Happy Homemaker Monday

As I look outside my window:
It's dark now and cold outside.  The temp has slowly went down from about 50 this morning and now it's in the 20's!  brrrr

Right now I am:
Sitting at the kitchen table.  We've finished supper.  Now I'm getting all my invoices and things processed from today's installations.

Thinking and pondering:
Going over different things and trying to come up with ideas on how to raise money for our mission trip to Haiti in March.

On my bedside table:
I'm reading an assigned book called "How to Read Literature Like a Professor" and I'm also participating in a bible study over the book "Made to Crave"

On my TV tonight:
TV?  What's that?  With school, our business, and the normal housewife duties I just don't have time for TV.

Listening To:
My husband has the TV on in the living room.  I don't know what he is watching but I can hear it in the background.

On the menu for this week:
Monday - Skillet Spaghetti 
Tuesday - Chicken Taco Soup
Wednesday - Apple Chops
Thursday - Turkey Casserole
Friday - ?
Saturday - ?
I purchased a new cookbook a couple weeks ago and I love it!  It literally includes a weekly menu plan for 4 meals, a grocery list, and recipes!  Oh, and every recipe is less than 500 calories per serving!

On my to do list:
Right now this was the last thing on my to do list for the day!  I'll be going to bed shortly!

Plans for this week:
Monday - Babysitting Isaac & Sophie
Tuesday - Babysitting Isaac & Sophie
Wednesday - Babysitting Isaac & Sophie - I have an English Unit quiz and a discussion post in Western Civ due.  Evening church service
Thursday - Study for Western Civ & Music Appreciation Test
Friday - Test in Western Civ & Music Appreciation

What I am sewing, knitting, crocheting, or creating:
I have many unfinished projects on my table; hairbow holder, pillowcase dresses, paci clips, bibs...

My simple pleasure:
Morning coffee...

Lesson learned this past week:
Things break.  It doesn't mean that I have done anything wrong.  It just means that appliances won't last forever.  It's just life!  Now I need to figure out how to buy a new coffee pot and a new dryer.

Looking around the house:
I need to spend some time cleaning.  I have so much on my plate that most days I simply pick up, and straighten up but my floors need swept & mopped and my furniture needs dusted.  I'd like to do that on Saturday!

From the camera:

looking forward to spring

Prayer List:

My Mother who is having a procedure tomorrow.  My Dad who is having health problems.  Our Mission Trip to Haiti - praying we'll be able to raise the money that we need.

Bible Verse, Devotional:

"...Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was whole from that hour." Matthew 9:22 KJV

~Blessings

Krista

That's me to a T

I wish I ...

• owned a multi-needle embroidery machine so I could have a thriving business.
• had a garden full of fresh vegetables.
• could lose weight.
• had a beautiful front yard with colorful flowers and beautiful landscaping.
• had a college degree.

Chapter 3 of Made to Crave fits me to a T!  You see I look around at life and the things I wish I had but very rarely do I ever put in the time to make these things possible.  Granted I may do it for a while but then I quit.  Yes, I'm calling myself out today.  I'M A QUITTER!  Why?  because I lack the motivation it takes to invest the time & energy into finishing the project.

Do you need examples?  Okay, here goes:  Last year I planted seeds for tomato & cucumber plants.  I watered them as needed until I saw the first little buds.  They were so cute & adorable.  When the time was right I transplanted each bud into it's own little pot.  Hoping and praying for fresh vegetables come summer.  Guess what?  Those little plants never made it out of the little pots.  I let them die.  I didn't water them and care for them enough to keep them growing.  Some other project came up that took more of my time and they never made into the ground.  So, guess what?  I bought all my tomatoes & cucumbers from a fruit stand down the road.  I wanted the fruit but I didn't have the necessary gumption to do what was required of me.

Do you need another example?  I love to sew!  I own a small single needle sewing/embroidery machine.  I have people all the time ask me to make things for them and I do...in my own time.  I would love to own a multi-needle embroidery machine.  Why you ask?  Because I'd love to expand my business.  To do that requires that I invest money and I mean a good chunk of money!  That requires that I invest a lot of time to really sew every day.  Not just every other day or when I 'feel' like it!  Now on this subject something else comes into play and not just the necessary discipline to do the work.  I am scared of failure.  What if I invest all this time & money and I fail?  

