If you've ever been disappointed bc ppl didn't change or your expectations weren't met...

goto this blog POST  (titled Therapy Thursday) of one of my Baylor buds- Jenny Simmons - who now is the lead singer for Addison Road and is also a new mommy.  I find her blog funny, real, and inspiring! I think you will too!

Check it out!
Jenny's Blog

Lovable Labels Giveaway

http://workoutmommyreviews.com/2009/12/02/lovable-labels-giveaway/

Do you like to LABEL EVERYTHING!?  Well check out one of my favorite Mom sites and enter the giveaway!

Ps- eventually I'll write a REAL blog.... I promise!

Check out Photoworks Free Photo Gift on Tuesday

Have I mentioned I love free!? Order a calendar for your family or a fun 4x4 book for free!! 

I love christmas gifts!

Title: Photoworks Free Photo Gift on Tuesday

Link: http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=-689161562101599589111

Anyone want FREE CHRISTMAS CARDS made? Coupon good till NOV 30

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Goto this site for FREE cards!! $0.00 including SHIPPING!!!

I'm all about free so thought I'd share!!  Check out one of my Fav sites-  FREEBIES 4 MOM!

Let me know if you take advantage of this!
Enjoy!

Tiff

My Child, the Genius!

Ok so I've never really devoted an entire blog to my child... As much as I love reading my friend's blogs about their precious little ones and seeing pics, I just haven't had the urge to brag about my little man so much (I do it on Facebook and to various friends and family as often as possible though- dont get me wrong!) Its just this blog was originally gonna be more about morphing into a new creation... and just all about... ME! hehe

HOWEVER, I can not be narcissistic any longer.  Because I have now decided I am the proud mother of a boy-wonder, a genius, a mini-einstein if you will! (and I will!)

His Daycare director emailed me this morning some shots of the work the class was doing.   The class was given some random everyday supplies and told to create something.. anything!

I'll let the pic speak for itself: 

Here he is concentrating SO hard on his creation of toothpicks and mini marshmallows.

And now, here's the work in progress.....

And there he is Ladies & Gents- my little Nathan, my gift, my genius. 

He's making a 3 D object with NO assistance from his teacher. 

He came up with the idea himself.. and while his peers are making 2D marshmallow suns with toothpick rays flat on the table- he's making a 3D cube!  And- did I mention that he's only 3? (well for another few hrs anyway!)

Speaking of his age... tomorrow is his bday.  4 years ago today, I was in the hospital being induced... not sure what to expect of labor, delivery, or motherhood...  excited to see what he looked like and if he was a "cute" baby or one of the funny squishy looking ones.  3 yrs and 364 days ago at around 2:45am.... he came into my life and things have never been the same.  And I wouldn't change it for the world!

Here are just a very FEW things that i LOVE about my Nathan Riley:

• His Smile- and how it lights up his whole face
• His Laugh- and how you can't help but smile when you hear it
• His Funny Faces- and how expressive he is
• His Sense of Humor - that I'm sure he got from his dad
• His cuddliness- and how he loves to crawl in my bed in the mornings if he gets up first
• How he says "I just love you mommy" as he looks into my eyes or touches my face.
• How aware he is of his world.
• How smart he is and so quick to pick up things.
• The way he cares about people and asks questions about our friends & fam
• The way he has been enjoying reading stories in our Kids Bible, learning scriptures with me (to songs of course) and learning how to pray for others!

Ok- that was just a top 10 of the first things that came to mind at the moment.

I'm so proud of my little guy! Can't wait to see what the future holds for us! :)

Thanks for letting me brag!

XOXO

Tiff

Death isn't so bad...

Because in death- there is LIFE and ABUNDANT life at that. 

Thats all!

I just wanted to say that death really isn't ALL bad...

My thoughts are kinda jumbled and I"m kinda tired at the moment... but I feel like I'm really moving somewhere... finally.  Its taken 23 yrs as a believer in Christ to realize I REALLY want the relationship... and 23 yrs to realize that I didn't have the closeness, the faith, the hope, or even the peace that I've always thought I did... bc HE has pointed out the areas where I'm weak - in the MOST loving way possible!  And when He points stuff out, its because he wants to fix it.  James 1.  He wants to make ME complete.  He cares about me!  He has a plan for me and a purpose for me and he wants to give me hope and a future!  He didn't say he wants to give me the exact future I've dreamed of... but he did make me promises!  And I know that HE is one who keeps his promises. No matter what! 

I've been reading in the Old Testament lately and realized something... God is a God of details.  I mean teeny tiny details.  Of course we've heard the scriptures about him counting the hair on our heads and feeding the birds and clothing the flowers... but really- in the OT.. he gives GREAT details on stuff.  Anyone ever read Exodus? Like all the way through?  Oh. My. Lanta!! So first he gives specific instructions to the Israelites on where to go... then to moses on the "laws of the age" - including the 10 commandments- but ALSO stuff like "if 2 men are quarelling and a pregnant woman is injured, you must do xyz..." (this is my paraphrase of course)... and then with the Ark of the Covenant instructions and even Noah's Ark instructions.  I mean he gives DIMINSIONS and fabric specs and all SORTS of stuff!!  It was FASCINATING to me that God said this. 

