"Gritty"

I'm participating in Lisa-Jo's 5 minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama's Blog.  She issues a challenge and we have 5 minutes to write about it.

The word today is:

GRIT

If you have grit, you are a determined person, willing to tough out a situation.  You're not wishy-washy but you know what you want and have decided to do what it takes to get there.

True Grit Poster - http://www.imdb.com

Of course, when I hear the phrase "grit" - it's one you don't hear often anymore - my first thought was the movie, "True Grit," starring John Wayne, Kim Darby and Glen Campbell.  (It's crazy but Glen Campbell used to be one of my heart-throbs!  I seriously had a poster of him on my bedroom wall.)  But I digress.  If I remember correctly, the movie was about a girl who was determined to not give up until her father's killer had been brought to justice.

I'd like to think I am a "gritty" person.  There are some things that are important to me, things that I believe in and will not back down. I hope I'm known for standing for Christ and His word. I hope my little piece of the world knows that my family is mine and you better not mess with them!

The world may not know to say I have "grit," but I hope they recognize I'm a person of inte"grit"y.

STOP

{I did write this in 5 minutes, but it took a couple more minutes to find the "True Grit" illustration.)

Friday's Fave Five - February 24, 2012

 

TGIF!  It's time to pause and count the blessings of this past week.

1.  Favorite Post to write:  This week's favorite was my Daybook post.  You can read it here.  I like to do Daybooks to start the week, because it can help you be intentional about planning your week,  and Friday's Fave Five to end the week to recap how you did. I've done 82 daybooks since I started blogging ....

2.  Favorite Meal:  Taco Cupcakes!   I actually adapted this recipe from Shannon who blogs at Rocks In My Dryer, except she named hers Barbecue Cupcakes.  Basically, it is taco meat inside a biscuit crust. Let me know if there is any interest and I will post my version of the recipe.  I might even take a photo!

3.  Favorite Photo:  Here is a tablescape featuring my yellow Valentine roses and my $5 China I scored while yard-saling this year.  

 

 This was the table set for Sunday dinner.  We had pot roast.

 Bonus photo:  Red tulips to remind myself that Spring always comes!

 

 4. Quote of the week:  

Procrastination is not only the thief of time, it is also the grave of opportunity.
Unknown

Procrastination is definitely an area wherein I need help!

5.  Favorite Blog to Visit This Week:   I decided to change this prompt a little because maybe every week I haven't found a new blog to visit, but there are always favorite ones I visit frequently.  This week, I'd like to mention Ruth at Celebrate Friendship.  I visit her weekly to participate in her Tea Talk blog party.  Ruth is a gentle soul whose passion is to make a difference to the poor in Thailand.  Visit her and see some of the folks in her mission field.

This wraps up a week at Jerralea's Journey.  If you'd like to read more weekly highlights, visit our fantastic hostess with the mostess, Susanne, at Living to Tell the Story.

Tea Talk - Thursday, February 23, 2012

1. I'm having...once again, Irish Breakfast tea in my mother-in-law's teacup.

2. I'm feeling.... fine!

3. On my mind.... thoughts about a blog post I'm writing on domain and dominion.  More about that later.

4. A quotation to encourage:

"... hang onto your past experiences with God, letting them remind you that He's with you - and even if He is all you have, he's enough."  Stephen M. Miller

It's a good practice to keep a gratitude journal to remember all the times He's provided in the past.  It gives you hope when you face your next struggle!

Tea Talk is an exercise in uplifting posts!  Ruth at Celebrate Friendship is our hostess.

I Love

I noticed that during the "love month" of February, several were posting their lists of things they love, most notably, Cheaper by the Half Dozen, and The Pioneer Woman.  Never one to miss out on the opportunity of listing, I thought I would see how many "loves" I could share:

(The following are in no particular order, written just as I think of them)

My hubby's voice over the phone

Blogging (of course)

Taking pictures

My girls

Sweet tea (with lemon!)

Reading

Mysteries

Light

Peonies

Belly laughs

Clementine oranges

M & Ms

Dishes (Tableware)

Fresh sheets with a high thread count

Cheese

Pizza

Candles

Tulips

Yellow

Cinnamon

Breezes

Kisses

Game shows

Praise and Worship music

Comments on my blog

French tip nails

Jokes

Yard saling (going - NOT having!)

Milk Chocolate

My bed (you knew it was coming!)

Listing!

A day off from work

New blouses

Yellow roses

Cute shoes

Cards in the mail

Personal emails

Scripture

 

Daffodils

Quotes

Cold Watermelon

Blueberry jam

Organizing

Trees

To sing while working in the kitchen

Animal prints

Lakes, rivers, oceans - any body of water

Brownies

Earrings

Thin Mint cookies

Newborn babies

Tender moments with family

Positive attitudes

What do you love?

