Simple Woman's Daybook {NaBloPoMo Edition}

3 November 2014

Outside my window...

Dark and cold. The wind has been blowing today, and we are expecting thunderstorms by morning.

I am thankful...

for a calm, quiet (well, as quiet as it gets around here!) day today.

In the kitchen...

Smoked Sausage and Potato Skillet for supper...soooo yummy!

I am wearing...

Comfy warm sweats.

I am creating...

a fun gift for a friend. *heart* 

I am going...

 to bed early tonight! (I hope. Just as soon as I finish this blog post. :))

I am wondering...

how tomorrow's elections are going to turn out. Anxious to see results!

I am reading...

not actually reading it yet, but really, really looking forward to reading Though He Slay Me, by Jamie Freeman. I rarely just buy a book at full price, but I've looked forward to this one so much that I'm doing just that.

I am hoping...

it doesn't rain as much or as hard as they are predicting tomorrow. Weary of rain this year. 

I am looking forward to...

Billy being off a few days this week and next. :)

I am learning...

more and more about essential oils, and looking forward to sharing a little of what I'm learning here on the blog. 

I am pondering...

my blog posts for the rest of NaBloPoMo. So many ideas...looking forward to the rest of the month!

A favorite quote for today...

"There are no mundane tasks for the Jesus follower. To feel His presence tinges all of our daily acts with weight and glory." ~ Bill Delvaux, retweeted by Scotty Smith

 

I shared this quote on Facebook this morning with this comment: It's so easy to feel that we are immersed in the mundane, whether we are homeschooling our children, working to support a family, caregiving for elderly family members, or whatever comprises our daily routine. Love this reminder that if we are following Him, there is nothing mundane about any of it!

One of my favorite things...

 Conversations with my kids! They just get more delightful all the time. Love the serious ones, the funny ones, all of them! Lately we've been having lots of interesting discussions about government and politics, both during our official "school time" and other random occasions. Definitely one of my favorite things these days!

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Voting tomorrow, Billy off Thursday and Friday...otherwise, just our normal routine. Probably the last semi-calm week before the first of the year!

A peek into my day...

 

Joining up with Peggy from Simple Woman's Daybook today. Visit her to see others' Daybooks!

Thankful today...

The post I'd planned for today has been postponed due to the fact that I oh-so-gracefully whacked my head on the car door frame at church tonight and my head is throbbing and my eyes are crossing and it hurts worse if I try to think. So this is a "I'd just wait until tomorrow except that I'm signed up for NaNoBloPo and I need to post everyday" post. Two posts in a row with out pictures. Sorry about that. I promise the rest of the month won't be this bad!

But thankfulness is always a good thing, and despite the lump on my head, I'm very thankful tonight. It's been a wonderful, if exhausting, weekend, and I've been counting blessings tonight. (Well, not literally counting, because numbers hurt right now. Listing. Seeing mental pictures. But not counting. :))

Thankful tonight for...

Salvation

The Truth of God's Word

My husband, who works so hard to take good care of us, and who spoils us all whenever he can.

My children, who just delight me more and more the older they get. I've said before that I miss having littles sometimes, but oh, what a blessing and what fun bigs are!! We've had some great conversations, serious and fun, this week, and I love it!

Our sweet church family. Love that even though my kids are the only kids in our little church right now, they came home from tonight's fellowship talking about how much they enjoyed everyone sitting around telling stories and laughing. I enjoyed it, too! Laughter is good for the soul. Love those people. Love the bond we have in Christ. Love the eating and the laughter and the prayers and the caring.

Our pastor and his wife. We missed them tonight. Poor Mrs. Becky fell yesterday and sprained both ankles, so Bro. Gary spent the afternoon at the dr. with her today. Pray for her, please? I've had a broken ankle three different times, but I can't IMAGINE having both messed up at once!

Friends. I think I must be the most blessed person ever in this area. Thankful for time spent with friends this week and the blessing they are to me!

Our new Green Belt, and Christ First TKD. More about this in another post. God continues to show us the truth of 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, and we are thankful.

Our homeschool group(s). So many amazing people who've blessed us in so many ways over the years. Thankful for the support and encouragement they bring.

Music. We sang some new-to-me hymns this morning in church, and I was reminded again how thankful I am for the heritage of music I've had in my family and churches, and for a church and music director who treasure the rich truth of solid hymns. 

The gym. Really thankful for this provision for our family. We're all getting stronger and healthier and having a lot of fun!  Only making it once this week has reminded me how much better I feel and function when I work out regularly.

