Worthy Is The Lamb

I had a moment yesterday.

One of those God-is-actually-in-my-car moments!

I was driving to my mother-in-laws house to pick up my two year old after the last session of my women's Bible study.

(For the record, I attend an awesome church and every September to April we dig, dig, dig into God's word. Those few months of the year change my life more dramatically than anything else.)

This "semester" we were blessed to study Beth Moore's David, A Heart Like His. It's one of those study's that you just don't want to end. And even though I knew David was going to die at the end of the lesson, I still got a little weepy when it actually happened.

I just didn't want the learning, the closeness, the meat to end! Have you ever felt that way? When God is so screaming your name and you can't do anything but hold on and keep going, cause He's gonna have a new Word for you tomorrow and the next day and the next day...

Well, that's what this study has been for me!

So, I'm driving along rocking out to my Third Day CD (after swapping out--I kid you NOT--four, count them, 1, 2, 3, 4! kids Christmas CD's! That's how behind/lame I am!) when the song Worthy is the Lamb came on my blaring stereo.



I've always loved that song. LOVED! But this time (and many others, too) I found myself totally overcome with praise, so aware of everything I just learned in His Word and through David's life, so drenched in His goodness and mercy that I just couldn't contain myself. It was as if God himself was riding along with me saying, "yup, go ahead and worship me...right here...right now!"

So I pulled my car off the road because my eyes demanded to close and my hands fought to let go of the steering wheel. And I worshiped my God, my Savior, in my car, on the side of a little country road in El Dorado Hills, CA.

I love moments like that!

God is so good, isn't He? Have you ever had an experience with God where it felt as if you were literally in His presence?

It's happening to me more and more and I gotta say...there's no better experience!!!

Have a great, GREAT (early) weekend everyone!!

Agree or Disagree?

Quick and easy today...

Tell me in the comments if you agree or disagree with the following statement.

In five years, 85% of what we read on the Internet will be in video format.

Interesting, right? I read this somewhere (of course now I can't remember where) and thought, man, I'd better get to vlogging. :)

Happy Tuesday!

An Evening Recap

Party Time!!! for all the Semi-Finalists of the ACFW Genesis contest! I couldn't be happier for all of you!

Unfortunately, my name wasn't on the list...but I'm already over it!

Before I knew results were coming out yesterday, my original plan for the evening was: put the kids to bed, write, write, write.

When I read the news, my plan deviated...but only slightly: put the kids to bed, make cookie dough, consume unhealthy amounts of said dough, watch a super sappy movie, fall into a chocolate chip induced sleep.

Okay, so that's a bit dramatic. Not to say all of those things didn't actually happen (they did) but they've happened on many other nights too. Not just when I'm disappointed. :)

I'm truly thrilled for each semi-finalist!! Good things to come for all, I'm sure! 

Share with me: How did you spend yesterday evening? 

19 Interesting (but Useless) Tid-Bits

It's time for another rousing installment of interesting but completely useless information. Why not? I get a kick out of these weird facts and it makes for an easy post and a few chuckles. :) 


So here we go...

I wonder if it tastes like a Gala, Granny Smith or a Fuji?

1. Beetles taste like apples, wasps like pine nuts, and worms like fried bacon.

2. What is called a "French kiss" in the English speaking world is known as an "English kiss" in France.

3. "Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.

4. In 1386, a pig in France was executed by public hanging for the murder of a child

5. A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off!

6. Human thigh bones are stronger than concrete.

7. You can't kill yourself by holding your breath

8. There is a city called Rome on every continent.

9. It's against the law to have a pet dog in Iceland!

10. Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people

11. Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin!

12. Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

13. Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a "Friday the 13th."

14. Coca-Cola would be green if colouring weren’t added to it.

15. On average a hedgehog's  heart beats 300 times a minute.

16. More people are killed each year from bees than from snakes.

17. You're born with 300 bones, but by the time you become an adult, you only have 206. 

18. The placement of a donkey's eyes in its' heads enables it to see all four feet at all times!

19. It's against the law to burp, or sneeze in a church in Nebraska, USA.

Bonus Fact: The average person laughs 10 times a day.


Share with me: Which one do you like the best? Anything make you laugh? Anything you find hard to believe??


*I feel compelled to say that I have not verified the truth of any of the above statements. That would defeat the purpose of an "easy post". :) 

**Useless facts courtesy of http://world-english.org/facts.htm

7 Tips To Help You Conquer Your TO-DO List

The almighty TO-DO List.

We all have them, right? If we don't actually scribble out our tasks on paper, we certainly keep a tally of things that need to get done in our heads.

I used to rage against my to-do lists. Mainly because they were so long...in my home, there's always at least 10 things that need to get done right now! I'm guessing your home is no different.

But the other day I had a huge break through when it came to my chore list. I actually got everything done! And not because this particular list was any shorter or easier than past lists. So I sat down to analyze why this busy day was more productive than most. Here are the seven tips I used to blow through my to-do list.

