Whatever Things.....

Okay, so by request, I am posting a small bible study on my blog once or twice a week. God has been laying this on my heart for quite a while. At the beginning of this year, our ladies bible study went through "Conversation Peace" By Mary Kassian. What an excellent study! I wish I could say I've completely tamed my tongue, but that would be a stretch! It's a daily battle. One thing that has really affected my choices was something from this study. It's called the P-48 Test. To quote Mary "P-48 is based on Philippians 4:8. It tests the goodness of thoughts, beliefs, and words, so we can judge if they ought to be planted in our hearts. With P-48, we determine whether the seeds are:

• Pure Are my motives pure? Are my thoughts/words holy?


• Right Is this proper and appropriate?


• Excellent Is it of the highest quality? Is is the best or just adequate?


• Praisworthy Am I proud of the way I am speaking?


• Lovely Does it mirror the beauty and gentleness of Jesus?


• Admirable Is it worthy of being respected and admired?


• Noble Does it demonstrate my position as a child of the KING?


• True Does is agree with the Bible's evaluation of the situation?

After being shaken through this filter, the words that remain are seeds we want to

P.R.E.-P.L.A.N.T."

This is the litmus test for my life. I want to evaluate everything I do based on Philippians 4:8. Can you see why? What a great way to know the will of God in every situation! That's my challenge to you today. I love you, my sisters and brothers in Jesus. I pray this is a challenge to your spiritual walk and will encourage you to draw nearer to your Savior.

God's Good, Pleasing and Perfect Will.....

Alright, I'm done talking about the stupid coons after this post. I will keep you updated if anything changes.

Raccoons are smart little devils. Tuesday morning, the hubby went out to check the traps and found a chicken inside one of them. All the eggs were gone. Then, to his surprise, he turned a corner and found an "R.J." in one of the traps. Unfortunately, hubby was outwitted by the masked bandit. When Eric went to pick up the cage, the weight of the coon shifted and he escaped the cage! He took off.

So, to answer your questions? Got any yet? No, but we've trapped 3 of our own chickens!

On to more important issues. I have been studying the life and ministry of the apostle Paul in our ladies bible study. It's been a very good and quite challenging. Have you ever done an in-depth bible study? If you haven't, I strongly recommend it. God has been challenging me for quite some time with something I just don't want to let go of.

You see, I struggle with allowing certain things to creep in and compete with my relationship with Jesus. Blogging has become one of them. If you were to read back on some of my earlier posts, you would see this isn't the first time I've dealt with this. There are so many things that I allow in that, very easily, become my favorite things. TV has been that. Eating has been that. I guess I have, what you would call, an addictive personality. Does this mean I'm going to cease blogging. No. However, I may be backing away for a while. Until I can get my priorities in order. I love the sisterhood I have developed with so many of you. The question I must ask myself is "Do I love Jesus that much?" Do I get as excited about opening His word as I do when I check my email and have 10 new messages from comments on my blog? I received a very random email from my Internet Service Provider the other day soliciting me for some new product and the title of the email was, "It's all about you, Melissa". Who knew God would speak to me through AT&T's marketing department?

It's not all about me. It's all about Him. I don't want it to be all about me. Don't get me wrong. I love the recognition I have received from all of you. I relish the comments about how funny I am. Keep stroking my ego. Like I need it!!! That's just it. I must decrease, He must increase. It's nobody's fault but mine. I am just making the decision to pull the reigns back a little. If I lose readers, oh well. I wasn't put here to serve anyone but my Heavenly Father. I hope I don't hurt anyone's feelings by saying that. I care. I really do. But, if by visiting Another Day In Paradise, you get a chuckle and nothing more, I have really done my Savior a tremendous disservice. Beth Moore recorded the video session for our bible study about 10 years ago. She doesn't know this yet, but session 9 that we viewed last night, was a message recorded especially for me. God knew before He laid the foundations of the earth that it was exactly what I needed to hear at that very moment. I sat and watched with a nauseated feeling in my stomach. I knew when I got home last night, I would have some very critical decisions to make. I must choose Jesus. My readers who are believers, I know, will understand. I don't even know if my words are making sense right at this moment. I'm just giving you a piece of my heart. If you don't return, I will understand. I just hope that my testimony will not be that I am a witty blogger with crazy, awnry kids. I want to be a "living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.....not [conforming] any longer to the patterns of this world, but being transformed by the renewing of [my] mind..." (Romans 12:1-2).

