Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hey friends,Sorry for the absence, what can I say? life is taking place.A few weeks ago I had to come to terms with and admit that I really was making some snoring noises during the night and keeping both my sweet husband and me awake. Finally, I broke down and bought an anti-snore pillow. While the new pillow has silenced that horrible snoring it has twisted and bent my neck in a most unnatural position leaving me with a neck that stiff and difficult to move.My friend Luann Prater has a wonderful post on her blog today that talks about this very issue.http://www.luannprater.com/Check it out and let me know your thoughts.Okay... now the funniest part about all this.I've been using that new pillow incorrectly.No wonder I can't move my neck. LOL!!!!!!!!!Welcome to my life
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thanks to each one of you who took some time out of your busy day to post on my blog yesterday. After a long day at work I climbed into the bed last night, with clean sheets, clean jammies and read every post, I promise.I giggled or cried right along with you.Some of you had great words of encouragement and some of you are in the midst of great sadness. Please know that I do not take your comments lightly nor will they be forgotten.I'm praying with you and standing with you as we fight the good fight together as sister's in Christ.Now, we need a drum roll please....BrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrAnd a few trumpets.....Tah dah dah dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The winner of yesterday's Carnival Give Away prize is:Anonymous who posted at 1:01 pm with the following post "Who doesn't love jewelry and a good book?"Email me at zoeelmore@gmail.com so I can send you my prize package.If you didn't win and are feeling a bit disappointed please check this out.My friend Amy Carroll has a wonderful post today on disappointment, Life is not a Fairy Talehttp://www.amycarrollp31.blogspot.com/I love Amy's closing message and agree whole heartily."I’m praying for you who are hurting today that these truths will be a balm to your soul. I’m praying that God will strengthen you to lift your hands to cling to Him and that He will wrap you tight in His loving arms. And I’m praying for Him to send some human hands and arms your way today to come alongside and encourage you."I hope you will continue to stop by my blog and leave your comments. I love conversation and I LOVE to give things away; just ask my husband how many times I've come home without my shoes and or accessories.Thanks you again for spending part of your day with me yesterday, I am grateful!!!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Today, the P31 Team is celebrating with a Carnival of Give-Aways and we are inviting you to join us! Want to know how you can qualify to win?
Let me know WHY you want to WIN by clicking the word COMMENTS at the end of each post,then type your answer in the box provided. If you don't have a blog, click anonymous. Be sure to leave your EMAIL so we can contact you if your name is picked!!
I hope you will join in on the fun!
Here's what's being offered:
I'm offering a copy of My Heart's Cry by Anne Graham Lotz, a journal and a piece of jewelry, Zoe style!
Wendy Blight www.WendyBlight.com
Wendy is giving away a copy of the One Year Chronological Bibleand her book Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story.Shari Braendel http://www.sharibraendel.blogspot.comshari/Shari is givng away 3 beautiful jewelry pieces to begin a spring wardrobe with! One for a Glamour Girl, one for a Movie Starand one for a Rock StarMicca Campbell http://www.miccacampbell.com/Micca is giving away her book An Untroubled Heart, and a cute clutch purse for those fun summer evenings!Whitney Capps http://www.whitneycapps.blogspot.comwhitney/Whitney is giving away a $30 Francesca's Gift card, redeemable at www.francescascollections.comMelanie Chitwood http://www.melaniechitwood.com/MelanieMelanie is giving away One marriage conference call (see her blog for details) and her new book What a Wife Needs from Her Husband.Lynn Cowell www.LynnCowell.com Lynn is giving away a prize for mom and a prize for a teen girl in her life – the 3 book series B.A.B.E. series by Andrea Stephens (Beautiful, Accepted, Blessed, Eternally Significant) for the teen and for Mom a $10 gift card to Starbucks along with Lynn’s CD “Building a Bridge to Your Child’s Heart”.Karen Ehman www.KarenEhman.com Karen is giving away a Winter White Basket centered on Psalm 51:7 "Wash me and I will be whiter than snow" that includes Skin Milk body wash, a white loofah, Winter White Citrus Bath & Body Works products, white lily linen and room sprays, white hot cocoa, a white mug and white-chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Along with it, a copy of her book on celebrations entitled Homespun Memories for the Heart: More Than 200 Ideas to Make Unforgettable Moments.
Suzie Eller www.tSuzieEller.com Suzie is giving away a webcam!Charlene Kidd www.CharleneKidd.blogspot.com Charlene is giving away a $20.00 Starbucks Gift Card and a copy of Karen Ehman’s book: A Life That Says Welcome, Simple Ways to Open Your Heart and Home to Others.Tracie Miles www.TracieMiles.com Tracie is giving away her CD "Overcoming Stress with Extraordinary Faith" and a Soulmates Slipper with Christian Notepad and Pen. Rachel Olsen http://www.rachelolsen.com/ Rachel is giving away "Bread for Life": a hardback copy of The Daily Message: Through the Bible in One Year by Eugene Peterson (which you can read this along with her this year) and the Williams-Sonoma Muffins cookbookWendy Pope http://www.wendypope.orgwendy/Wendy is giving away a copy of her book Out of the Mouths of Babes and her CD Yes, No, and Maybe of a Balanced Life.Luann Prater www.LuannPrater.com& http://www.encouragementcafe.comluann/Luann is giving away an Encouragement Cafe mug and t-shirt for both sites!LeAnn Rice www.LeAnnRice.com LeAnn is giving away a copy of her cookbook Sharing Grace: Recipes- Family Traditions-Gift ideas and a Starbucks gift card.
