• Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 78 other subscribers

  • “Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers” — Isaac Asimov

  • Recent Posts

  • Pages

  • Categories

  • Archives

  • Blog Stats

    • 195,723 hits

Words Define Us

Posted on June 7, 2013 by auburnchick

A couple of days ago, I shared how I’d had a rough day.

I had become quite angry.

Later in the afternoon, I reflected on the day, and I grew ashamed.

During my angry rants to a couple of trusted friends, I used language unbecoming to a lady.

Yes, I did.

While I don’t get super angry very often, when I do, I lose control of my mouth.

This shames me greatly to admit, but I’m an honest person, and so much of my blog is about baring my heart.  It’s how I grow.

This might surprise you, but it was the Mr. who actually held me to task.

As I shared about my day, including the cussing part, he shook his head and told me there had been no need for that.

You know what?

He was right.

I texted both of my friends and asked them to forgive me.

One of my friends told me not to worry…that they were just words.

I texted her it was important to me…that words define us.

You can tell a lot about a person by how he/she speaks.

Oh yeah.  I’m feeling worse and worse as I type this.

Sigh.

As I showered that night, I asked the Lord to forgive me.

One would think that after coming off of the juice fast, I would be more self controlled.

Apparently my focus had not been on my mouth; however, I did gain clarity.

I need to be constantly on my guard against the sin that lives in my heart and threatens to rear its ugly head when I’m not looking, and I need to remember that my words define who I am.

I pray that I learn to speak softly and only in a way that honors God.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

The Wrong Intention

Posted on May 28, 2013 by auburnchick

When I began my fast ten days ago, I did so with the purpose of losing the flab that had accumulated around my midsection and thighs.

Although I am, for the most part, a healthy eater, over the last few months, I’d developed a few bad habits.

Things began when I went to see Chicky play soccer one weekend.  My stomach hadn’t been feeling right that day, so upon the suggestion of my friend, Barb, I’d gotten a soda to soothe things down.

Rather than a semi-harmless Sprite, I’d gotten my favorite, which I hadn’t had in a long time, a Mt. Dew.

I’d opened Pandora’s Box, for Mt. Dew has always been one of my biggest weaknesses.

As my students can tell you, I became addicted; however, I threw off this habit a couple of months ago…only to fall back into it after only a month.

Sigh.

I’d also begun eating candy again.

Considering that I don’t eat much (I really don’t…you can ask my family), putting these empty calories into my body left them nowhere to go but the troublesome places that cause many people angst.

Now, you must also understand that for years, I’ve struggled with a poor self image…especially where it comes to my physique.

I suspect this developed after years of watching my mom worry about hers.  I believe that she had bulimia when I was growing up, although it was hidden from us and probably not even understood by her.  She’d frequently excuse herself to “get sick” because the food bothered her, but looking back, I think it was, in fact, the disease that plagues many women, for there were signs in other places of her life.

Anyhoo…

I finally got fed up with the roll of belly fat that was beginning to hang over my waistline and knew I needed to change something.

The juice fasts I’ve done in the past have resulted in the loss of such flab, so I was eager to begin.

I must pause again here and tell you one more thing.

One or two juice fasts ago, when I was telling Super Sis about what I was doing, she’d asked (loosely remembered), “What is the reason for your fast?  Is there something you are searching for from God?”

I’d blown her off a bit by saying that I didn’t have that kind of reason…that my intention was purely for health benefits.

Keeping all of the above in mind, let me continue.

I began my fast.

I’ve been so blessed this time.  I haven’t experienced headaches or many hunger pangs.  I haven’t had many cravings (except for peanut butter), and I haven’t felt resentful.

But…

The flab wasn’t coming off.

Still, I have persisted.

Meanwhile, I began reading a new devotion plan on my Bible app, YouVersion.  The plan, appropriately enough, was titled “Authentic Fasting.”  It was a seven day devotional series, and boy, did it have a lot to say about fasting!

