Bible Study

I'm in a bloggy kind of mood. Not much is going on today. Shane is still with my parents. The dynamics without him here is odd. When Jackson had camp, Shane and Sam were at each other all day. I thought that was weird that the oldest and youngest would fight. But with Shane gone, Sam and Jackson are playing nicely together. When all three are here, Sam and Jackson fight over Shane's attention. He's having a great time. We're going to get him tomorrow. In the mean time, over at Room to Breathe we're doing an online summer Bible Study. I was so happy to do this. I miss my friends during the summer when everyone is running around like mad (wo) men. It's nice to have some down time just to type and think about my responses and learn more about the women I admire.

We're doing the book Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer. It's been a really great two chapters. Here's some of my favorite quotes so far:

"I had many things to say, but you never stopped talking long enough to listen."

Priscillia's friend told her this after she asked for advice and then babbled all through the hour. She said "wait, I need your advice, why won't you give it to me." That was the woman's response. Oh, how I need to learn to shut it sometimes and just listen.

"Busyness turns our prayers into mindless requests and meaningless babble."

Do you struggle with busyness. I know I do. Even when there is nothing on the to do list, I make myself busy. Facebooking, blogging, Netflix. I can always find time for something. However, why can't I find quiet time. If I find it, why can't I use it? Why do I have the need to fill quietness with noise or other busy work?

"Meditation almost always leads to spontaneous worship of God."

That is my goal during this study, to my head to be quiet and my hands to be still. I shouldn't need a room, an annex, a poolside, a library, or any other place to be still. I want to train myself to Just. Be. Still. Where ever and whenever.

That's it for now. You can join our study, we just got started and it's once a week postings. You can chime in for any week or any time during the week. I'd love to "meet" some of my followers during this time. Click on the Room to Breathe link at the top to join us!

Quiet time!

Johnny has flown off to Colorado to visit one his good friends. Adam is one of America's heroes and will be deploying to Iraq next month. I was so happy to be able to send Johnny out to see him before he leaves. They moved quite awhile ago, so it's good for them to see each other. Adam was a groomsman in our wedding and Johnny was in his. Anyway, after a long day of him being gone (though probably longer for him and all his flight mess). I got the kids to bed on time and am relaxing in the quiet. I have spent most of the evening painting a bunch of small items around the house. Now, this household only has one camera so I can't show you the cool before shots, but when the camera gets home from it's vacation, I'll post the awesome afters! I painted a solid oak frame black, it had a wonderful picture of a snow covered mountain and now the picture just pops with it's new frame. I also painted a small key holder type shelf black and painted the knobs white, I also made a wood clock black and a small sofa table is now black and white. It's sounds like too much, but the entryway to the house looks great now!!! And I used some great little colored glass vases I found at a yard sale to adorn the shelf and added a basket and bamboo plant to the sofa table. It looks great and it was fun to change up the entryway free of charge.