In a "FUNK"

The week started out good but by yesterday, somehow, I've ended up in a "FUNK". I'm feeling no motivation to do the things I need to do, the fun things I wanted to do (at the beginning of the week)... no motivation; What's up? It's NOT the weather... we're having beautiful weather mid 80's! ... I am really so blessed with family and friends... I have so much to be thankful for. Why am I in a funk? I need an attitude adjustment, for sure. I need to get motivated. I need to put good thoughts in my head and not think about past failures and hurts...

Prayer: Lord, today is the day you have made, help me rejoice and be glad in it! Help me fix my eyes completely on you... the victory I have in you is mine for the taking... release me from all the defeat I'm feeling because of my own inadequacies, failures, and past hurts. Release the grip the enemy has on my thoughts. Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering my request... In Jesus' name, AMEN.

It's a New Week!

For Today...

Outside my Window... Beautiful blue sky, cooler weather with temperature highs only to low 80's- and no humidity... a glorious day!

I am thinking... This week I really need to get serious about organizing for our yard sale we're having on November 1... I must get up in the attic space this week to "clean out" and I hope our mice problem up there is over! (more on that later)

Personal growth I'm focusing on... Still working on patience and contentment; an ongoing process for me!

I am thankful for... Definitely my family and friends!!! Also, the fact that no matter what men think they can do politically to America, God is in control and I don't have to worry... "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 4:19; “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5; "...there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." Romans 13:1

From the kitchen... pumpkin bread, carmel popcorn balls, apple betty, made throughout this week...

I am wearing... t-shirt, capri sweat pants, & bare feet... just the way I went to bed last night. I still need to take a shower for the day and get out of my "jammies".

I am reading... The Bible, "Intercessory Prayer" by Dutch Sheets, and am in a Beth Moore Bible Study called, "STEPPING UP-the Psalms of Ascents".

I am hoping... To get all the laundry caught up today (8 or so loads!), work on my regular routine of house-work, plan for our "Daisy Girl Scouts" meeting tomorrow, and GARAGE SALE organization!!!

I am hearing... the end of "Barney" on PBS (Joe is watching) & the clothes dryer running.

One of my favorite things... a vanilla iced coffee as an afternoon "pick-me-up". I have a great sugar free ice coffee recipe that is so yummmmy!!!!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... Continue my search for a tattoo person (will check out a couple businesses this week), baking, and GARAGE SALE organization, of course!!!!

In search of a tattoo guy (or gal)...

The hunt is on to find a tattoo artist in Corpus Christi that can "re-do" my tattoo on the top of my right foot. Currently I have a small 1" cross that is as basic as basic gets. I'm hoping to find a Christian artist that can ink over my original cross with a bigger, more vibrant cross capturing the essence of the "steps of faith" I take each day as I "walk with the Lord" trying to "put my right foot forward" on His path of living by His lead. I hope to find an artist who can capture the power the cross represents to me in my life. For me personally, the purpose of my tattoo is to honor my BFF, Jesus, as my "Everything" and to hopefully have God use it as a way to share my faith with others (I wear flip flops & sandals alot so the tat would show)...

I visited one place today in town, looked at their work (portfolios), and although the guys were very friendly and eager to ink me, I will continue my search. I KNOW I'll know the person and place who will do the art when I find it... I'll keep ya'all posted!

Jessie turns 7 today!

Jessie's "Birth day"... October 15, 2001 (minutes old)

WOW! 7 years ago today our little

Jessica Caitlin Wymore

was born in Oak Harbor, WA

2008, Jessie, our sweet little 1st grader!

Corpus Christi, Texas

Prayer: Thank you Lord for this precious little gift you gave us. Jessie has been a true blessing to our family... our little angel girl. She has brought us much joy these past 7 years. Thank you! I pray that she grows to know you and love you with all her heart and soul as she matures into a young lady. Create in her a passion for your word that she may live her life for your divine purposes. Protect her from evil and guide her in all your ways. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Autumn

I love living in the south for the sunshine and warm tropical weather that seems never-ending. But I have to admit, having grown up in Washington State as a youth, and having lived in the state of Maine for a while, I miss the beauty of a true Autumn season...

I miss:

• Fall foliage (every shade of red, orange, gold, and brown you can imagine)
• Raking leaves in piles (& jumping in them!)
• The smell of fresh outdoors
• Crisp cool mornings (under 50 degrees)
• Apple picking (not from the local grocery store produce department)
• Picking pumpkins from the vine in a real pumpkin patch
• Hot chocolate
• Squirrels scurrying around storing up for the winter

.... Right now I'm getting ready to take my 4 year old, Joe, swimming; I'm battling allergies due to high grass, mold, and ragweed counts (like the ones in the Spring season); I'm wearing shorts and a tank top as it's going to be in the high 80's today; the air conditioner is running in the house; humming birds are buzzing by my front window looking for nectar from the red tropical flowers I have in my landscape; and I'll be drinking my "iced coffee" real soon for an afternoon "pick me up". These are all good things, and I am certainly not complaining. I do, however, miss a true Autumn.

