One of the first things I do in the morning is check my phone. I delete a ton of junk emails, and then I check in with my Instagram friends. They are usually bright eyed and bushy tailed, most showing pics of steamy mugs of coffee and underlined scripture passages. It makes me smile. It makes me line up in thought. It makes me want to crack open my own Bible to see what God has for me.
John 15 is where it fell open this morning, and it was just what I needed. I've been making lists. I have several actually. My master list is staring at me right now. It's funny Alicia and I were just talking about this over the weekend.
We've got dreams and things we would love to see happen in our lives and we want to figure it all out. We've got to have a PLAN. The problem is I have SO many things that I don't even know where to begin. I'm not sure where to start and so I don't. My list just sits on my desk teasing me. When I was reading this passage this morning the "apart from me you can't do a thing," caught my eye.
Maybe I've been planning (list making) a little too much. Maybe I've been turning my wheels and not figuring out how to begin because I haven't really asked HIM for direction or help. Maybe I'm a big useless branch that needs pruning back a bit to become stronger? Regardless, it made me stop for a minute and realign. I want to be fruitful. I want a harvest...a BIG ONE, but I can't do it alone. I just can't.
The other day we decided to paint some farm animals. I set up a table for the girls in my workroom and off they went...paint brushes flying. By the time it was all said and done there were tears...big giant crocodile tears of frustration.
Usually these feelings are reserved for me, but today it was my chicks;) Both of them were so disappointed in their art work. I kept telling them it's only paint, you can paint over it. But in the back of my mind I'm thinking I totally get it. How am I supposed to tell them to calm down and not worry about their craft when I do the same thing almost every time I create something??
[A quiet little spot we found in Williamsburg this week.]
Having a vision and not knowing how to get it to look like what you have in mind is frustrating. We don't always know how to get from point A to point B. We want it to wrap up all nice and neat and sometimes it just looks like a giant mess. That's usually when I want to quit or never begin in the first place. There is some fear involved with having dreams. There is the potential to fail...to feel defeated or just plain rejected. But what if...WHAT IF...we give it over...tie into the "vine" and expect HIS MASTER LIST to unfold?? It says our cup of joy will overflow! OVERFLOW!!!! I know I'm ready for that.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Okay people this is good.
Like get out a pen and paper right now GOOD. These are my friend
Suzanne's Avocado Burgers. She made them for us for dinner once and we were moaning and our eyes were rolling in the back of our heads.
You'll need:
2 pounds of ground beef
1 mashed avocado
4 oz. can of diced green chilies (I didn't have this...substituted for half a can of green enchilada sauce)
1/4 cup chopped green onion (didn't have this either)
2 cloves of garlic minced (I used garlic from a jar)
1T of lemon pepper
1t of salt
Mash the avocado and mix all the other ingredients together. Grill over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Top with shredded cheese. Serve on toasted bun...makes 8 patties.
You know the drill. If you want to party, grab my button, link up to a recipe post and let's FEED OUR FAMILIES:)
Have a blessed day.
656. Lenina's bruschetta
657. a prayer request being answered
658. alone time with my big chick
659. the porch swing being fixed by my honey
660. cooler weather this week
661. the fabulous amy bramer is finally opening her vintage inspired etsy shop today...check it out!!!! it's gonna be great:)
661. the fabulous amy bramer is finally opening her vintage inspired etsy shop today...check it out!!!! it's gonna be great:)
I love your pictures : )
ReplyDeleteI LOVE avocados!
I LOVE your girls : )
Go to Great Wolf Lodge at once.
Every one of you will love it!
You will have tons of opportunities to take pictures of yourself in cool mirrors. I actually thought of you because there were so many cool mirrors and I know you dig them : )
oh those lists....blasted lists and blast the anxiety and fear that blocks us making check marks!!! on my drive home from your house the kids were consumed with a movie, so i used that time to pray and ask God for direction on my "list"...what i should do. we need to do this more. no more wheel-spinnin ;)
ReplyDeleteand um...those burgers!?!? sorry i missed out! dang!!
Was it shady by the fence? Is that why the sheep lined up along it? Or do sheep just follow what the first sheep did? Burgers sound yummy. Gonna try 'em.
ReplyDeleteoh, this is so good.
ReplyDeletegiving it over to the One Who holds tomorrow and asking Him for help to accomplish His plan(not my list!) in my life.
sadly, i'm really good at doing my OWN thing.
and i'm really good at letting fear get in the way, too. only trust HIM!
love this.
and i KNOW i would love those burgers. YUM!
xo
I love, love, love the painting of the sheep by the fence. So cute!
