Where have the months gone?

Wow, too many months since my last post. This blog is sorely neglected - I'm sorry! My only solace is that the group on Facebook is not - lots of action happening there; recipes posted, holiday crafts, reminders, and some general chatter. So I apologize to those of you who aren't on FB and can't access that part of the GUM community. If you are on FB, and aren't part of the community, let me know and I'll send you an invite!

So where have the months gone?

Well, we got our cookbook published!

You can purchase your own copy here. Or if you're local you can purchase a soft cover one in the church office for only $15.

Devotion

You know when you have those moments when you're pretty sure the Holy Spirit is whispering in your ear and you think, oh right, I should do that, and then life happens, and a child calls you and your dinner boils over and then, the nail in the coffin, you forget!? And then lo and behold, the Holy Spirit kind of ups the anti so to speak and smacks you upside the head?

Yea, I had one of those moments this morning. But before I get there, let me back up and start with this. About a month ago I finished a really good devotional book written for moms. It's called, Don't Make Me Come Up There! Quiet Moments for Busy Moms and it's written by Lisa Welch. I think it was the title that actually caught my attention, likely for obvious reasons to you my frazzled mama friends. And so I got a kindle version and I began reading it every day. I had to stop myself from reading more than ONE a day so that I could really savor the goodness of each devotion and lengthen my time in it. But alas, the day came when I finished the last devotional.

I did some research and looked for another devotional and then relented that I'd better start reading the Psalms again because frankly at this stage of my life, a few minutes in his word is so much more beneficial than none. Except I didn't. I didn't pick up my bible or open my NET bible application. I'm sure you've been here before. And pretty soon, I forgot I should be doing it at all.
Until a couple days ago.

A couple days ago that still small voice whispered, "Hey Karen, get back in my word." And I literally thought, "oh, right, I should be doing that. No I want to be doing that." And then the kicker, "I'll get serious about it again after the holidays."

LOL. WHAT?! Wait a minute. AFTER THE HOLIDAYS? What in the world kind of wicked logic is that? But then my kids called me, and my dinner boiled over, and you know the rest of the scenario.

And then Thursday came. GUM day. Blessed, eat-a-meal-and-talk-with-mams-Thursday! Our speak this morning was Dottie McKissik. I've heard Dottie speak before, and if you ever have the chance again, don't miss it - she's fantastic! So here we are: it's Thursday, we're at GUM, with Dottie, and apparently for me, also with the Holy Spirit's two by four! Okay, message received - get back in my word!

I never cease to be amazed at how God works these things together, moving my heart and then giving me the tools to follow through.

Dottie spent time with us, encouraging us to take even just 5 minutes and teaching us three different techniques for bible study. She walked us through these techniques in Psalm 1. Nothing better than learning by doing! So for anyone who missed it, here's the breakdown of the three methods, try them yourselves this week.


Kathy's Method:
1. What does this verse/passage teach about God?
2. What does it teach about living?
3. What effect should it have on my life today?

The CoW-P Method:
1. Find a Command, mark the verse with a C.
2. Find a Warning, mark the verse with a W.
3. Find a Promise, mark the verse with a P.
4. Circle the verse number you want to focus on today.

Three Questions Method:
1. Make a true/false or fill in the blank question.
2. Make a multiple choice question.
3. Make a thoughtful, personal application.

I so appreciated the reminder: I don't have to have another devotional book to read every day, and I certainly shouldn't wait until tomorrow or after the next busy season of life. I can pick up the best devotional ever written, the Bible, and spend a few minutes going through one of these methods, right now.

Thanks Holy Spirit for bring Dottie, for preparing these words just for me, before I even knew I needed them. May we all take to heart, and put into practice something she shared with us today. Amen.

Hillside Women's Retreat

Two reasons to sign up now for the Hillside Women’s Retreat
coming October 14 &15 on campus.

One: Fresh Perspective and messages geared just for women.
Two: Time to Listen and Extended Worship.

Did you catch that mamas? TIME to LISTEN & WORSHIP.

This hillside COD Women's Retreat is going to be a great way to defrazzle!
So sign up now by calling the church office and plan to attend:
Friday: 6 - 9pm, Dinner included
Saturday: 8:30 - 3pm, Breakfast & Lunch included

You can find more information at the COD website, also make sure you Like the Church of the Open Door Facebook page to stay up-to-date on church events!

Frazzled

Have you ever gone to the grocery store, only to come home and realize you forgot one of the ingredients for tonight's dinner? -FRAZZLED much?!

Have you ever run around the house looking for the straw that goes in the re-useable fair cup, using a loud voice at your kids cause you know they took it off the counter even though you told them not too, finding it after you're already late, only to arrive at the fair and realize the cup is still on the kitchen counter? Oh, was that just me?

Yay, right, ladies! You know you've lived these moments, or ones like them! Right?

Hello? Hello? Am I all alone in this? Oh, wait what's that I hear, a resounding, YES!

I thought so.

frazzled past participle, past tense of fraz-zle (Verb)
1. Cause to feel completely exhausted; wear out.

Does that not sound like motherhood to you?

