Prayer Challenge Day 31

I generally have a very hot temper.  At the flip of a switch (I guess located deep in the darkness of my frontal lobe) I can become so angry that:

a) My blood pressure rises astronomically.  I know this because I feel the heat that generates and can hear my blood pulsing through my veins in my own ears.

b) My teeth gnash together.

c) My mind races and then eventually spews words out of that hole on my face that can never ever be retracted.

I don't hit or get physical.  But I do say things that twenty minutes later....normally....I am regretting.

I'm not slow to anger.

My husband is slow to anger.  He can sit back or walk away or even better....push it down deep inside so he "doesn't have to deal with it."  I didn't mean even better in a an even better way!!!

No, not me I don't want to die from being a bottled up mess of anger and resentment.  You keep your passive.  I'll keep my aggressive.

Or will I?

I've known about my "quick to anger" side for quite a while.  No denial here!  I know I have it.  Over the past few months I've worked hard, very hard, to control that side of me.  It was difficult at first because I would become so angry that I would say, "whatever, self, I'm mad and I have every right to be."

Until I realized, I did not have every right to be mad.

I had every right to be upset but I also had to realize that every time I was angered it was killing some of my well being and potentially risking relationships.

Over the few months that I have been working on my new & improved slow to anger self I have seen good changes in how I feel.  Dare I say I've been quite proud that things that riled me up before I now see in a different light.  I'm calmer and I try to see the complete picture before I go off the deep end with rage.

Some of you feel me.  You know what its like to be a person who angers easily and has trust issues and questions a lot more than maybe they should.

Today I challenge you to pray for help in the areas of anger.  Pray to be a person who is slow to anger and can resist the urge to speak and embrace the urge to think.  Think about what has made you so ill and see what a better response is other than screaming your head off and saying words that cannot be forgotten.

All it takes is ten seconds and a walk away to start being a healthier and happier you.

Tasty Tuesday

There is this blog called Lovely Little Kitchen and her recipes are fab!

When I saw this.....




I thought, "Daaaaaaaaaammmnnnn Gina!"

I know, I'm aging myself by using that term.

So I made it...oh my gosh...did I make it.  That is one of the best desserts I have ever baked and put in my mouth.  Its not killer sweet and a little piece is so filling.

If you're looking for something different to bake this season this is it guys.  Maybe for Easter!  Considering it is lemon and fresh and delicious I think it would fit your table perfectly.

Enjoy!

Prayer Challenge: Holy Week

Yesterday, for Christians, was Palm Sunday.  It marks the beginning of the last week of Jesus' life as a man and leads up to his death and resurrection (Easter).  Many Christian churches celebrate by having palm leaves available to their congregants and at some point either the whole crowd or just the kids wave them.  I have memories of Palm Sunday that include toddlers smacking those around them with the palms, being tickled on the neck by a palm thanks to the jokester behind you, covering yourself in as many as possible and deeming it camo.  Fun times...

I was thinking, yesterday, about how things we see as insignificant are so amazingly important.

Kind of like a palm leaf.

If I didn't have Palm Sunday I wouldn't feel anything towards a piece of the plant that conducts photosynthesis.  It would be like any other leaf to me...basically nothing.  BUT because its what the people who regarded Jesus Christ in high favor waved at him on the day he came into the city in which he would die it means so much more than just being a leaf.

The same goes for the donkey that Jesus used to enter Jersusalem on.  It was a donkey not a horse or a camel or elephant or anything grand.  Just an old "heehaw" that it so common place to myself that I rarely ever regard them.  They do work...they protect....the bite. I'm not in awe over a donkey.

But my Messiah made the donkey so much more than a standard farm tool.

God takes small things and makes big impacts with them.  I can imagine right now He's making ripples in your life and waiting for you to take notice.  Perhaps, you have noticed and are trying to figure out what your next step will be.

Today (and this week) I challenge you to be much more aware of the small things you see as non details and give them a second look. There could be a whole world of newness in the itty bitty overlooked parts of our daily lives.

Pray for God to help you see them and help you react and act with them in the way that is meant.

Around the Home: Easter Decor/Mom Fail

I had this great idea that I would decorate (like go crazy decorating) for Easter.  I figured since we didn't get into our house until right at Christmas I would divulge the kids in a Springy Easter Wonderland.  I had visions of decor.....

Via All You

Via Snowymoon.loveitsomuch.com

Ofdesign.net

organizinghomelife.com

Via Popsugar

Instead....I failed - epic failed.

I put out the TWO little decorations we have and kinda got lost in the chaos of life.  OK, OK I did put up some window clings and pick some buttercups but really I failed.

So I'm on a mission this week....I'm making it right to my kiddos.  We're going to craft and bake and cook and celebrate not just Easter but Spring in general.  The cool thing they both have in common is the promise of LIFE!  So you keep your bunny perfection and gorgeous porcelain eggs.....we're going to celebrate with lots of glue sticks and randomness.

Some cool ideas I have found:

  

Bling eggs found on Pinterest

 

Recycled Chic via Pinterest!

 

via craftsncoffee.com

From cometogetherkids.com

So show off your Easter Decor so I can swoon and wish I was a better mom....I really love to see it and share some cool craft ideas...we have Spring Break next week too....so yeah send 'em to me!

Congratulations!

We have a winner for the Calahaln Cream Giveaway!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations Kimberly F!  Please submit your mailing address to me as soon as possible so that I can get your three cakes of Calahaln Cream in the mail.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Friday 5: Random Assortment

1.  A not so great Monday?  Change that.

Monday I had plans.  My plans fell through.  I was a little bummed but as I sat in my car at 8AM I realized I could do something rewarding with my time.  So I went to my favorite school and volunteered for three and a half hours.  When I say my favorite school...I mean it.  I love every bit of that campus.  The people are amazing and the atmosphere is great.  When I left I had lunch with my Jen Jen who I haven't seen in a week.  Then my husband came home for a little while which is always a plus considering he's working extra this week.  Oh and I got a jump start on my spring cleaning.  Can I also just add we had BEAUTIFUL weather on Monday?!



2.  New food love.

This stuff is amazing!  Its like yogurt but not.  I highly recommend you try it its low in cals and high in protein and is very filling  I may work with it to change up my regular routine of oatmeal for breakfast.  Yummmmmy!

3.  Celebration!

Tonight we're going out to dinner and for drinks with some friends to celebrate his new job.  I cannot wait to have a fun night out!  I'm also super excited our kids get to see their favorite person in the world!



4.  Pull Ups

I'm moving my Little Man to the land of Pull Ups this weekend.  He's showing interest and wanting to be a big boy bathroom bandit.  I'm cool with it.  Let's do this.



5.  I'm ready to have some Easter Fun.

I think the kids and I will do some Eastery style things this weekend.  Our church is having the big children's Easter celebration on Sunday so its the perfect timing (and ok it is a week before the actual day...I get it).  I guess I'll be buying extra eggs and dye and all that fun stuff.  Are you doing any Easter fun?

If you're local to me and want to come to the Easter Celebration just let me know!  You can email or comment.