Day by day, I learned what the Bible has to say about fasting and that, in fact, fasting is not something to be done for health reasons at all!  Fasting is about abstaining from the things that have led us away from God, focusing on His voice to determine His way for our lives.  Any positive body changes are the result of the fast and should never be the cause for one.

Over that seven day period, I can honestly say that God changed my heart.  He showed me how wrong I’d been going into the fast.  Although I was trying to avoid the things that had made me less than perfect (in my eyes), what I was really doing was avoiding deeper truths about myself and my relationship with Him.

Although I think that it’s fairly obvious to most people that I am a Christ follower, and I do love the Lord, I know the inner dealings of my heart and what a rebel I’ve become.

In small ways, I’ve been avoiding God, whether it’s been by not reading and studying His word daily, not praying as faithfully as I should, by harboring bad attitudes about people or situations, or…gasp…by berating myself when my body isn’t exactly as I think it should be.

At first, fasting is a challenge in self discipline.  Once that’s been mastered over the course of the first few days, and the mind becomes clearer…not clogged by the junk that is routinely put in…a real focus develops, as does the ability to hear God and develop good habits to replace the former.

What it boils to, for me this go-round, is becoming more purposeful about spending time with God on a daily basis.

The last day of my fast will be Saturday.

I know that God still has much to teach me during the interim days.

I am so grateful what He has already shown me.

I’m also thankful that He uses everything for His glory, and that my wrong intentions were turned into something positive and life changing in my heart and soul.

Oh, and that flab I spoke of before?  It’s beginning to disappear…the natural result of abstaining from all of those sodas and bags of candy.

To God be the glory for all of the changes, both physical and spiritual.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Praying

Posted on May 21, 2013 by auburnchick

Why do bad things happen to good people…children even?

I can only answer by saying that the Bible states that rain will fall on the good and the bad.

Our response should be to trust God and His promise to comfort us and bring good from the rubble that surrounds us.

I join with all of you in offering prayers for those affected by our country’s most recent tragedy.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: | Leave a comment »

Validated…But By Whom?

Posted on May 4, 2013 by auburnchick

Who doesn’t want to be approved?

It’s a basic human desire.

The questions then become who do we seek validation from and why do we seek this validation?

These are questions I’ve been grappling with of late…namely because certain people…or I should say a certain person, continues to question the things I do.

I became extremely exasperated and frustrated on Tuesday after ending a day in which I felt like I needed to, once again, justify myself.

I called Super Sis, who is always willing to listen as well as provide much needed Godly advice.

What I came away from her thought-provoking observations was that I am seeking validation.

This is something I have done all of my life…from the time I was left to take care of my sweet sister when we were both wee things to my teenage years when bringing home straight A’s was a mandate.

It is at the root of why I am an overachiever…why the lesson plans for my certification programs were between fifteen and twenty pages long.

The need for validation is why I justify decisions in my classroom to people, or should I say a person, who I do not owe such justification to.

This is also the reason why I will ask my students, “How do you think class went today?”  It seems like an innocent question, but it is one that is self-seeking in that I am looking for approval from even the students I serve.

In the process of “explaining myself,” I lose sight of my purpose in life…my purpose as a Christian…glorifying God.

God put His seal of approval on me the moment I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.

He did this because of Christ’s redeeming work on the cross…NOT by anything I have done.

That’s what makes God’s approval so much better than any man or woman’s.

Man’s opinions change as often as the direction of the wind.

God’s opinion never changes.

Once loved and accepted, always loved and accepted.

Galatians 1:10

English Standard Version (ESV)

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant[a] of Christ.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

Am I Reading or Meditating?

Posted on April 30, 2013 by auburnchick

I am three days shy of finishing a reading plan in the YouVersion Bible app I have on my phone.

I only recently discovered the plethora of plans available!

The one I’m working my way through is The Battlefield of the Mind devotional.

