tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22327334668997973642011-11-15T04:56:21.690-06:00ramblings of a mad housewifemissyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.comBlogger731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-7960501070723226582011-08-10T18:47:00.001-05:002011-08-10T22:19:36.692-05:00

i'm not really sure why this article, "we need boring christians",  made me a little bit bristly, but i'm going to try to make sense of it and process it here. i'm pretty sure i'm just a little defensive after just coming home from my first overseas mission trip. if you're going to understand my ramblings, i'm sorry, but you're going to have to read the article first for this post to make any

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-60460979175143035682011-04-02T18:46:00.001-05:002011-04-02T18:46:59.118-05:00

seriously!?!  i only blinked a few times. i swear. sarah; 6 years old sarah; 16 years old1920's theme prom

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-49500778960270474302011-03-05T00:36:00.001-06:002011-03-05T07:56:19.612-06:00

eucharisteo - thanksgiving - always precedes the miracle. ~ ann voskamp; one thousand gifts, a dare to LIVE FULLY right where you are a few days shy of the start of lent, there's been some chatter going on around here about how each of us is going to observe it this year.  this is not something kevin or i ever did growing up or even as adults until recent years. as a matter of fact, we always

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-36775134709194486432011-02-14T08:14:00.000-06:002011-02-14T08:14:31.642-06:00

...kids like mine. crawled into bed the other night to discover my favorite candy bar nestled in between my pillows with a sweet note from my sweet sarah jay. the timing of the candy bar was perfect and the simple note was just what i needed. left a dirty kitchen for a late night skype date and came out to a clean kitchen compliments of bethany rose.  and this one...she never fails to thank me

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-14800949724568661442011-02-13T08:47:00.000-06:002011-02-13T08:47:11.673-06:00

...in a puddle of tears a little overwhelmed as i catch up on some emails and follow some links that have been sent my way. but mostly... grateful tears for the people that god is bringing into my life by way of our new orphan care ministry at church. the thursday nights when we get together are quickly becoming some of my most favorite times of the week. we are an eclectic group of kindred

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-77813279839634680912011-02-12T18:14:00.000-06:002011-02-12T18:14:30.625-06:00

haven’t posted in a while about what my chronological bible reading group, “the word in 365” is up to, so thought i’d  let you know i’m hanging in there.  we made it through genesis with a quick detour through job in the middle, we’ve just wrapped up exodus and now on to leviticus.  as much as i was dreading this part of the bible, i have to say that i’m reading it with a different perspective

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-37189781681807827152011-01-21T08:26:00.000-06:002011-01-21T08:26:16.072-06:00

whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. john 16:21 as i look at the time on the clock and flash back to this morning 11 years ago, i'm instantly reminded of the pain. birthing sam was, by far, the most intense physical pain i have

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-61583014795476803222011-01-10T10:04:00.000-06:002011-01-10T10:04:35.796-06:00

smile.... when you find pockets full of legos and candy wrappers in the laundry. or when the concept of turning the laundry right side out is completely lost on your kids. when you get a text from your teenager that says "here!" or "luv u mom". when you have poptart crumbs in your bed from a little someone who got up early and decided to join you in your...um....personal, aLoNe, qu?et time. when

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-24578671612827723932011-01-08T08:26:00.000-06:002011-01-08T08:26:28.053-06:00

today is january 8th....the day we remember and celebrate meeting levi for the very first time...last year on this day, something seemingly small and average took place in the wee hours of the morning, but something huge took place in this mama's heart as i remembered....i shared it in a note on facebook because i wasn't blogging at the time.  i thought i'd pull it out and share it again today.

