Merry Monday!

Busy day!  Had the most disorientating conversation with someone at the electric company.  Our meter was read incorrectly, causing the bill to be extremely higher than it should be.  It took some time but was finally resolved.  I officially know how to read an electric meter and will be watching them very closely for now on to make sure that does not happen again!  Finally gathered my projects for Christmas crafts.  Yep, we are almost onto the 13th of December with pretty much no one's gifts bought or made.  We are busy making memories.  Procrastination is just the way we roll, but it will all get done.  I want to share my crafts so badly but I do not want anyone that might be receiving from me to read this!  After Christmas, I will make it up to all of you with tutorials and some giveaways.  I am saving at least one of each Christmas craft and some lucky readers will win them!  In the meantime, if you need Christmas ideas, check out my friend Cheri's blog. 
Good stuff, I tell you. 

Have some cuteness to keep you entertained for now, courtesy of my little loves:

What an interesting box!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I will not nap. 

No I will not.







 
Statistics say that 10% of all people won’t like us, so let’s enjoy the 90% who do and stop worrying about the 10% who don’t! –Joyce (Meyer)

I added her last name in parenthesis because this was a status update from Facebook yesterday from
Joyce Meyer Ministries.  Joyce always has the best advice right when you need it most. 
She has quite the gift of Godly counsel.  Now, I do suspect that the statistic may be higher than 10%, but hey, we all get what she means. 

The problems that this 10% (ish) have might not even be EVERYTHING about you.  It might be the way you speak, how you carry yourself, your parenting methods, etc.  Whatever their hangup might be,
Joyce is so right...let's STOP WORRYING about it!  Life is just too crazy for each of us to spend your time distracted with such things.  Distraction leads to doubt.  Doubt leads to depression. 
These are not things that are of God. 

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. 
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  John 10:10 KJV

Now, I am not telling you that the 10% (ish) are the enemy.  This cannot be true, because we are not all the enemy.  Did you get that?  We have all at one time, either though silent (or not so silent) thoughts criticized someone.  Maybe it was someone dressed oddly that made you hold your purse a little tighter or someone that got too close into your personal space while shopping.  This group of people are not necessarily people you have even encountered more than once in your life.  Have you ever just had a trying week and then that ONE glare, that ONE comment or not-so-subtle giggle from someone across the room just
tipped the iceberg?  

This is where it becomes something bigger.  We take that iceberg and make it something bigger.  We wonder after our children are in bed if we have "done enough".  We look at our home made Christmas gifts and think, "this is a foolish gift".  We set a 15-minute timer to clean up our homes after a day of making memories with our children and think, "Martha would have that ceiling fan dusted and new drapes sewn" while wiping the sweat off of our brow just from making the common areas livable! 

We become distracted.  We suddenly forget the joyful giggles that we received from wearing hampers on our head and running around like lions.  Slobbery kisses and games of peek-a-boo can instantly become a distant memory if you let them.  Your joy can feel miles away if you let it.  The excitement you got from gathering ideas for Christmas gifts on Pinterest and the happiness of the intended receiver can be brushed off as a foolish idea if you let it. 

This is where it is no longer a matter of what another person thinks, but what the enemy wants you to be cheated of.  He sees that this bothers you and runs with it.  This is why we must be careful not to criticize others, if even only in our silent thoughts, because we never know if we might be the tip of someones iceberg. 

You see, it is not even the 90% that we need focus all of our energy on. 
Yes, it is wonderful to have friendship.  God wants us to have each other for fellowship.
What matters in the end is One.  In the end, everything is between you and God. 
Keep your eyes on Jesus and hold fast to His Word.
Enjoy the abundant life He brings. 
This is His birthday gift to you.