It's THAT Word.....

If you have been following me for a while or even just found me, you know that I have a "Word" this year. You can go here and read about my Word for the Year.  Choose/Choice would be the word. 
So, now that we are caught up. I just have to share something with you.  It just keeps coming up and I am praying that I "get" it this year.  I am not sure if I will but I believing that I will. 
So, let us back up just a little bit and tell you about how this word keeps coming in to everyday conversation, lectures, Sunday Sermons and even in small groups of discussion it's THAT word!!!!!!  Isn't He good!!!!  He is such an awesome Teacher. 
So we are working on somethings for the house and things have not gone the way that we would have liked. We should have been done 2 months ago but we are FINALLY almost finished.  All of that being said, I can choose to get angry/frustrated/fuss/fight/and all of those other things or I can wait and watch. Do what needs to be done and realize that there are things that we can not control.
So, BSF started back after our Christmas break. The week we were to return it snowed.  The next week, Little Man had been home all day sick with Daddy and I had worked and there was no way that I could leave and go to so I stayed home.  I finally made it back last night.  I had my lesson done. I was ready. I got there early. I was ready to hear what He had.  I had made the choice to be there, and ready to hear what He had.  It was just awesome.  It has made such a difference. 
This won't be to much longer I promise. 
I picked up a book that I have read over and over and over but for some reason picked it up the other day to re-read it again.  At the same time I had picked up "The Love Dare" 40 day challenge at the church library.  I thought...."I can do this"  "I love my husband, it cant be THAT hard".  Of course I open the book on the first day in not so many words was a challenge and of course that word.....CHOICE/CHOOSE.  I almost fell of the bed reading it. 
It's almost like the Lord re-writes the book and puts that word in huge, bold, red print. 
Last night during the lecture, if JoAnn said "choice", "choose", "chose" one time, she said it a hundred times.  I am sure that the women around me couldn't help but wonder why I had this smile plastered on my face. 
So, this morning, I am reading my Notes that we are given at BSF for next week.  It's everywhere.  So, as I walked out the door this morning, I just prayed that the Lord would help me to choose to have a good day. To focus on Him.
Not to focus on the frustrations.
Not the overwhelmed feeling.
Not the amount of jelly-beans that I have to work on but Him!
It's all about Him anyway!!!!!!

I hope you are having a great day.  Keep your focus on Him!!!!!!!!!!!!

Doula Mama Pam

Happy Birthday Pictures!!!!!!!!!

 Waiting on my friends to arrive.

 Finally my favorite.....ketchup!!!!!!!  (I can do without the cheeseburger and fries)

 Can we open the presents now?

 Tara's 3 Kids- Caden, Sophie, and Ethan

 Blaine and Hanna in the front.....Awesome Birthday!!!!

My Big Brother Kyle even came.  He played Angry Birds on Mom's phone.  He's to big to play in the Play Place.......

Happy Continued......

OK, so everyone is to scared to post what makes them happy.  I am not sure if that is a good thing or not!!!!!!  Anyway, I will post what makes Pam happy. Oh, by the way, thank you Tara for posting yours!!!!!!!

Here is my list.

• spending time with my Heavenly Father
• spending time with my family (playing with Kaleb)(dinner with my husband)(gym with Kyle)(trying new foods)(being a wife/mother)
• BSF/Bible study/scripture/Sunday school
• being me
• Anything assoc. with childbirth/midwifery
• being a doula
• running, running, running
• new hair do
• eyebrows waxed
• educating myself/researching
• dinner with the girls
• Kaleb having friends over
• having people over
• writing/blogging/journaling
• cooking/baking
• reading
• having a clean home

I am sure there is a lot more that I could add to that but that is those are some of them.  Now as you can see, that was not painful at all.  Give it a try!!!!!!! 
 
Doula Mama Pam 

 

2 Quick Things

First, I enjoyed reading over yesterday's post/quote so much I have chosen to pull it apart and make it into several post.  Very excited! We will see how that goes!!!!!!!!

Second.....This is a huge question for you and I am really hoping for a lot of responses from friends, family and even the "Lurkers" that come by, read and never leave a comment.  You can even leave it anonymous if you want to. I don't need a name.  More just curious than anything.  I was having a conversation with a VERY CLOSE friend the other day.  There was a question brought up.
I will pose the question and then I will share my list tomorrow. 

