Deep Thought Monday

I'm taking a hiatus from Menu Plan Monday this week to share something I came across. It's not really all that revolutionary, but it was a good reminder to me of a truth I sometimes forget. (If you had your heart set on a menu plan, head on over to Org Junkie...there are plenty to choose from!)

From time to time I've been known to react from emotion rather than logic, rationale, or even what I know to be true. You could say I've let my emotions get the best of me on occasion. (You can stop laughing and nodding your head now, Hubby.) That's something I've been working on lately...Choosing to be the best person I can be, no matter how tired I am, how discouraged I feel, or how much I just want to crawl in a hole and cry (or sleep!). I've discovered (yet again) that the strength I need to handle (i.e., control) my emotions doesn't come from within me...that was the mistake I had been making for so long. The strength to handle my emotions, my choices, my circumstances, my life comes from the One who created me, designed my emotions, gave me the freedom to make my own choices, controls my circumstances, and orders the steps of my life. That's why these passages I came across this week meant so much to me:

"'As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.' (Proverbs 23:7).
This meant that circumstances did not cause my emotions,

but my thoughts about my circumstances did."

--Erik Johnson in an article "Driving Yourself Crazy,"

from Focus On the Family (April 2008)

“We become what we think about all day long.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I have learned the secret of being content in any and
every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in
plenty or in want. I can do everything through
him who gives me strength."

--The Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:12,13

Do you have a favorite passage, verse, motto, or exercise you use to manage your emotions?

Know and Tell Friday

A little Friday Fun...

1. What is your favorite mode of transportation (flying, train, car, boat, etc.)? Why?

Before kids, it was flying because it was fast. That might still be the case, but we haven't tried it with 2 kids, so I'm not sure. Now that we have the minivan with DVD player, traveling by car isn't so bad. But I'd probably have to say flying is still my favorite overall because of the speed (unless, of course, you get grounded somewhere!).

2. If you could fly like Superman, jump and swing like Spiderman, swing on vines like Tarzan or fly on an umbrella like Mary Poppins, which would you choose?

Hmm...that's a tough one. I think swinging like Spiderman or Tarzan would make me a little nauseous. It seems a little inconvenient to have to always have an umbrella when you want to fly somewhere, so I guess I'd go with flying like Superman.

3. You're driving down the road and you see a small cluster of people, all with their thumbs out hoping to hitch a ride with you. As you near the group you realize that the people standing there are Queen Elizabeth, Johnny Depp, Barrack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and John Grisham. You only have room for one person. Who would you pick up?

Um, hello...Johnny Depp! The Queen would make me too nervous. I wouldn't have anything to say to Barak Obama. Oprah would be fun, but doesn't compare to Johnny Depp. And while, it would be fun to pick John Grisham's brain on tips for writing a novel, Johnny would have so many interesting stories. Plus, he'd just be fun to look at. I mean, c'mon...it's Johnny Depp.

4. What was the most memorable trip you've ever taken?

While I've taken many fun and memorable trips with Hubby, I would have to say visiting Paris, France with my parents and sisters (May 2000) is the MOST memorable simply because of the awe-inspiring history and culture of the city.

5. If you were planning a road trip with your best friend, where would you start, what would you stop to see and where would you end?

We would probably start in Kansas City or St. Louis, MO because they are the closest cities. We would head toward New York and stop in every major city to see a broadway show, then end in New York and see any shows on Broadway that we had missed along the way.

6. You are able to transport yourself back to any time. What would it be and why?

I would travel back to the late 19th century....life was so much simpler and yet there was so much going on in our country. I think it would be interesting to get a glimpse of life in simpler times.

7. Would you have flown with the Wright Brothers when they first discovered air travel?

Definitely not. I'm a big chicken who's scared of heights.

Hope you enjoyed my answers. For more fun responses, head on over to Kickin' It In Crazyville.

Quote of the Week

"Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few

be well tried before you give them your confidence. "

— George Washington

Mellow Wednesday

It's a rainy, dreary Wednesday here, so I thought I would simply share some more photos from my talented brother in law to set the mood for you. To see more of "Omerad's" talent, visit his Flickr page here.