1. Complete the easiest or fastest job first

Experts say when a person is paying down their credit card debt to start with the smallest balance first to "trick" yourself into seeing the quickest results, to build momentum and to set yourself up for success. I'm convinced that any sort of task, like cleaning or chores in general, requires that same kind of psychological boost. The more items I see being crossed off quickly, the more fired up I get to cross off another item.

2. Don't get distracted by side jobs that aren't on the list

This is so easy for me to do. As I'm putting one item away, I'll pass something that needs to get taken care of and feel the need to fix it immediately. Ultimately, I end up sidetracked and take much longer to finish a single task. The other day, my task was folding laundry (and actually getting it put away!) but as I walked past my pantry door to take the clothes upstairs, I saw numerous, grubby little fingerprints all over the white door. So I set down the pile of clothes, found one of those Magic Erasers and scrubbed away. The results were so fun, I ended up scrubbing all my downstairs doors, and some baseboards. Two hours and 10 wrinkly fingers later, my doors looked great but my laundry wasn't done. I had wasted my time on a task that didn't NEED to get done right then. Even though it WAS fun! (The results, not the work.) :)

3. Get the kiddies involved (if you have them)

I tried this the other day and it was a big hit. I'm one of those moms that gives her kids chores anyways, but on this particular day I was trying to make cleaning fun for them. So I made each of my three kids a to-do list with three jobs on each. Little things like "pick up toys", "take towels downstairs", "make your bed". Of course, my two year-old's list was a poorly drawn hieroglyphic but she got the point...and more importantly they rushed through their little lists because it was fun for them to cross off each one with their big crayons. And those were all jobs that I didn't have to do, so it left me with time to do other things. Now, they ask every time we clean if I will make them each a list. Score!

4. Organize paper prep/supplies before you begin

It never fails. Right as I'm walking out the door to run my list of errands, I realize I haven't printed a certain recipe, or clipped a particular coupon, or checked my son's shoe size (because they change so darn fast, I can't always remember) so I know for sure what size baseball socks to buy. Or if I'm all geared up to work on a homework project with my son or any number of other things...I stop short, realizing I don't have the index cards I need or the correct color of glitter or I ran out of staples...whatever it is, it slows me down. Plan ahead.

5. Find small time blocks to do small tasks on the go

In order to keep the momentum going, even when you have to run out of the house...say for school pick up, a sports practice or the like...bring something to do while you wait. Most people have smart phones now and can check email, blogs, etc. but what else can you do in your car? I'm a bit OCD about the piles of magazines/catalogs I receive in the mail. Even if I know I won't be purchasing something from Pottery Barn Kids, Victoria's Secret, J. Crew, and the slew of other subscriptions I have, I still feel the need to flip through each one before I am free to toss it in the recycle bin. (Not sure why I have this compulsion.) So I have been known to take my mail with me to read in my car while I wait to pick up my kids from school.  That might be a me-specific example. But there are countless other ways to accomplish something while waiting...grocery list composing maybe?

6. Don't take a break

This one seems counter intuitive but I promise you, the second you sit down to take a short break, to check email, to read one chapter, etc., your adrenaline/mood will settle and slow until you can't be pried off the couch if the curtains were to catch on fire.

7. Channel Scarlett O'Hara

My favorite heroine (or villain, depending on your perspective), Scarlett O'Hara used to say "I can't think about that now. I'll think about it tomorrow" when she was feeling overwhelmed or exhausted. That phrase gave her permission to regroup and focus on what needed to be done immediately. The other stuff could wait until tomorrow. Life has a tendency to rush in and feel like everything's happening all at once. When the list is demanding to get finished today, break it down. What can be pushed back until tomorrow?

Share with me: What do you think of these tips? Any that you already utilize? Any good ones I forgot to include? Are you a list maker?

Even Nature Sings God's Glory

Spring makes me think of God. 

Everything is cheery and fresh and sunny. His creation is alive with newness and life and color. 

It makes me happy. 

And it makes me joyful. 

While doing Beth Moore's David, Seeking A Heart Like His Bible study, she made a comment in one of her videos about nature and how it can't NOT worship God. How God uses His creation to constantly reveal His glory to man. 

She cited Psalm 19:1-3, which says, "The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard."

Which made me think of Luke 19...when the disciples were shouting out and praising God, the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke them. His reply??? "If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." (verse 40)

The flowers, the stars, the butterflies, the clouds...they know WHO created them, and can't help but be and do what the Master created them to do or be.  

Now, every time I see a tree branch blowing in the wind, I think, that tree is praising God! 

Or when the clouds roll across a sunny sky, I think, those puffy clouds are dancing for God! 

Paints a picture, doesn't it? A beautiful, worshipful picture of His beauty and majesty. 

My family recently took a one hour drive to a little place near us called Daffodil Hill. As the name suggests it is a hill completely buried in daffodils. I snapped a few pictures that made me think that nature was worshiping the One who designed them. 

I hope they make you reflect on the One who lovingly made you, too!

Share with me: Have you considered this concept before? Does it delight you as it does me? What nuance of nature brings you face to face with God's brilliance? 


 *All photos are my own