{semi} wordless wednesday

out for now

~kisses

my golden calf

i love my morning quiet time with God.  just this girl and her Father hanging out, enjoying some coffee and some much needed time in His word.  it just really starts my day in a great way and points it in the right direction.

i was reading my devotional yesterday and all of a sudden God gave me one of those "aha" moments. you know the ones, they leave you sitting there with your mouth gaping open. those moments that the light bulb clicks in our brain and illuminates what God is doing. yeah, i kinda love those moments huge amounts.

i've made food an idol.

what?  are you as shocked as i was?  i had to take time to process it and talk through it, out loud of course.  let me say it again, i've made food an idol.  wow, isn't that ouchie.  surely that can't be right.  how in the world do you make FOOD an idol?

then i remembered something, a past blog post.  one where i described food as my boyfriend.  here is a little snippet of it:

seriously, we've always had an intense love affair. it's always there for you, never lets you down and always makes you feel good. let's face it...food's always there to fill you with delicious goodness. if i was sad, food would cheer me up...if i was happy, food would celebrate with me...if i was lonely, food would keep me company. 

now, read that last paragraph and replace the word food with God.  and that, my friends, is when it hit me like a ton of bricks.  it was true.  food was my golden calf and i worshiped at it's feet.  instantly my heart was just sad.  can you imagine how much it grieved God when i would run to food to celebrate instead of Him?  or when i would run to food to soothe my sadness instead of Him?  i've been breaking God's heart for years and didn't even know it.

let me touch for a quick second on idolatry.  i'm not an expert in it by any means but i did do a little research on it.  idolatry is trying to get your needs met outside the will of God.  an idol is anything more important to you than God.  anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God and anything you seek to give you what only God can give.  anything in life can become an idol...sex, sports, alcohol, beauty, money, drugs, video games, careers, facebook and even food.  when we put something else before God in our hearts, we are idolaters.  God HATES idolatry.

You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me

Exodus 20:5

now that i've recognized the idolatry in my heart, i need to confess it, repent and ask God for His help.  i need to choose to be content in Christ alone and not search for happiness or comfort in food.  i am going to obey God and trust Him to lead this journey, to lead my actions and thoughts.  i'm going to run to Him when i'm happy, sad, stressed, bored and every other emotion you can think of.   

 Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts

1 John 5:21

out for now
~kisses  

{on a side note, if you ever see me talking to myself and think i'm losing my mind.  no worries, it's just me doing my normal "God talk".  i just talk to God like He's sitting right beside me.  yep, i talk right out loud and just use normal, everyday language like i would talking to my best friend over coffee.} 

meal planning monday

monday - pizza

tuesday - boneless ribs and homemade mac and cheese

wednesday - potato soup and bread bowls

thursday - chicken and biscuit casserole

friday - something fast, fast, fast since i have a session

saturday - out to dinner with the fam

sunday - bbq chicken and cheesy potatoes

out for now
~kisses

happy fathers day {part 2}

happy fathers day to my birth-father alan.  i hope you all have a wonderful day!!! we love you insane amounts!

God took the strength of a mountain

The majesty of a tree

The warmth of a summer sun

The calm of a quiet sea

The generous soul of nature

The comforting arm of night

The wisdom of the ages

The power of the eagle's flight

The joy of a morning in spring

The faith of a mustard seed

The patience of eternity

The depth of a family need

Then God combined these qualities

When there was nothing more to add

He knew His masterpiece was complete

And so, He called it DAD

out for now
~kisses

happy fathers day {part 1}

this is a day when we can celebrate one of life's priceless treasures - our fathers. i am fortunate and oh so blessed. i have a father who is an amazing example of what a Christian father should be. Godly Dads are priceless and are a gift from God.

thank you for being my father. i am beyond blessed by being your daughter! thank you for everything you've taught me, from putting shingles on a roof to changing my own oil. you wanted to make sure i was able to do it all myself, and i thank you for that!

happy fathers day dad!

Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man? The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. 

