Where is my treasure?

What do I value most?
Where do I spend my time?
Where do I spend my money?
What dominates my conversation?
What do others know me for?

The answers to these questions,
if answered honestly,
will tell me where my treasure is.

Luke 12:34 tells me that where my treasure is, there is where my heart will be too.

Am I giving my heart fully to the Lord?

I have been challenged lately in my quiet time to evaluate this.
God has gently uncovered my lack of listening skills,
my tendency to focus on the storm instead of Him,
and now, where my treasure truly lies.

If you are unsure where your treasure is,
examine the questions above.
Ask your friends to tell you what they think is most import to you.
Ask your children to list the things they see as most valuable to you.

We may think we know where our treasure is,
but our actions reveal the truth.

and sometimes the truth hurts.

However, I am so thankful that God doesn't leave me where I am. But continues to work on my heart; gently molding me and drawing me closer to Him.

Wow!!

WOW!

My son performed his first concert last night
and really "wow!!" describes it for me perfectly.

He did an amazing job and sounded so good.
I can't even begin to describe how proud I am.

His good friend, Tori, accompanied him.
Both are very talented musicians.

He performed mostly all his original music.

They complimented each other so well....

Ok, let me show you.....

you know I have to!!! :)

Jason wrote this song after his mission trip to Brazil.
It is my favorite.

wow....

...trying to imagine how God will use this young man of mine.

Project 365 - Week 26

Week 26.

Summer......I love it.  We are having so much fun as a family and we are trying to spend as much time together as possible before Alyssa has to head back to school.....we have one more week. :(

I have to say that this summer I am so very thankful for a pool!!  It is scorching hot here in Arkansas with very high humidity....and it is only June, ugh!!!  Some days when I walk outside, my glasses immediately fog up....it's bad!  But the pool has certainly made it more bearable.

With summer schedules being so lax, I want to encourage you to keep up the picture taking.  It's easy to forget in the midst of all the fun, but you will be so glad you kept it up!!

We are almost half way!!  Can you believe it?

Here's my week:

Sunday

Today was Father's day and after church, my kids and I went home to celebrate their dad.  We were having so much fun, I never got the camera out till the end of the day.  We started with grilling Steve's favorite dinner...brats, sour kraut, grilled corn, and baked beans.  After we ate, we played in the pool all after noon...volley ball, keep away, basketball.....we had a blast!!!

Then I came in and made this for my honey!

of course we had to end this perfect day with a game of Settlers of Catan!

This is what you do with your pieces when you are losing....

Monday

Recently, I bought one of the expansion packs to Settlers of Catan..

So tonight the kids convinced us not to go exercise (again) and try to figure this game out.  We started at 7:30 and Alyssa finally won at 10:15!!!

there are a lot of new pieces and new rules...

it was a bit overwhelming at first, but ended up being very of fun!!

there was a lot more strategy going on!

Tuesday

Happy Birthday to my FIL, Joe!!!

I got to have lunch today with my good friend, Denise.

She works during the school year, so it was great to get together for lunch.  Afterward, we headed out to the bead store.......we had to drag ourselves out!!

Wednesday

Mother/daughter day in the pool!!

Thursday

Alyssa had a bunch of girls from our youth group over for a swim party tonight.  Girls are so different in the pool......very quiet with NO splashing!!  However, when they got in the house and started a game of spoons.......it was a whole different story.......very LOUD!!!!

Friday

Happy 55th Anniversary to my Parents!!!

Love you!!!

This is how I started my Friday morning....

mmmmmmmm!!

Saturday

Lily protecting her "person"

or maybe making sure he did it correctly?

homemade fajitas for dinner!  Yum!!

So, how was your week?  Are you having great summer?!!  Link up and let us see...

Upcoming CSN product review!!!

I'm thrilled to be able to do another review for CSN Stores! 

CSN Stores has over 200 different stores to choose from and over 1 million items, including beautiful dining room tables, children's furniture, and cookware! You know I love cookware!!  They offer competitive pricing that you can't find on other retail online stores. Their vision is to be a household brand name, and I'd say they are pretty close as they are in the top 3 online U.S. retailers of home and office goods!

Several months ago, I was blessed to be able to review The Digital ProFry Element Deep Fryer....LOVED.IT!!   I have been so impressed with this company. 

One thing I didn't know about CSN is that they give back and this impresses me even more.  They support their community, and just recently they brought in over 590 pounds of food in a company wide food drive. They have also participated in other events such as Light The Night Walk, JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, and the March of Dimes March for Babies.

So, I can't wait to show you what I chose to review from CSN Stores...stay tuned and in the mean time, go visit one of their many stores!

Who's in charge here?!!

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like shouting that out?

....maybe when all your toddlers seem to have control of the house

...maybe when you go to a store to try and get some help and can't seem to find a person who knows how to help you

....maybe at a party that's gotten out of control.

What if that question were asked in the world at large,

how would many people answer today?

