12 goods, 12 not so goods!

I have been thinking of random things I wanted to share with you guys and I thought a list format would be an appropriate way to share the odd things floating in this very odd brain!

12 goods!
1. Sweet Potato fries from the freezer section, with Ranch............enough said

2. Shepherding a Child's Heart! a/k/a Life Saver for Mommies (really for the kids)

3. Bible Study- The more I do it, the better I feel (and act), the less would fall into the next set for certain.

4. Red Box- $1 for a movie and for us, only a mile away! That is a date night this couple can afford to take!

5. For all of you out there trying to save cash! I need to share tips: Dove, yellow bottle, Shampoo and Conditioner, Mac-n-cheese and tuna for dinner (yes mixed, try it), and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and my personal fav, tomato sandwiches! It brings back very good childhood memories!

6. Seeing people get on fire for Jesus, that should be number one, it is totally priceless!

7. Looking back through scrapbooks and seeing the miracles God has done in your life already!

8. Taking good care of your home, making lunches and breakfastes (read that how it is spelled and it will be funny, not misspelled) and dinners! Yes, that order is somewhat correct! I feel so good when I have purchased enough groceries and all my ducks are in at least a somewhat straight row!

9. Going to church on Sunday and your pastor totally bringin it (even if it did step on your toes) and then wanting to yell "one more" when your worship team led music! This past week at Grace is a must see again! www.gcomchurch.com

10. Letting things go! I am becoming the queen of that. My OCD tendencies are topped by a higher instinct called practical! I wish Cross didn't walk around with cracker down the front of his shirt, but the screaming in the back seat that led to the cracker without a bib and the backed up loads of laundry by far trump an outfit change. Only poop or pee warrant that great necessity! Toys all through the house until bed time trumps the urge to kill your child when they dump the blocks out all over the floor AGAIN! I am learning quickly, life is too short!

11. Adult days, I am getting one today and you would think I was taking a cruise to Europe! I am really that excited! I may even stop and get a coffee or a giant Diet Dr. Pepper! p.s. this should probably fall under the not so goods, but I HAVE noticed that artificial sweeteners do make you hungry. When I am eating good and do water only I don't crave nearly like I do when I get my mid day Diet Drink! But for today I am willing to take the risk!

12. And finally, Beth Moore's video recaps of her events that are on her blogs. I call them my monthly cry fest! Seriously, watching all those women praising Jesus and knowing that they got a word from Him that weekend. It is almost more than I can handle!

12 Not so Goods!

1. Picturing yourself (after telling your son for the 100th time not to put a huge toy on the couch and ride it along the arms like a car) taking the toy and slamming it on the floor about 400 times until it is in a million pieces and then asking "NOW do you get it, now do you understand, MOMMY SAID NO NO). Anger Management here I come!

2. Being so mad at your husband that you could spit one minute and then being so very sad when he leaves you all alone to take care of this crazy child the next!

3. Pride- so ugly, so dark, so sneaky!

4. A rainy day when you have just mopped the floors and a dog! :( Little Snicker Doodle is back and she better be glad that I am 110% in love with her because those little paw prints are making me crazy!

5. There being a whole in the bottom or your poop picking up bag. Again Snick, you better be thankful mommy has already fallen head over heals and missed you like crazy!

6. Being so hungry that I could eat my arm at 6:00 and J not getting home until 6:15. I have blood sugar issues and that 15 minutes sometimes just doesn't bring out the best in me!

7. Cross screaming out in the middle of the night like a mad man, makes it very difficult to go back to sleep!

8. Watching friends suffer!

9. Watching movies (specifically Taken) and knowing that things like that really do go on and then turning off the movie and going back to "normal" life. It just kills my soul! We must throw away our silly cares and change this world for Jesus, we must!

10. Hearing about some stupid divorce and some lady wanting 99 million dollars to keep up her 50 something thousand dollar a WEEK spending habit and knowing that people all around the world need WATER! I can't help it! It drives me absolutely crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know, I know I could cut some corners too and give more so don't think I am picking on this one situation, I just am a dreamer and I can see countries being saved but I will be faithful with my budget to make sure at least lives are being changed I promise, you just have to let me vent!

11. Getting your itunes totally wiped out and hearing the Lord say to you, "Kelly, I think those songs were meant to praise me and personally, I think they are becoming songs instead so let's start a new season of actual PRAISE!" CONVICTING!