Caught, Black-Handed

Okay, they weren't really caught, but a childhood friend of mine, who I keep in touch with through beloved blogging has joined the effort to bring these coons to justice. Karen has a developing story for us.........Karen? (that's your cue to click the link)

Okay, I'm a little behind, but SITS is holding one final contest this summer and they are giving away a killer (and I'm not being funny regarding my previous post.) PRIZE!!!

Apple 4G iPod Nano in Silver

Click this link

and here's your chance. I'm going to win, so I don't really want you to click here, but SITS says I have to if I want an extra entry, so I'm trying to follow the rules. Am I disqualified for being a bad sport?

Raccoons Are Chicken Terrorists

I don't know how long they have been plotting and planning their attack, but last night was a slaughter. Many of you know, and now thanks to SITS, many of you will learn that we have chickens. We, this spring, just got 25 new chicks. We had 8 or so, and that brought the grand total to thirty-three. My son is at the age where he can do little chores around our pathetic, little 1-acre farm. He feeds them and checks for eggs from the grown hens. It's been good for him. We bought a few Bantam D'Uccles for him to show at the fair next year for 4-H. We thought it would be neat for him to win a blue ribbon--for which he would have been a shoe-in with these hunnies......:)

Well, last night changed all that. The hubby went out to feed the chickens this morning and discovered a grisly scene. Eight of our chickens had been brutally attacked and savagely killed! A taliban of 'coons ravaged our coop. There were feathers and such everywhere--my source informed me. I, of course, did not survey the damage for fear of upchuckage.

So, this evening, off to Lowe's we went to buy reinforcements. We are making a shelter with a hinged door for the poultry. We've set up 'coon traps with eggs planted conveniently inside to lure the boogers. It's go time! Please don't get all "Over The Hedge"/ "raccoons are cute" on me. They are the enemy and they hit the wrong house. You mess with our cluckers, you're gonna fry! Booyah!

No Cats Were Harmed...

...in the making of the video below. Tigger is alive and well and living comfortably with his sister, Betsy and the O's in Tallahassee. I just wanted to disclose that in case someone was thinking of reporting me to the ASPCA or PETA. Tigger is living the life he always dreamed.....away from Emmy.

Cats Are On My Naughty List...

Our cat, Stanley the manly kitty, is currently in big trouble with his mommy.....that would be me, his adopted mommy. If he wasn't such an adorable, fat puff-ball, he would have been banished years ago. The problem, you ask? Here's the short list:

• He is soooo annoying in the morning. Kneading my neck to wake me up. Laying on my face to try and smother me....with love. I'm a loving person only after my caffeine injection.
• I despise being awaken, in the middle of the night, by the sound of retching. I know, he's a fur ball in and of himself, but nothing puts me in a sour mood faster than slipping in cat puke in the dark. He needs to take more "Eych, Cat Hairball Remedy."
  
  
  

• Why do cats and children put things in their mouths that are not food. That's probably the reason for Stanley puking as much as he does. He will eat Q-Tips, ribbon from presents, and his most recent favorite.....our computer chair! He sneaks out at night and has been steadily gnawing at the arms. The worst part about it? My SIL and BIL just gave us this chair because the stupid feline ate the arms off the last one!


• Finally, my youngest is rather hard on kitties. But if Stanley doesn't shape up, I'm gonna sick her on him!

Mommy, I Gotta Go!

