Wait, it's Wednesday? Words

Wouldn't it be weird if you realized on Wednesday that you posted Wednesday Words on Tuesday because you thought it was Wednesday?

Weird.
Wednesday again.

Today's Words:

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."
Oscar Wilde

Weird Wednesday Words

"Momma, it would be really weird if when the math problem said, 'You have 5 pounds of nails...' it meant finger nails." 

Yes.
Yes, son that would be really weird.

Wednesday Words: Parmesan cheese

I made a coconut cake for the first time yesterday. My husband loves coconut.

"Why is there Parmesan cheese all over the cake?!" David, age 9

I used this recipe: Coconut Cake. It was delicious (and I don't like coconut very much).

Wednesday Words: The Opposite of a Poker Face

"And when I am lost, which is frequently, I look lost. My face is a transparent transmitter of my every thought. As David once put it, "You have the opposite of a poker face. You have, like... miniature golf face."

Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love


These words made me laugh- out loud.
That's it.
Just funny.

Wednesday Words: Read

I smile when I read this Dr. Seuss quote. I'm thinking of printing it and putting it where the kids can see it.

Wednesday Words

I read the following prayer at the beggining of the week. It resonated with me because it reflected feelings that I have felt. I was humbled to discover the prayer's author and when the prayer was prayed. I have read this prayer many times this week. It prods my prayerful heart. I am not going through a serious trial but I do struggle from day to day. These words encourage me to pray.

"O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you;
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me...

Restore me to liberty,
And enable me so to live now
That I may answer before you and before me.
Lord, whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised."

Dietrick Bonhoeffer, written while waiting execution in a Nazi prison

Wednesday Words: Slowing Down

"Twitter, Facebook, blogging, e-mail, texting, and IMing all provide super-fast ways to communicate. I’m trying to figure them all out. Slowly.

Their advantages are many. I’ve discovered that they can allow us to follow responses to a live event in pretty much real time, keep us connected, and point us to great resources. They encourage spontaneity, while training us to be brief and relevant. I’ve seen many positive uses so far.

But I’ve also seen how they can also tempt us to be slow to listen, quick to speak and quick to become angry—the exact opposite of what we read in James."

Ann Kroeker, author of Not So Fast

These words resonated with me when I read them at the beginning of the month. I am being convicted to slow down. I am recognizing (and not for the first time) that I need to give priority to my physical world and community first before sinking myself into the internet and all that entertains me online. I enjoy the connections I have online. However, my friends, family, and my loving God need my focus above everything I can reach on a key board.

I encourage you to read the rest of the post: Slow to Tweet. Also, check out the Not So Fast website: Not So Fast. Ann has incredibly encouraging posts about living life at a slower pace.

Wednesday Words

Here are some words that are inspiring me:

"The way frugal living is explained in the mainstream media often leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. It’s as if being frugal is something people have to do, because of the economy. It couldn’t possibly be something people want to do. Or could it? I think you know my answer.

So What is Being Frugal?

According to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the definition of “frugal” is: characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources

And while we’re at it, the second definition of “economy” is: thrifty and efficient use of material resources : frugality in expenditures.

So, basically frugality is the thrifty and efficient use of resources, and a frugal person is a person characterized by thrifty and efficient use of resources."

Lynnae McCoy, Back to Basics: What is Frugality

McCoy goes on to say she wants to honor God by using her resources wisely. That's exactly what I want! The Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-28 has been on my mind lately. I want to be more responsible. I want to take care of all I own and all of my commitments. I want to honor God with everything--my money, all that I own, and even my debt. I am either going to honor or dishonor God with the way that I handle my money. I may not have handled my money in the right way in the past but what I do now matters. I am motivated to take my burdens, desires and challenges to God in prayer. I can honor God by doing that. I can honor him by making frugal choices with my money and what I already own. I can honor him by being efficient with my resources.

Wednesday Words

"It might be easy to run away to a monastery, away from the commercialization, the hectic hustle, the demanding family responsibilities of Christmas-time. Then we would have a holy Christmas. But we would forget the lesson of the Incarnation, of the enfleshing of God—the lesson that we who are followers of Jesus do not run from the secular; rather we try to transform it. It is our mission to make holy the secular aspects of Christmas just as the early Christians baptized the Christmas tree. And we do this by being holy people—kind, patient, generous, loving, laughing people—no matter how maddening is the Christmas rush…" Dr. Andrew M. Greeley

These words were so powerful for me when I read them. This year I have been profoundly affected by the mission of Advent Conspiracy. I have also found myself getting increasingly frustrated with the hustle and bustle of Christmas. I have been focused on not getting caught up in the commercialism of Christmas but I have still had lots of Christmas activities (3 Christmas plays/concerts to go to for my children, Christmas shopping to do, goodies to make for the preschool party, and on and on). None of the activities are bad but the busyness of it all can leave me exhausted and stressed. These words remind me that to have "Christmas Presence" I need to be kind, patient, generous, loving and happy in the middle of the hustle and bustle. I can focus on a Christlike attitude and surprise other people with uncommon kindness.

Wednesday Words

"The story of Christ's birth is a subversive story of an upside-down kingdom. It's a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love that is still changing the world to this day. So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists. And when it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling that we somehow missed its purpose. Is this what we really want out of Christmas?"