12. Not loving people that you should simply because they are human!!!! YUCK!

I want to invite everyone I know.....................

The older i get, the more I notice funny things about my personality. Sometimes they are extremely annoying and others are just weird quirks that are neither good nor bad. One that stems back from childhood, a trait that God meant for His glory and satan stole for a season for his harm, is the fact that I NEVER want to miss a party and not only that, I never want anyone else to miss it either. I love a good party, I love something fun to look forward to during the mundane of life. Well............a party is coming to Nashville, and I for one have no plans to miss it! The other night as I was trying to go to sleep I told Jesus and Jeremy, "I want to invite every single person I know to this". Well, that is the fun thing about a blog community, I CAN! So here is the deal, mark your calendars because there is going to be a Jesus party like none other in August, the dates are Aug 20th-22nd (a three day party, how much better can it get). The party host for the evening will be none other than Joyce Meyer herself and then as a special guess rocking it out for worship (my favorite part of a good party, THE BAND) Matt Redman, yes you heard me correctly, MATT REDMAN! Ok, my blood pressure is going up just thinking about it! While lying in bed, thinking of how I could orchestrate everyone I know coming, I asked the Lord, Lord do I chase emotional experiences, do I chase a party, a high and He spoke something into my heart that I will never ever forget, He said, "No baby, you chase ME!" See, if you haven't been to an event like this, His presence will be so thick you can feel it from the moment you walk into the door. His passion will fill the place until there is not a dry eye in the room. His Holy Spirit will speak to people, His grace will cover people, and His anointing will overwhelm people. Now THAT is something I will be glad to be guilty of chasing always! So here is my plan! If you are in (and if you aren't let me say I think you are crazy, but that is just my own personal opinion and since it is my blog that is totally allowed) this is the deal, email me and all Clarksville Crew can meet and caravan. Anyone who is outside of Clarksville and may just need a friend to sit with, we are here for that as well. Anyone too far to travel.........ask God if He gives you permission to hop on a plane and have the time of your life, and anyone who thinks I have lost my mind, try it, just this once. I think this is so cool, a new season of peer pressure and it is actually for the good! Ok, I love you guys to death, oh and sweet Jesus, I almost forgot the most exciting part, this party is absolutely FREE! Again, you heard me correctly, FREE! Man is God good! Ok, love you guys as I said before and please come, parties are always more fun when you know a lot of people!

Jesus rock our worlds, may your Spirit fall on that place like never before and may we be changed forever because of it!
K

my email is bullockfamily77@gmail.com
a link for the event: http://www.joycemeyer.org/ourministries/conferences/nashville09

You take what you get...............

And you don't throw a fit! I heard a sweet friend of mine's daughter sing this little jingle recently and I thought it was the cutest thing I had ever heard. She was referring to Spaghetti O's for lunch or something seemingly trivial at least, but man the truth behind that little song sings volumes to life on this side of Heaven. Speaking of Heaven, our small group is about to start a study on Heaven so I am certain a theme is a brewing, but today as I was driving.......pitching a full blown fit, I was as ready to hear those trumpets sound as I have ever been! The only thing holding me back was the desire for a sweet baby girl, but I knew that even that crazy blessing wouldn't hold a candle. I also reasoned that surely she would be there too, already created, who knows how all that works. Ok, where was I, so today, or at least tomorrow, my goal is going to be, you take what you get and you don't throw a fit. Some of us are waiting on God. Some of us are raising children with severe birth defects. Some of us are called to remote villages in Africa to spread the Gospel, some of us are too busy, some of us are too bored. Some are too lonely, some are too stretched, some are too weak and some are too strong (for their own good at least). We all have some kind of junk in life that we are dealing with, that I am certain. The greatest blessing in having the opportunity to minister and to counsel with people is the reminder that NO ONE, NOT even one single person, has it easy! Sure sometimes on the outside it may appear as such, but trust me, none of us have a cake walk because none of us are in Heaven! Earth sucks............sorry BB I know that is a bad word, but it does on all accounts! Jesus is it, His presence is everything, His grace is the only way we can even breath. So for the rest of this week, sing along with me, learn too from the 3 year old that was dealing with the let downs of life with gracious self control instead of a foot stomping fit!

You take what you get and you don't throw a fit!!!!!!!