What makes you happy? (can be people, place, things, activities etc)

Can't wait to see what you post.

Doula Mama Pam

Thinking.....

I didn't have anything profound to share today but I heard part of this quoted on the KLove the other day and it just kind of stuck.  I thought I would pull it and post it.  Reread over it a few times and would love to get your thoughts about this. 

"If you center your life:

• On your partner or spouse, you will be dependent, jealous and controlling. The other's problem will be overwhelming for you.
• On your family and children, you will live your life through them until they resent you or have no self of their own.
• On your work and career you may become driven and a workaholic or a shallow and boring person. You may lose family and friends. If the career goes badly, you may be depressed.
• On money and possessions, you'll be eaten by jealousy about money and may do unethical things to maintain lifestyle.
• On pleasure gratification and comfort and you will find yourself addicted to something.
• On relationships and approval and you will be constantly overly hurt by criticism and losing friends. You will fear confronting others and therefore be a useless friend.
• On a noble cause (global warming) and you will divide the world into good and bad and demonize your opponents. Without them, you have no purpose.
• On religion and morality and, if you are living up to your standard, be proud and self-righteous. If you are not, your guilt will be devastating.

Identity apart from God is inherently unstable.
Identity not based on God leads to addiction because we turn what might be good things into ultimate things.


We may, of course, turn bad things into ultimate things or even worse!
We are then controlled by our God-substitutes.
With God, you can venture anything and face anything.
Building our life on something besides God not only hurts us if we don't get the desires of our heart, but also if we do!

If Jesus is the center of your life, and you fail Him, He will forgive you.

Anything else you base your life on you will have to live up to.
But there is NO OTHER center for your life which died for you!
Everybody has to live for something.
Whatever that something is becomes Lord of your life, whether you think of it that way or not.

• Jesus is the only Lord who, if you receive him, will fulfill you completely, and, if you fail him, will forgive you eternally."

This quote comes from The Reason for God- Written by Timothy Keller

I am not familiar with this writer or this book but some of the things they were talking about really struck me.  I plan on reading and re-reading and picking it apart a bit.  I am seeing this in several post.....stay tuned.

Would love to hear your thoughts.....

Doula Mama Pam

It's Monday!!!!

Well, it's Monday!!!!!!  It's kind of overcast and cold outside.  Most people are off work today because it is a holiday but we are open.  It was a whirlwind weekend but it was all good EXCEPT the Little Man came down with the Greensboro Yuck!!!!!  Fever, a faucet for a nose and congestion in his chest with a cough.  He managed to enjoy some time at the McDonald's for his little birthday party and then some fun with 2 friends that came home with us.  It was a lot of fun having 3 little one's in the house.  They all kept each other entertained.  They are stair-steps.  5-4-3-Literally.  2 boys and a girl.  The girl may have been the youngest but the boys would do whatever she said.  It was GREAT!!!!!!!

Well, I have made the big decision.  I had posted a couple of weeks ago about getting ready for this race in February.....well, that has been put on the back burner, cancelled my time off at work and came to realize that the choice that I was making to try and push myself to get ready for a Half Marathon in 6 weeks was a bit----CRAZY!!!!!!  That was not the choice that needed to be made and the pressure was unreal.  So all of that being said, I have cancelled time off, I have cancelled time at the beach in my most favorite place to stay in the world and have chosen to set my sights on a different race that is further out which would give me more time to train and then who knows, I may venture back to Myrtle next year.  This was just not the year.  Man, that is so hard to say, swallow and even write.  At the same time it is a huge burden off.  So grateful for the choice even though it was hard.

On the other hand, I have a "friend-sister" that lives in Georgia that we have been Facebook-Messaging each other for over a week.  See, I call her "friend-sister" because she is the daughter of the people that live next door to my parents in North Ga.  They consider me their grandchild but Tami and I are close enough we could be more like sisters. The funny part is that there is NO blood relation whatsoever.  ANYWAY, we were talk/messaging and she is dealing with the same things as far as making the time for the gym, put on a few pounds here and there and we both want to get back to where we are. She is getting into a "program"/"challenge" at her church with a group of ladies.  So in all of this, we have chosen to keep each other accountable with Facebook and texting and phone calls.  I have also suggested that she consider the race in September....how fun would that be?  Now, I am off to get to work on my co-worker to talk her into doing September with me..........I think maybe if I beg and plead......We will see........I will keep you posted.