There's more, but I'll close on that note for tonight. Going to put on some essential oils (another thing I'm thankful for!) and go to bed and pray that my head feels better (and my brain is less foggy!) tomorrow.

What are you thankful for today? Share in the comments, please? 

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you!  

***

Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

30 Days Hath...NaBloPoMo {Or the Post in Which I May or May Not Have Taken Complete Leave of My Senses}

Here's the plan. 30 Days. 30 blog posts. Yes, I very well may have taken complete leave of my senses.

Why, you ask?

Well, if you take a little scroll down the page, you'll notice that the last time I blogged was September 8. September 8! That's almost two months without a blog post. That doesn't mean I haven't written--nope, I have dozens of blog posts in draft, partially finished, awaiting photos, links, and other finishing touches, and at least a dozen more thoughts jotted down on index cards or typed in Evernote.

I've been pondering goals for November for a few weeks now, and one of those ponderings has involved blogging daily. The last time I posted anywhere near regularly was back in June, when I posted 30 days straight for Blogathon. I decided I needed a similar challenge this month, and then realized that November is NaBloPoMo: National Blog Posting Month. Another official 30 day blog posting challenge--perfect!

So what's the problem?

Well, first of all, it's November. November is a busy month, y'all. Seriously busy.  Life is busy enough these days without holidays, and the holidays are now just around the corner.

Secondly...well, secondly may be the fact that I can't even remember what secondly was. While I was putting groceries away and doing laundry earlier (but not much earlier!), I had at least two and possibly three reasons why the fact that I've signed up (yes, officially signed up) for NaBloPoMo may possibly indicate that I've taken complete and total leave of my senses.

And now I have no idea what two and possibly three were.

I'm going to blame that on the fact that I've been up and going like mad since 3:15 this morning.

Those of you who know better...just pretend with me, okay?

There's no telling where this month may take us. The plans so far include some fun posts, some serious posts, some helpful hints posts, and at least one highly indignant post. Then again, I know from past history that plans don't necessarily mean much.

Join me, won't you? Follow Ponderings of an Elect Exile on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. Or sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email.

And if you blog (or would like to blog!), join me for NaBloPoMo! Leave a link to your blog in the comments and let me know you are participating. I'd love to follow along! 



  

Daybook Monday {September Edition}

  

September 8, 2014

Outside my window...

Still somewhat dark, and still. This week is supposed to bring a fall-ish cool front and I can't WAIT!

I am thinking...

 about last night's sermon from Revelation 2. The Church at Thyatira was a church full of "love and faith and service and patient endurance", a growing church, and yet they were condemned by Jesus because of their tolerance. They were turning a blind eye to, and even accepting, sin. Our society sees tolerance as a virtue, but when it comes to sin, tolerance is condemned as evil by Jesus. 

I am thankful...

 for my husband's leadership in our home and care for our family, for the growth, spiritual and otherwise, that I'm seeing in my kids, for our dear church family, for praying friends.

In the kitchen...

Finally feeling like I'm getting a grip on menu planning again! 

On the menu over the next two weeks:

Quinoa (Trying this for the first time; would LOVE to hear any tips or great recipes in the comments!!)

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Rice Soup 

Crock Pot "Rotisserie" Chicken (Can you tell I got a great deal on chicken at Sam's yesterday?? :))

Sausage/Potato Skillet

Twice Baked Potatoes

Saloon Beef

Salmon Burgers

Enchiladas

I am creating...

Working on a new "bullet journal" notebook for the rest of 2014. I've been wanting to try this for a while, and my current "daily lists" notebook is almost full, so with the beginning of fall semester, I decided that it was time to "bite the bullet" (LOL!) and put this together. 

I am going...

I am not going anywhere today (that's the plan, anyway!) 

I used to really carefully protect our Mondays. Mondays were intentional "home days". We've gotten away from that in the last year or so, but I've decided that for this season, we need to move back to that as our plan. We have to "go" the rest of the week, and we really need one long, uninterrupted day at home. 

Mondays may become my favorite day of the week! :)

I am wondering...

about the week ahead. Usually when I get a good schedule in place (on paper), some catastrophe occurs. Praying that that isn't the case this week and that we can have a good, solid, productive week! 

I am reading...

A Woman After God's Own Heart

GTD for Homemakers (The "Getting Things Done" system tweaked for SAHMs)

Educating the WholeHearted Child

Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home

and I plan to get back to Wresting Prayer this week.   

I am learning...
about Swype texting. Now, realize that up until a little over a year ago, I didn't text. At all. Then I activated an old phone of Peter's so I could text the kids and others when needed. I didn't have free texting and the keyboard was HORRID. Every other letter the keys would stick and either not type at all, or type 3 of the same letter. Ugh! I was so excited when I got my new phone, not only to have unlimited texting, but also to have a great, responsive touchscreen keyboard.

