30 Days of Proverbs: November 15th

November 15, 2017
Proverbs 15: God Sees Us All

"All the days of the afflicted are bad,
But a cheerful heart has a continual feast."
Proverbs 15:15

We're currently hip deep in a stomach virus epidemic so reading past this verse this morning was SUPER ironic. I've got a puke bucket on my living room floor, a quarantine ward set up on our love seat and my washer hasn't stopped running poop/puke clothes since Sunday. And Solomon is telling me I'm supposed to be all up in my "continual feast" with all this? Whaaa?? With all his wives and concubines I'm pretty sure he was never the one up through the night with a sick kid. 

But here's the deal: I kind of am happy. I really am. I mean, don't get me wrong- stomach bugs are the PITS. Cleaning up somebody else's body fluids is crazy humbling. But as I've trudged through this week with my brood of sick chickens, it's actually not been that hard to be positive. (Most of the time. 2:47am found me stretching to find my joy. Bless it.) 

When the kids cry for me in the middle of the night and I find myself encountering a bed full of undigested supper- I'm relieved that I've got a laundry room full of magical appliances that will literally clean up the mess FOR me. (After I rinse the chunks out in the backyard. Eww.) It's like having my own personal Whirlpool Fairy Godmother. Hallelujah. Warm, clean blankets are a balm to the soul. 

When somebody wakes up nauseated and crying one morning, I'm grateful that our decision to homeschool lets me roll right along with them and their Pukey-Pukes instead of having to scramble to call into work or daycare or school. Instead, I can close the lesson plan book, grab a fun Read Aloud, fire up the PBS shows we've got on our DVR and some Thieves and our day has been made. (Seriously, all you Moms that work outside the home and/or have kids in public schools- You guys get mad props. That's a LOT of balls to juggle when one of your kids gets sick at the last minute.) 

Martha Washington, BLESS HER HEART, changed my life with this quote when I read it several years ago: "I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition." 

SHE IS SO RIGHT. 

If I'm looking for the bad- it's all gonna be bad. I'm going to be tired and irritated and literally all.the.things. will be going wrong. My back will ache and my pinkie toenail will snag my blanket and the bruise I have on my elbow from two weeks ago will twinge. But if I purpose in my heart to CHOOSE to be cheerful, no matter how dismal the outlook seems- I'll always find at least one thing, SOMEthing to be joyful for. If you're struggling- electric coffee pots are a good place to start. ::wink::

What joy can you choose to find?

Have a Christ-filled day, y'all! And thanks for stopping by~ Katie. 

30 Days of Proverbs: November 14th

November 14, 2017
Proverbs 14: Sift and Weigh Every Word 

"She who is slow to anger has great understanding, 

But she who is quick-tempered exalts folly.

A tranquil heart is life to the body,

But passion is rottenness to the bones."

Proverbs 14:29-30 (pronouns changed) 

Ok, so BUT FOR REAL- ask my husband Matt if I feel all my feelings. Because I ABSOLUTELY DO. (And a lot of times I eat my way through them. Google Trim Healthy Mama Skinny Chocolate because that's what a lot of MY feelings taste like. With extra mineral salt sprinkled on top. Bless.) 

My go-to stress response: tears. 

I can happy-cry, sad-cry, tired-cry, angry-cry, excited-cry, anxious-cry, hungry-cry, bloated-cry, TV commercial-cry. You name it and I can well up all kinds of tears about it. That hot, throat closing, stinging eyes sort of feeling when you might not weep actual tears but it's only because you're holding them back with every fiber of your being. 

Yup. That's me. And these verses tell me that it's not always OK. ::gulp::

When my perfectionism gives me anxiety over the state of my house and I want to stomp and fuss and holler at the kids about their toys- WRONG. When Matt and I aren't seeing eye to eye about something and I want to try and manipulate my way- WRONG. When there is a situation brewing within our church family that has the potential to make or break relationships and I'm dying to throw my two cents into the group discussion- WRONG. When the kids aren't listening and my patience is wearing thin and all I want to do is raise my voice and show them that I'm the Queen of Yelling- WRONG. 

Having emotions and feelings in these situations isn't bad. It's when I allow myself to jump to reacting instead of responding that I can get into trouble. 

God has blessed Matt with a good job that allows us to live in a house that, in my opinion, is vulgarly nice. I want to keep it clean and neat and in order. But I don't need to become a tyrant to my family about it. 

Marriages are built on closed-bedroom-door discussions. Matt and I have shared many, many, MANY hours talking about all.the.things together after the kids go to bed. But it's never OK for me to try and weasel my way into winning by using deceptive means. I've got to say what I mean and mean what I say. 

All Christian families have encountered bumps in the road. Satan loves to use human emotions and short comings to fracture those bonds we have made within our church family. We've got to be diligent to recognize those attacks and have the self control to examine the situation before we could react and unintentionally add fuel to the fire and make things worse. 

Kids are loud. And they fight. And their hands are always sticky. And when I'm not diligently parenting them, I can allow these things to chip away at my self control until I'm nothing more than a grown woman who is stomping around her house and yelling at her kids like a 3 year old. 