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-73590612282667766482011-01-06T07:36:00.000-06:002011-01-06T07:36:53.999-06:00

job 10-13 like i said yesterday...i love this guy. i can relate to him.not the upright part, but the ranting, snarky part. a couple of things struck me today.... first, his friends speak in such generalizations.  they're just a bunch of talking heads in my opinion.  they have a lot to say but they're not saying a darn thing.  they remind me of the people who take every opportunity to quote

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-17554553118446840782011-01-05T07:44:00.000-06:002011-01-05T07:44:40.935-06:00

so we've skipped to job and we haven't even finished genesis yet.  i know some people struggle with reading the bible chronologically versus the traditional order, but i gotta tell you, this is good for my attention deficit issues.  i've got about six books on my kindle that i'm currently reading and a few hard copies laying by the bed...that's how i roll...so this chronological, skipping around

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-12956805434569393162011-01-04T07:24:00.000-06:002011-01-04T07:24:27.643-06:00

let's face it...men don't always get women or even if they do, on occasion, we still think they don't.for women, or at least for me, i think this notion has a way of carrying over into our view of god.i want to cry out to god about something that is uniquely female, but somehow feel squelched because, well, even though he's my heavenly father and an all knowing god who loves me more than anything

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-90801926563666714212011-01-03T07:55:00.000-06:002011-01-03T07:55:44.450-06:00

if you'll remember, one of my resolutions (for lack of a better word) was to read fewer books ABOUT the bible and more of the bible itself.  so, when i was invited to join a facebook group that was reading through the bible chronologically in 2011, i jumped on board.  it's an eclectic group, so the conversation could get interesting.  i thrive on stimulating, civil conversation with people that i

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-60161767462346121832010-12-31T08:28:00.000-06:002010-12-31T08:28:37.385-06:00

can you tell?  i'm super excited!  we've got people coming forward who want to be a part of this..... an excerpt from our january newsletter....  Global Orphan Ministry We are pleased to announce the launch of an exciting new ministry at Niceville UMC that focuses on global orphan care and adoption. Statistics show that there are anywhere from 143-169 million orphans worldwide. These are not

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-57292008902108779302010-12-29T08:21:00.000-06:002010-12-29T08:21:24.116-06:00

i'm not much of a resolution maker or a goal setter, but it's hard not to think about new beginnings and things i want to do differently when a new year rolls around....so here it is...more or less...in no particular order of importance...and with absolutely zero concern for grammatical consistency. more forgivingless grudge holding more tolerance and acceptanceless judgement more prayingless

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-22795755077965453282010-12-10T14:53:00.000-06:002010-12-10T14:53:48.901-06:00

not going into a lot of detail because i have some livin' to get to. just wanted to let you all know that i've decided to end this daniel fast today. i'm not going to instantly revert back to my pre daniel fast eating patterns (although it's likely to happen over time...it usually does), but it's time to enjoy this season with my family.  next year has the potential to look very different for us,

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-10423369918874539032010-12-09T20:09:00.000-06:002010-12-09T20:09:49.113-06:00

breakfast - cashew larabar, herbal tea lunch - some sort of amy's frozen entree...can't remember the name, but it had sweet potatoes, plantains, black beans, polenta and was a little kicky...yum, garden salad dinner - whole wheat pasta with mushroom/marinara sauce, salad snacks - peanut butter spoon :o), triscuits keepin' it real - well, over half way there...but talk about "hump day"...wasn't

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-31783255000982462332010-12-08T19:42:00.000-06:002010-12-08T19:42:37.342-06:00

breakfast - my stand by breakfast of champions (if you've been following along, you know what this is, if not, scroll down a few posts, you'll see :-), herbal tea lunch - @ the homeschool christmas party - raw veggies, apple slices, pasta salad and a small serving of shrimp ceviche that i just couldn't resist. truly..no guilt here. it was amazing....it was all veggies and df approved ingredients

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-83405769163240705322010-12-07T18:20:00.001-06:002010-12-08T14:29:38.181-06:00

breakfast - sauteed onions, orange peppers, leftover fried potatoes and gimme lean meatless sausage lunch - nothing dinner - garden salad, baked potato topped with mushroom gravy (see day 4 for recipe) snacks - banana with peanut butter keepin' it real - meatless sausage?  blech.  my recommendation?..."go without!"   homeschool christmas party tomorrow... pizza/bowling party thursday....could get