O Jesus help me..........I have SUCH a long way to go!
K

You win some, you lose some..........

Good afternoon everyone! I just wanted to say a quick hello to you all! I keep meaning to tell you guys the coolest story. Several months back we got a card in the mail. It was anonymous and it stated that we had a credit for over $300.00 to Charter Communication. That is our local cable company that also supplies internet so we were thrilled beyond belief. Well, last month our excitement (and our credit) ran out so we called and canceled, thanked God for our blessing, and tried to move on without too much moaning and groaning. Well, this month I opened our cable bill that came in the mail and sure enough, someone had done it again, reinstated our internet and paid for two months in advance. This gift is such an awesome blessing (not counting the most fun surprise) and we are super thankful for whoever you are out there (if you are a blog reader). Some days when I get to veg out and surf blogs I feel like I could run up and give you a big kiss, or if you are a guy, it would most certainly be an appropriate side hug but I am so thankful all the same!

The Bullock crew is hanging in there! Some days are certainly better than others! I, in mommy land, am trying to transition Cross over to one nap a day. As always, I assumed he would fit in an equation and he didn't! Hence the post title, you win some, you lose some! I assume there is a step process for EVERYTHING in life and I am learning that is rare for child raising and Jesus following! Two important things in life that I am called to do and this math chick wished that a+b would always equal c and it just doesn't! Jeremy also did something to my computer that makes me miss type about every 10th word which causes a plethora of bad words to surface to the tippy, tip, tip of my tongue! I will be typing along and I will control, highlight, and delete half a paragraph for no apparent reason so if you are reading and know how to fix this it would greatly bless our marriage as I am still holding a grudge over his head for doing whatever the heck he did! As usual, it is most certainly his fault!

Other than that, this is just another day in the land of wait, the land of trust, the land of faith! I have come to the conclusion that you just win some and lose some! I have great days where Jeremiah 29:11 is as real of a promise as any one scripture can be and I have other days when I think, what on EARTH are we doing with our lives! I still look forward to the day when I can post at least another portion of the rest of the story, but for now, the Bullocks are called to serve right here in Clarksville, Tennessee and we are thankful for the wins and thankful for the grace to cover the losses! Pray we conquer one nap and at least have that groove in motion! I guess honestly my greatest prayer really should be that we don't sin during this difficult season and that we realize who the heck is sitting right beside us! (If you missed Chad's message at Grace today it is a must watch. www.gcomchurch.com). Love you guys to death and thanks again to the internet angel! You are most certainly appreciated!
K

I'm just trying to seal it...........

So this is my most favorite hymn, I actually had to google it to find the exact name, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". I wanted to include all of the lyrics in case you weren't familiar with the song. Maybe it is just me, but these are the most profound words, I just can't get over the depth to this song! It sounds so old timey for this very modern gal, but the words to this song will never grow old. Recently a friend gave me a CD of redone hymns and this was the first song on the CD (how cool is God). Well, the reason I just had to share is because I was driving recently, kind of praying, probably whining just to be totally honest and the Lord spoke so clearly to my heart, He said, "Kelly, I am just trying to seal it". I was caught off guard at first, trying to seal it..........then smiling from ear to ear, I knew what my awesome Father was saying. He was telling me that He was only answering a prayer I have prayed a million times. See, if you scroll down and notice the bolded verses, you will see a portion of this hymn that I have prayed to God over and over these past few years. If there is one heart on this earth that is prone to wander, it is mine. Every time I hear this song I beg God to seal my heart, seal it for thy courts above, so that satan won't get even an inch in my life again. I got so tickled thinking of me praying that prayer so whole heatedly and then complaining constantly when God simply began to do what I had asked. The hard parts of life are often the best glue. How annoying that I pray prayers like these but am appalled at worst or surprised at best as they are answered.

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

My flesh would ask me nicely to please stop praying this prayer...........but I am going to refuse. Even knowing that this prayer will come with a price, it is certainly a small one to pay considering the alternative.
I can promise you all that "O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be"!
I by all means need "thy goodness like a fetter to bind my wondering heart to Thee"
FYI-a fetter is a chain or shackle to the feet :) google again and man even more appropriate!
But most assuredly, "I'm prone to wonder, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love!"
So for goodness gracious, even if I am kicking and screaming.........................
"Here's my heart Lord take and seal it, seal it for thy COURTS ABOVE!"