Susanne Scheppmann www.susannescheppmann.blogspot.com Susanne is giving away her "Birds in My Mustard Tree Bible Study" with an I-tunes gift card."
Renee Swope www.ReneeSwope.com Renee is giving away Lysa TerKeurst’s Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl DVD Set and her CD message, “Living Beyond the Shadow of Doubt” on DVD.
Lysa TerKeurst www.LysaTerKeurst.com Lysa’s give away is a Mom's Book Club gift pack including 4 copies of Lysa's book, "Am I Messing Up My Kids?" and a 30-minute Q&A conference call with Lysa.Van Walton www.vanwalton.blogspot.com Van is giving away her DVD for children - From the Pound to the PalaceGlynnis Whitwer www.GlynnisWhitwer.com Glynnis is giving away her book “work@home: A Practical Guide for Woman Who Want to Work from Home” and a French Country Wire Silverware BasketShe Reads www.shereads.org She Reads is giving away two novels, Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish and Screen Play by Chris Coppernoll, and chocolate, courtesy of the authors. They will tell the story of how their writing brought them together - a love story, quite literally, fit for a novel! Rad Revolution www.RadRevolution.org Our ministry to teen girls is giving away a copy of “Do the Hard Thing” along with a RadRev t-shirt!
1Colossians 3:14, "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (NIV)
Tom and I will celebrate our 31st Wedding Anniversary in a few months
Boy, time flies!
We have so many MEMORIES. Funny memories like our honeymoon –When Tom watched foreign television while I threw up in the bathroom of our lovely hotel.
Painful memories like the death of beloved parents and job loss.
We’ve learned so much throughout these years . . . and our love for one another has grown and deepened.
CHANGES. I’m not just talking about my hair color or taste in clothing, I’m talking about those changes that come along with maturity. Learning to put the Lord first in everything has been a challenge for me but God has used this to temper my "Greek Passion" for life. This process, by the way, is still taking place.
DEPENDENCE. My marriage has taught me that I was not created to be self-sufficient. I need my husband. I need his support, insight, discernment, counsel, love, and presence. Tom is not perfect . . . but God did create him to be perfect for me and me for him.
He hears my secrets and keeps them well. He knows my faults and forgives them often. And loves me despite them. He sees my failures and apprehensions and encourages me through them.
Learning to say, "I'm wrong . . . I'm sorry." has been a powerful tool in our marriage
DREAMS. We’ve had many dreams as a couple throughout these years and we’ve watched God bring many of those to reality. We’ve prayed together about homes, children, finances, just about everything really.
It’s hard to express the joy we have experienced as we watch God work His will in every area of our marriage and family.
Anniversaries are a beautiful combination of memories, changes, dependence, and dreams. Ours began May 26, 1979, when we both said, "I do" and committed ourselves to each other for life. We had no idea what struggles lay ahead of us or the unspeakable joys that would knit us together.
I am a grateful wife. We are a grateful couple. Thank you Lord for the plan of marriage and the thrill of celebrating it annually with the one I love.This post is part of my friend Rachel's carnival of devotions today. And tomorrow we're hosting a Carnival of P31 give-aways where over 15 of us are giving away something on our blogs, so be sure to come back tomorrow to find out how you can win!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Hey there sweet friends,If you're anything like me, and I bet you are just little. Your plate is full.I'm not talking about your dinner plate (we will get to that in due time)I'm talking about your "Life Plate"I feel much like the sisters in this funny story:Three sisters ages 92, 94 and 96 live in a house together. One night the 96 year old draws a bath. She puts her foot in and pauses... She yells to the other sisters, "Was I getting in or out of the bath?" The 94 year old yells back, "I don't know. I'll come up and see." She starts up the stairs and pauses "Was I going up the stairs or down?" The 92 year old is sitting at the kitchen table having tea listening to her sisters. She shakes her head and says, "I sure hope I never get that forgetful, knock on wood." She then yells, "I'll come up and help both of you as soon as I see who's at the door." Get the picture? Wife, Mom, Teacher, Friend, Neighbor, Employee, Employer, Choir Member, Taxi Driver, Cookie Baker, Boo-Boo Healer, Cook, Dish Washer, Laundry Queen, Domestic Diva, Landscaper,Organizer, Bill Payer, Speaker, Writer. Where do you fit in on this list.... I'm sure I've forgotten many things.Care to add to the list?While I may not do all these things everyday (I think the last time I mowed the yard was 2001).and some things have been voluntarily removed from my plate (kids grow up, move out, can't sing any longer and cookies are off limits in our house) there is this matter of balancing the plate we're carrying.Any who... As I preach to the choir here, I'm just wondering what sort of things you can share about how you choose the things that are on your plate and how you balance said plate
Happy Balancing
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
My sweet friend Melanie Chitwood has a wonderful post today about marriage vows.http://www.melaniechitwood.com/As I mentioned a few weeks ago, we have several friends facing struggles in their marriages and single friends facing struggles in their relationships.I think Melanie's post today is a wonderful to get back to basics.I love her challenge to meditate and pray on those wedding vows.“I, ____________, take you, ________________, to be my husband; to have and to hold, from this day forward; for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish; till death do us part; and hereto I pledge you my faithfulness.” What do you think?
Monday, February 1, 2010
Happy Monday friends,I don't know about you, but when the weather is cold and icy outside, I like to curl up with a decorating magazine or web-site and scope out decorating/remodeling ideas.
My friend Rachel Olsen posted some Fabulous Small kitchens on her site.
Which one suits your personality the best?