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-25249298236600893402010-12-07T08:19:00.000-06:002010-12-07T08:19:52.987-06:00

breakfast - oatmeal (cooked with almond milk, splash of vanilla and cinnamon), topped with blueberries, raw almonds, banana slices. lunch - taco salad (lettuce, leftover chili, pico de gallo, avocado, baked tortilla chips)i so did not feel deprived at lunch today. dinner - roasted asparagus, fried potatoes (in coconut oil) snacks - none keepin' it real - truly missing my vices today.  it's gotten

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-54511975722030123152010-12-06T07:07:00.000-06:002010-12-06T07:07:19.309-06:00

breakfast - uncle sam cereal topped with raw almonds, blueberries, banana slices and almond milk lunch - buritto (leftover chili, brown rice, guacamole, pico de gallo wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla) dinner - nothing snacks - blue diamond crackers and hummus, banana and peanut butter keepin' it real/week 1 in review   it may seem that there hasn't been much variety in my diet this week, but i

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-5334440792105321712010-12-05T11:07:00.000-06:002010-12-05T11:07:38.500-06:00

i shared my daniel fast reading focus with you on day 2 and everything i'm reading is about prayer or prayers themselves...including the psalms.  my favorite by far has been, prayer: finding the heart's true home, by richard foster.  i started reading foster quite a few years ago, beginning with celebration of discipline and freedom of simplicity and immediately dubbed him one of my favorite

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-58992314130882659172010-12-04T21:35:00.000-06:002010-12-04T21:35:45.224-06:00

breakfast - smoothie - bananas, blackberries, strawberries, raw almond, tahini (sesame butter), almond milk lunch - whole grain pasta with tomatoes, garlic and basil dinner - mixed bean chili snacks - snyder's veggie crisps, banana/chocolate smoothie (bananas, almond milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, ice) keepin' it real - there's a tendency, when eating such a restricted diet,to leave out some

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-51252553876351243562010-12-03T23:31:00.000-06:002010-12-03T23:31:03.722-06:00

breakfast - uncle sam cereal topped with blueberries, sliced bananas, almonds, almond milk, herbal tea lunch - leftovers from day 4 dinner dinner - @christmas party-salad, steamed vegetables and potatoes (probably not prepared to daniel fast standards...oh well) snacks - cashew cookie larabar, crackers and hummus keepin' it real - came through the christmas party unscathed. truly wasn't hard....

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-66345973046433026112010-12-03T09:26:00.000-06:002010-12-03T09:26:26.567-06:00

and i do mean ramblings... i hope it's coming through in my daniel fast posts that this is not about me.it's not about my will power or my resolve to limit my diet and it's not so i can fit back into my skinny jeans (although it is an added benefit that i am more than happy about).it's not purely a time of self-denial just because...it's a time of denying my fleshly cravings in favor of a

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-25613390422466327392010-12-02T19:00:00.000-06:002010-12-02T19:06:46.082-06:00

breakfast - uncle sam cereal topped with blueberries, almonds, banana slices and almond milk.  this is seriously the breakfast of champions. lunch - baked tortilla chips, green salsa, guacamole and carrot sticks dinner - vegan mashed potatoes (boiled in vegetable broth and garlic and mashed with cooking liquid instead of butter and milk), mushroom gravy (saute mushrooms and onions in olive oil,

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-23124396171027514362010-12-02T11:26:00.000-06:002010-12-02T11:26:24.137-06:00

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-4357819828651016982010-12-01T18:28:00.001-06:002010-12-01T19:24:10.523-06:00

breakfast - leftover smoothie from day 2 breakfast (freshened up with some blackberries and another handful of spinach), herbal tea, water lunch - odwalla original super protein drink dinner - leftover brown rice pilaf with sauteed vegetables on top (mushrooms, onions, peppers, sauteed in olive oil, vegetable broth and bragg's liquid aminos) snacks - triscuits with hummus  keepin' it real - it

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-77010353502391693242010-11-30T18:47:00.000-06:002010-11-30T18:47:50.542-06:00

breakfast - smoothie (bananas, frozen peaches, frozen strawberries, spinach, water), herbal tea lunch - * amy's texas veggie burger, leftovers from last night's dinner (beans, rice and veggies) dinner - whole wheat pasta with sauteed tomatoes, basil, garlic, onions, zucchini and yellow squash snacks - cashew cookie larabar (this thing has 2 ingredients: cashews and dates), almonds, celery w/raw