My new best friend...............

My new best friend is a funny phrase my mother-in-law and I use for people that we either actually meet in person and love or they can also be fun people that we hear or see (but never officially meet) too. For example, if I find a new Bible teacher that I love and I am telling my mother-in-law about her, we might squeal and say “yes, she is my new best friend” or if she were to meet someone at the park who thought the perfect day was a book and a cup of tea, that person too would qualify for new best friend status.

Well, my most recent new best friend has become more than just a fun phrase. She has really become my new best friend. We actually met a few years back, she was volunteering at the Pregnancy Center, awaiting the arrival of her first child, and I was never so thankful for a God-send in all my life. I am a little on the OCD side which makes it difficult to let someone “take the reigns” as a volunteer, but this gal could run circles around me and her figures would always match to boot. She was the most humble servant. She would do whatever I needed her to do. She would rearrange her own schedule just to come to Hope when I needed her most. She showed me Jesus, showed me the qualities of a true servant.

Well, time passed and we joke now that she actually knew I was pregnant with Cross before Jeremy because she was onsite at the Pregnancy Center when I took the pregnancy test and screamed at the top of my lungs, prayed for Jeremy not to have a complete heart attack (for those of you who didn’t know Jeremy was in his first few months of seminary when we found out we were pregnant with Cross) and hit the door a runnin to go share the news.

Time went on, she left Hope and went to mommy land, her husband deployed and then she moved to her own mommy land to have some help and we moved to good ol’ Elizabeth City, North Carolina. I can’t even honestly remember if the boys ever got to meet before we all dispersed, but anyways, as God would have it, I moved back to Clarksville and she followed a few short months later to prepare for her hubby’s return. We hung out one time and have been together ever since. Hunter is the handsome boy in the pictures who is really Cross’ first friend. Hunter calls Cross, “my buddy Toss” which totally melts our hearts and poor Cross still can’t say anything that resembles Hunter but he screams with excitement when Hunter chases him around the house all the same. Emily has been the greatest friend a person could ask for, she has taken Cross (even while he was sick and could have infected her own son)for me to go on vacation. She has given us food, paid for me a babysitter so we could go volunteer at Hope, joined our small group and a mom’s Bible Study. She has been the pop-in friend that I prayed for. She had the greatest back yard on post that money could buy. It included a fence, no steps (kids insist on climbing steps if you aren’t seeing the big deal with this feature) and a shade tree the size of Oklahoma. She really is my new best friend.

But......... as so many of you have already done to me, she too is moving away. If I thought about it too long I could sit in a puddle of tears. I keep hoping that we will get a job and move too so it won’t feel so lonely in Clarksville, Tennessee without the Feicht family around! I have never been so honored to watch such an AMAZING godly family live out life right in front of my very own eyes. She tries never to offend anyone, they are CRAZY givers, she honors her husband like the Proverbs Queen herself. She is cautious not to waste her time and remove her focus from the Kingdom, she nurtures her son, but isn’t afraid to leave him to go serve at the Center. I could literally go on and on about my new best friend!

So Emily, if you read this, even though you are a Facebook trader, I love you like you will never know! I thank my God for bringing you back here and I can only hope that one day our paths again will cross. You and Ben and Hunter have blessed our family more than you will ever know and I am certain a mighty calling is on your life, no doubt about it. Your humility in never wanting such a fuss only makes me more certain! Go take Missouri by a storm. Love some people for Jesus, even if it is only one! I can for sure say the base will be a better place after you have been there! Thank you seems so small a phrase, but know that I mean it all the same!

And for all my other “new best friends” out there who are reading yet God has separated us by miles as well, let’s pray for replacement BFFs (just in person, not in spirit) to help us get through this often crummy life while awaiting our great Savior!!!!!!!

Lost without my gal!
K

Cross napped so I can serve up some pics too!

Ok, these are all random, but I promise I think of you guys often when I grab the camera and think I have GOT to show the bloggers. For instance, this total reality of spaghetti in the stinkin hair. Cross has an obsession with running his hands through his hair while he is eating and I am usually in the kitchen not properly intervening. Also, he is starting to actually "play" with friends a little so I had to include some friend shots. And then of course him with cousin Ad sporiting the Bullock family tradition of St. B baseball! Lord, help us if we don't live here by the time Cross starts little league.
Love you guys!
K