Potty Training is hard work!

She must have planned on being there a while.

Enjoying the Spring weather...

I finally figured out how to take short videos with my digital camera, so today while we were outside enjoying the beautiful weather, I took some of Mercy on the swingset.

Faith, Worship, and Exercise...

I'm reading this book called A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, by Eugene Peterson. There is a paragraph I read recently that I'd like to share. It's very simplistic really, but I just love how he puts it in this book. He is speaking of worship, and why Christians do it, or don't do it.

"I have put great emphasis on the fact that Christians worship because they want to, not because they are forced to. But I have never said that we worship because we feel like it. Feelings are great liars. If Christians worshiped only when they felt like it, there would be precious little worship. Feelings are unreliable in matters of faith.........We live in what one writer has called the "age of sensation." We think that if we don't feel something there can be no authenticity in doing it. But the wisdom of God says something different: that we can act ourselves into a new way of feeling much quicker than we can feel ourselves into a new way of acting. Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in the act of worship. When we obey the command to praise God in worship, our deep, essential need to be in relationship with God is nurtured."

I know for myself, especially lately, I have not felt like going to church, but the act of doing it, makes me want to do it more. It makes me want more of God. Sometimes, I don't feel like getting my Bible out first thing in the morning to read and journal, but when I do, I am so glad. Sometimes I just can't stop reading. It makes me want more. If I were to listen to my feelings, over what I know is better than feelings, I'd miss so much. So for me, this authors words are true.

I was also thinking of how this concept of acts over feelings can apply to other areas of my life. For instance, I am part of a weightloss/healthy lifestyle accountability blog where a few ladies and I daily try to encourage each other to make healthy choices with our food and with exercise. Regularly my response to myself regarding walking on my treadmill or doing my exercise dvd is, "I just don't feel like it right now. I'll do it later." (in hopes of feeling like it then) Along with a million other "feelings" based excuses. This week I propose to make a better effort to "act myself into a new way of feeling" toward exercise based on the faith that it is best for me, rather than based on what I feel at any given moment, which is NEVER, "Oh, this is going to be fun, because I know how good this is going to be for me!", but rather, "Ugh! I just can't do this right now, I don't FEEL like it." And food choices.."I don't feel like eating salad or veggies today. I'll eat this pizza and tomorrow maybe I'll "feel" like eating healthier" See what I mean?

So, I challenge you all my friends, if you have areas of your life that need to be changed, whatever they may be, whether health related, or addictions, or attitudes, or time with God, or service to God's people, or money, or responsibilities, or whatever it is, I challenge you to "ACT yourself into a NEW way of FEELING", toward that thing. As God's word proclaims, With men this is impossible; but with God ALL things are possible. Matthew 19:26

Not Me Monday...

Ok, I've read enough of these to know that I am NOT writing my first one today. I'm NOT, I refuse to bore you to tears with my daily happenings.

I'm NOT sitting here blogging while my 7 year old continues to work on her math paper for 2nd hour and still has over half of it to go. She is now singing the "Hiney" song to her sister. I'm NOT sitting her doing nothing while she does this.

I did NOT just blow my nose 160 times (that's how many tissues were in the box)today due to an allergy attack.

I did NOT just let another day go by that I didn't either do my Jillian Michael's workout dvd or walk on my treadmill. The day is NOT completely over yet, so there's still hope, but NOT much.

I am NOT extremely jealous (but proud) that someone on my weightloss blog has posted that she lost 9 pounds this week! I really am NOT at all jealous, covetous, or envious of her. I truly AM VERY proud of her. Really I am.

I am NOT still sitting her in my pj's (from last night) typing this when I have to be at a soccer meeting in less than an hour.

I knew I shouldn't have done this. Now you know the truth. NOT.....

Breylon Cole Baker 1/13/2009

Everything has gone from pink to blue in our home. "Grandmotherhood" is finally settling in. I can't believe he's one month old already. It's always a blessing having a new baby in the house. It's really different not being the mother though. Being a grandmother is great. Breylon is so snugglie and sweet. He is starting to coo alot. Unfortunately for Lacy, he still isn't sleeping through the night, but that should come before too long. He is probably about 8 to 8.5 pounds now but he was born at 6lbs 6oz and 19 1/4 inches long. All of the girls just love him like crazy but sadly, Lacy doesn't share him with them very often. Other than that, Lacy is being a very good mom to Breylon. She is tired but takes really good care of him and sees to his every need. In some of these birthday pictures, he looks really blue, but he really wasn't.

Update on Lacy

Just a quick update for those who might be wondering how Lacy is doing. We went to the doctor today, and Baby Breylon is supposedly 5lbs 12 oz now. (still not sure how they can tell that so exactly, but whatever). Lacy is 1 cm dilated, so I guess things are progressing as expected. Her due date is January 13th. I'm wondering if she will actually make it that far.

Prom 1983...Woohoo!!

Who is that girl on the right? Wow!