I have been studying God's names of authority this week:

Melek Olamim - King of Ages

1 Timothy 1:17

Melek Yahweh Tsabaot - King Lord of Hosts

Isaiah 6:3,5

Marey Malek - King of Kings

1 Timothy 6:15,16

Melek Ha-Goyim  -  King of the nations

Jeremiah 10:6-7

Shaophet TsaddiQ - righteous Judge

Psalm 9:7-8

When you study these name and the corresponding scriptures, you see that God's names of Authority declare that the lord is in charge.  Like his power, God's authority is unlimited and unfettered.  No one elects Him.  Instead, He is the eternal and undisputed ruler of the universe.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.  Yours in the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.  1 Chronicles 29:11

Acts 17:25 -27 tells us that the Lord made every nation of mankind, that He allots the times and seasons that they exist, and that He determines the boundaries of their lands.

I don't know about you, but in these times of political uncertainty and economic struggle, these names give me great comfort and hope.

Summer....

I love you.

But you mess with me in so many ways.

Your lack of schedule totally throws me for a loop....

I have more time....but get less done.....

....how?!

Your long days trick me into staying up late,

swimming or playing games with my kids.

My usual wake-up time at 6:00am isn't so friendly..

...and neither am I.

I love the hot days and having friends over to swim,

or going to lunch with someone spontaneously,

or taking in an afternoon movie with a kid.

...don't get me wrong.

But "people" start getting upset when...

they don't have any clean underware,

or clean pool towels, 

or dinner ready to eat at 6:00 pm.

They don't seem to understand your affect.

and then there is blogging....

Summer, you are very jealous of blogging...

and do everything you can to entice me out of the house 

and away from the computer!!!

....and it's working.

Project 365 - Week 25

Week 25.

This week seems to have gone by so fast.  I can't really say why....I think it is just summer.  I have tried to stay on my morning school schedule (aka...getting up early before everyone else) which has worked most days.  I just don't get my quiet time or bible study done if I don't do it before the day starts!!

I did have some good news....for me....my daughter is extending her stay another week!!  woo hoo!!  It's not as good news for her because she needs to get back to start her research and she misses her friends.  oh well.....it's good for me.....that's what counts, right?!!!  :)

Here's my week:

Sunday

Today was such a fun day at church!

We have a Korean church that worships in our facilities Sunday afternoons.  It has been a blessing to get to know them. To thank us, they served us a tradition Korean meal on Sunday between our services....it was a.ma.zing!!

they spent all morning making homemade sushi.

It was soooo good!!!

Some of the ladies dressed in traditional Korean outfits and then they served us....I can't spell any of the dishes, but they were fantastic!!!

What a blessing to share what God has provided with them and to worship along side them!!

Monday

So tonight, Steve and I planned to get back in to exercising.

Then someone mentioned "ice cream"

and it turned into "family game night"!

mixing up the tiles for mexican train

sometimes we "steal" each other's tiles

you have to be quick in this family!

and yes, we keep score....

but we tired of mexican train and moved to hearts!!!

what a fun impromptu night...

...with NO exercise.  :)

Tuesday

girlfriends + pool = my kind of day!

 

at our age, we don't take pictures of our selves in bathing suits....so I get to show the fun drinks I made.

Wednesday

love these flowers!!!

I am so enjoying my yard this year!

Thursday

I had a good friend and her kiddos over to swim today.

We had so much fun!

Friday

This is the temperature IN my house right now.

My air conditioner has broken AGAIN.....argh!!!

We are having a HOT summer and it is only June... this has got to get fixed!!!!

Saturday

 Alyssa and I started the day down at the farmer's market.
We shared a great breakfast and then shopped.....so fun!
We ended the day seeing Toy Story 3, 3d.
This was a GREAT movie...definitely a must see!

So that was my week.  How was yours?

Wordless Wednesday

I am not a good listener

I must admit that at times when talking to others,

my mind wanders.

I start thinking about what I want to say next,

or even possibly a completely different subject...

But what I have realized lately is that

I am not a good listener at all when it comes to God.

I am very diligent to have my quiet times.....

I love being in the Word and doing my bible study.....

I have learned to enjoy praying for others and lifting them up...

I am quite good at letting God know my own requests....

....but when it comes to LISTENING, I think I fail.

How can I hear God with all this noise I create around me?

Sometimes, I imagine that He is looking at me and thinking "if she would just be quiet for one minute, she could hear the answer I have for her".

I have been challenged lately in my bible study to write down each night where God has revealed himself to me that day.  At first, I was looking for spectacular ways....and a few did come.  But as the week went on and I felt I didn't see God at all, He revealed to me that the problem was not that He didn't show up.....it was because I was not listening.

Listening takes time.

It takes me being quiet.

It takes me separating myself from the noise around me.

(which most likely means getting up early in the summer before everyone else)

It takes me focusing solely on Him....

....and remaining focused for as long as the conversation goes.

and it means anticipating our conversations!

This is what I am trying to do...

...be a better listener.

I'll let you know how it goes!

Project 365 - Week 24

Week 24.

I know I have been MIA since I got back from vacation, but this has been a busy week.   I know, I know, you don't have a lot of sympathy for me after coming home from a cruise!  However, you know it is SO HARD to get back into the swing of reality!!!  Ugh!!!

