Consumed

Am I the only one out there that can get consumed with blogging? I feel like when I've spent too much time on here catching up on other people's blog, I need to cut it off completely. I know that everything needs to be in moderation. But, there are times that I know I've wasted time here in blog-land. I have taken a break from blogging to help that (and it did.) But, I guess I don't want to have to go to such extremes each time I've lingered too long on blogs.
For now, may I always keep in check my motives for even being on here in the first place. I desire growth. I long for this to be a place that is a healthy outlet for me to process things in life. May I not write for others, but rather for me to gain understanding and document important lessons learned.
I felt like this blog changed a bit for me after Dad was in the Heart Hospital. I used it to update everyone so they could know how to pray. Then, I used it to say where I was headed next and different things in between. I just have lost the focus of what I want this to be for ME.
As I prepare for a very busy and different summer, I love the idea that I'm redefining my purpose here. This journey through all these different stages in life can be forgotten. How cool, that I can look back and remember what the Lord has done for me!

Who am I?

I am ashamed of my last post. I won't delete it because I think transparency is beautiful. I can't even believe I complained in the slightest today. Due to transitioning computers I have not been reading all the blogs that I usually keep up with. I just spent the last half hour with such sorrowful tears for someone I don't even know. I've mentioned on a previous post for you to check out this blog for Leslie. Well, I just went and read everything this past month. Who am I to complain about any emotions? My gosh! I'm disgusted with myself and want all prayers and attention to be on this family. Please pray for Leslie, Tyson and T.J! Go to their blog archive and start at early May to know what they are facing at the end of a long 7 month journey.

Lord, I do pray that you will be their strength. We do know and trust that you are good. But, this doesn't look or feel good. Help them to know your promises so personally that they may carry Your truths and promises through this incredibly, difficult and dark time.

Emotional Wreck

I guess there are just days where coping skills are at a minimal. I'm having one of those days. To cry because things aren't going my way.....am I one of my own children? I tell them not to throw a temper tantrum and then I lose it the moment the waters get rough (however that may look.)
Right now I'm off to fix this mood of mine!

Buena Vista Bike Fest & Team YL

There were about 70 on our team that joined the other 700+ in beautiful Buena Vista, CO! The weather was amazing and I'm sad to be back in OK with a high of 97 degrees.

Here we are before the ride. My brother did 100 miles and the three of us girls did 70 miles!!!!

Then finally, here we are after the ride. The end to a beautiful day!

Now, I'm back in full swing. Summer is right around the corner. I feel it (well, I've already stated how stinkin' hot it already is here!) Our schedule is about to radically change. I'll save that for another post. For now, I'm getting these pictures posted since they finally all loaded!

Colorado Bound

Well, I fly to CO in the morning for our big Team YL ride this Saturday! I guess we're still riding even though it snowed there this morning.

Sometimes I wonder if trips are even worth the effort. Mind you, I'm writing on the heels of packing bags for all three girls, getting them down for bed (this includes dealing with their emotions of Daddy already been gone for 3 full days and Mommy leaving them for 5 days) and then finally thinking about packing my bag. Tired yet? I'm sure by tomorrow I won't be carrying all that I am right now as I'm closing up things around the house. I just needed to unload a bit before I load up for my trip.
If any of you are curious about the ride, you can check out this site. Also our reason for doing it which I talked about a couple posts ago!
I'll write upon my return!!!!

Mac

I would sit and watch the Mac commercials and laugh (a little.) But today, when I was transferring pictures using a flash drive from my old PC laptop, I realized that I was living the commercial. I slid the flash drive into the usb port of my dell only to watch a bubble pop up at the bottom notifying me of something while the top left corner had a gray box with a little flashlight shaking back and forth until all of the sudden the big, proud box popped up offering me choices of what I wanted to do with what I just put in!!! Making me laugh as I copied what I needed to onto it, I then slid it into the Mac and then it ever so quietly popped up unobtrusively onto the desktop for me to acknowledge at my convenience. After going through this process numerous times.....I had lots to transfer....I was the stinking commercial!! I just watched the two men (laptops) talk to each other :)

I did go on a bit longer than I wanted to. All I really wanted to announce was that I inherited a hand-me-down PowerBook and I love it. It was funny because I sent out an email announcing that I needed people to reply to help me in my process of updating my address book and said that no one really had to say anything. But, because I mentioned the reason for this update was because I had received a Mac, you wouldn't believe the comments!!! I laughed as I opened most (from Mac lovers, of course!)

Anyway, I'm not all with it on the rss feed thingie yet with Safari, so hopefully I'll catch up on reading blogs eventually :)

Sanctification

I need to remember that this process from becoming a believer to starting our eternity after death is called sanctification and it is not instant. Sometimes I wonder why I'm not better at some of the things I've spiritually been practicing for a couple, almost three decades.

Here's what wikipedia says about Sanctification:

The term denotes both inanimate objects set apart for special purposes (e.g. the Solomon's Temple vessels) and the change brought about by God in a believer at the point of salvation or justification which continues throughout their life and does not end until the believer reaches the afterlife, unless complete holiness is possible in their “vain” life on earth in the final days before the Second Coming of Christ.

In our instant-fix society, this long and grueling process is difficult to accept. I've been practicing patience for quite a few years now, and yet my children make me feel like I have none and never really had any to know how to use it if I did. Maybe it's not just patience, but also self-control. I don't think I need super Nanny to come over or anything like that, because I just need the Holy Spirit to come over my sin nature more. I know He will it's just....am I allowing Him? We have free access to the fruits of the Spirit and yet sometimes I feel like I'm like joy, what's joy?

I have recently started a routine with the girls on Sunday nights where we ask God to help us with one fruit of the Spirit each week. Then we go around in a circle and pray for the one to the left. It's been a fun thing to start even though the results are not quite clearly seen yet!