Ummmmm........

I titled this post Ummm...because I dont really know what to call it. I guess I could have called it Different Links, but to me that is just not as interesting as ummm..... lol.

I had the perfect post in my head a couple of days ago...it was about Being Real. So seeing as I had a Migraine for a couple of days and wasnt going to blog, I thought well I'll keep it in my head and type it when I get better. Well, my sister beat me to it. She's good at that. Beating me to things. I dont know how she does it. (I love Ya Sis)

So then I thought that well, I would just do a couple of different links on my blog of post that I have found inspiring and helpful the last couple of days. So that is what I am going to do. But first, my version of being real.

My husband hates his job. Everyday, he goes to it knowing that he is going to get griped at. Everyday, he comes home in a bad mood and on edge because he thinks that everyone here is going to gripe at him. (This is not saying anything bad about him!). Even though he comes home this way, he calmes down after a couple of hours and is the sweetest most wonderful father and husband you could ask for. This has however taken a toll on our marriage and on our kids lives. So we are having to back up and think about what we do and how we say stuff. It has been a challenge the past couple of weeks since we realized this.

Alaina, is a whiner...most of the time. She knows when she does something wrong and when you say her name to get onto her for it, she whines and carries on and doesnt quit until you tell her you are going to swat her tail for it. She has always been a whiner. Except when she was an infant, she was my good baby then, she would lay in the floor and play or in her crib and play and she slept all night. But as soon as she turned 1 it seemed, the whining started and hasnt stopped. Add this to my anxiety over my husband coming home in a bad mood and you have a bad combination around here. Any suggestions on getting her to stop whining? I am at my wits end with her...It is driving me crazy.

That is my being real!

Now for some inspiring links the last couple of days.

My sister posted an article about RESPECTING Your husband. It had a link in it to go to Revive our Hearts website and listen to a radio show by Nancy Leigh Demoss. Oh Boy did she step on some toes in our family. Big Time! Here is the link to the program. And here is the link to my sisters thoughts on the matter. Needless to say, I completely agree with her. I am going to join the challenge that they issued. A 30 day challenge to uplift and encourage your husband instead of dragging him through the dirt. (And yes he knows what I posted above and he is okay with me posting it. He said it didnt really put him down, it is just being real.) So Starting later today, I hope to post my Encouragement for the day! We will see how I do.

Kelli is always encouraging in her post. She post Verses or thoughts that she thinks of everyday and I gain a little wisdom from every one. I dont always comment but I do enjoy them.

This Blog, is encouraging that they are keeping their faith through what they are experiencing right now. I cry everytime I read it but I also smile because I know that their little girl is safe and that they still have their Faith. And through Him we can do anything right?

I found a few more last night but I cant remember what they are. Migraines seem to do that to me...they make me feel disoriented and I lose my short term memory for a couple of days. I hope I am past that for the time being and can function normally for a few days.

We have a long weekend coming up but I am not going to post about it until Monday or Tuesday. It has alot to do with some decisions we have been trying to make in our lives here lately. But I will inform you later.

Prayers. Pleas pray for the above mentioned family That they may keep their faith and have some peace about what God is doing in their lives.

Pray for my sister that she may get the rest and peace that she needs in her life right now. And that she may continue to have a safe and uneventful pregnancy.

Pray for my family that we may open our hearts and our ears and eyes to hear and see what God has planned for us. And that we may have the wisdom to do what is right.

And now for a funny.... Every Sunday in Church, our men try to lead songs that the little kids like to sing at least once. One of our men had lead Wonderful Words of Life for a couple of Sundays because the kids like to sing it. And my son Jack would lead Jesus Loves Me. Well on Easter Sunday, when Paul was home sick, Rick (The man that leads the first song) instead of singing Wonderful Words of Life lead a different song...(cant remember what it was) Alaina looks at me and says " Him not sing Wonerful Words of Life Momma". I quietly told her that it was okay, he could lead a different song....She then turns to Jack and tells him. He tells her it is okay we can sing different songs. Well she seemed okay with this. When it came time for Jack to sing his song, He led Amazing Grace instead of Jesus Loves Me. Alain just started crying. To the point that I had to take her outside to find out what was wrong. Jack hadnt lead Jesus Loves Me and it was the last song so now we couldnt sing it either and Rick didnt lead Wonderful Words of Life...and I think in her eyes, the world was over. To her delight, Jack lead Jesus Loves Me last Sunday and you should have heard her sing. I dont think there was a dry eye in the house.

That is one thing at our Church. Yes we try to keep them relatively quiet during the lesson so we can listen too, but when it comes to singing and worshiping God. We let them sing their little hearts out and it is so precious. Paul is usually our preacher on Sundays. There is one other guy that does preach but most usually here lately, he has had to work on Sundays. People that come to our Church may think it is weird because during the invitaiton song, my little girls (and soon to be Jason too I am afraid) run up to their daddy at the front of the Church and jump up in his arms and sing the invitation song with Daddy. If anyone happens to go up for prayers, my daughters share in the hug and the prayers and the tears. Kylie told me one Sunday that that guy was sad, and I told her yes but we werent to talk about it because that was between him and God and daddy. And she said I know Momma, I wont say nothin..but he needs prayers. So everyday for a week at Lunch, she would pray for this guy when she said our lunch prayer.

I had one lady tell me that if we were to do things decently and in order, that they would not be allowed to do that. Another elderly gentlemen who was listening at the same time said, if it happens every Sunday and God knows that then it is in order. It is when they dont do it that it is out of order because everyone is wondering why they dont....I dont particurly think God is going to look down on us for letting two little girls go up and give their Daddy hugs during invitation time. Now when Kylie gets a little older, I will probably try to get her to stay at the bench with me but for now, she can give her daddy and the members who need prayers all the hugs she wants.

And on that thought, I think I will go fix some breakfast and get things ready for our weekend.

Love andPrayers
Crystal