Memoirs of a Moorings

Twenty Five Things...About Me.

"I am Me. In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me. I am me, and I am Okay." ~ Virginia Satir

Carolyn tagged me on Facebook to write 25 random things about myself. But I've been seeing the 16 Things About Me posts out there is the blogosphere. Being the rule-follower that I am I'll post 25. I'm so used to writing about these boys of mine that this one will take some effort.

1. I have a BAD habit of yelling at people in other cars when I'm driving.

2. I prefer big city living to small towns.

3. Growing up, I always wanted to be June Cleaver.

4. I'm big on brushing my teeth before bed.

5. Sleeping with the closet door open freaks me out. Even if it's cracked, I must get up to close it.

6. I detest pancakes, hot sauce and cream of wheat.

7. If I drink soda, it must be flat. The flatter the better.

8. I suck at assembling things like furniture or hooking up TVs.

9. I can type as fast as the words come to my brain.

10. I used to want to be a leftie and would practice writing with my left hand when I was a kid.

11. Thanks to Nedra, I never leave Target without buying a bag of popcorn and M&Ms. The combo is delightful.

12. I'm a light sleeper and really wish I wasn't.

13. My feet are always cold.

14. Scary movies and me do not mix.

15. Juice must always be cut with water. I never drink it straight.

16. I never leave the house without earrings on. If I did, I would go back to put them on.

17. I pride myself on being organized yet my desk, drawers and purse are always a mess.

18. Secretly want a tattoo.

19. Naps make me feel like I can conquer the world.

20. I miss my godmother "Auntie Joan" and my grandfather Gramps..and my mother's dog Bubba. Bubba where are you?

21. I lost a spelling bee in the elementary school when I spelled tomato wrong. To this day I still have to look the spelling up. I always wonder about adding an "e" at the end.

22. I never forget a face.

23. I can't stand for the bottom of my socks to get wet when I'm wearing them.

24. I've had the same Bible for almost 15 years.....not interested in getting a new one.

25. Fear of rejection keeps me from doing a lot of things I know I'm capable of.

I'm not tagging anyone.....for fear of rejection.....crazy I know.

Lessons On Hungering For God

“The best of all medicines is resting and fasting." ~ Benjamin Franklin

Lots of lessons learned these past three weeks. Remarkable how strong the hunger drive is: whether it's hunger for food, hunger for power or hunger for something else we find desirable. But perhaps the most driving force is the hunger for God!

It's amazing how God can use something as simple as fasting to shine the light on us. Of course, we always know that there is something just below the surface in our lives that needs to be weeded out, yet can never really put our finger on it. Or is it that we simply don't take the time to? How easy it is for the "pleasures of this life" to choke out our desire for God.

John Piper summed it up so neatly in his book, "A Hunger For God": Desiring God Through Fasting and Prayer" (which I devoured like a well-cooked meal a few weeks ago.) You can download a PDF copy for free here.

"The pleasures of this life" and "the desires for other things" --these are not evil in themselves. These are gifts from God. They are your basic meat and potatoes and coffee and gardening and reading and decorating and traveling and investing and TV-watching and Internet-surfing and shopping and exercising and collecting and talking. And all of them can become deadly substitutes for God."

I've found that the more you drink of God, eat of His Word, the more you want....the hungrier you get for Him and His glory. And the more you want to be like Him and done with the sin of this world.

One more awesome thought from Piper:(emphasis added is mine)

"If you don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great. God did not create you for this. There is an appetite for God. And it can be awakened. I invite you to turn from the dulling effects of food and the dangers of idolatry, and to say with some simple fast: "This much, O God, I want you."

I don't know how many times I read this paragraph. In all the years that I have walked with God and been taught about fasting, never have I heard anything as powerful as that thought.

I also got some personal insight on what fasting is NOT.

It is NOT:
- a hunger strike to get God to move.
- self-centered but God-centered.
- about seeking God's hand for gifts i.e. prayer requests but about seeking His face to know Him better.

On the other hand, fasting is:
- about changing us as individuals into vessels of holiness
- about being satisfied with God alone
- an opportunity for God to shine the light on our own self-righteousness.

Doesn't it make you wonder how much you hunger for God?

God Remains...

With each changing season of life, there is One who always remains. He promised.

13 Months Old: Baby? What Baby?

"Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time." ~Rabbinical saying

Whenever someone asks me how the baby is doing, I always think for a moment: what baby? This kid here--at 13 months--is too mature to be  a baby. He knows things. And he can understand every single word you say and I'm convinced he's an adult disguised as a little person. He's keeping me so busy that month 13 came and went on January 12. It took a stern call from my mother to remind me that this blog here is her link to what's new with these precious little boys. So being the obedient child that I am, here I am updating. This one is for you Ma and Daddy.

I love this little dude and the person he is blossoming into. Here's what he's up to at month 13:

:: Gives high fives when requested.
:: Is cruising like crazy. Walking is just around the corner.
:: Likes to grab the spoon and feed himself with it.
:: Laughs out loud when he's by himself (all the time!)
:: Crawls around with random things in his mouth i.e. a toy, a brush, anything
:: Will eat ANYTHING off the floor. I haven't swept this much in year.
:: Is officially into table food.
:: Has a sense of humor that's beyond his years.

And I adore the relationship he has with his big brother. Rhyan is constantly looking out for him. And he loves to share with his little brother. I think he may get a kick out of feeding his brother as well. He's constantly asking if he can share his M&M's with him, toast, and especially the frozen yogurt that we all love eating. It really is heartwarming to see that they have a relationship that is all their own. They can make each other laugh.

What I find especially amusing is how there are no boundaries in sharing for the little one. As soon as Rhyan sits down for a snack at his little table, Shayne is right there waiting for his turn. Cracks me up every single time .