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-9047940833649326222010-11-29T20:30:00.005-06:002010-11-29T20:30:00.884-06:00

sarah and i started a daniel fast today. this is probably my 4th or 5th one and i thought i'd share this one with you as i go so you can see how doable it really is.  i know it seems like a crazy time of year to embark on this sort of deprivation with all of the celebrating and good food available, but i actually think it will make for a more christ centered advent....and besides that, all my

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-59114125322439869072010-11-21T18:50:00.001-06:002010-11-22T16:17:09.448-06:00

well, crap! just when i think we're making progress in this world in certain areas, i get a great big fat reality check. was standing in the driveway tonight talking to a woman in our neighborhood. this dear woman also happens to go to the same church we do.   turns out we used to live somewhere near where she grew up....and rumor has it that the area has really gone downhill since they left.  

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-36148763012711316792010-11-19T09:46:00.002-06:002010-11-19T10:11:00.201-06:00

once again, i totally don't have time to be doing this, but i have to jot down some thoughts that are running through my scattered brain....and since my brain is a little less scattered at the moment from spending some time with rodney yee (my yoga dude), i thought i'd just go for it. well, first of all, BIG and exciting things are happening for me.  my church is launching a global orphan care

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-66312212067047123922010-11-03T11:24:00.000-05:002010-11-03T11:24:35.557-05:00

i totally don't have time to be doing this, but sometimes you just have to say something important that can't wait.  now, is one of those times. the month of november is adoption awareness month andthis sunday, november 7th, many people and churches will be holding events and raising awareness in honor of orphan sunday.  here's the deal....and i believe this with all of my heart.  caring for

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-528314533814598992010-10-24T16:40:00.000-05:002010-10-24T16:40:01.521-05:00

we've got a contest going on over at "a flicker of hope". comments left on this post will be entered in the drawing as well.

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-16382853462484944252010-10-04T14:20:00.001-05:002010-10-04T14:22:49.846-05:00

i seriously do not know where to begin sharing about the together for adoption conference (commonly referred to as "t4a") that i attended this past weekend with about 800 or so other people who are passionate about orphan care.  there were so many aspects to this conference....and although all of us were like-minded in our desire to address the global orphan crisis, we were each there for a

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-79151281015423213242010-08-23T09:04:00.001-05:002010-08-23T09:09:32.883-05:00

found out friday that there was a free chris tomlin concert at panama city beach on saturday.in typical team hickman fashion, we made some last minute plans and hit the road saturday afternoon in the rain. we were skeptics...we really doubted that this concert was actually going to take place.  if you could have seen the radar and and saw how eerily dark it was at 3 in the afternoon, you would

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-61518117330547426572010-08-19T10:38:00.000-05:002010-08-19T10:38:55.529-05:00

katie always puts things in perspective for me http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/2010/08/just-in-case-you-were-getting-too.html

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-51249741464875816872010-08-18T22:14:00.000-05:002010-08-18T22:14:21.766-05:00

i'd give you my opinion on this, but i think you all know where i stand. here is her speech if you'd prefer to read it.

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-43007566951577940992010-08-05T06:55:00.000-05:002010-08-05T06:55:17.621-05:00

sarah in puerto rico with sweet, little vanessa... they became fast friends while sarah was helping build her family's house my sweet sarah jay is 16 today. it's a bittersweet birthday for me. i'm starting to realize how short my time is with her. sure, she'll always be my daughter... but she will not be with me for much longer in the grand scheme..this, i know. god has plans for my girl, his

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-87851843370178557842010-07-16T07:05:00.000-05:002010-07-16T07:05:21.772-05:00

well, it's been 22 years since i said "i do" to the love of my life... we were naive, idealistic and thought love would trump all the obstacles we would encounter as a young....very young....too young married couple.  did i mention we were young? i'm not gonna tell you that it has been 22 years of wedded bliss...but it has been a journey i wouldn't trade for the world.  and although i might do

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-66751555058063124712010-07-09T14:56:00.000-05:002010-07-09T14:56:41.359-05:00

just a few fun pics of my sarah (and her friend, shannon).  she's taken a liking to swing dancing.   oh, to be so young, beautiful and full of energy. 