It sounds like powerful stuff, doesn’t it?

The truths, while basic, do pack a punch, let me tell you.

Yesterday’s reading was especially convicting. It had to do with meditating on God’s Word rather than merely reading it.

I’m not good at this kind of stuff.

I am a product-oriented girl who thrills at the sight of each task completed. Only lately, as I’ve aged matured have I begun to see the value of the process.

That is what meditation is about.

It is not simply reading for reading’s sake.

Meditation involves really thinking about the message that exists between the lines.

I’ve been a Christian since I was eighteen years old. How often I’ve heard the mandate to “meditate on God’s Word.” Yet somehow, that directive hasn’t always pierced my heart.

I wonder if this recent awareness is due to the profession I’m in.

As a reading teacher, I model how to pause and reflect. I teach my students how to ask questions and seek out answers that go beyond what lies on the surface.

I poke and I prod, lovingly of course, to help my students stretch themselves beyond what they think they are capable of.

The satisfaction lies in watching them experience “aha” moments of illumination.

I wonder if this is what it’s like for my Heavenly Father.

However, as I’ve also learned from teaching, a person cannot be taught unless he/she is willing to do the hard work necessary to grow. A student won’t bother going the extra mile if a relationship hasn’t been firmly established upon a solid foundation of trust.

Do I trust the Lord to mold me into the person He knows I’m capable of becoming?

Much like becoming a good reader, this involves methodical study and reflection.

As I tell my students, reading isn’t something that happens to you. It requires action on their part.

Such is the case with growing closer to God.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

Reminiscing With the Hodgepodge

Posted on April 17, 2013 by auburnchick

As usual, Joyce has cooked up some fun questions for the Hodgepodge!  Thanks for being the hostess with the mostest!

1.  April 15th is the deadline for Americans to file their state and federal income tax returns.  What’s a job you do on a regular basis that could be described as ‘taxing’?

Lesson planning, by far, is the most taxing thing I do regularly…as in every single week from August through May.  It is exhausting and brain-numbing.  Thankfully, I have the next two and a half weeks planned out thanks to a couple of projects that I borrowed from last year’s plans.  We have seven weeks of school left, and the thing I will miss the least is the lesson planning.

2.  I’m participating in the April A-Z blog challenge, and the Hodgepodge happens to fall on Day O this week. In keeping with that theme…olives, onions, oysters, okra…of the foods mentioned, what’s your favorite O food?

Out of the items listed above, I’d have to say that olives are my favorite.  I do like onions, and when I ate meat, I enjoyed steamed oysters.  Despite growing up in the South, I still cannot stomach okra.

3.  What is something memorable you experienced as a child that your own children (or future children/nieces/nephews) will not get to experience?

Ok…so maybe this isn’t the most “memorable,” as in “fun,” but it’s certainly something that will probably never make a comeback.  My memory?  That of doing research by looking up information on microfiche.  Do you remember the days of going to the library, getting slides pulled out for you, and using a huge viewer to peruse loads and loads of articles in search of the one you needed for that research paper?  Oh.  The.  Joy.  heehee

4.  Term limits for our elected officials…your thoughts?

Yes.  Definitely.  I can hardly stand the four years that most are allowed.  Can we shorten them?  Or rather, can we force every elected official to create an IPDP, with a target group, and then fire the pants off of them if the group doesn’t show improvement via their VAM (Very Asinine Measurement) scores?  Hey.  It’s a system that the “Powers That Be” seem to think will improve education.  Who’s to say it wouldn’t work to rid the country of inept politicians as well?

5.  On April 18th, 1775, Paul Revere made his famous ‘midnight ride’…when did you last make a midnight ride?  Perhaps the fate of a nation wasn’t hanging in the balance, but tell us where you were headed anyway.

Hmmm…I don’t travel late at night very often, if ever.  More than likely, my last midnight ride would have been either going to or coming back from a soccer event, I’d guess.  That was our life for many years, and we spent nearly every weekend on the go between the months of September and May.