ReplyDeleteGood morning sweet pea! Yes I have GOT to get on Instagram asap. As soon as I get my new phone.
ReplyDeleteI'm the queen of list making.. boy I get this. I love those verses... amazing how calming they are..
Are those OUR sheep? The ones we took pictures of by that antique mall?? So cute. Your painting is darling. Take that baby down to Office max, get it scanned and saved onto a flashdrive and have them print up 11x14 sized copies onto low sheen cardstock and then LIST them in your shop!!! -Roll them in brown paper and ship them in mailing tubes (also from office max) and you'll be the queen of print making. :)
I love that you totally encouraged Becky to get those printed and put into her shop! You're a keeper. :)
DeleteWhat a great burger, I linked up a salad and we had burgers with it too well they did I had one for lunch so I held out one per day! It maybe time for a list break!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
I'm on a fast from making lists. Seriously. I get so optimistic and start writing everything down, and when it doesn't get done I feel like a big fat failure!!! Someone told me to only keep an "I Did" list while my kids are young and that works sometimes. Anyway, love your paintings and so glad you are inspiring your girls to paint too! Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteI can't WAIT to try those burgers!!!
ReplyDeletesigh.....list making is how I've operated most of my life. With very few checkmarks. Why is it invigorating to make big plans (or even simple small ones), but so paralyzing to actually complete them?
ReplyDeleteBeing layed up has actually made me excited to get stuff done. When I'm able to walk again, I pray the desire is still strong :)
TOTALLY agree with LMM above and making prints of your sheep! I so love your painting style....bless the Etsy world with it :)
Great post...I'm a list-maker, too:) And thanks to your blog, I finally figured out "statigram"! Thanks, Becky!
ReplyDeleteHi. My name is Tara, and I'm a total list maker.
ReplyDeleteI'm completely addicted.
When I get the stuff in my head onto paper, I feel like I can breathe.
I gotta get cooking so I can linkup with you!
ReplyDeleteconfession...McDonalds Fish Fillet...sad right?
I LOVE this post. I get it. I feel the same way..you little chicks
they are precious
I saw their art and it made me smile. Just that you all sat down and
painted together. Not many momma's do that with their kids these days.
I am going to add that recipe to my week. I LOVE Suzanne too;)
xoxo
Happy to add my link.Thank you for hosting. I hope you will join my Thursday Linky party too. I have also added you party to my blog hop page! Hugs
ReplyDeleteOh, me, I'm such a list maker and all too often I rely on my own strength to accomplish my lists. Some of my lists are very important and others, I just think they are important. I need to so rely on Him to direct me to very important and the not so important and I'm sure I'd have more joy as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a very inspiring post!
Howdy!...in one of your Instagram pictures, you showed a picture of a devotional book that is red with a bird on it? Could you let me know what the name of it is, as well as the author?
ReplyDeleteThanks lady!
Having something in your mind and not being able to get it to look the way you want is frustrating. I find that sometimes with my photography ~ it's like I see it with my eyes but sometimes the camera just does not capture it. I found a recipe this week-end that I am going to get the stuff for to try next week-end: http://www.food.com/recipe/turkey-apple-burgers-34901
ReplyDeleteHope you had a great week-end!
i can totally relate. i beg for His will not mine. but i get in the way too much. i'm not a list maker. but i need to be, at least a little. : ) i think i will be more obedient that way.
ReplyDeletealso! i'm the world's greatest avocado fan. so thanks for this!
Becky, the burgers sound very good. I enjoyed looking at the painting of the lambs that you did. Your very talented.
ReplyDeleteI was not abe to put your badge on my blog. I am new to blogspot and have not figured out how to do that yet. I did put a link though.
Mary
I actually think
ReplyDeleteyou get a TON of
things done, every
day and am quite
envious. Don't be
so hard on yourself!!
So happy to connect
via Instagram with all
the trips and company
I've had going on this
summer. Loved that
sheep pic the first time
I saw it and so happy
that you painted it!!
Happy Monday, girlie.
Hope the burgers were
as good as you remembered
them to be!
xo Suzanne
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! What a beautiful post! I too am an AVID list maker! Your words reminded me of how many times I try to make progress on my lists without my ultimate Helper- and surprise surprise I'm not successful. I'm off to seek His word NOW, before I start on my never ending lists!
ReplyDeletei love the sheep pic, too... you did a fabulous job. and i agree w the frustration your girls feel... i feel it w life. you did a great job of describing it. and the burger? totally paleo (sans the bun and cheese!)
ReplyDelete