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-44728793241683668932010-07-08T08:00:00.001-05:002010-07-08T08:02:26.952-05:00

i am beyond excited to be going to the "together for adoption" conference in austin, in october.thank you to my wonderful husband and the rest of team hickman for making it possible. so, what is all the talk about adoption and orphans anyway? how does all of this relate to you, to me? what if you don't feel called to adopt?  what if you desire to adopt but can't because of some life situation?  

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-90323357782062837682010-07-02T06:00:00.001-05:002010-07-02T06:00:01.185-05:00

today we celebrate 5 years of life. i wonder...will he know how much he was loved? will he know how much he is loved? i recently took on the dreaded job of cleaning out file cabinets and ran across, not just one, but multiple folders of adoption paperwork, cancelled checks, letters, documents....i couldn't help but let out a long sigh as i remembered that emotionally draining, time intensive

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-62432246613374696622010-06-07T14:28:00.000-05:002010-06-07T14:28:24.656-05:00

just got back from a wonderful morning of learning and encouragement at a classical conversations practicum.i'm inspired, even more than ever, to give my children the best possible education through the classical christian approach.i got so many wonderful nuggets today and just wanted to take a moment to share a couple of them with you. first of all, i am a hater.....yes, a hater of the

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-7336463318688110422010-05-14T08:56:00.000-05:002010-05-14T08:56:32.023-05:00

we recently celebrated 14 years of bethany rose.i've been thinking about all the many things i love about her that make her so unique and special and awesomely wonderful and amazing... i love that she never meets a strangeri love her shining blue eyes and her mischievous smile..they both light up a roomi love her heart and compassion for the elderly, the homeless and the underdogi love the

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-37188399731628393352010-04-23T09:34:00.002-05:002010-04-23T09:39:22.344-05:00

here is an incredible opportunity from "because every mother matters" and my friend, steffany, for all of us to make a huge difference this mother's day: they have no trinkets to sell.  they have nothing that you can purchase to give to your mothers or women of importance in your life on mother's day.  all they have is a vision... a vision of a holistic maternity and infant development center to

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-70474035689535490582010-04-21T17:05:00.003-05:002010-04-21T17:26:08.603-05:00

unless you're brand new here, you surely know by now that i get a tad distracted (a nice way to say that i'm a nut job) and that i have authority issues. ....and if you've ever read my "about me" you know that i am also a grudge holder.  it's an art that has been passed down from generation to generation and i believe i may have perfected it. i know that i joke about my issues on my blog, but i'm

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-31819984845769601362010-04-17T00:00:00.001-05:002010-04-17T00:00:03.088-05:00

when did i go from this... to this?

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-63592371260658393512010-04-16T09:13:00.002-05:002010-04-16T10:03:22.476-05:00

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-40650432217491507132010-04-14T09:38:00.000-05:002010-04-14T09:38:49.620-05:00

one of my greatest pleasures in life is cooking...specifically cooking nutritious meals for people i love. one thing i'm really bad about though, is cooking too much...i guess i get that from my mom. i just don't ever want anyone to leave my table hungry.   but, being the spoiled americans that we are, we often get tired of the leftovers before they are all gone...but i absolutely hate throwing

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-5200393063317071752010-04-13T09:01:00.000-05:002010-04-13T09:01:52.248-05:00

my church posts?not theology....just my personal thoughts from my personal experiences. life in the military and as a pk has taken me around the church block a time or 2, so i have a serious frame of reference.

