Saturday morning was the usual - we headed out for Karate class at 9:20 and came home to a nice little surprise. Our Niece Jessica left a birthday gift for Issy on our doorstep! She was super excited to get YET ANOTHER gift! LOL
She was super excited about the new Lalaloopsy outfit and felt the need to immediately put it on! LOL
We perused all the clearance isles (which in Target is a must!) You'll be happy to know that I didn't buy a single clearance item! Instead I convinced Isabella to buy (with her birthday money) a new denim jacket, and a cute Osh Kosh top. While in the toys department Isabella selected a Doc McStuffins medical toy kit for Mrs. Nina to buy for her. She also felt like she really needed to have the matching Doctors coat - so she added that to her lot of buys for the day! LOL
We headed up to the front to pay and Isabella had spent $51.86 I gave her $52 to pay and when the cashier gave her back 14 cents, she said " What about the dollars - don't I get dollars back!?!?" It was so funny to me! LOL
From the moment we got home, until we went to bed Saturday night - Isabella was replaced by Doc McStuffins!! LOL
She checked the heart rate and blood pressure of every single person in sight!
Look at her in action:
I spent the rest of our Saturday cleaning house. Samantha came over in the afternoon, and helped me a bit so we could take a quick run to Dillards. She needed a baby shower gift, and I needed to return all the gifts I bought the previous night (I had tons of gift items already in my gift closet - so none of my purchases were necessary!) I only got to finish up my restroom, closet, dresser, bedroom, and some of the laundry. Luckily, Makaila had tackled the restroom on their side of the house and their bedroom.
At about 6 the neighbor Nina came over with the kiddos which I had agreed to watch over night so she could enjoy a much needed night out. We played with the kids and watched tv for awhile, then headed over to Ernie & Sarah's to see Josh & Lourdes who had come into town for a visit.
We strapped the kids all into car seats and headed out. Isabella did her round of check ups and we chit chatted for a few then at about 10 headed back home. All of the kids were tired and had basically fallen asleep on the way home or were pretty close to it.
I forgot what it was like to have a baby! The kids were great and basically slept through the night for the most part. I had braced myself for crying or screaming for momma kinda stuff but that never happened. SJ woke up once crying, but Makaila put him back to sleep without me even noticing. Gracie never cried just spent a good amount of time grunting in the dark and rolling all over the place! LOL
By 7:30 Sunday morning Nina couldn't function without her babies, so she came by the to pick up her early birds. Gracie was wide awake and happy as can be. SJ woke up shortly after and off they went. I lounged around for awhile and played on my phone until our clan started waking up. We all headed out to church at 10.
It was the start of a new series this week. Here are my notes:
Unshakable: 10 Truths for a Rock Solid Life
(It was based on the ten commandments and living you life with those ten rules/principles)
It was funny to watch a video about how many people actually know the ten commandments? Several people were asked and none of them could remember all ten. I was pretty excited to know that I could. However I can only recite them to you in the form of a song! LOL
One of my all time favorite praise and worship songs in all the world is Ten Simple Rules by Mercy Me. If you haven't heard this song...you tube it. It is a catchy tune and I love it. Ask the girls - its my go to song when I sync the phone to the car! LOL
" God gave us ten simple rules, to get us through, a little something just for us to live by - And the Lord said have no other God's but God to worship others just won't do, be careful with the way you use God's name and keep Sunday special too. Honor your parents, Don't take any lives and when your old enough to marry be true. Do not steal or lie or want those things that don't belong to you. These are ten simple rules God gave to me and you"
1. You shall have no other God's before me
2. Worship God Only - no others
3. Do not use his name in vain
4. Keep Sunday Holy
5. Honor your parents
6. Do not Kill
7. Be faithful and true in your marriage
8. Do not steal
9. Do not lie
10. Do not covet other people things
Anyway - back to the actual notes! LOL
The principle of Priority: Put God First!!!!!!!
An idol is anything we put before God.
* Idols rob us of Fulfilment, joy & Purpose. Only God can meet your needs and make you whole.
* Idols strangle our freedom. We are led astray - but we make choices and once your choice is Made you are no longer free - but bound to the consequences of your choice.
* Idols break us. Those who make them idols - will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. (Psalm 115:8)
Idol = Addiction
If God is not first place, idols are a poor substitute for a solid foundation.
To live a solid life and implement the Ten commandments in my daily routine I must:
1. Bring my brokenness to the cross. We are all imperfect people, who have broken these commandments in life. We need God's grace and his Love. Christ's blood gives me healing and forgiveness - I just need to accept it.
