WOF conference

I just got back from the Women of Faith conference in Denver and it was awesome. Lately God has been talking to me about my relationship with my mom. He has been saying just give it to me, actually I have been hearing him saying to me much like a parent trying to get something from a kid, "would you give that to me, give me that, JUST GIVE IT TO ME!!" He wants all my pain, my fears, just every feeling and hurt I have with it. And I have very stubbornly saying NO, I don't want to let it go, work in the other areas of my life, but just not this one.

Well as most of you know, when we don't give EVERYTHING to God, when we don't open up every part of our heart for him to work in, we miss the full annointing that he has for our lives. And that has been what I have been doing. I have been afraid to give it to him, because my biggest fear has always been to be out of control. To just lay broken before the Lord, weeping at his feet, with all my hurt, my sins, my everything just there for him to see and work on.

I have felt like we often feel when we have something in our eye: Man that piece of sand might hurt like heck, but the thought of trying to get it out is worse, because we know the pain will be so much greater, and knowing that we must go through it to heal, but not wanting to. That has been my life for a long time. I know that my relationship with my mom hinders my marriage, my kids lives, my relationship with others, but most importantly God.

This whole conference was on Freedom. It was truly a freeing weekend. I realized that just like Luci Swindowl said "Just show up, Shut up, and Let go." That I was never in control and by trying to be in control I have not let God do all he can in my heart. And forgiving my mother doesn't mean forgetting, but giving it to God will heal my heart and let God do things in me I never dreamed he would do.

It is a truly freeing, wonderful weekend.
Mandi

8 bad habits of my husband I will fondly remember

I decided to make a list for myself about John also.

1. The fact that the kids can be screaming right in front of him and he can ignore them.

2. That there are always coke cans all over my house. (guess it bets beer cans)

3. The fact that when he gets up in the morning he is not ready to run out the door to do whatever I was wanting to get done.(I mean the nerve of him, so what if I had at least an hour to wake up and get dress already, lol)

4. The fact that he will watch bits of movies he finds on tv over and over for days in a row. Sometimes it takes days to watch the whole movie.

5. That he cant watch tv and talk at the same time. (I guess all people aren't that talented.

6. That he alway puts the parking brake on my car, even though it doesn't need to be.

7. That he turns my radio station to a different station every single time he is my car.

8. That he always manages to remember he needs something the minute we are ready to walk out the door, that he really doesn't need at all.

That is my husbands bad habits in a nutshell, and you know what I wouldn't change him for the world. I love him, corny movies watcher, coke drinking, late all the time, dorky man that he is.

Have been tagged

Well I read my sister in law's blog and therefore got tagged.

So here are 8 bad habits of mine that my husband will fondly remember at my funeral.

1. No matter how high the trash gets, I generally refuse to bag it up and take it out.

2. Leaving diapers laying around until the next morning. (they are generally just wet ones, but occasionaly a pooping one is laying around too)

3. Asking him to refill my water glass by simply holding the glass up and moving my wrist as soon as he walked in the door. (Come on, it was one time, get over it)

4. Asking him to get me something the minute he sets down.

5. Jumping on the computer the minute he walks away from it for a second.

6. Drinking the last can of coke even when I know that he will be craving one when he gets home.

7. Managing to wash everything in the house except for a pair of boxer for him to wear.

8. The fact that I sometimes leave my craft projects down and have the nerve to get mad when the Alex takes off with my stuff.

Mandi

Middle Name Tag

Well I saw this on my sister of the heart's blog and so I thought I would do it too.

J-- Jeans--I love, Love, LOVE Jeans. If I can find the right pair, I will wear them until they are falling apart.

E-- Easy to use--Not in any naughty kind of way, but in the I never seem to be able to say no when people ask me to do something for them, whether it be watch their kids, hey can you make this for me, hey can you be my taxi for the day, hey will drive around with me while I do errands so I can leave you in the car with my 4 children while you slowly go insane(Kari, that one was for you, lol).

A-- Artistic--Not autistic-- not in the art painting way, but in the crafty kind of way, can quilt, scrapbook, learning to paint signs, cross-stitch, and crochet

N-- Need me time-- I need to be able to regroup every so often and remember that Mandi is still alive, that she isn't just a mom, wife, youth leader, you fill in the blank. That Mandi the crafty, movie watching, look at the Mall while holding my husband's hand, card-playing person is still here and able to come out and play every so often.

There is so much more to me than just those things, but that is me in a nutshell.
Mandi

PEOPLE!!!!!!

I hate having to depend on other people. Especially when they do things on their own time frame. Pastor Dave asked me to print out the directory today at the church. Well I tried calling him this morning and he didn't answer. I headed over to the church and he wasn't there. My keys are lost(thanks to my husband) and so I couldn't just go in and get it done.

Well I can't do it now today, because we have stuff going on for the rest of the day. My way of thinking is if you want to do something to try and do it earlier in the day. I must be an odd-ball, because it seems I am always waiting on people. That frustrates me!!!!!

Keeping Busy!!!!!!

It has been a hectic couple of weeks. I thought with VBS ending I would get to slow down, boy was I wrong. I have been watching my niece 3 days a week, have a youth girl come over after school until her parents get off every school day, working on quilts(or trying too) and working on signs to start selling at craft shows as a side business with a friend. Oh and all the new projects I have taken on at church.

Here is the 2 quilts I am doing for a lady.


2 of the signs I have made. The rest are at my friend house. We are going to do custom order name signs, and then have some signs with seasonal, welcome and etc to sell at the shows.

We named our business, Creative Praise and we are hoping that it will go over good!!!

And here are halloween costumes that I need to get started on. JJ is going to be a puppy(I am going to change the costume slightly, my niece will be the skunk and Alex, well I am sure you will guess his.



Well got to go get busy again.
Mandi