For now, it's back to work and then maybe to the gym tonight because I didn't make it this morning.  Have a WONDERFUL DAY!!!!!!!!!
Doula Mama Pam
PS----what's your word this year???

 

Reality-Check-In

Listening to the radio this morning and hearing that today is the first anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti.  Wow, where did the year go?
There is still so much to do and what I am I doing about it?
There seems to be so much going on at present that it seems that you have to say......"Can we just stop for a few minutes and take a breath?"  Wouldn't it be great if that were the case? 
We had a "snow day" yesterday.  I got up with this huge idea that I was going to get "all of this stuff done".  Guess what?
I did manage to blog. I answered a few e-mails and the laundry.  I did cook but that took all of 5 minutes.
I just kept thinking
I need to do this.....
I need to do that.......
I need to research this.......
I need to write that.......
Guess what.......None of that got done.
 I played with my Little Man, talked with my Oldest Man, and then met up with the hubby.....day is gone and I didn't even make it through The Biggest Loser.  Not very productive but it was just nice being at home even if I didn't get anything major accomplished.  I have a lot on my plate and at times just feel over whelmed but I also have to realize that I created most of it so it is really my fault. 
Today will be a day of being back at work.
Get things done here and at lunch, make a list.
Make the list and then spend some time praying over it and see what needs to come off of it.
He will show me and tell me.
Then it will be one foot in front of another.
This is His day! Not mine and in Him I will rest!!!!!!!!

Laboring and Serving With You,
Doula Mama Pam

WE HAVE SNOW!/ And THAT Word Again!

Well, we have snow again!!!!!!!  I really do enjoy the snow.  I don't like the fact that my hubby has to work. I love the fact that I can make the call to stay home.  Seems that people are finally leaving the condos this afternoon.  This morning about 9am, NO ONE HAD MOVED A CAR!!!!!!!
It's a lot of slush but tonight will be difficult when it all starts freezing over again. 
Well, things are picking up.  I can feel overwhelmed when I think about it but I am choosing not to.  I have a boat load of pictures to post from Christmas and from birthday and then we have a "birthday" party Saturday so we will have pictures from that I am sure.  So you will have to stay tuned for that.  It will be a lot of fun I am sure. 

During the last week or so, I thought I would take a bit and just share again about this "Word for the Year" and mine being "choice". 
A little over a week ago, I rec'd word that my ex-MIL was in the hospital.  She had CHF (congestive heart failure), COPD, and had 2 heart attacks and was in the Cath Lab at the hospital.  I waited on every phone call to see what the status was.  Yesterday morning, she went in and had by-pass surgery and I am so very thankful and praising the Lord once again that He stepped in and has seen her through.  She is doing WONDERFULLY, aside from a little nausea, she is doing GREAT!!!!!  I realize that she maybe my ex-MIL but she was my MIL for years.  I have prayed and prayed for her and the family over the last week.  I was able to go and visit with her a couple of times prior to surgery.  It almost felt like we had not missed any time.  I felt it but it was just a sweet time of visiting.  We don't ever do that.  Jim's sister, Kris and his brother, Michael all were here and it was so very good to see them.  I hadn't seen them in so very long.  Of course, his Dad, Mike was there and that is always a treat.  The family is doing just fine and ready to take Sue home I am sure.  She had posted on her facebook that Jan. 10, 2010 was the a day to start again.  Well, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUE!!!!!!!!  Life will be different but it will be a good different.  Lots of new perspectives I am sure.  Of course, I am happy to share all of my Tofu ideas with you......hahahaha

So where does my "choice/choose" come into play with this?
I could have chosen to call only one time.
I could have chosen not to call.
I could have chosen to stay out and not be "involved".
I could have chosen to keep my mouth closed because I am not a part of the family.
I could have chosen to not send out a call to all the Prayer Warriors that I know.
BUT
I chose to make many phone calls and text messages
I chose to call the first time.
I chose to be involved because she is still in my "family"
I chose to talk about and ask for prayer because she is part of the family.
I chose to send out a call to the Prayer Warriors.