How about this one, have you ever picked up your prayer journal to realize you haven't used it in the last week? (Or longer?!) Are then you realize you aren't quite sure you've spent any real time in prayer (other than the quick "Lord help me find x, y or z" kind?!) anytime recently?

These are signs of a frazzled life. And I DON'T LIKE IT!

This year in GUM we'll be talking about these things. Focusing on finding peace in the midst of daily life. Because life isn't going to stop for you. Or me. And let's face it we have lots of things going on, loving our husbands, growing our children, maintaining a household, feeding everyone, ministry, etc, etc, etc.

I sure hope you're looking forward to this study - I am!

What's got you frazzled lately?

GUM starts Sept 15th

Calling all GUM Mamas! Mark your calendar, the start of GUM is coming.

We'll be back in our regular Fall schedule starting at 8:45am on Sept. 15th. Start inviting friends! You can pick up a registration form from the GUM table following the 11am service.

Price break-down: $45 - no children, $55 - 1 or 2 kids, $65 - 3 or more kids

Right off the bat, we've got a special Pint Sized Adventure to the LA County Fair on Sept 22nd. More details to follow!!

This year we'll be doing a study called, Victoriously Frazzled. "Victoriously Frazzled will help any worn out, burned out, and stressed out woman understand the Spirit God has given her." We'll have books available for purchase at GUM.

I hope your routines are coming back together after a wonderful summer break!

LA Fair Competitions

Thanks to some brilliant mamas I'm looking at what things my kids and I would like to participate in at the LA County Fair this year. Most of the contests require mail by dates by early July, so it's time to look through and decide what you and your kids would like to do!

This year's theme is America's Kids: Surrounded by Science. You can find the Entire Competition Book here, but I also wanted to highlight a few of the fun things I think my kids will be participating in.

Science Lab Coloring Contest - Put your coloring skills to work in this creative coloring contest. You can make your science lab serious, silly...or someplace in between, just print thier science lab drawing and let your kids color away!

Design an Insect Competition - Imagine you’ve just returned from a scientific expedition to an exotic land (or the empty lot near your house) and you’ve discovered a new species of insect! What does it look like? You decide! This is more than a coloring contest…it’s a decorating contest! You can use paint, markers, glitter, sequins, puff paint, jewels, buttons, feathers, or just about anything you can dream up. Let your imagination go buggy!

There are tons and tons of competitions and contests, science fair experiements, craft work, baked goods, etc. Take some time and look through the entire Competition Book, I'm sure you and your kids will be inspired!

Need a laugh? It's gettin real in the parking lot...

(Disclaimer: I apologize in advance for a tiny bit of bad language.)

Quiet Moments

Last night I celebrated the birthday of a very good friend. Fifteen of us headed out for a large, delicious, rowdy dinner together. We had way too much fun. Over the years, we've had lots of these birthday dinners. These women are near and dear to my heart. But its not because of dinner's like this. The moments I treasure, are the ones that come later in the evening, when the crowd has thinned, and the sound decibel has lowered, and you suddenly find yourself standing in a circle, outside, in the dark and the cold, bearing one another's burdens. These are the moments that I cherish. The ones where hearts open up to talk about wounds, and friends gather together and pray.

This morning as I'm still pondering these things, and begging my Heavenly Father to intervene, I'm reminded that its these quieter moments that make up a lifetime. And it's true for our kids too.

Though there will be memories made at the amusement parks and the birthday parties through life, these are not the things our children are going to cherish. What's going to encourage their hearts, and give them strength each day is the quieter moments. Snuggling together on an overcast morning, whispers of "I love you's", and conversations while you're driving.

I'm hoping the sum of these quiet moments make a lifetime of cherished moments.

Reminds me of Chris Tomlin's song says, "In the secret, in the quiet place, in the stillness you are there." Lord, help me to remember its the quiet moments you call us too, and the quiet moments that matter most.

Get Ahead of the Summer Boredom

Blogosphere right now has a plethora of ideas to keep your kids busy all summer long. Today, I wanted to point you in the direction of two featuring the same idea.

Boredom Busters!

With summer here you're bound to eventual hear those not-so-favorite words, "Mom, I'm bored." To get ahead of the boredom curve why not put together some Boredom Busters. Get some notecards or print or use a template and whip up some activity cards, put them in a jar, bucket or box and point your kids to them as needed.

You can find lots of great boredom busters here at Intentionally Katie from last summer to help you aid making your own.

Or check out The Happy Housewife's printable template of ideas. She's created 80 activities for you to print and given you 15 blanks to make your own!

You might want to make several jars and divide them into categories, inside, outside, baking, crafting, etc - or just put them all in one and let the fun begin! Happy Boredom Busting!!

Still need more ideas? Check these ideas out too:
I'm Bored Let's Make Something
Little Wonders' Days
Thrifty Northwest Mom
The Daily Digi

100 Days of Summer

Here's 100 days of summer, one a day activities you and your kids will love! This sweet list comes from momadvice.com.

There are lots of baking and cooking together ideas in here which I love! Day 42, day 70 and day 77 are my particular favorites. But there's lots of great ideas for activities and adventures with small twists on your regular ventures that will make them extra special and fun!

What's your favorite summer time activity?