That brings us to my third example, losing weight!   For years I've wanted to lose weight and I need to lose weight for my health.  I turned 40 this last year and I made a commitment to be more healthy!  Guess what?  I've lost 20 pounds and then I stopped.  I've made so many excuses; first it was all our family birthdays in October, then came Thanksgiving, and then Christmas.  I mean who can diet during all those parties.  Why should I deny myself?  Please!  

In my mind I know that I can't just wish myself thinner and it happen.  I know that I have to put in the time and be committed but my heart doesn't follow my mind.  I have to have the will-power and determination to keep trying.  How do you change your heart?  My heart wants chips, salsa, cheese, and pasta!  

Is it really my heart?  or does my heart want to be thin and my mind isn't following suit?  I don't know but what I do know is I need a change.  I need to be less scared of failure.  I need to realize that God is in control, that is if I let him be.  

My nephew had his tonsils & adenoids removed back in December and I took care of him a couple of days.  I tried relentlessly to get him to eat & drink.  I followed him around with a cup of water constantly trying to get him to drink.  Finally he said "I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it!"  That is me!  My will is so strong that I feel like I am being deprived of things that I want and I began to justify why I should just eat what I want, buy what I want, sew when I want, etc.  

Something has to give!  I'm tired of the constant struggle.  I'm tired of having the will power for weeks on end and then just giving up.  I'm not just referring to food either.  I need this in my life.  In all my decisions.  In everything I want or desire.  If it is good then I need to be willing to invest the time, energy, money, effort, and most of all my entire mind and heart to completing my goal!  

I need to quit giving up because no one who gives up win a race, right?  That's why I say that it is a heart thing!  My point today is that it sounds like my will needs to be broken so that I can have God's will in my life.  I know God isn't going to just hand me everything in life.  He is not the fairy godmother in Cinderella!  However, if I will work for the good things I desire then he will give me those things.  He can also give me a change of heart!  

Prayer...I've been doing a lot of that lately.  

~Blessings

Krista

Permissible But Not Beneficial

I wanted to participate in today's blog hop but after reviewing the options I thought that I didn't have anything to contribute and then I opened my email.  Do you see that picture above?  Isn't it beautiful?  Starbucks is my weakness and I promise you that 10 years ago Starbucks was the beginning of the end for me.  On my way to work each day I passed a Starbucks.  Before too long I became a gold card member.  Every day I would order a Grande Toffee Nut Latte and some days I'd even order the Toffee Nut Brownie to go along with it.  Not many days passed and I found myself 50 pounds heavier than I was when I moved to Knoxville.  Fast forward to today.  You see I now know how to go into Starbucks and order a drink that is good and not bad too bad for me; a non-fat sugar free vanilla latte.  It also is about 1000 calories less than a Toffee Nut Latte.

As soon as I opened this email I started thinking about how I could possibly swing by a Starbucks today.  It says it is handcrafted just for me!  It's like that little cup is taunting me.  How does Starbucks know that I am trying to purge my life of things that are not beneficial for me?  You may ask does Starbucks really hold you captive?  I will answer at times YES!  I see a commercial or receive emails such as this and I immediately feel like I need that latte.  So, I ask myself these questions.  Do I really need it?  Is it beneficial for me?  Is it really worth the calories that I'll consume from just a drink.  I could eat an entire meal for the calories that small cup holds.

"All things are lawful for me...but all things edify not." 1 Corinthians 10:23 KJV

This is the verse that we are studying in our Made to Crave online bible study this week.  In the book she says she would quote this verse over and over to herself to remind her that although she could have those brownies or chips that they wouldn't benefit her in any way.  Today I choose to be #empowered in making a choice that is beneficial for me and not just permissible.  I will not feel deprived of an unhealthy choice!  I will enjoy my one cup of coffee this morning and then water the rest of the day.  Today Starbucks will not control my decisions!  I am trying now to ask myself this question before eating or drinking anything; Is it beneficial for me?

~Blessings
Krista

Made to Crave

I want to share something with you all that I read in my Made to Crave devotional. I don’t know about you but I like food. I like to try different kinds of food. I don’t really eat a lot of sweets but I do eat a lot of starches. I eat when I’m happy and I eat when I’m sad. I eat when I’m bored. I eat when I’m stressed. Sometimes I go hours and hours without eating because I get busy doing other things and just never stop to eat. Anyways very rarely do I ever just eat for sustenance which is what God intended. I am trying to change the way I think about food in general. I am not buying junk and I eat what we have. This was in the chapter I read today.

