Talk about simple........

I know I haven't written in a while and there are reasons for that!!!  For starters we started school.  We chose a "simpler" (or so we thought) curriculum this year to take some (or most) of the responsibility off my shoulders!  Then we had some changes that took place and I wasn't wanting to blast it out right away.  We left our church fellowship and have been attending a small church in Farmersville.  We didn't give out reasons for our decision hoping it would cut out on "GOSSIP"!!! (needless to say it didn't)  If we don't hear a reason we will make our own!!!  How sad is that?  We are all guilty of this!  I wonder how many of you, get told something that someone tells you, that someone told them "not to tell"....  It seems so simple to just keep it inside......so why, OH WHY do we feel so pressured to tell someone else???  I am talking to myself, because this is an area of my life that I want so bad to do better!  Even if they didn't say "don't tell"....why do we like to tell others what someone told us?  Do we feel like we "have the right" because we are close to that person.....seriously people think about this!!!  Be honest with yourselves!  Did we say it in a gentle way so we feel like its O K???  I have very few people in my life that when I say something to them I know it stays with them and doesn't go anywhere else! ....you tell someone something that you need to get off your chest.........it relieves you.......you feel better about it.......THEN.....you hear what you said from someone else and it doesn't tell your heart!!!  Why do we do this and not even think about how it HURTS the other person!  If it is simple to say whats been said to us why isn't it  easy to keep it to ourselves?  I think in our minds we want to "be someone" and that may mean to "KNOW THINGS".  I'm here to tell you.....I have been in trouble more times for knowing things, than not knowing things! I'm asking you all to step out with me and get WEIRD (because it is normal to gossip or know a lot) with me!!!  Raise your standard......rise above the way we are.  Don't give the devil what he wants, and that is to destroy!  When you say something you should NOT or when you get done with a conversation what goes through your mind?  I usually feel awful.....sad.......upset (that I did it AGAIN)....like a bad friend or sister.....or daughter....or wife!  If we start a sentence with "Did you hear" or " Have you heard" or Did so and so call you yet?"  We are starting gossip or spreading news that may or may not be true!  After we are known to "TALK" we lose our friends.....daughters......husbands......wives and sisters, TRUST!  Uhhh I think the title of this is "talk about simple"......................  Well it is with "PRAYER"!   Some of you may read this and say WOW I can't believe she has the nerve to put this on here!!!  Well believe me I wrote this with great trepidation!  But it is what is on my heart......I hope you can pray for me and join me in a "GOSSIP FAST"!!!  May the Lord bless you as you choose to Rise Above!!!!  

Friendships...........What do they mean to you?

This subject has been on my mind for a long time!  Friendships are so important and we all desire to be loved by someone!  So, I would like to shake around a few thoughts.....when you meet someone for the first time, have you already accessed them and judged them for what they look like or how they smell?  Maybe it's what they are wearing or how they dress their children.  Or are you worried about what they think of you.........here are some of my thoughts.  I have had friends that have been my friend since I was a child.  I have friends that I made when I was a tween.  I have friends that I have had from church camp.  I have friends that I met after I met Randall.  I have friends that I just met within the past few years.  The point is not that I have a lot of friends but that God has blessed me with people to love and care for!  My family is the first people God gave me and I haven't always done my part.  I have learned that people don't like to be smothered but they don't like to be ignored either so........how exactly are we suppose to be a friend?  A few thoughts just to ponder......

• A simple smile can make someone feel noticed.
• A simple hug can make someone feel loved.
• A simple phone call can make someone feel like you don't just think of them when you see them.....
• A simple card can make someone feel like you took time "just for them".

If being "there" for someone doesn't come easy for you make a note to yourself telling yourself to care for one of your friends each day.  My friends mean a lot to me, no matter if I have known you for 32 years or 1 day!!!  Please feel free to give me other ideas on how to be a great friend!  You see, it's the simple things of life that keep us ticking.  If you have been one of those people that pre-judge a person before you get to know them you could be missing out on some valuable friendships.  There are a few people who I thought were really good friends but as I realized I was the only one calling and inviting and sending notes I began to wander what was wrong with me?  I let it get me down.  You see.....I let satan steal my JOY.  I would recommend that when you have a friend like that.....one who lets you do all the work it takes to keep a friendship warm, is to get on your knees and pray for that person.  They could NEED you more than you NEED them.  To often I forget that I have a Creator that cares more for me than anyone that knows me as a friend.  Philippians 1:9 says, And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement:  What do you think this means?  I think it means that in everything we judge that we need to have so much LOVE!!!  ........That our love may abound not just more but, "more and more"!!!  Blessing~ Betsy lou

Family fun....

A few days ago Randall told me he wanted to go out on the lake with our boat.  I sort of was annoyed because I  started thinking of everything I would have to do to get ready!  I felt like I needed to plan everything out and get it "just so" before we went!  Never mind the fact that I needed to be up on the school room organizing it for the year!  I just simply didn't think I could get it done.  Randall told me not to worry about anything and that he would plan the trip.  Well......that didn't set well with me either, I didn't want to get stuck eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch, snacks and supper!!!!  So I told him I would plan it with his help!  He said "KEEP IT SIMPLE!!!"  So we planned a very simple lunch, I bought cookies instead of making them (because of the lack of time)  We Bought a few other snacks and fruit then went on a boat ride!!!  I didn't really want to go because of the possibility of something happening to one of the girls or Randall while I was driving the boat or........  I kept making excuses in my head why we should not go!  Why when years ago I would have jumped at every chance to go?  Any way we went and the girls all Knee-boarded (for the first time) except for miss Annie, (she tubed with her daddy)!  Randall got to knee board and we had my brother with us so the trip was special!  The whole day was so much fun!!!    At the end of the day the girls were in their jammies ready to go back to  the dock, Alexa was all kicked back in the front of the boat and she said " This is the best life" (with the biggest grin ever)  The point is that everything was simple!  Randall is right most of the time I think to hard or try to make the most of something with a fancy dessert or "fun food" but what sticks in our minds isn't the food we took or the extravagance of a well planned trip, but the simple things like just being together!  Creating memories that no one will forget!!!  Bless  someone today with a simple act of kindness!!!  

It's the simple things....

It's the simple things has been inspired my my little family.    A little bit about our family......Randall and I got married in July of 1998.  In 2002 we had our first blessing, McKayla Renee.  Sixteen and a half months later we were blessed by Morgan Lou.  Two years and seven days later we had another blessing Alexa Kate.  Then three years later we had our youngest blessing Annie Lynne!  Randall is in the insurance business and he has been doing that for  6 years.  When the girls started school we decided to home school because of Randall's work, the girls and I travel with him when we can!  We have been in 24 of the 50 states with our girls!  I enjoy homeschooling our girls!  Watching them learn has been a blessing and an experience that I'm glad to be part of.  Seeing their faces light up when they learn something new and the "get it", something about it is totally satisfying.  We are doing Bob Jones University this year DVD learning.  It will simplify things for me and I will be able to be a better wife and mom for our family!!!  We hope to start our school year in a week!