Proverbs 20:6-7

out for now

~kisses

hero's disguised as husbands

this lucky girl is married to a hero.

he doesn't wear a cape or leap from buildings. he's an everyday hero in this house. a hard-working, tenderhearted guy. he takes care of his wife and his littles, normally putting their wants/needs before his own. he will completely stop what he is doing to help someone in need. and he follows God.

that right there is the best kind of hero.

i'm not sure he realizes what a complete hero he is to me, to us. it's evident to me daily.

so i'm here to let my hero know a few things...

i need him.
i love knowing my husband will step in and defend me or protect me in a moments notice. he would fight for my honor.  inappropriateness, disrespect, oogling...he'll step in a tend to them all.  

my hero.  sigh.

i lean on him.
i know the world pushes independent women. and they sure aren't fond of women that aren't independent whatsoever. i'm totally capable of being that woman but i'm so thankful to have a man i can rely on. if there's an emergency, i call him. if there's excitement, i call him. you have no idea how many spiders he has killed over the years, which that alone qualifies him as being my hero. he's held me while i sobbed over a loss. he's fixed leaks. he's calmed me down when i called him freaking out.

he is a true hero. loving me quietly.

i'd be lost without him.
i know this sounds a little over-the-top, but it is true. i would be lost without his loving and protecting arms around me. i would be lost without his voice telling me it will all be okay. i would be lost without his body to snuggle me at night.

a great hero.  an everyday hero.

my hero.

out for now

~kisses

a proverbs 31 woman

Her husband is respected at the city gate, 

where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 

She makes linen garments and sells them, 

and supplies the merchants with sashes. 

Proverbs 31:23-24

this noble woman is every man's dream. other men respect her virtue and loyalty to her husband, which can clearly be seen.  they know that this woman is a lady in the truest sense of the word.  she is an asset to her husband, and not a liability.  her husband is well respected because of the wife's testimony.

as wives, we can have a huge influence over how the community views our husband. it is so easy to get caught up in our own interests and desires, and easily lose sight of stepping in front of our husbands socially in a community of believers. while the wife can be one who takes charge in certain things (business, tending to her household, etc.) it is the man who should clearly be the head of the household.  even though submission can be hard, especially for this girl, we really need to make it a priority.    

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Ephesians 5:22-24

she's an enabler in the best sense. she enables her husband to be a man of influence outside their home. her husband to be a man of influence outside their home because of how well she runs their home. their marriage is a joint partnership, they are both helping each other to fulfill Gods desire for them.

we see that she has yet another source of income. she sees her husbands concerns over finances and wants to help him if she can. the context of the Scripture is that a proverbs 31 woman is not a couch-potato who sits around doing nothing. we are to stay busy, using our time wisely for the benefit of our family. 

so this week, be an asset to your husband and try your best to learn what submission looks like in a Godly marriage. don't forget to stop back next friday as we take a look at more virtues of the Proverbs 31 woman. remember, keep your eyes on Him!

out for now
~kisses

summer list '13

oh yes, summer is here and we are in LOVE with it!!  we have big plans for this to be the best. summer. ever.  here is a list of everything we want to do this summer:

* swim a LOT
* day at delgrosso's
* fish...and fish...and fish...and fish...
* 4-wheeler rides
* horseback riding 
* go canoeing
* have a picnic in the middle of the woods (without getting a tick please)
* car shows
* camping
* make homemade pizza
* watch fireworks
* take dogs on a walk
* spend lots of time with family 
* visit the farm at camp
* county fair
* buy a camper
* tube down the river multiple times
* late night campfires
* read on a blanket at the beach
* get icecream
* time with friends
* have mommy/daddy time...pleeeeease oh pleeeeease
* school clothes shopping (oh joey, already thinking of going back to school)
* spend a week at the beach + boardwalk
* parades
* movie nights
* walk every.single.day.
* go to erie for the day
* have a girls weekend
* make homemade popsicles

out for now
~kisses

{SEMI} wordless wednesday

out for now

~kisses

meal planning monday

monday - chicken fingers and french fries in the oven

tuesday - mississippi roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, roasted brussel sprouts and homemade bread

wednesday - boneless ribs and homemade mac and cheese

thursday - spaghetti and garlic bread sticks

friday - picnic at church

saturday - cookout (hotdogs, mountain pies and smores)

sunday - fathers day :)

out for now
~kisses

WHAT I ♥ ABOUT TODAY

*  worship + fellowship
*  decorating for VBS
*  yummy lunch at church
*  attending a wedding and actually not having to work during it
*  little mini-date with my love

out for now
~kisses

happy birthday dad

happy birthday to THE most kind-hearted man in the world...today is also my dads 77th birthday!!! he is the best, most caring, kind-hearted, always waving, hard-working Christian man i've ever met. and i am proud to have him as my father. he is more of a man than most can even dream of being. he is from the "old school" and still has manners, opens doors and pulls out chairs for women and waves to everyone that drives past, whether he knows you or not.  i secretly love when he then turns to me and says "amy, who was that?".  and i am proud that he is my father!!!

thank you for ALL the things you do for us all year round dad...we all LOVE YOU and hope you have an AMAZING day, which will no doubt be spent on your backhoe! 

out for now
~kisses