Can you recall specific situations in which you turned to food for these reasons?
· Comfort
· Reward
· Joy
· Stress
· Sadness
· Happiness
I had to get honest enough to admit it: I relied on food more than I relied on God. I craved food more than I craved God. Food was my comfort. Food was my reward. Food was my joy. Food was what I turned to in times of stress, sadness, and even in times of happiness. Is it possible that we love and rely on food more than we love and rely on God?

So this got me to thinking about times that I do this. I’ve done this for years. When the kids made good grades we all went out to eat. When I am stressed I eat cheese and crackers or popcorn. When I am sad I’ll make a comfort food like pasta. When I’m sick we have something laden with fat or butter like potato soup and cornbread. I’m not saying that celebrations shouldn’t involve a special meal but in most if not all of these situations shouldn’t we go to God before we go to food. I know I’ve been guilty and prayer was the furthest thing from my mind. This book says when you start craving something unhealthy that you should pray because usually you are going through something that you need God for so instead of reaching for what you are craving you should reach for God. I know this may sound a little different to some but can you imagine how much some of us would be praying and you know we all need to pray more! The best thing about this book is that it isn’t about the weight. It’s about making sure that food is not your idol. Instead of craving food we should crave God!

~Blessings

Krista

A Sad Day

September 2011 - My brand new Keurig along with all the k-cups my family bought for my birthday.

It’s a sad day at the Singleton house.  After 2 ½ years my Keurig made its last cup of coffee this morning.  It is dead and can’t revive it.  L

Quiet Mornings

I am sitting in my recliner this morning, reading my devotional, and drinking a cup of coffee.  Elizabeth is at school.  Trevlyn & Charlie are both working.  The house is quiet, but yet not at the same time.  Have you ever thought about silence?  Silence is the absence of sound, but yet quiet to me is about peace.

Let me tell you about my quiet.  I hear a bird chirping outside.  Not a flock of birds but literally one bird and not constantly but just every once in a while.  The clock on the wall behind me beats out the seconds.  At times this sound would be annoying but today it reminds me that life is moving on.  Periodically I hear a car as it passes.  Time, it doesn't stop for anyone or anything.

My calendar in the kitchen has pictures of beaches.  Beautiful water, white sand, sea shells...you know the kind of calendars I'm talking about. There are days that in order to find my happy place, my peaceful existence that I stand in front of that calendar and just stare.  It brings back to my remembrance peaceful times, good times, laughter, family, and love.  Then I can breathe again.  I know all is well and everything is going to be alright.  Peace comes back into my soul.

I am thankful for peace.  I started my blog back in 2008.  Five years have gone by.  So much has happened in that five years.  As I read through my posts I can tell there were many days that I didn't have peace.  I wasn't content.  I was unhappy.  Today I can honestly say that I am happy and at peace.  Does that mean that my life is all roses and chocolate?  Of course not!  Does that mean that we never struggle to pay our bills?  HA, of course not!  Does that mean that I don't worry about my children?  Of course not!  What that does mean is that today the God of all glory has given me peace!  I know that with him everything is going to be just fine.

I pray that anyone who may ever read this post knows the Lord as their personal Savior and can find that peace that I have found that only comes from Him.

~Blessings
Krista

Sheltered in the Arms of God

Do you ever wake up and just feel so grateful for everything God has done for you?  I mean almost feeling unworthy by all his goodness. Where you know that no matter what may happen, what trials you may face that God is holding you in the palm of his hand.

That's how I feel this morning. I woke up about 4:30 then fell asleep. Then about 5:30when I heard Beth leaving to go to a workout class. Then again about 7:30 when she came back and Trevlyn woke up. LOL. I finally just got up...  The best part is that every time I woke up I felt like I was being held by God. A lot of nights I struggle to sleep all night. I either clench my teeth or have nightmares but last night even though I didn't sleep constantly I felt like I was being held in the arms of God all night. I woke up this morning feeling loved by God and so so grateful for all his mercy on me & my family.

That's just my heart this morning.  I often revert back to song lyrics when my own words seem to fail me. This song pretty much sums up how I feel today:

"So let the storms rage high the dark clouds rise they don't worry me for I'm sheltered safe within the arms of God. He walks with me and none on earth may harm me for I'm sheltered in the arms of God."

Blessings
Krista