Then a few weeks ago, I discovered that my phone has Swype texting. OH. MY. Where has Swype been all my life??? Aside from the fact that there are a few words in my usual vocabulary that Swype doesn't begin to recognize (homeschool being one of them, along with two of my daughter's names...giggle), Swype is amazing.

I am hoping...

that we have a really pretty fall this year. It looks like it's going to cool down this week, and we've had a rather wetter than usual summer, so I'm hoping for a long, gorgeous fall! (It's my favorite time of year!)

I am looking forward to...

spending some time Scripture journaling this week. I've had a wide-margin Bible for several years, but I've just recently been inspired to jump into art journaling in it. For more on Bible Journaling, see Shanna Noel's blog and Bible Journaling on Pinterest. 

Around the house...

Hoping to do some serious "fall cleaning" over the next few weeks. 

I am pondering...

Ann Voskamp recently posted that "September 1 is the new January 1". A quick Google search revealed that she's not the only one who's said that lately. :) I've always felt like I have three distinct "re-start" times during the year, when I spend a lot of time assessing, planning, and preparing: the last week of December, the start of our fall semester (usually the end of August or first of September), and the week after homeschool testing in April.

This year I'm running a bit behind on our fall planning, but revving up from our soft start the last couple of weeks to more of a hard start this week. I had great plans for September 1 in lots of areas, and then the first week of September was just non-stop "hamster on a wheel" (keep running so you don't fall off!)  So...in reality, September 8 is the new January 1 for us this year. :) Stay tuned for updates!

A favorite quote for today...

This quote is quite different than my typical favorites; however, it is apropos for our week this week and frankly where I am in life right now. I have no idea where I got it or where it originated; I saw it online yesterday and wrote it on an index card that is sitting in front of me on my desk:

Reminding myself of that often this week!

One of my favorite things...

Waking up to sweet notes from my kiddoes... :)

A few plans for the rest of the week:

The usual school, chores, work, TKD, gym, church stuff, and hopefully a smooth week settling into the draft version of our new fall schedule. :)

Cool field trip Friday with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, plus Billy took off to be able to help with the field trip, so it will be a vacation day for us...yay!!

A peek into my day...

New journal, ready to be transformed into a super-tool for productivity, aka my bullet journal. :)

Linking up with The Simple Woman's Daybook here. Thanks to Peggy for hosting!!

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you!  

***

Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email. 

7 Truths On Which to Dwell on the Hard Days {And Every Day}

This is always a hard day for me. The story behind that is not entirely mine to tell, and therefore I'll leave it at that. These thoughts are pulled from something I wrote several years ago on this date which had far too many details for general publication. This year as I was re-reading it, I decided to pull out the important parts and redesign them into something post-able, leaving out the more personal bits that don't need to be shared.

There are many memories associated with this day...memories that used to be good, but that now bring  a grapefruit-sized lump in the throat, a dagger-like sensation in the chest, and a frantic feeling of needing oxygen upon the slightest attempt to remember.

A wise older man once said to a friend of mine, “There are things worse than death.”  I think of that this morning as I sit wishing that the good memories weren’t tainted with such horrible, horrible stains, like photos that have mildewed under a leaky roof.

Things worse than death indeed.

This day always brings up questions...lots of questions. Questions that, if I let them, could send me into a lasting catatonic state. 

They flit into my head and I have to immediately shuttle them back out. I cannot dwell on any of them. Like another recent tragedy that has hit very close to home, I know there are no answers, and that there will never be this side of Heaven. Therefore, the questions must not be allowed to invade.  The truths I must dwell on, today and always, are these:

*God knew every jot and tittle of every circumstance that has occurred before any of it came to be. In fact, He knew this before the foundation of the world!

*God is not taken by surprise…not one iota…by any of the circumstances that shock us and send us reeling. 

*God loves our children even more than we do, and He has a plan for them…a plan for good and not for evil, a plan to give them a future and a hope. (Jer. 29:11)

*God loves those who have done evil to us. Their sin is not past being forgiven. They are no more and no less sinners than I am, or than any other person on earth, alive or dead. We are all sinners.  Our sin...all sin...is heinous…even though some may not appear as heinous as others. The difference is, we have experienced His grace and mercy, and been transformed into new creatures...not because of anything we have done, or any good in us, but because of His work in us.

*God is sovereign. God is good. God has already triumphed over evil. And He tells us in His Word that He carries us in the palm of His hand. He never left any of us for one minute during the worst of the dark days. He promises us that in His Word…that He will never leave us or forsake us. 