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-11504817357831028012010-04-13T08:51:00.002-05:002010-04-21T17:54:46.903-05:00

got this video off my friend, jen's, blog.  she's always giving me good stuff.this is about a pastor who realized that at some point he had quit walking with jesus and began working for jesus and was experiencing  the dreaded burnout. this got me thinking and i had my own "aha" moment.  this problem is not unique to pastors.  i believe that the average lay christian experiences this all time

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-70245344506951343892010-04-02T11:04:00.004-05:002010-04-02T11:50:45.737-05:00

this is our church.... in case you don't have time or aren't inclined to check out the link, i'll tell you the first and only impression most people have of niceville united methodist church (numc)....it's huge.  by huge, i mean a lot of people go there and they have a grand facility.  yep, it's a mega church. i've heard it called a social club as well as some other unflattering names, but i'm

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-29101385152901622892010-03-22T09:18:00.000-05:002010-03-22T09:18:53.533-05:00

as i was driving levi to school this morning, i was frustrated with him for more than one reason and it was only 8:00 am.  then i heard these lyrics coming from the radio.... "you love me, you love me, you love me just the way i am." these were a reference to how god loves us, his children.  sometimes i just want to give myself a big thunk on the noggin when i realize that if i would look to god

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-73959711092738741812010-03-15T11:25:00.000-05:002010-03-15T11:25:32.008-05:00

my dad is famous for his corny witticisms.  there was a day when the girls were a good audience for him and would giggle hysterically at his bad jokes, but they have now joined ranks with the rest of us who just give dad a little eyeroll, sarcastic smirk or a half hearted laugh.bethany decided to play around with him last week when they were down for a visit and boy, did she get him good.  it

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-82445451865510381362010-03-15T09:01:00.000-05:002010-03-15T09:01:49.763-05:00

pop on over to sarah's blog, "counting stars" and see what she's got coming up. feel free to share her link with anyone you think would be interested in helping my sweet girl meet her goal for her 30 hour famine.

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-37195089386821590962010-03-14T17:50:00.002-05:002010-03-14T19:37:07.273-05:00

blogging is funny sometimes....i often find myself repeatedly mulling over things that i think i'd like to blog about, but somehow i can't pull it together...then something else will come up that seems sort of disjointed from everything else, then another thing will happen or i'll read or hear something that brings it all together.  i'm not going to bore you with how that all played out with this

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-58605207241433468412010-03-09T13:23:00.000-06:002010-03-09T13:23:39.869-06:00

the organization we are partnering with to drill a well in liberia, water of life, has invited all of us to help them build a well in honor of "world water day".  world water day is march 22nd.  one new fresh water well costs approximately $5,000 to drill...aahhh! that's a big number and not very doable for most of us.  i know it's not for us, but how about this? 222 of us each give $22 and

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-12028878424164704692010-03-09T08:28:00.000-06:002010-03-09T08:28:37.116-06:00

thanks jen

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-80860496605969122010-03-08T10:27:00.001-06:002010-03-08T20:42:15.019-06:00

social gospel...just did some searches on this phrase to see if i could give a clear definition to you in case this is  new to  you....basically, it stems from a movement that began in the early part of the 20th century that placed emphasis on applying the teachings of christ to rectify society's problems, such as poverty, prostitution, child labor..you get the picture...duh! right?  the idea was

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-17448388459944565622010-03-05T09:19:00.001-06:002010-03-05T09:20:22.720-06:00

before i get too much further... when uncle sam sends us to a new home and we sit down at our computer and begin looking at area church listings, the first link we click is the one that says "what we believe" or "our statement of faith".  as a born and raised baptist girl, we used to look exclusively at baptist churches. being the creature of habit that i am and the daughter of a die hard baptist

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-23749469415810800122010-03-04T09:15:00.001-06:002010-03-04T10:08:57.183-06:00

got a weird phone call yesterday from sarah's cell phone....the line was obviously open, i could hear noise in the background...i kept calling her name....i assumed she "butt dialed" me on accident in class, but of course, wanted to make sure it wasn't a distress call, so i quickly sent her the following text message.. "did u just butt dial me?" and she replied, "i think so....sorry :(  it was

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-64944875892266648392010-03-04T08:59:00.000-06:002010-03-04T08:59:20.137-06:00

as a military family, we have had the opportunity to become part of more churches than i can count. reflecting on this brings back a few really good memories, but it actually brings back more discouraging ones.  finding a new church that's a good fit for the whole family can be a challenge to say the least. since our most recent move, nearly 2 years ago, finding a church home has been

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-79129677265938147312010-02-23T16:31:00.000-06:002010-02-23T16:31:36.441-06:00

after breaking a guitar string.... sarah:  "dad, do you have a g-string in that magic drawer of yours?"