2. Give my best to Christ. Not to prove anything, but to show your love in him and your desire to please him.
After church we went home and I made breakfast for us. We all ate and I started to clean up a bit. At 12:45 Danny and I headed back over to the church to attend a marriage seminar called Relationships (Love Languages). I was utterly shocked at his lack of fight in going to this. I had already mentioned it to him a few times during the week, and some the week before, and again reminded him after church (to which he acted dumbfounded about). But when it was time to go he was up and ready in the car before I was. It was a short hour and a half session in which we discussed the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. We sat in round tables with three other couples, while Pastor Cameron went through the fundamentals for us.
Here are my notes:
Love - Giving someone what they need not what they deserve.
There are Five fundamental Love languages - and two additional sub sections as follows:
1. Time (Spending time together - quality time and attention)
2. Verbal (words of affirmation - tell me nice things, compliment me, tell me how you feel)
3. Touch (physical touch, back scratching, hold hands, sex, etc)
4. Practical (acts of service - helping with chores, helping with kids, doing the dishes, tending the yard, etc)
5. Gifts (giving gifts - small or large to show their emotions)
6. Opportunity (being an encourager, opening doors of opportunity for you, helping you be your best)
7. Provider (working hard to make sure your needs are met)
Pastor Cameron used the analogy of a ping pong table. Trying to play alone means balls are flying all over the place and you get no where. No mater how awesome your serve is or the wicked spin you dole out - it doesn't matter cause there is no one at the other side of the table to return it or appreciate it.
Using that table analogy - he broke it down in steps for us
T - Take notice (be intentional)
A - Ask and Don't assume (learn your mates love Language and don't assume you know what they want)
B - Break the Cycle (Don't use your upbringing as an excuse, or say you don't know how - takes knowledge & effort)
L - Learn and adjust - recognize if you are at the wrong table and move!!
E - Experience Christ's Love ( You can't love others until you have accept Christ Love and have love for yourself first)
After this we worked at our group tables on discussing our own self diagnosed love languages, and outlooks, and how we could do better, what we each wanted for our relationships, etc.
I had read this book many many years ago - and knew without a doubt that my love languages are mainly Verbal and Physical. This was of no surprise to Danny either. He is a little harder to identify. I know for certain that he shows his love in the form of 7. Provider. He does a great job being our family leader and providing for us all. How he likes to receive love is a little harder. He is kinda shy, and reserved and not much into PDA (or even DA...LOL), or Verbal affection, and he hates getting gifts (makes him uncomfortable), and the time factor is an issue with his shift work - so we are gunna work on identifying his a little more.
Our group was made up of several of the volunteer people I see regularly at church! They are a tad older than Danny and I but we had a great time. We laughed and laughed and they invited us to join their small group. I am praying and crossing my fingers to be able to attend their group this coming Friday.
After the session, we headed home and I got to finishing my cleaning mission, while Danny watched some football. Once I came to a stopping point, we headed out to get some must haves - laundry detergent, softener, lunch stuff for the week, etc.) We came home and ate, did some laundry and went to bed a little early!
Typing this up this morning was such a blissful moment for me. I had a wonderful weekend. Nothing too exciting, no parties, just basic day to day things that we enjoyed together as a family. I feel utterly blessed and overjoyed at the turn around in Danny with regards to our marriage and participating in church activities, small groups, etc. God truly answers prayers!!! I am very happy to share our weekend with you. :)
I think back to the start of our relationship many years ago and how he really disliked church (the institution not the faith- he would say he didn't have to go to the church to pray or know God). He would go on Christmas Eve and that was it. Now I am very happy that he goes every Sunday he is off, and he even mentioned that he is off this Friday - so maybe we can go to the small group!!! I have prayed for this growth in his faith for many many years. There was a even a time in which I tried to force going to church on him, and that didn't work well for us either. But to see my prayers answered now, and his enthusiasm, and watching him take notes during service and go willingly to the extras with me is awesome!!!
We are a walking testament to the saying: God will answer your prayers in his time and your faith will lead you! It took years for this particular prayer to be answered and there were times that I felt angry about the wait, and frustrated, but God has most definitely answered my prayers and Danny is becoming more than just our rock at home, financially, and physically, but faithfully too!
We are far from perfect, and there are most definitely faults in both of us, but I myself and pretty pleased with where we are now! Have a great week, and check back later.....there is never a dull moment in this Limon tree!
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