My Family

Camping at Canyon Lake, August 2008

Kirk & Teri, Andrew (age 13), Jessie (age 6) Kelsie (age 15) and Joe (age 4)

Grumpy People

Have you ever noticed when you're around constantly grumpy people, their grumpiness tends to rub off on you if you let it? The more you're exposed to their grumpiness, the more you can become it? It's like getting cold or flu symptoms from someone who has a viral infection; you're first exposed to it, then it's contracted, then you have a full blown case of it, and then you potentially give it to someone else. That's how grumpiness works! There's grumpy people everywhere... in restaurants, at the grocery store, driving on the roads (it's called "road rage"), and even in the church. As much as we're exposed to it, we have to be careful not to let it infect us.

Most mornings I wake up to grumpiness. None of my kids are "morning people" so they most often start the day off not so good. Any little thing said or done to them seems to set them off, feed their frustrations, and perpetuate their grumpiness. I find myself turning into "monster mom" as their grumpiness fuels each others' and wears me out to the point of me getting grumpy. Yes, I am a "grumpy person" sometimes - more times than I'd like to admit. Today was almost one of those days while getting the kids ready for school. As I caught myself falling into the symptoms of full blown grumpiness, I stopped and thought... "What's the cure for this grumpy infection?"... I don't know that I've completely figured it out, but I do know the Bible has a lot to say about it. As for this morning, what worked for me... is to CHOOSE JOY. Just like grumpiness is contagious, I believe joy is also contagious. I didn't want the negative attitudes of other people dictate how my day was going to be. This was one infection I have complete control over ~ whether or not I contract it IS up to me.

Choosing joy is like an antibiotic to grumpiness. Much of the time joy is a hard pill to swallow. It's easier to be grumpy than joyful. Joy has to be a deliberate choice that's ongoing. Some life application cliche's that I actually practice...

• "kill them (grumpy people) with kindness"...
• "treat others how you want to be treated"...
• "make the first move to be the change you want to see in others"...
• "smile at others, say 'hi' to strangers, and make them feel special"...

And yes, I'm the girl driving down the road that smiles a friendly smile and motions a friendly open hand princess wave when the road rage guy flips me the middle finger... his grumpiness will not be contagious to me, I choose joy!

Improved Vision

I just read a devotional this morning (by Max Lucado) that included the following statement:

"As we get older, our vision should improve. Not our vision of earth, but our vision of heaven. Those who have spent their life looking for heaven gain a skip in their step as the city comes into view".

I pondered this statement and thought about how my physical eyes have become older, especially after I turned 40! My physical eyes have a hard time reading the small print on the back of a medicine bottle or the back of a food label... I probably need reading glasses. But my spiritual eyes have become much improved with clearer vision toward heaven just like the devotional mentioned. Thank God for that! I can't say I have spent my life "looking" for heaven, but I can say that in the past number of years as I've matured, I've gained new perspective on what is eternally important. Each day I try to keep my eyes focused on my BFF, Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of my faith. I try to invest in eternal things such as being the best wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend I can possibly be. How do I invest?... through giving my unconditional love, giving time and attention, through faithfulness, compassion, commitment, and humble service to others' needs. I want to be the person with a "skip" in my step each day as heaven gets closer and closer and I get older and older.

My vision for life is clear and simple: To Know God, Make Him Known, and to Make a Difference in the lives of others.

To know God and make him known, I hang out with him. I make a choice to include him in my day through prayer, his Word, Bible study, and living out my faith unapologetically. As far as making a difference in others' lives, in my current "season of life", my most important purpose is to make a difference in the lives of my children and family members. As time slips, each day melts into the other, I realize how important it is to do the things I am purposed to do with a sense of urgency, with the motivation and power God gave me to do them. My kids are growing so fast and before I know it they'll be all grown up. I must be deliberate each day on how I invest in them and not put off until tomorrow what can be done today to make a difference... oh how time slips by so fast! Will I have made a difference as time passes? I hope so. I don't want to look back on this season of my life and think about "would have, could have, should have"... Once the time is gone, it's gone; my would have could have should have's will be nothing more than missed opportunities.

Prayer: Lord, Help me make the most out of each day. Help me to have "eyes to see and ears to hear" as you give me opportunities to make a difference in other's lives. Help me recognize your will for my life, equip me to be your hands and feet in the lives of those people you have placed around me, and give me the passion to put my faith in action as you direct. Lord, help me be the person you created me to be. Take out of me any self-centeredness I have and replace it with Christ-like qualities to be Christ-centered. Thank you, Lord for hearing my prayer and being Lord of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Teri Wymore... it's blog time!

OK! I'm gonna start blogging! What a great outlet; also a great way to meet new people with my same interests and keep family and friends updated with life's "happenings".

This blog will be a place to record my thoughts, my life happenings

and my love for God.

Thanks for stopping by!