I have for now. I have to get ready for work...

Encouragement

Well, I have been continuing to read the Love Dare book. Also I go to a church meeting on Tuesday evenings and the topic was encouragement last night. Then when I got home and read the Love Dare the topic in the book was "Love Encourages".
We all need encouragement. I believe that God put us here on the earth to help each other out and live for Him. It is much easier of a journey for us when we can do it Together. I appreciate everyone in my life and the encouragement they give to me.
The book had some interesting points. Remember that this is for marriage more than friendship, but I think we can take from this book for our marriage and friendships. Here are a few things I took from this chapter...
"We go into marriage expecting our mate to fulfill our hopes and to make us happy. But this is an impossible order for our spouse to fill. The higher your expectations, the more likely your spouse will fail you and cause you frustration." I realized that my expectations for people are too high sometimes, especially for my hubby. I am working on this...
Then the book goes on to say "You must choose to live my encouragement rather than by expectations..... (marriage) is a unique friendship designed by God himself where 2 people live together in flawed imperfection but deal with it by encouraging each other, not discouraging....The bible says to Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble (Is 35:3) and Encourage one another and build up one another... Encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone (1 Thes. f:11, 14)"
This really hits home with me.. I hope it helps you too. :)

Venting..

Well, I am going to use this as my venting session this time. I usually don't do this on here.. but here it goes..
I have had a bad week.
Aaron and I are struggling with the video game issue and parenting and everything really. I mean, I really wish parenting came with a book, a guide. Especially step parenting. It is so tough. I just am not sure what to do right now. I feel like anytime he gets punished he goes to his mom to get him out of it, you know. That is hard. Please pray for us. I am sure it is hard for Julian too. Especially with such a big difference in rules.
Then we have Carlee who I am trying to get her mouth and attitude under control.
And Gavin is now sleeping in his big boy bed. I am amazed. The first night was terrible, but now he is doing so good with it. I will post pics later. And he is in Julian's room now. Which at first Julian was upset that he had to share. But I told him that alot of kids have to share and that there is no other option. And that sometimes family members have to sacrifice things.. And then the next night he said he really liked sharing with Gavin. So we will see....
And I am really working on my relationship with God. I really need Him. And I am glad he is always there to hear me and be there for me. Sometimes it is hard for me to pray and read my Bible like I should. It is so hard to fathom that He always hears me and knows my problems. Isn't that hard to grasp? I mean, he knows us better than anyone. He knows how many hairs are on our heads. So of course He cares about us and what we are going through. Even when it doesn't seem like it.. And I can tell everyone else this, it is just hard to realize it myself sometimes. I am still working on my anger. I get angry easily sometimes.. I was raised by a yelling family. And it is hard for me to not yell sometimes.. but I am human. And I will continue to work on this. Please pray for me on this issue.
On a good note... Aaron and I have a sitter for Valentines Day. Not sure what we are doing, but it will be nice to get away.
We are also working on setting up our vacation.. We might be going to FL with no kids. This is scarey for me, but I know it will be good for Aaron and I. I have just never left my kids for a week. We will see if it works out..
Well, that is all for now.

Updates

Well, again it has been a while.....

I am still reading Love Dare. I have to be honest.. I have not been reading it every day like I should. But I just read the Love vs Lust chapter. It was interesting. I will share a little of it...
The book says that it is time to expose lust for what it really is... a misguided thirst for satisfaction that only God can fulfill. Lust is like a warning light on the dashboard of your heart, alerting you to the fact that you are not allowing God's love to fill you. When your eyes and heart are on Him, your actions will lead you to lasting joy, not to endless cycles of regret and condemnation...
wow.. right..

And Gavin's vocabulary is getting so big. And I love what he has been saying.. multiple times a day he will come up to me and say... "Mommy, I lub you.." I Love it! And I am trying to get him to start potty training... this, he is not a fan of. The other day I said "Gav, do you want to go sit on the potty?" and he says "uhm no thanks." Well, alright then... at least he is polite. :)
We are battling another ear infection right now and a bad runny nose and cough.

Carlee is wanting to start swimming again. I am hoping to get her in a class for that. And Kindergarten is going well. She likes it, at least when I can get her moving out the door in the morning. She takes after her mother, and she is not a morning person. This makes mornings tough, for both of us. We are working on her Word wall words. She has not done well, until I put a chart up and we put stars by the words as she learns to read them, and then I take her to the dollar tree for every 10 words. So far she knows 17.. this has really helped.

Julian fractured his finger in Basketball. And he is doing really well in school. He is such a smart kid. And he is getting ready for baseball season. He is not so hard to get moving in the morning. He usually gets up and gets moving... at least he is easy.

Aaron is still working a ton. He is stressed too. So this makes it hard for us to get along.. he is tired, stressed and overworked.. I am tired stressed and grumpy.. ugh. His way of de-stressing is playing his video games, which stresses me more.. not a good combo. But we are trying to work that out..

I went to see my friends baby that was born at 23 weeks. He is so little. He is only a pound. I have never seen a baby so small. But he is so cute. Please keep him in your prayers. And his parents need prayer too, to stay strong.

Aaron and I are trying to decide if we can take a vacation with no kids this year. We will see. I think it would be good for us... I will talk more about it if we decide to do it...

I have been doing really well at trying to keep myself out of that "dark place". I mean in dealing with my anxiety and panic issues. I am so thankful to my friends that have helped me through... and I have been talking more to my aunt and my sisters too. That is good. I really long to be close to other women. I think because I grew up without my real mom. And it was hard for my step mom to be real close to me because of other issues.

Anyways.. I guess that is all for now..