Christmas can [still] change the world. This year, give Presence.
Advent Conspiracy

These words resonate with me because I like the mission of Advent Conspiracy. I have been learning about Advent Conspiracy the last week or so. It is just what I need. I had already been stressing about the holidays. Isn't that crazy?! These words (and this group) remind me what Christmas is all about. I am changing my focus and I hope to begin teaching my kids that Christmas should not be about indulgence.

Wednesday Words

I checked out a book this week from the library called The Oxford Book of Prayer. It has been encouraging to read. The following quote touched me. It is a beautiful reminder to me that I need to spend selfless time in prayer-- not focused on my needs or concerns.

"Worship is the submismission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of the imagination by his beauty; the opening of the heart to his love; the surrender of will to his purpose--and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy of that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the soure of all actual sin."
William Temple

Wednesday Words

"So why do we worry? Because we do not believe. We are not really convinced that the same Jesus who can keep a sparrow in the air knows where our lost luggage is, or how we are going to pay that auto repair bill, or how we can get to our destination on time. Or if we believe that he can deliver us through our difficulties, we doubt if he will. We let Satan sow seeds of doubt into our minds about his love and care for us... We are to pray about everything. Nothing is to big for him to handle, and nothing is too small to escape his attention."(see Philippians 4:6-7) Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness

I read this last night and it struck a chord with me. I have not been worrying much lately but I realized that I have been failing to include God in the little details of my life. I go through times when I pray more about "big" events or concerns. This was a fantastic reminder to me to include God in my daily routine by praying about my little concerns.

This morning I read:
"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame." Psalm 34:4-5

I am striving to be radiant today!

Wednesday Words

"This feeling of deprivation will undermine any effort to pursure long-term disciplines. The dieter will fail as long as he hates low-calorie food. The would be athlete will fail as long as he hates exertion. The tightwad wannabe will fail as long as he views frugality as a lifestyle he has to endure, or was forced into by cirumstance...recognize that you are engaging in the discipline out of choice. You decide to give up something so that you can have something else... This attitude adjustment is like the question 'Is the glass half empty or half full?' When you recognize that you are making a choice, attitudes change from deprivation to empowerment."

Amy Dacyczyn, The Tightwad Gazette: Promoting Thrift as a Viable Alternative Lifestyle

I picked up this book this weekend at the library. Some of the ideas are humorous to me but many of them are making me think hard about how I use my resources. It is challenging me to think: Am I being responsible with what I have? I love the above quote because I find the perspective of empowerment so much easier on my heart than deprivation.

Wednesday Words

We are most human when we feel dull. Lolling around in a state of restlessness is one of life's greatest luxuries -- one not available to creatures that spend all their time pursuing mere survival. To be bored is to stop reacting to the external world, and to explore the internal one.
Carolyn Y. Johnson “The Joy of Boredom” The Boston Globe

“Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
Proverbs 27:1

The reason these quotes have struck a chord with me this week is simple. I have had so much entertainment lately that I found myself wondering what I was going to do next. We have had rounds of wonderful company and when my last guests left, I felt a bit let down. I was reminded that I can be content with what each day holds. I can be satisfied without longing for more and for the next event.

Wednesday Words

"As we pour love into a child's heart, what refills our own capacity for love? To offer love, we need to know how implausibly we are loved, and that it's not about performance or achievement - on our part or our kids. What lasts are little ways of loving--taking time to play, making "Incredible Edibles" or eating...sandwhiches in a tree. These efforts change the lives of the little ones in our care."Naomi Cramer Overton

I read this in an article in a mom's magazine (MomSense by MOPS international). The article, "What lasts," presented basic ideas about love that are as the primary as the primary colors. Yet it was very, very convicting to my heart. I think the idea behind it can even be applied to all relationships...we need to always keep in mind that we are loved beyond our wildest imagination no matter what we achieve. Just focusing on that could change the way we interact with other people we come in contact with.

Wednesday Words

"Welcome every morning with a smile. Look on the new day as another special gift from your Creator, another golden opportunity to complete what you were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter. Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don't waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail.”

Og Mandino, A Better Way to Live

Wednesday Words

Here's something I read this morning that is making me think.

"O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying to self that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen."
Saint Francis of Assisi

Wednesday Words

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

I am really working on positive communication. I want to build others up with what I say. I want to be an encouragement. I want to focus on the positive instead of the negative. I want to encourage my spouse. I also want to find creative ways to encourage others from my spot as a stay at home mom. I am focusing on this. So far, the focus is mostly causing me to recognize when I mess up. Still, I know being aware is the first step.

Wednesday Words

Romans 8:25
25 "But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."


I enjoyed the 8th chapter of Romans today. This verse speaks to my heart both because of my physical waiting for the birth of my baby and the spiritual waiting of my heart. Feel free to share with me -- about something you are waiting for or some words that are encouraging you this Wednesday.

Words for Wednesday

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

I read these words yesterday and they are weighing heavy on my mind. They are such a good reminder how much of an impact our words have on others. I am trying to remember that pleasant words are powerful. I am trying to focus on positive thoughts, words, and tenderness right now. After all, if pleasant words can be sweet to the soul and heal the bones, surely (after some period of time) they can encourage my boys to be kind to each other!