EXTRAORDINARY

Emily over at Chatting at the Sky has an EXTRAORDINARY post today!

It will be water for your thirsty soul if you are caught up in the hum drum routine of washing dishes, changing diapers and somehow getting your makeup on before your husband gets home from work!

Those of you who work outside of the home (and maybe still have to come home to dishes and diapers), or are past the kiddo stage, I promise you it will be equally as refreshing because the principle she shares is revolutionary for every stage of life...if you only have the courage to believe it!

Check it out and leave Emily some love in the comment section, letting her know you're visiting from My Place of Peace!

All Smiles

El Principito is all smiles these days and so sweet!

Fireproof

Honey and I had an awesome date night on Friday night! A big shout out to my awesome sister for babysitting our darling little redhead!

With our palets dancing from the most delicious Thai food to be found, we went to the theatre to see the movie Fireproof. We highly recommend it, not only because of the value it places on marriage and daring to love in the hard times, but also for it's humorous and truly touching moments. Check out the trailer!

That's OK, I Have Gumballs

If you've read my previous post, you learned that in our former South American host country it was the customers responsibility, not the store clerk, to have the correct change for any given purchase.

You saw the responses that a lack of correct change elicited. But how could I have forgotten so soon the very best option for the child of every mother?

Let's call it the gumball change option. The cashier owes you 50 cents, but doesn't have it in her till, so she offers you two packs of small gumballs.

Yes...my darlings...gumballs...now, if it had only been chocolate there may have been an epidemic of women who "forgot" to bring small change. :)

I'm So Sorry, I Don't Have 23 Cents...

"That'll be $3.23," he says. The simple statement sends me digging through my coin purse for two dimes and three pennies. Only one dime? Make that one dime, two nickles and three pennies. Only one nickle?

I dip my head apologetically and say, "I'm so sorry, I don't have 23 cents." He looks at me funny, takes my $4 and makes quick change. His response isn't what I was expecting and it reveals, in a small way, how much my thinking has been impacted by the four years we recently spent in South America.

You see, the same situation there would have been met at the very least with a scolding for not having the correct change. And at the most, I would lose whatever change was coming to me. Somewhere in the middle would be a lot of sighing while the cashier went up and down the line seeing if anyone could break a bill for change.

Several times I was actually told I wouldn't be able to buy an item because they couldn't make change for me. I guess they didn't really need the sale?

So I got in the habit of carrying as much small change as I could. And I forgot that in this blessed country, you can hand the cashier a $50 for a purchase of $3.23 and they'll smile and count you back your change. In fact, it seems it's actually more of a nuisance to some of them to have to wait for you to dig through your coin purse for the correct change.

Culture is so interesting...I'm thankful to have experienced another one and learned from it...but you better believe I'll enjoy whipping out that fifty dollar bill next time I buy a latte! :)

Nothing Makes My Heart Go Squeeze...

...like seeing him love on my boys! I know the rest of you moms out there know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!


Honey with El Principito at 5 weeks (can you believe he's rolling over already???)

Psalm 139 Out of Order

Not proud of the way I reacted to my husband last night and needing some forgiveness, I went to the Lord this morning...and He led me to Psalm 139. Sometimes looking at things in a little different order can really give you a fresh perspective so I wanted to share with you how He blessed me with the reminder of His forever love.

Psalm 139 Out of Order (and paraphrased)

v5 You have placed your hand of blessing upon my head

EVEN THOUGH:

v1 You look straight into my heart and know the exact truth about who I am;

v2 You see my every action and know everything that crosses my mind;

v3 You always know where I am (and you sometimes go with me places that You wouldn't choose for me because you will NEVER leave me!); and

v4You've already heard what I'm going to say, even before it leaves my mouth.

THEREFORE:

v6 I'm overwhelmed with the knowledge that you CHOOSE to bless me in spite of knowing the TRUTH about who I really am, and what I really do and say. I can't understand the half of your merciful, gracious character!

Are you living with regrets today, friend? Find forgiveness, but then move on in joy knowing that you are the apple of His eye, He loves you with an everlasting love and His hand of blessing is upon you!