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-58142459607323136092010-02-23T14:14:00.005-06:002010-02-23T16:03:20.191-06:00

opportunity: an appropriate or favorable time or occasion; a situation or condition favorable for attainment of a goal; a good position, chance, or prospect, as for advancement or success. last week, i posted some thoughts on "the hole in our gospel".  i mentioned how the author addressed the issue, "lack of opportunity", as a root cause of so many problems in our world. there is a problem, a

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-11602510004116169872010-02-17T15:28:00.004-06:002010-02-17T16:32:41.671-06:00

starting to appreciate the seasons of preparation leading up to the holy days of my christian faith...here is a repost from last year. Just an average Jane's thoughts on Lent So...I was raised a good little Baptist girl and Lent was something my wacky Catholic, Lutheran and Episcopalian friends did that didn't make a bit of sense to me. I never understood how it could possibly benefit anyone

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-18045953542050656932010-02-16T14:44:00.000-06:002010-02-16T14:44:27.673-06:00

in my last post, i made the following statement as part of a disclaimer: "i don't want to be another voice telling you that you're not doing enough and you should be doing more.  i have enough of those voices around me and frankly, i tire of it. " after re-reading it, i realized that it could come across very callous, rude and offensive...not my intent. i have the privilege of knowing some

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-61265128092469917312010-02-16T08:22:00.004-06:002010-02-16T13:38:05.866-06:00

  in the last few years, i've read a good number of books in the social gospel category...books about extreme poverty,  third world countries, orphans, HIV/Aids, and the need for christians to share the love of jesus by becoming actively involved in righting the injustices of our society in our communities and around the world.  "the hole in our gospel"  is probably my favorite to date.  it was

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-58493235102208400942010-02-08T21:31:00.002-06:002010-02-10T15:05:43.274-06:00

mediocre movie at best.....but i confess, I LOVE IT! maybe it's because of the memories attached to it.... relaxing on the couch with a quilt and a pillow on a sunday afternoon while my mom sat in her chair with her cup of coffee....or snuggled in mom's bed trying not to giggle while we both sobbed at the sappy, tragic ending...i could list about 1/2 dozen scenarios...yes, we watched it that

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-13829106005162101672010-02-06T15:51:00.002-06:002010-02-06T15:53:59.456-06:00

they seem to be happening more frequentlythose conversations that come out of the bluethe ones i dread, fear and hope i know what to saybut when they finally do come, they're not so scary had one this morning as i was cleaning my bedroom and my little shadow, levi, was hanging out with me.  after he determined that the dead palmetto bug he lovingly transported to the palmetto bug hospital was a

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-51267188032187586612010-02-05T14:42:00.000-06:002010-02-05T14:42:38.009-06:00

on the way home from preschool today, levi asked, "is home our destination?"

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-41707450892326251752010-02-04T21:00:00.000-06:002010-02-04T22:10:33.915-06:00

first thing....the last post was a joke...kevin talks way more than i do whether i'm blogging or not. i really wasn't gone all that long now, was i?  maybe not long enough for some of you, but then again, no one is forcing you to read my ramblings. i don't really know why i quit blogging in the first place, but perhaps it was this..... i sat down on multiple occasions with an idea for a post

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2232733466899797364.post-8885986645893178712010-02-04T17:28:00.000-06:002010-02-04T17:30:46.510-06:00

so, you know how they say that women talk 3 times more than men?  well, i used to think kevin and i didn't  fit those statistics...until, i quit blogging.  i didn't realize how much i had to say...so, for the sake of my husband's sanity and our marriage, i rejoin the world of blogging.

missyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09572662554844628564noreply@blogger.com1