He is so caring.  He laid it all out- the people were quarrelling all the time- so he gave them laws... not just the 10 commandments- though thats what we think of... but all sorts of laws on what to do in interpersonal relationships.  He gave us EVERYTHING we need to follow His will.  It really has just impressed upon me that he is SUCH a God of Details!  So anytime I think that maybe problem q is too small for Him to really care about... or that I'm wasting His time by asking the MILLION questions I ask him... I can now look back at this book and realize - He loves us.  He cares about what we care about. And He wants his people to be equipped!  Anyway- that was just a random side-note.

  I want the day to day interaction with Jesus.  I want to talk with him and listen to him and sit with him.  I want to live a life fully surrendered - whatever that looks like! I want to trust him & I want to be ok not knowing what it will mean or what sacrifice I'll have to give bc I want to believe that no matter what - his way is BEST! 

He wants to talk to me.  He wants to listen to me. He will never give me more than I can handle.  He wants to hold me in his arms and cry with me when I hurt.  He wants to guide me in the day to day and he's ok w my Million questions! :)  He WILL keep His promises.  He will work all things for good... even when I dont follow his detailed plan for me every step of the way.  He will work it all out for HIS glory! 

I'm learning to trust Him.  I'm learning to Obey.  I'm learning to walk the narrow. 

Its good.....

See- dying to yourself really isn't so bad!

Defeat & Death and Katie.

ok so I know its been a while since I've posted... (It always annoys me when ppl post excuses and appologies when I read blogs... and yet- here I've done it.)

I haven't been doing a lot of running or anything lately- minus a 30 min workout in Mexico when we visited Nate's dad several weeks ago... so i felt like I didn't have anything to post. I felt defeated. I started this blog about "who I was becoming" because we are all works in progress... and I really hoped it would end with me being like "WorkoutMommy" or at least sorta fit... or maybe having dropped a few sizes and lbs... But so far I'm still not making a lot of progress in that area. I was so determined... but now it just doesn't seem to be possible, worth the effort, doable, etc. I feel defeated sorta... and only by my own self... only by my own lack of discipline....

However, I have a LOT going on in other areas... and so I've decided while I haven't spent much time on my physical self lately... i've really been growing and learning in my emotional and spiritual self. I wish they were all 3 meshed together and you couldn't grow one without the other... but honestly it just takes a LOT of effort/time/energy/insert other excuse here to do it all.

So for now... I'll give you a short update on the rest of me (as if anyone really was waiting for the next blog or hanging on baited breath to see what TIFFANY is doing... ) and then I'll send you to somewhere REALLY worthwhile... a blog I happened upon this morning that left me in tears and changed (in a good way.)

So after a season of stepping back from a lot of activities/leadership/etc and really trying to enjoy myself, Nate, God, Friends, etc (those are totally in the wrong order... ) I felt called to do "Elevate". Its a discipleship training school at my church. We will learn a lot, read a lot, memorize scripture, grow closer together, and really seek to serve the Lord outside of ourselves. I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I haven't done much of the above on my own so the good Lord has led me to a school where I'll be FORCED to grow. I use forced in a good way... This is going to be tough though. I'm not really very disciplined... (see above paragraphs about working out.) I've squeaked by in life, and managed to do ok at stuff... I've done enough to just get by... nothing too outstanding.. I do whats required and not much more. I'm selfish. Really. I am. I dont love people well. I judge others and have pride in my heart at things that I have no right to feel pride for. I want to serve- but on MY terms(read: enough to get by and complete a checklist), not the Lords (complete abandonment).

I'm overwhelmed. This is going to be a tough year. I'm going to have to DIE to myself. DIE. Every single day. Die to my plans. Die to my wants. But really- I'm 29 yrs old. I've known God since I was 6. Its kinda ridiculous that its taken me 23 years to realize its time to DIE. My only comfort is that Jesus started his ministry at 30... he did a ton in 3 short years... surely there's hope for me to change my 'norm'. Surely. I want to change it. I want to become CRAZY for HIM! I want to do things the world thinks are totally absurd for HIM. I want to love people for HIM. I want to get out of my own head and into the hearts of others FOR HIM. I want to stop judging people FOR HIM. I want to be an intercessor FOR HIM. I want it all FOR HIM! I want to change the world FOR HIM!
and then... i realize that means sacrifice... and that means death. Death to MY dreams, MY desires- because they are not His desires. They aren't.
and then... I'm scared. Scared of failing... and even scared of succeeding. I'm scared about what that would even look like. And I'm scared that when I get there- I'll decide the cost was too great. But could it ever REALLY be too great?! The church answer is def not. My real answer- I'm not sure.

So here we are at the beginning of a journey that I believe is going to be good... that I intentionally placed myself on... intentionally not knowing what it was going to require and now feeling completely overwhelmed.

Speaking of overwhelming... I just found a blog today through one of my friends from BRH days at Baylor, Jenny Chisolm Simmons of Addison Road. Jenny's blog is great- she's a new mommy and she shares with such REALness and humor the not-so-glam world of being in a hit band, following God at all costs and her struggle with the good and the bad. I LOVE reading her posts and I'm pretty sure you will too! HOWEVER, today- she had an entire post of reaction to someone else- Katie. See Jenny's blog about Katie here:

So if you didn't read Jenny's summary of Katie and her blog... at least click on Katie's blog. She's just a girl who grew up in the South, and now serves God in Africa doing things she never would have been able to do on her own... and loving it. After reading her blog- my issues... dying to myself... finding a little discipline... they don't seem like that big of a deal. I'm going to be thinking about the things I read for a while... and then hopefully dying to myself and stepping out to do something for HIM.

Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear your perspective.

Love
Tiffany, the dying one.