*He has kept our tears in a bottle! (Psalm 56:8) He cares for our pain! And one day, He will wipe away all tears from our eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain. (Rev. 21:4) What a tremendous thought for those who belong to Him.

*My responsibility now? To worship and obey. To be the wife and mother God has called me to be. To be ready and willing to share Him at any opportunity. The words to the chorus we’ve sung so often this year flood my mind again this morning. When I don’t understand, my response should be worship. The things I don’t understand…the unanswered questions that are always just below the surface…these are constant reminders of His greatness, and my weakness. His ways are higher than our ways. He is holy, and sovereign, and all-powerful, and all-wise, and I am not.  He sees the past, present, and future clearly, and orchestrates it all in His power, while we see through a glass dimly. 

Worship, obey, believe, and press on. 

“Bow the knee.  Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.  Bow the knee.  Lift your eyes toward Heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.  And when you don’t understand, the purpose of His plan, In the presence of the King, Bow the knee.”

~Chris Machen

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3: 13-14

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you!  

***

Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email. 

Pew Ponderings {Having a Heart for the Church}

 

As I type this post, I'm reflecting on the introductory sermon to Bro. Gary's new Sunday night series from Revelation 1-3 titled, "What Does Jesus Think About the Church?"

I've realized in the weeks since I started thinking about this series that I'm a bit defensive when it comes to the church.  I think I've been so disturbed over the last few years by the disdain (and sometimes downright anger) that some professing Christians show toward the church that I struggle with admitting to some of her weaknesses. 

In that, I've done what I so hate to see others do in other areas: I've swung the pendulum much too far the other way (and in that,  become a too-subjective cheerleader.)

I've lost my objectivity and come to see the church through my own eyes rather than Christ's (which is exactly what I would caution others against.)

As I've counted the blessing of godly friends and true church families during this series, I am realizing anew that not everyone has those blessings.  For some that may be because they have shut themselves off from close, transparent, accountable relationships, or because they've succumbed to negative attitudes toward the church in general.

However, I know that there are others who have prayed and sought out diligently a "living and functional" church (as Anne Ortlund describes them) and deep, healthy, intimate friendships, only to find themselves lonely and hurting when those things seem completely out of reach.

Please know that this series doesn't flow out of my having it all together in these areas, being some sort of super-friend (just ask mine...I have a LONG way to go!), or being part of a perfect church. 

Instead, it flows from my having a passionate heart for the church, having been blessed with some pretty incredible super-friends over the years, and having also been blessed to be part of churches which were in no way perfect, but definitely "living and functional" parts of the body of Christ. 

God has given me a deep love for the church.  Not just the church families I've been part of (although they are definitely part of that and I love them dearly!), but the Church as a whole...the Bride of Christ, whom He cherishes. 

My hope and intention as we progress through this series is to share that love with others, and to encourage and challenge each true believer to be a vital part of a living and functional church.  We need to love the church, be encouraged and encourage others in obeying Christ and ensuring that our local bodies are what He wants them to be, and be challenged and challenge others in that pursuit.  

Are you part of a living and functional church body?  I'd love to hear about it in the comments or via the contact widget in the sidebar!  Are you blessed with heart-friends...those iron sharpens iron friends?  Tell me about them! 

Or are you struggling in these areas?  Praying for deep heart friendships, seeking a true Bible-teaching church family?  I'd love to pray for and with you.  Please leave a comment or message me through the contact me form. 

Need some encouragement or perhaps a bit of a challenge in this area?  Sign up for our email list or follow me through any or all of the social media links below so you don't miss any of this series.

***

If a post or posts on Ponderings of an Elect Exile has been a blessing to you, would you do me a huge favor?  Please share the link to Ponderings with your friends using the social media share buttons below or the "pin it" button above.  Thank you!  

***

Welcome to Ponderings of an Elect Exile!  Whether you are new here or a faithful friend and regular reader, I'm glad you're here!  If you aren't already following, I'd love to have you join us for the 2014 Ponderings.  It's easy to do, in a variety of ways!  You can follow via  Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest, or  find me on Instagram as Jenbh68. You can also sign up in the sidebar to receive new posts by email. 

 

Social Media with a Mission {Come Join Me!}

" Just as a hammer can be used to build a house or tear one down, so social media can be used to build up or tear down…people, relationships, reputations, etc."

I'm over at Women of Worship today, sharing about Social Media with a Mission. Come join me? 





I'm excited to be part of the new contributor team at Women of Worship! Lots of exciting things happening there...be sure to like our Facebook page so you don't miss anything! :)