We Remember...

10% of what we read,
20% of what we hear,
30% of what we see,
40% of what we do
and...
100% of what we feel.

-- Dr. Karl Pribram

Am I The Only One Frustrated By This?

Okay - so am I the only one who is bothered by this?

I was at K-Mart today. Okay - it's not my favorite store, but I was looking for some inexpensive shorts for the summer for Chloe (we all know how kids wear shorts out so badly and so quickly in the summer - no need to go to the extra expense if I don't have to.) While I was there, I over heard a conversation that annoyed me. This is the gist of how it went:

K-Mart Employee (to her friend 2 lines down!): "So - did you get that new job yet?"

Friend: "No, I'm still looking. Is this place hiring?"

K-Mart Employee: "I don't know if we are or not."

Friend: "I thought you had received a promotion here at the store."

K-Mart Employee: "I did, but I changed my mind and didn't take it."

Friend: "Oh really."

K-Mart Employee (for MANY customers to hear her): "Yeah - this place really sucks! I am going to _____ down the street (didn't catch the name of where she was going) because they will actually give me the hours I want to work and give me more money."

You know, maybe this makes me so mad because I was once a business owner and cannot imagine having overheard this conversation in my store! I can tell you that if I were the manager/owner of K-Mart and listened to this conversation, I would have gently asked her to come with me, escorted her to the back room and asked her to remove herself from the store immediately. I know, I may be over-reacting, but COME ON! Where is the loyalty here? It would be one thing to speak with another employee about this in private, but once it becomes a public conversation in front of customers, that's when I would end it altogether!

I honestly don't know why I waste my energy being mad over things like this. I know I should just let it go - - but this kind of stuff really gets my blood boiling...

Top 10 Things I Couldn't Live Without

(in no specific order):

1.) Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior!

2.) My wonderful family. This includes my wonderful husband, my gorgeous daughter, my mom and dad and all of my extended family!

3.) My closest & dearest friends! (You know who you are... you are the few who actually read my blog! :))

4.) Air Conditioning! (I hate the heat! I would live in the LOW 70's all summer long if I could!)

5.) Email! (What in the world did we do before it's existence?)

6.) Donuts! Yum-O! (Did somebody say Krispy Kreme?)

7.) Coca-Cola! (I know, I know... I TRIED to quit and I can't - so WHAT?)

8.) Snow! (Shut up - I love the snow! I guess it's a good thing I live in Michigan now, isn't it?)

9.) Black eye liner. (If you've ever seen me without it, you'd understand why it's on this list!)

10.) Wal-Mart. (My daughter thinks of Wal-Mart as her 'home away from home'. Sad, I know!)

Another School Year Nearing and end

I can't believe that Chloe will be in her LAST week of school Tuesday of next week! It's amazing! Where has all the time gone? Didn't she just start the first grade like yesterday? Even scarier, wasn't she just born like last week? I didn't believe it when Chloe was an colicky infant when people told me that after having kids, the years would fly by. It was hard to see that while holding this precious little one who wouldn't stop crying! But my little girl will turn 7 - - YES SEVEN - - on June 27 and in looking back over those seven years - MAN have they seemed short! I just pray that I am able to soak up every MINUTE I have with her and that I can take the time out to really enjoy this most remarkable human being that God has blessed me with. That I can be the best mom I can be to her because God gave this miracle to ME and entrusted ME with her life. Thank you, God, for allowing me the greatest opportunity on the planet - - being Chloe's mom!

"Daughters" lyrics by John Mayer

I know a girl

She puts the color inside of my world

But she's just like a maze

Where all of the walls all continually change

And I've done all I canTo stand on her steps with my heart in my hands

Now I'm starting to see

Maybe it's got nothing to do with me

Fathers, be good to your daughters

Daughters will love like you do

Girls become lovers who turn into mothers

So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Boys, you can break

You'll find out how much they can take

Boys will be strong

And boys soldier on

But boys would be gone without the warmth from

A womans good, good heart

On behalf of every man

Looking out for every girl

You are the god and the weight of her world

So fathers, be good to your daughters

Daughters will love like you do

Girls become lovers who turn into mothers

So mothers, be good to your daughters too

Feeling Thankful

Today... I am just feeling thankful. Thankful for the wonderful, sunny day. Thankful for the trees on our 11 acres that have just started to bud. Thankful for my daughter, Chloe, who just gave me a special hand-delivery of wild flowers to put in our kitchen. Thankful that I have a wonderful family to share my life with. Thankful for the home I get to come home to every night and the sunshine that hits me in the face in the morning telling me it's time to rise and shine. Thankful that my parents are still alive and in good health. Thankful that I have been blessed with the opportunity to send me daughter to a state-of-the-art Christian school where she is safe, loved and gets to learn about Jesus every single day. Thankful for my friends who love me dispite my imperfections and a spouse who showers me with unconditional love that I sometimes don't deserve. I am thankful that I have a Savior who died upon a cross for MY SINS and that I have a friend in Him. I am thankful that I have a job in this uncertain economy and that I have been blessed with the ability to help others just as I have been helped by so many.

Today... I am thankful and I just wanted to share some blessings with you.

Marriage Mentoring

Trevor and I have been a part of a Marriage Mentoring Small Group for the past 7 months. It's been so enjoyable, I can't even tell you! The Small Group was built around a training period with 3 other couples (including the Marriage Mentor leaders). We meet 1-2 times per month to receive pre-marital mentor training. This training will help us to be able to meet with couples who wish to take advantage of the Pre-marital Mentoring Program provided by Crossroads Community Church.

What's been amazing is the way the process has brought Trevor and I even closer together! I feel as though we have learned so much more about each other by simply discovering how to identify some of the most common relational issues. Both Trevor and I are excited about meeting with couples who have a desire to get their marriages started out on the right foot and we are thrilled to be able to provide them with resources to grow and strengthen their marriages for years and years to come.... couples who wish to put Christ in the center of their relationship!

Our prayer is that we will be able to share with couples the challenges that we have overcome as well as to be able to reflect Christ's love and the deep, committed love we have for one another.