What kinds of names do you like?

You Like Names That Are Classic and Timeless

You prefer quality names that have stood the test of time. You don't like anything that's trendy today and outdated next year. Names are important to you, and naming someone should not be an social experiment. You are the type most likely to name someone after a family member. Some female names you might like: Andrea, Elizabeth, Hannah, Julia, Marie, Nicole, and Victoria Some male names you might like: Aaron, Benjamin, Christopher, Jonathan, Matthew, Thomas, and Zachary

http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofnamesdoyoulikequiz/">What Kind of Names Do You Like?

What a week....

What a week it was last week. I had my followup checkup from my procedure done in April. It was great news! The fibroid that I had has almost completely dissolved! I couldn't even see it on the MRI! The doctor said they like to see a 50% reduction by at least 6 months and it has only been 4 months for me. God is soo good!

On a sad note, our pastor's nephew was killed in a motocycle crash last Tuesday. He was only 21. I did not know him personally, but I know his grandparents, parents, and aunts and uncles. It is such a tragedy! I can't imagine losing a child. There is a memorial service for him tomorrow night. I plan on going to support the families since I have known them practically all my life. I grew up in this church right along with some of the other family members.

We are busy trying to get ready for school. I have finished buying all the boys clothes and shoes. We still have to buy the supplies. Matthew will need a graphing calculator at a cost of around $90. I can't believe this is something they require each student to purchase!

Last Saturday we went to a Juve family picnic and Steve's folks stayed overnight and went to church with us on Saturday.

Last night I finished reading "Midnight Angel" by Betsy Anne St. Amant. I really enjoyed the story! I am still reading "The Beloved" by Beth Moore. I have so many books on my shelf that I have not read. I can't wait to start another fiction book. I seem to read those faster than non-fiction books. When I ready non-fiction I want to make sure that I am learning everything I can from the text.

Well, time for bed, until next time.

Introducing Sophie

Here is the latest member of our family. Her name is Sophie.

She is 9 weeks old. We just bought her last week. Needless to say the last week has been a challenge. We are trying to have the boys be mostly responsible for her since they are home all day during the summer. Spencer, our 5 year old male dog, is getting used to her. She wants to play with him and he just looks at her like, who are you? I was not a fan of getting another dog, but I was out voted 4 to 1. Fortunately, for her, she is cute!

I'm a Winner!

I won a CD from Kelly @ "Love Well". I am so excited! I have never won something off of a blog before! The artist is Matt Mahr. I have heard him before and I know I will enjoy his music.
It rained here today after supper, but now the sun is out. It feels so refreshing after a summer rain!

I read a wonderful devotion today about self-worth. It comes from Gwen Smith who writes devotions for "Girlfriends in God" through Crosswalk.com.

When we speak of the worth of something, we often consider it to be a relative term. One that has shifting factors. For example: last week the cute jacket was thirty-nine dollars, and now it's nineteen ninety-nine. The jacket didn't change, but its perceived worth did.

Now, consider the worth of a woman. Are the factors that determine her value based upon variable, shifting factors or are they based upon fixed factors? Seems to be a silly question, doesn't it? Fixed, of course! But, if the answer is so glaringly obvious, why do we struggle so much as women with feeling worthless? Why do we walk around feeling like that red lined jacket? I think it's because we often allow variable earthly factors to define our worth.

I think this is so true. I often wonder why I sometimes feel worthless or less-worthy when I know that God loves me no matter what. I have always had a problem with comparing myself to others. I have gotten better and more excepting of myself as I became an adult. But I still compare myself to the skinnier, more hip, more trendy, woman that I wish I was more like. I have to remember that time changes our seasons of life, our priorities, and our bodies!

Gwen goes on to write:

What I do know is this: because of Jesus Christ, I'm a woman of highest worth. Not because of anything else. I'm a grace girl. Not perfect by a long stretch. I've been changed by the unconditional love of God and restored to perfect beauty through the shed blood of Jesus. Because of love, we are His daughters, precious in His sight. In light of this, we need to set aside feelings that diminish our value, and embrace our proper identity: child of the King of Kings.

Hear this, friend: feelings of worthlessness are from Satan himself. It burns me up that the enemy has such a strong grip on God's daughters in this area. We need to associate the word worthless with the word lie. That's exactly what it is, a big, fat lie! I talk to women all the time who bend a knee to negative feelings and live defeated lives because they don't quite know how to overcome their sense of worthlessness. God wants every one of us to experience healing and have an appropriate sense of self-worth.

I was truly touched by this reading today. It puts priorities into focus. I needed this reminder again!

REDBOX

I love Redbox! We rented Firehouse Dog this past weekend. What a great family movie. I love the fact with Redbox that it only costs a dollar and you can return it to any redbox location. I have finally found a movie rental place that is reasonably priced. Even though we have cable, it is still hard to find a movie that I like and that the whole family can enjoy.

Finished Book 1

I finished reading "The Negotiator" this past week which is book 1 in my Fall Reading challenge list. It was a really good read! I usually choose christian chick lit. I don't go much for mystery or suspense, but this book had both! It really kept my interest and now I am interested in reading the others in the O'Malley series. My next read will be "The Beloved" by Beth Moore.

A note about my blanket I am crocheting. I was about a quarter of the way done and I had to start all over! I noticed that my edges were not straight. I was a little sad, but I want it to turn out "perfect" so I unravelled it all and will start again.

We turned our clocks back 1 hour last night so I we got an extra hour of sleep. It felt so good! Well, I'm off to watch the movie "Castaway" with Steve and Matthew. The twins are at Christmas play practice. Oh, the sweetness of no sibling bickering for a few hours!

Transformed

Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Ephesians 6:10

Together: Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the power of His might!

The danger of not being renewed is we won't even realize/discern there is a 'pattern' of worldliness.

If we are not renewed in our mind, we can't discern all the patterns of worldliness. Worldliness being: the wisdom of the world, the measures of the world (example that comes to mine would be the definition of 'success'), the attitudes of the world..and most importantly, the worldliness that has the stamp of Christianity on it, things that have a 'form' of godliness but denies the power of God. Recognizing that requires greater renewing of the mind by the Holy Spirit. We may be conforming to the world and not even know it because we aren't renewed and therefore powerless.