Daybook - 02.20.12

FOR TODAY, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20TH

Outside my window...sunny and frosty

I am thinking... of my to-do list

I am thankful...that my van sits under a carport and I don't have to scrape ice in the mornings!

In the kitchen...chicken dressing casserole, peas and salad for tonight's dinner

I am wearing...black pants, animal print top with purple cardi and black boots

I am creating... blog posts (always)

I am going...to get my nails done today, which is good because I lost a nail this weekend.

I am wondering...why we have to hit bottom before we reach out to God?

I am reading...CANARY ISLAND SONG by Robin Jones Gunn

I am hoping...to see answers to prayers soon

I am looking forward to...date night this Friday!

I am learning...how much I need to write everything down to aid my memory!

Around the house...tulips in the kitchen and I'm going to take down my two remaining winter decorations.

I am pondering...the fact that our God is a God of details.  He makes the monarch butterflies and the birds to migrate every season. He even calls back the salmon to spawn right where they themselves started out in their journey.  If He can orchestrate those kinds of things, why not believe He can arrange every detail of your life to work out for your good? We are worth much more than wildlife to Him!

A favorite quote for today... "Protect your heart from discouragement. Open the Bible. Claim His promises. And that old desperado named discouragement will be driven away." David Jeremiah

One of my favorite things... Special K strawberry fruit crisps

A few plans for the rest of the week: no evening meetings this week, and date night Friday.

A peek into my day...

I'm reminding myself that JOY is my word for 2012!

Peggy Hostetler is the creator of the Daybook.  Link up with her at her blog, The Simple Woman's Daybook

Delight means Joy

Today's word to write about is Delight.  I have 5 minutes.

DELIGHT

When I hear the word delight, it brings to mind a very difficult time in my life.

It's true - a great word like delight - makes me think of a struggle.

For quite a while, my husband and I struggled with infertility.  Starting at about year three of our marriage, we were obsessed, consumed, and totally caught up in the desire of our heart - to have children.

We begged and pleaded with God to let us become parents.

One day, I ran across this verse:

"Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

I knew the desire of my heart, it was to be a mother.  Delight yourself also in the Lord - what did that mean?  I think it means to make Him your focus, your joy.  Your all in all.  In other words, to keep your eyes on Him and trust Him with ever fiber of your being.

It's a call to a higher life.  It doesn't come naturally.  You will fall short more often than you achieve it.

Yet when you do, it will be so worth it.  It will fill you with joy.

Incidentally, our first daughter's middle name is Joy.  I picked it because it means "delight."

STOP (Okay, I did 6 minutes instead of 5.  I'm learning to be quicker!)

To read more 5 minute descriptions of delight, visit Lisa-Jo's blog, The Gypsy Mama.

Friday's Fave Five - February 17, 2012

It's lovely Friday once again.  Time to recap my week:

1.  Favorite Blog Post to write:  This week flew by and I didn't post as frequently as I would have liked.  I did do a post, entitled "Truthful Tim" about my little brother.  I love to write about our life growing up in the sixties and seventies! It was a "kinder and gentler" time and sometimes I wish we all still lived in those decades!

2.  Favorite Photo:  Below is a photo of yellow roses my hubby surprised me with on Valentines Day. Instead of having the florist deliver them, he buzzed me at the door at work during my lunch hour bearing a vase of my favorite roses:

 You gotta love a guy that will drive 15 miles just to surprise his wife!

3. Favorite Meal:  This week was just home-cooked meals at home.  Last night was my favorite:  baked barbecue chicken.  It was so good!  And I'm having leftovers for lunch today.  (Too bad I can never remember to take a photo of  the finished product - I'm always too ready to dive in and eat it!)

4.  Favorite Quote:

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well,
neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily."
Zig Ziglar

 

I love this quote especially this week.  At Wednesday's prayer meeting, I felt fresh motivation.  I love it when God does that!  He confirmed it to me at a board meeting last night - He does have a plan for our little church, and it will come to pass!

5.  Favorite New Blog to Visit:  I have to give a shout out to my newest follower, Denise J. Hughes.  I met Denise at a couple writing challenges at The Gypsy Mama's Blog.  I've been impressed with her posts. Today she has written a fantastic post on 1 Corinthians 13.  Visit her at her blog, Denise J. Hughes:  Keeping a Slower Pace on a Simpler Path.


Please visit the lovely Susanne at her blog, Living to Tell the Story.  She is the driving force behind Friday's Fave Five, helping us to focus on the positive.