6.  What would freak you out more…a mouse running across your floor or a big fat hairy spider?

I loathe spiders.  In fact, my paraprofessional had to go to the walk-in clinic yesterday because a spider (she suspects it was a recluse…she’s not affected by its poison, however) bit the snot out of her.  You should have seen the rash on her neck!  It still gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it!

7.  I love it when people ask me________________________?

I love it when people ask me if I can say with certainty that I’m going to heaven.

I accepted Christ when I was a teenager.  I know I can do NOTHING to earn salvation.  God MUST see Christ’s redeeming blood, which, for a believer, purifies our sin and allows God to look upon us and forgive us.  Praise the Lord for His provision.  Praise the Lord that I will spend eternity with Him!

Can you blame me for getting a little excited?

8.  My Random Thought

My prayers go out to those affected by the explosions in Boston.  My heart goes out to my fellow Americans whose trust, once again, has been shaken.

It is, however, inevitable, that society will continue to degenerate.  The Bible teaches this.

It’s scary.

It’s truth, though.

I take comfort in the fact that God is still in control, even when times look bleak.

Filed under: Christian, This-n-That | Tagged: | 6 Comments »

Who Can Understand What God Allows?

Posted on April 16, 2013 by auburnchick

I, like almost every American, was shocked to learn of the tragedy that occurred in Boston yesterday afternoon.

As I continue to grapple with my emotions, I have to do what I’ve done when faced with such unexpected personal and national tragedies in the past (my father’s sudden passing, September 11th, and the space shuttle Columbia‘s destruction…to name a few).

I turn to the Lord, in Whom I’ve placed my trust.

Good always comes from events such as these.

God is always glorified in the end.

Evil does not win, and death will be defeated.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Wholly Surrendered

Posted on April 3, 2013 by auburnchick

20130403-231138.jpg

As I got ready for work this morning, adorning myself with a bit of new bling (pictured above), one of my favorite worship songs came on the radio. We sing this at church, and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes as I envision my Savior, finger crooked, calling me to draw closer to Him.

Who wouldn’t be moved by the following lyrics?

At the cross, You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees
And I am lost for words, so lost in love
I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Joy-Filled Weekend

Posted on April 1, 2013 by auburnchick

After six days of work, I was fortunate to spend the next four days playing.

I’d planned well, for I had the most amazing, joy-filled weekend that I can remember.

It began, of course, with the day of shopping, which I blogged about already.

Friday was my birthday.

I woke up to these adorable furry faces…

I spent most of the day preparing for the arrival of my chicklets and their friends.

Rooster had called late Thursday night to ask if he could bring home his “big,” as in big brother in his fraternity.  Of course I said yes!

Chicky had already planned to bring home three friends.  One of the girls wound up staying at school because she fell ill a couple of days before the kids left.  Poor thing.

All total, we had five kiddos coming home!

First, I posted an SOS on Facebook.  I needed an extra air mattress and a pump.  Two of my fellow teacher friends came to the rescue, and I picked up the items on Friday morning.

Then, I ran to the dollar store and picked up Easter baskets for the kids.  I couldn’t decide what to get to fill them, so I waited.  I decided to enlist the Mr.’s help because he likes to shop.

Before I got home, I ran to a friend’s house to pick up my Scentsy order.

Oh my.  I love my new warmer!!  Sunflowers are my favorite, so when she posted a picture of the newest warmer, I had to order one!!

She had thrown in a free brick of the newest scent, Sunny & Share, as a thank you for referring a friend of mine.

Yes, I know.  Bling, fancy nails, shoes, and now Scentsy.  I’m getting to be high maintenance.  heehee

Next up was the cleaning, which I did on and off for the next few hours.  It was a lot easier with fuzzy slippers and Colton Dixon…

When the Mr. came home from work, we headed to the store to stock up on goodies for the kids.