Why is it that every time we go to a new place my 3 year old feels she must bless the bathroom. It's like an animal marking it's territory. She could have just peed 5 minutes ago, but if we are somewhere new, she must go. I know what you're going to say. "Melissa, she's only 3. Her bladder is so tiny...poor thing." Okay, I know this. She just picks the MOST inopportune times to feel the need. I, for some reason, have really bad luck with trips to the bathroom. We were shopping tonight at a nationwide discount retailer with a grocery side and a retail side who's name shall remain anonymous, but starts with WAL. You get my drift. My question to the powers-that-be of such a shopping empire is this. Why, why, why does it seem that the bathroom is ALWAYS closed for cleaning when I have to take 2 or more children to use the potty? What is it that is being cleaned? I never feel overly sanitary after I have completed my mission. And, why does the whole stinking place have to shut down? Why aren't there family restrooms at the front of the store? Duh, you sell underoos! Which says to me you are pro-potty training. You have a baby registry (which I'm not impressed with), diapers(which are getting a little costly, I might add), and a whole section dedicated to the materialistic desires of all the children of the world. Why can you not have more than one restroom available at the front of the store? NOOOOOOOOO, I must stomp all the way to the layaway department at the very back of the store with a child who may not make it there dry! Thanks, ___-mart. I appreciate your consideration for the people who are keeping you in business! My brother calls you the small town killer. I call you a potty-training murderer!!! Is that too harsh? Ask her......

Dear SITS,

First of all, Iwould like to thank SITS for featuring me today. I would also like give some advice for future featured bloggers.

#1. If you are a parent, be prepared that every and any emergency will come up on your special day. The kids will be climbing all over you while you read and type. It's okay. Just go with it. Shake them off if you have too. It's only one day.

#2. If your 3 year old comes up to you while you're trying to read comment #88, which may or may not be Expectantly Waiting (she really was #88 to comment :), and asks for a snack, it's too late. You should have planned all the meals in advance and hired a sitter to tend to the kiddies. If you're computer is not mobile, this may not make much of a difference, as in my case.

Oh well, next feature-day. We do get more than one right?

#3. Make sure you have the Shania Twain, Come On Over, album playing in the background while you check your many comments.......Why, you ask? Because you're SAUCY! That's why!
(Sing it, "I'm goin' out tonight, I'm feelin' alright, gonna let it all hang out....Wanna make some
noise, really raise my voice, man, I wanna scream and shout.................AAAAhhhhhh")






#4. Try, try, try to make sure your kids do this for, at least, 2 hours.





For those of you who have already been featured, please feel free to leave any other tips. You may also want to stop by Mama's Losin It and read her little post about your day of glory. It's good for a gut workout!


I still have a few hours to relish the feeling of fame. I pray I will gain a few more readers. I hope I didn't scare anyone off from parenting. Everyday is an adventure!


I would like to share a few of my favorite comments from today. I'm not playing favorites, well I guess I am, but not to be mean. There were just a few that really made me chuckle and I thought you might enjoy them.....Here goes....


Heather said: "I wonder how tasty those markers were? I mean, I'd get it if they were the scented ones... :)Those Color Wonder markers are the only Implements of Destruction - erm, I mean art supplies - that I allow my kiddo to bring upstairs to her room. All the rest of her art stuff must stay downstairs. At least, that's the rule, I won't comment on whether it is followed or not.......................Cheers!"
Marla said: "i think this is why we have kids... so we can forgive our parents for grounding us... embarrassing us in front of our friends...using spit to clean our faces...making us wear ridiculous clothes etc..." -Re: Destructo Strikes Again


Caroline said: "Yay Yay Yay it's your big SITS day! I'm so happy for you. Your blog is so fun and the best thing is its real life stuff. Now, instead of saying the walls have ears, you can say the walls have LIPS!!!"-Re: While Daddy Napped


Debbie said: "Yowza...those are the times I say, God lent me these children, God lent me these children, I love my job, I love my job...Now go to your room before Mommy asks for a raise!" -Re: Watch Out, She Bites!



All in all, it's been an awesome day.


***On a more serious note, please pray for Melissa Lee at Stretch Marks. She got some bad news today and I know she is hurting. I'm sure all the moms out there are hurting for her. Please take a moment to visit her blog and give her a word of encouragement.

July 25, 2008 Edition of SITS

Good morning and welcome to Friday's Edition of SITS. Grab a cup of coffee, sit down, and enjoy your stay...I consider it such a blessing to have each one of you here.