Proverbs 31

I've gotten in to a really good routine of getting up before everyone else each morning and having a quiet time.  It's been a great way to start my day, with my focus where it needs to be, and I love the still quietness of my house.  It's my time to really talk with God and read His Word before the day gets crazy. 

This week I've been focusing on the Proverbs 31 woman.  I've read it so many times before and always thought, "yeah, that's a great example of a Godly woman".  But this week, I've really read it slowly and asked God to speak to me through these verses.  I've been amazed each day at something new that has stood out to me. 

The main thing that I feel like God has shown me through this weeks reading is the end of the chapter where it talks about the wife of noble character being filled with wisdom and having faithful instruction on her tongue.  Faithful instruction?  Wisdom?  Not nagging comments, gossip, or gripes.  Faithful instruction.  Filled with wisdom. 

This is the kind of Godly woman I long to be.  One filled with God's wisdom.  A loving wife with a servants heart.  A gentle but firm mother that trains up her children in the ways of the Lord.  A loyal friend that is quick to listen and slow to speak. 

God has really shown me this week how quick I am to offer a gripe or complaint, how impatient I can be with others, and how most of my "instructions" wouldn't be considered faithful.  I love that He is bringing this to my attention and is faithful to lead us on a path that brings us closer to Him. 

A wife of noble character, worth far more than rubies.  She laughs at the days to come. 

It's been back to school for me this week.  Inservice started and it's always a week of craziness trying to get back in the swing of things.  Luckily, Rob has been home so he's had a lot of extra QT with miss Lizzy!  I must say, I got a big old dose of what Rob has felt every day- driving off to work while the other parent plans out a fun day ahead with L.  I'll admit to crying in the car several mornings!  Even though it's only a few short hours each day, it's hard knowing that school starting means less time with my favorite little person!

Lizzy has started to really get in to dancing lately.  It's absolutely HILARIOUS!  Whenever she hears music she stoops down really low and bounces up and down to the beat her own beat!  Oh to have the flexibility of a one year old and to be able to get back up with such ease!

She was especially interested in the Concert on the Plaza on the Today Show this morning.  Every Friday during the summer they have live music and this morning was Enrique Iglesias.  Lizzy was waving at him when he came on the TV and then he started up with the music and she was in full swing dance mode.  I was just glad she didn't pick up any of Enrique's moves!  We aren't quite ready for that just yet........

18 Months

How in the world is my baby girl 18 months old?  I know parents ALWAYS say this, but it's true, it seems like she was just a little bitty baby.  Now she's a walking talking toddler that I can't get enough of.  I don't remember what life was like without her and thank God so much for choosing us as her parents!

Seriously??

Seriously- it's SO outrageously hot that I spent an hour in the grocery store!  I just couldn't bear the thought of going OUTside and back in to the heat.  I know it sounds dramatic, I recognize that, BUT when you are either walking slowly or carrying a toddler, it feels THAT much hotter! 

We need some rain so badly- it's actually so dry here that our tree in the front yard is dried up- it kept hitting the electrical line and CATCHING FIRE and fallin in our yard which started a mini-fire.  Our sweet neighbor saw the above mentioned mini fire and ran over to put it out with our hose.  Please Lord, let us get some rain. 

I know a blog post on the heat makes me sound 90 years old but it's just too hot to think of something else to write about!

He Provides

It never ceases to amaze me how God provides.  I don't know why I continue to doubt and get all worried and anxious- He's provided for our every need, every time and yet I always worry over situations as if I just have NO idea how it could ever work out.  When will I learn?  How many times does He have to prove Himself to me?

This past year was my first year of working part time.  Most of you know,  I work several different jobs in order to be able to do my favorite job full time- being a Mom!  It's been a year of amazement for us in how God not only has provided for our every need, He's provided most, if not all, of our wants too.  We knew how much all of these different incomes needed to amount to and God knew too.  He is faithful. 

My thoughts on this stem from our most recent provision.  I had asked the girls in my Bible study to please pray that I would get some real estate business.  It's summer, school's out, and I had extra time on my hands to be working as a realtor. 

The girls prayed and that weekend I did phone duty for my real estate company.  Usually phone duty is not very productive and to be honest, can be a waste of weekend time.  I don't do it very often.  However, that weekend I signed up.  I only got three calls all weekend.  BUT, one of them wanted to see a Nix listing.  Unfortunately, it was already under contract.  I offered to send her some others to look at, and she called the next day to go see three.  She fell in love with one of them and three days later put in an offer.  We closed Friday.  It was a totally unexpected blessing and complete provision on His part. 

Even as I write this I notice my word choice above- "totally unexpected" and I go back to my original thought- why would I NOT expect God to provide for us?  Would He really do any less?  Never. 

Freeze

Tonight we went to dinner with Mimi at a quaint Italian restaurant in the neighborhood.  They had live music and the singer played "Just the Way you Look Tonight".  At that very moment, Lizzy was quietly playing Peek a Boo with us using the tablecloth to hide her face.  One of us would ask "where's Lizzy??" and she'd pull back the tablecloth to reveal her face with the most gigantic smile you've ever seen.  I thought to myself, "freeze". 

I wanted to freeze that moment in time and remember, just as the song that was playing says, "just the way you look tonight".  That precious smile that lights up her face.  She sheer delight at a simple game of Peek a Boo.  The pride on her daddy's face.  The adoration on her Mimi's.  It wasn't any kind of big to do or grand celebration, just a casual dinner but one that ended with a moment that will forever be a snapshot in my mind. 

"Freeze"- I don't want her to grow up.  Don't want to face the inevitable milestones to come that mean she's growing up- sending her off to preschool, Kindergarten, facing friendship issues and catty girl problems.  I want her to forever stay that joyful little girl with soft curls and hairbows that delights herself in a game with a tablecloth. 

Outlet Trip

Today we headed to the outlet malls to meet up with my aunt/uncle and three cousins that were in town from Dallas.  We hadn't seen them in a while and Lizzy absolutely loved all of the attention!  She is a girl after her Mama's own heart- she loves nothing more than a day with the girls out shopping and having lunch.  Apples don't fall far from the tree! 

Unlike her Mommy, Lizzy has developed quite a sense of style for herself.  The crazier and more dramatic the better!  Why wear only one bow when you could fit several on your head?  One outfit on at a time is just boring.  Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the layered look in cool weather but wearing PJs over your shorts/tshirt in 102* weather is just not gonna work!  Today in one of the stores, Lizzy was walking around and looking as she was carefully selecting every crazy colored piece of clothing in the store!  She would bring it up to me and hold it close to her chest and hug it as if to say, "Oh Mommy, I just HAVE to have this one, I love it SO much".  She can't even talk in phrases but thus it begins.....