We had so much fun!!!!

I think we went a little overboard…

The Mr. found the inspirational eggs…a little cheesy but a fun way to keep the focus on what Easter is really about.

When we got home, the Mr. sat down and fixed every basket while I resumed my cleaning.  We hid them in the closet until Sunday morning…

The boys got the green and purple baskets; the girls got the pink.

Once the cleaning was finished, I sat down and waited.

Rooster and his friend arrived first.

What joy!!!!

Although I had met Rooster’s friend at an Auburn game, having the weekend to get to know him was an honor.  He is a friendly young man and so incredibly intelligent and Christ-centered.  I was very impressed with his ability to defend his position of a few issues we discussed.

Chicky and her friends arrived a couple of hours later, and the reunion was just as sweet.  All of the girls play on the soccer team, so I’ve been blessed to spend time with them in the past.  I knew we were in for some fun.

Now, one might think that having five college kids in the house at one time is a lot, but oh my word, it was so much fun!  The kids got along so well!  Five young people shared one bathroom.  They giggled.  They cracked jokes.  At one point, all of them were in Chicky’s room watching Rooster play his drums.

As I watched them interact all weekend, my heart overflowed with joy and thankfulness.

Oh, and let’s not forget Chicky’s puppy.  This precious fur baby was so happy to see me!  She almost jumped into my arms and gave my face a bath it hasn’t seen since the last time she visited.

We had tons of fun together, and I took a bunch of pictures.  I even took her with me as I ran an errand!

The other dogs didn’t seem to mind one more fur baby in the house…

Gambit preferred, for the most part, to stay next to his brother because he gets very scared when unfamiliar people come into the house…

One of the neat things about the weekend was watching as the kids did their own thing…going to the beach…running to Sonic to visit with friends…yet later getting that “together time” that I so desperately craved.

We went to a hibatchi place on Saturday night to celebrate my birthday, and it was fun to watch the kids stuff themselves.

On Sunday, after church, we took the crew to Chili’s.

There were many laughs shared around those tables…many memories added to that special place reserved in my heart for such times.

Before I knew it, the weekend had passed me by, and it was time to say goodbye.

I took pictures of Rooster and Chicky as they said goodbye to Aubie.  It had been a tough weekend with our old girl, and the kids were visibly upset as they hugged her.  Looking at those pictures, which I wish I could share here (but can’t because they show my babies’ faces) still brings tears to my eyes.

We took the kids to the gas station to get them fueled up for their respective journeys.

Too many goodbyes have been said in this parking lot.  I can only imagine what onlookers must have been thinking as they saw seven people hugging each other, openly and unabashedly showing the love that had grown over the weekend.

I also said goodbye to my fur grandbaby…

I’m not sure she new she was in for an entire day in the car!!

When we returned home, we found it devoid of the noise that had only recently filled it.

Instead of being sad, though, I thought about how blessed I am.

My children chose to come home for the weekend.  Their friends chose to come with them.

During the angst-filled years of rearing teenagers, I was a little bit worried that my children would not want to come back home very often.  You know how it is with kids…the arguing…the fight for control…the reluctance to let go.

I am humbled that these young people came here and brightened my weekend and my heart with their love…a love that emanates from a love for Christ and a desire to serve God.

The sunset I observed while running an errand Sunday evening reminded me of God’s love…how He provides…how He protects.

Filed under: children, Christian | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

Blessed!

Posted on March 31, 2013 by auburnchick

There is no better way to spend the day than by praising God for the ultimate gift of love…the sacrifice of His own flesh and blood…to save me from the sins I have committed against Him.

The icing on the cake was spending this time surrounded by the ones I love.

Happy Easter!

May you always remember this day for what it is and not for what “society” deems it to be.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »
  • January 2026
    S M T W T F S
     123
    45678910
    11121314151617
    18192021222324
    25262728293031

  • Currently Reading

  • Books I’ve Read