These verses tell me that a tranquil heart will add life to my body. If I'm focusing on responding instead of reacting, it's going to be a lot easier for me to steer clear of those hot, burning emotionally uncontrolled tears. God gives me peace through His comfort and protection. If I'm stopping every morning to give my day to Him and to ask Him to guide my emotions and to guard my heart, it'll be that much easier to maintain peace and calm and self control when the choppy waves of the day threaten to capsize my boat. 

I am going to remember that today. 

Have a Christ-filled day, y'all! And thanks for stopping by~ Katie. 

30 Days of Proverbs: November 13th

November 13, 2017

Proverbs 13: Walk With The Wise

"She who walks with wise women will be wise,

But the companion of fools will suffer harm." 

Proverbs 13:20, pronouns changed. Bless. 

Ok, so here's the deal. 

Remember in Middle School when your Mom would say things like "If you lay down with dogs, you'll wake up with fleas."?? It turns out, SHE WAS RIGHT. 

I read a quote recently that read "You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Choose wisely." Mercy sakes alive. 

 This verse reminds me of that because it's so true. 

I once worked closely with a woman who was a total Germaphobe. She would have panic attacks if someone sneezed. She kept her keys IN A ZIPLOCK BAG. She never put her purse on the floor. (Actually, that is kinda smart. I'll cut her some slack for that one.) Doorknobs and light switches and public pencil cups petrified her. Her house was sparsely furnished and she steamed her floors every morning. Bleach was her best friend and she loved to talk about all the things she would spray with hydrogen peroxide to watch it fizz and bubble. 

 I had worked with her for about a month before I realized I was scrubbing my sink drain with a toothbrush at night. I had started washing my bedsheets every other day. I was going through paper towels so quickly I'm sure my roommate thought I was eating them or something. She saw germs everywhere so I started to see them, too. She was paralyzed by her fear of contamination and I started owning that paranoia, too. I stopped cooking with raw chicken or buying bacon. WHAT KIND OF PSYCHOPATH HAD I TURNED INTO?? 

Apparently a life without pork products was enough to snap me into reality and helped me step away from the industrial sized bottle of Clorox. Hallelujah. Because bacon is life. 

But I realized then how easy it is to pick up on other people's thoughts and habits and opinions. And if they're good, loving Christ fillowers- HAVE AT IT. But judge righteously the kind of light they are shining into your life. And if you realize you've taken on qualities that aren't reflecting Him, maybe you should shelter more closely who shines their light onto you. 

Have a Christ-filled day, y'all! And thanks for stopping by~ Katie. 

30 Days of Proverbs: November 12th

November 12, 2017
Proverbs 12: Love Learning; Take Wise Advice

"She who tills her land will have plenty of bread,

But she who pursues vain things lacks sense."

Proverbs 12:11, pronouns changed. ::wink::

Dear Katie Of The Here And Now, 

This is Past Katie. 

I needed to sit down here and give you a pep talk before you get your work week started tomorrow because I KNOW YOU and I have some advice you need to hear. So go top off that cup of coffee and let's talk a while. 

You know that overwhelmed, frazzled, Stressed Out To The Max feeling you get in your gut around 4:00 every Wednesday afternoon? The one that tightens in your chest and puts a brick in your brain when you stop to look around at where the week has taken you? 

The living room Is a disaster zone. You've got two loads of laundry getting cold and wrinkled in the dryer while another wet load begins to smell like eggs as it sits in your washer. There are books on every flat surface of the house yet you still find yourself two chapters behind in your World History book. The To Do list you sat down and painstakingly wrote on Sunday afternoon has had one item crossed off it while about seven more have been added to the bottom. The kids need baths before church tonight, you haven't looked at your Bible Class curriculum to teach and they're currently sword fighting in the kitchen. 

You want to cry. I get it, I really do. 

But here's the thing I need to ask you: WHAT LAND HAVE YOU BEEN TILLING THIS WEEK? Where have your priorities been these last few days? Where do you want them to be? Are these answers lining up?? If you're pulse is racing and you've got a headache above your right eye- I'm guessing the answer is No. 

And Hon, bless your heart- you need to get yourself together. 

Stop freaking out. Exhale. Take a few minutes and figure out what you want to do well this week. WRITE IT DOWN. Do you want to focus on Phonics? Devotionals? Discipline? Housework? Budgeting? Multiplication? Laundry? Don't pick them all- pick two. Maybe three. Then once you've written them down, MAKE DOING ONLY THOSE THINGS WELL your field for the week. 

Then give yourself permission NOT to do it all well. 

Allow yourself to get behind on a few things so you can focus your efforts and energy on doing other things better. Pray about the areas you want to devote your attention to this week. Pick things to work on and then WORK ON THEM FIRST. Before you go to bed at night, look at your written priorities and ask yourself if you pointed your efforts in that direction that day. If you did, sleep peacefully. Don't let the other little things you may have not done that day hover over you. If you didn't- don't sweat it. You'll get a fresh start of it tomorrow. 