Most of the week was spent emptying suitcases, doing laundry, fighting off a cold and working on a photo book for my family.......you've got to do it while the memories are fresh!!  It's turning out awesome!!

Then Friday, we left to take Jason to Early Registration at college.  I wasn't feeling great but we had such a good time.  He is all registered and ready to go......seriously, he is ready.to.go.  :)

Here's my week:

Sunday

Good bye to the ship!

a great vacation behind us.

hours in the airport means a game of settlers of catan...

do you notice anything weird in the picture?

(alyssa made a photo book of "the adventures of gumby and pokey" on our vacation.  It was hilarious and so creative!)

Monday

came home to two more nests and two more mama birds

under our deck.  The one on the left sits very still and quiet.

The one on the right opens her mouth and moves up and down

like she is going to attack you any minute.

The 3rd one is still sitting on her nest down to the right.

Tuesday

No picture today

trying to get back into the swing of reality

and getting ready to take my son

to early registration for college on Friday

Wednesday

Started this study today.

It's going to be AWESOME!!

Thursday

this is what my laundry room has looked like all week.

These are currently Jason's clothes waiting for him.

Friday

We took Jason to ERP (early registration program) at JBU today

getting his student ID picture taken

yea for free shots!!

..when they are not for ME!  :)

Saturday

today started with a worship service.

how awesome to be worshiping with a room full of college students!!!

at the end of the service, the chaplain had all the incoming freshmen come down front and then he prayed over all of them.  Loved this!

We then finished up his schedule and registered for his classes.

I now officially have a college freshman.  :)

So how was your week?  Link up!!!

Project 365 - Week 23

Week 22.

Many thanks go out to Lisa at Blessed for hosting Project 365 while I was gone.  It really was good for me to completely unplug for the week!!

We had so much fun on our cruise........really, how could you not?!!!  

I loved being with my family and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with each of them.  Though Steve and I had been on this cruise before (for our 20th anniversary just a "few" years ago), we saw all new things.  

And I have to tell you how much I enjoy being able to get an ice cream cone any time I wanted!!! 

heaven!  :)

take a look... 

Sunday

 everyone is here and gathering in the lobby

We are on board!!!!

At our muster station waiting for our safety instructions.

Monday

1st day at sea

deck chair + pool = great day!

the grandparents with all the grandkids

my 77 year old mom dancing at family disco night!!!!
love her!

Tuesday

We stopped in Haiti today.  

This is the view from the top of the zip line we went down!

The kids harnessed and ready to go down

Jason heading down....this was such a rush!!!

after a great day on the beach, we ended it with a rousing game of Mexican train!

Wednesday

mom and dad getting off the ship in Jamaica

our day started with a beach day

The water was a.ma.zing!!!

We ended the day at Dunn River Falls...

..in the pouring rain.

our one disappointment of the trip, we didn't get to walk up the falls.  The water was just too dangerous with all the rain coming down!!!

Thursday

we ported in Grand Cayman today.

waiting on our excursion to leave

first we swam with stingrays on a sandbar in the ocean...

these were wild stingrays...and it was the coolest thing ever!!!

They were all around us and so friendly

we then went to a reef to snorkel
and ended up on the beach for lunch

this is my brother and his family

 I could get used to this view!!!

aren't those colors incredible?!

Friday

Today we are in Cozumel and this was a long HOT day..

We started on a 45 minute ferry ride to the mainland.

I think this was the hottest ride ever....we were miserable and I am sure sweated off 5+ pounds!

we then took an hour "semi" cool bus ride to the Mayan ruins

the Mayan ruins were so interesting!!

what you don't see are the umbrellas they gave us to walk around with because it was so hot and humid!! or all the iguanas an snakes we saw!!!  ick!

after the ruins, we of course went to a beach.

it was so beautiful but most of us had had enough of the sun and spent the afternoon playing Mexican train....our driver was enthralled with it!

 ended a long but great day back on the ship with with some yummy COLD drinks!!!

 Saturday

today was an at sea day and we had some excitement.

half way through the day the captain announced that the ship was turning around...

there was a small boat of refugees (we are assuming from Cuba) in trouble and sinking and we were the closest ship to them.  They were turning around to attempt a rescue!

There were planes in the sky circling the boat and a coastguard speed boat got to them before us.  The refugee boat is the small spec to the left.  We were told there were 8 people aboard, but have no idea what happened to them.  I can't imagine being out on that water, in a small boat, in trouble.

people were lined up on the front of the ship to see it all play out.....and capitalism was in full swing, they were actually out there selling beer and drinks to the people as they watched....sheesh.

Having the same waiters all week, you get to know them pretty well and they get to know you.  We had the BEST wait staff and thoroughly enjoyed them.  Our head waiter was from India and so much fun.  However, she was having an awful time with a tooth ache and wouldn't be able to see a dentist for another week.  My family had the awesome privilege of praying over her!

Well, that was my week....

...and now it is back to reality...

...and tons of laundry.

ugh!

Thanks again, Lisa, for hosting!!!