Do you see?  Do you see what your choices do?  They make a huge difference. 
Let's take it to something that is not as major.....say....work.
I could have chosen to say NO yesterday when I was asked to do something.
I could have chosen to stay home in the event of this horrible weather that was coming.
I could have chosen to voice my opinion at work about having to be there with the coming weather.
BUT
I chose to say YES, even though I wasn't happy about it.
I chose to go to work because nothing was happening outside.
I chose to keep my opinion to myself because it was not that important

Does it make sense? 
Do you get it?
I realize it is only January 11th but "choice/chosen/choose" are HUGE for me. 
Tell me about yours!!!!!!!!!

Doula Mama Pam

Happy Birthday To You!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to Kaleb!!!!!!!!  I can't believe you are already 4 years old today!!!!!!!! 

LOVE YOU SOO MUCH!!!!!
Daddy, Mommy and Kyle

I have a WORD for 2011

Yesterday I talked and discussed how things were going with a NEW YEAR and all of the exciting adventures. 
I have now made it to the gym 2 times in one week. 
I have also done very well with the whole vegetarian thing. I am really excited about that part. 
I started working on my BSF lesson this morning for next week since we have had a break.  Oh how I need the discipline of BSF.  I do not do so well with out it.
The other part of the post was about my "word(s)" for the year.  I have to confess that I think that the Lord is really trying to teach me something.  You know if He gives you a word like-
 patience-
forgiveness-
time-
faith-
trust-
and you have them for a year and then He turns and gives you the SAME WORD again.  Then the question becomes-
Did you not get it?
Do you need more practice?
Did you miss something in the process?
Did you do so much better with that word that He wants you to do it one more year just to make sure that you get it?
Well, having a conversation with a fellow blogger this morning about what I had written yesterday and even using "choose" written just like that and also even thinking to this morning in my time with the Lord working on my BSF lesson and the word came in again.  All of that rambling to let you know that the word "CHOOSE"/"CHOICE" is the word for 2011.  Part of me is excited and part of me is thinking that I missed something big. I will keep you posted on this journey.  I hope that you will be praying about a "word(s)" for 2011.  PLEASE share them and let me know so that we keep each other accountable.  2011 is going to be a GREAT year!!!!!!!

Doula Mama Pam 

New Year and New Ideas/Resolutions/Words

Well, Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!  I typically don't make "Resolutions" but this year there is one that I am making but it's not new.  I have made it before and did for quite sometime.  Praying about it and thinking through it, I have chosen to do it again.  I posted it here on my other blog and you can read about my idea for going Vegetarian for 2011.  I will be sharing ideas and food thoughts and ideas.  I would love to hear some of yours.

New Ideas for 2011-
1. We are going to be doing Kid-Swap with one couple for sure this year and would love to check and see if another couple would be game. I just have not had a chance to call and talk to Tara yet.  We are so very excited about that.  The idea of planned date nights.....what could be better.

2. Continue with BSF(Bible Study Fellowship)- I love Bible Study Fellowship. It is just wonderful.  It causes me to really think and get into His Word like I would not normally do.  It is a lot of enjoyable work and study.  It is discipline that I so desperately need.

3. Commitment to staying healthy and exercising.  This is typically not a real problem except when I get lazy.  There are so many things that I can do either at home or even at the gym and those are the things that I need to do. I think along with "The Only Resolution" will make this somewhat easier.

4. Of course, always striving to be a better wife, mother and friend.  Those are always "goals" but of course the Lord is the one who is the one who ultimately gives me the strength to follow through on that.

5. The WORD for the YEAR.  Last year my "word" was "Choice" or "Choose".  Everything that came my way was viewed through one of those 2 words.  It was a choice in how to react to a situation or I could choose to respond in another way. Please know this was a difficult one.  So not easy but I made it through the year.  As of right now, I don't have my "word" yet.  I will have it by the end of the month.....

Well, that is where we are this year.  What about you?  What are your "words", "ideas", and "resolutions"?  Feel free to share!!!!!!

Laboring With You,
Doula Mama Pam