I hate to see you drive yourself and your family crazy with your perfectionism. This verse reminds me to remind you to till your land- but to make sure you're not plowing up your entire life fields every week. Take it easy. Focus on the important, eternity focusing tasks at hand. The rest are just details. Do a few important things well. Forget the other junk. I promise you'll have a better week for it. 

Love, 

Older And Wiser Katie From The Past 

30 Days of Proverbs: November 11th

November 11, 2017
Proverbs 11: A God Shaped Life

"The generous man will be prosperous, 
And he who waters will himself be watered." 
Proverbs 11:25

I run on fumes most days. In fact, I'm running on fumes THIS VERY MORNING. 

Traveling with three kids ain't for sissies, y'all. 

After the car exploding four hour drive with snacks and crumbs and a trillion bathroom stops- we arrive alive. Then everybody goes to bed late, wakes up early and cries at least four times each during the night. It's easy on mornings like this to be snippy and short tempered with my husband. (Worth noting: MATT IS THE BEST. He took the donut run this morning.) I've found myself barking at the kids and biting back the urge to fuss at them for silly stuff like floor wallowing and donut messes and unfinished apple juice. 

But that's selfish. 

We're all trying our best. (Or mostly.) Bless it. 

These verses remind me that the more grace I give, the more grace I'll get. When I'm tired and fussy and hangry- I'm glad my family can cut me some slack and brew us more coffee. I'm glad I can remind myself to exhale a little and let the kids make pallets on the rug while they watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving at 7:47am. 

Today I'll remind myself to water others a little more. And I hope you will, too. 

Have a Christ-filled day, y'all! And thanks for stopping by~ Katie. 

30 Days of Proverbs: November 10th

November 10, 2017
Proverbs 10: Righteousness and Wickedness

"When the storm passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation."
Proverbs 10:25

Well there was ever a perfect verse for Motherhood- THIS WOULD BE IT. 

Because some days are stormy, amIright?? 

Some days are heavy with clouds and winds and assaulting rain. Some are filled with thundering attitudes and lightning bolts of anger. And some may even start sunny, but then the cloud cover can quickly roll in on winds of whining and sleep deprivation and sibling rivalry. 

And it's hard to weather conditions like these. Days when you're SURE it's supper time but the clock mockingly reads 2:47pm. Or when you feel like you've been up for HOURS and the coffee pot only reads 8:12am. You've ground out 14 loads of laundry and taken out the grossest bag of garbage your family ever filled and cleaned up some sort of sticky/crusty Thing out the bottom of your icebox produce drawer and broken up fights over Nerf guns and dried tears over tangled doll hair and cleaned up puppy puke from your living room rug. It's hard work weathering conditions like these. 

This verse reminds me that if I haven't found my foundation in Him, those howling winds WILL reduce me to rubble. I'll end the day sitting in a guilt filled heap on my couch surrounded by destruction and wonder how I'll find the strength to face it all again tomorrow morning. But if I've reinforced my Spirit by reading my Bible every morning and by spending time in prayer with Him- I'll be able to use His strength to withstand those storms. The end of the day will come and I'll still be tired, but I won't be defeated. I'll pick up the pieces with His help and I'll go to bed knowing He'll guide me tomorrow just like He did today. And there's no way I could do it without Him.

Have a Christ-filled day, y'all! And thanks for stopping by~ Katie. 

30 Days of Proverbs: November 9th

November 9, 2017
Proverbs 9: Seek Wisdom, Flee From Folly

"Stolen water is sweet;
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
Proverbs 9: 17

A little back story about these verses: If you look back four verses or so, you realize the speaker here is someone Solomon refers to as a "foolish woman". He does this a lot through his writings- personifying (I know my 9th grade English teacher is so proud right now.) both wisdom and foolishness/sinfulness as women. I reckon if I had as many wives as he did, I may have had females on the brain too. Bless. 

But anyway- the point I was driving at was that this verse, WHILE TRUE, is bad advice. FEELING GOOD AND BEING GOOD ARE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT THINGS. 

You know what I'm talking about, don't you? When you're in a tight spot, and the easiest/fastest/least painful way out isn't exactly right BUT YOU DO IT ANYWAY because we as humans are lazy, self seeking people and when given the choice between what is Easy and what is Right- our nature mooooost times leans us heavily toward Easy. 

Or maybe that's just me. Bless it. 

These verses remind me to be cautious because sometimes (read: A LOT OF TIMES) sin can feel good. 

It's fun to let our hair down when chit chatting with friends and slide into gossip (GUILTY). It feels good to get up on our High Horse and pat ourselves on the back when we see someone struggling in sinful behaviors. Piously internet sleuthing on our friends and family, anxiously scanning their uploaded pictures for ammo to add to our arsenal of Wrongs They Have Committed is a pretty enjoyable way to spend a Saturday morning. Nothing goes better with coffee than judgement. Picking out specks in others lives is loads easier than identifying the logs in our own. 

 These verses remind me that just because it feels good, doesn't mean it IS good. 

And that's why we've got to be careful.

Have a Christ-filled day, y'all! And thanks for stopping by~ Katie.