That's a Wrap

Who knew ... that a $5 scarf would provide a nice finishing touch to wrap up some fun changes we recently made in the dining room...

Good clean (Sterile!) humor

Double click to enlarge:


clipped from our Sunday funnies

New Dining Room Suite (kinda) under $20

A while back I saw a distressed antique black hutch at Scattering Lupine's that I really liked - SOoo I gave mine a makeover w/ a similar but slightly different look - for the price of one small can of paint (aprx $8), a paintbrush & some elbow grease to distress it. I also painted the light sconces on the wall & the base & legs on our table, & the silverware box on the table. Some of that I used spray paint for. I feel like a got a whole new dining room suite & it was SO quick & easy (started yesterday - finished today! ... AND - the price was right :)

here's a before pic of the hutch

Planning to do nothing, more

It was still dark when I kissed my husband goodbye as he headed back to work for the first time in ELEVEN days! I can't remember when we've had so much time w/ so little to do (ie. that needed to be done)....when my husband, in particular, rested SO much. We read, went to bed early, slept in late, began a still ongoing game of Monopoly w/ the kids, started a puzzle, spent lots of time by the fire, went for walks, spent good times w/ good friends & family, took a road trip to my sister's house & drank in the beauty afforded by taking the back roads to get there. In short, we enjoyed the ability to be flexible & spontaneous. We even managed to get some things done around the house that needed tending to - but somehow in that relaxed frame of mind - it all seemed more enjoyable/less like work ... & I think that's perhaps what I enjoyed most!

I feel refreshed. Hubby looks better than ever!

In our 24/7 society we've managed to find & make time to DO just about everything under the sun ... yet I really do not believe that is even close to what God intended when He created a time for everything. If it were, why would He have given us the gift of rest on a silver (Sabbath) platter?

For numerous reasons I wholeheartedly believe that REST is the key to doing more & to doing it well ... in a manner that is pleasing to God & both attainable & sustainable (healthy!) for us.

So ... while many are planning to do more & to do lots of things differently in 2010... I am going to dare to be different by planning to DO NOTHING (rest!) more often (ideally one day a week!) ... in hopes that the things I do will be less exhausting - & done w/ more excellence - from a heart motivated more by a desire to do good & less by a sense of obligation ... to "simply" do more.

³ Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴ Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37: 3-4

And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Genesis 2:3

Gifted Hands

My friend over at Embracing the Paradox recommended this movie & I enjoyed it very much. Perhaps what I liked most is that it's based on a true story....a story I'd like my own kids to aspire to - which is why I'm going to encourage them all to watch it before I return it :)



As a kid, Ben Carson faced much adversity growing up in a broken home amongst poverty and prejudice, poor grades & a bad temper - but despite all of that, his mom continually challenged him to rise above the low expectations society had of him & insisted that God had something better planned for him. Her faith in God, which Ben embraced, and her encouragement to read more, watch tv less, & to work hard drove him to become one of the world's leading neurosurgeons. "In the end" I gained some extra motivation to keep on challenging & encouraging my own children to work hard & attempt to make a positive difference in the world while they're at it!

Khan Academy

Need some help w/ your homework? Chances are you can find it here: Khan Academy. A friend just sent me this link. He thought Playmaker might benefit from watching some of the videos to help her w/ some schoolwork ... but I'm thinking Strike & I might too! All I can say, is "WOW --- what an incredible free educational resource!"

The Khan Academy is a not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing a high quality education to anyone, anywhere.

We have 1000+ videos on YouTube covering everything from basic arithmetic and algebra to differential equations, physics, chemistry, biology and finance which have been recorded by Salman Khan.

via

It's about time

There never seems to be enough of it. You can try to buy some -- or carve some out -- or to find some -- or to save some...but all to no avail. It's valuable. Precious. Priceless - b/c no amount of money will ever purchase one split second - yet the only thing one can really do w/ time - is spend it.

Ecclesiastes 3 (NIV) says:

¹ There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

...yet it seems much too often I find myself saying "I don't have time"!

This morning, I'm reminded once again of the value of time...
& praying for wisdom in how to spend mine in 2010.