Menu Plan Monday and Fun Project

I wanted to share this Weekly Planner project I did with Little Miss this morning. It's great for preschoolers. She's just starting to learn the different days of the week and the fact that we do certain things on certain days. (For example, church is on Sunday, Daddy is home from work on Sat., etc.) Since we don't have a lot of recurring activities over the summer (lessons, preschool, etc.) we used our weekly routines (shopping, laundry, etc.). And since I didn't have any post-it notes on hand, I cut small scraps of paper and we taped them on. When we have something special coming up (like a visit from grandparents or a birthday party), I'll print a picture of the person to put on the day. Then we can count down to the special day. For more great, educational projects, visit PBSParents.org.

Do you have any special educational projects you like to do with your kids? Or any great resources for project ideas? I'd love to hear them!



Also, here is my Menu Plan for this Monday. For more great menus (and recipes), head on over to Org Junkie...there are hundreds to choose from!

Monday: Chicken Fried Rice and Asian Steamed Vegetables
Tuesday: Pot roast with potatoes and carrots (putting the slow cooker to use again!)
Wednesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, and garlic bread
Thursday: Leftover night
Friday: Family Night Out
Saturday: Grilled Tri-Tip, Pasta Salad and fresh veggies
Sunday: anything you can find in the fridge!

(Sorry no recipes or links this week...it's been a crazy weekend and will be a crazy week, so I'm doing a lot of "from the box" dinners and "off the top of my head" meals...thus, no written recipes. I hope to contribute more next time around!)

Carry-On: A Book Review

Excerpted from the back cover:

In one entertaining and enlightening book, Scotty Gibbons unpacks 15 years in student ministry at one of America's fastest growing churches. Scotty's proven principles will encourage and equip you (and the leaders around you) to go the distance.

I met Scotty Gibbons 15 years ago when I interviewed with him to become a volunteer leader in the youth ministry. I served under Scotty's leadership for seven amazing, challenging, and life-changing years. He poured into me as a leader and a friend. Many of the principles I learned from him have helped mold the person I am today--not only in leadership, but in personal discipline, interaction with others, and basic communication.

Although I am not currently involved in youth ministry, I wanted to read Scotty's book because he is an amazing communicator and a good friend. I wasn't disappointed. While Carry-On is a must-have resource for anyone involved in youth ministry, the leadership principles Scotty writes about are beneficial for life in general. As always, I found Scotty challenging me in my personal life as well. And I found many of the principles applicable to my role as a mother (if you simply substitute the word "ministry" for "motherhood" because after all, that's what motherhood is.)

If you're involved in youth ministry (or ministry of any sort, really) I highly recommend this resource. (You can order it here.) You can check out what Scotty and his staff are currently up to at their Realife web site, or visit Scotty's blog.

Know & Tell Friday

It's that time of the week again...YEAH!!! For more answers, head on over to Kickin' It In Crazyville. For now, here are my answers:

1. Why were you given your particular name? I was supposed to be Melissa Renee, but a friend of my parents' at their church had a girl a few days before I was born, and she named her Melissa Renee. So, I was named Nancy Renee.

2. What's your favorite song of the moment? This is a tough one since I rarely get the chance to listen to "grown-up" music these days. For that reason, anything that doesn't rhyme and isn't sung by a cartoon character would probably be at the top of the list.

3. What are you wearing today which is most reflective of who you are? Probably my bare feet (comfy), or my khaki capris.

4. Have you ever had a pet that was not a cat or dog? What was it? I had a couple of guppies in the 3rd grade, but they didn't last long. Other than that, it's always been dogs.

5. What type of exercise do you do to keep in shape? I do stretching and strength exercises almost every night (crunches, lunges, etc.) and I've just started lifting weights and walking the dog each morning.

6. What is your favorite movie of all time? I like so many different movies...lots of musicals, old movies, sappy romantic comedies, but probably my all-time favorite is Chocolat. (Johnny Depp and chocolate...what more could you want?)

7. Do you enjoy gardening, or working with flowers? No, not really, but I would like to have a garden b/c I LOVE fresh vegetables...maybe next year.