Life of a Navy Wife

Aggravated

2008-12-01T13:20:00.003-05:00

Today started good.

I woke up and I cleaned the kitchen. I did the dishes. And I started dinner in the crock pot. I was so proud of myself! We were going to have a wonderful home cooked meal.

I was on my way to Julia's house to hang out and that way I would be close to the base for when Matt is ready to be picked up. Matt called me on my way to Julia's and he said he won't be done until after dinner tonight and all week! So there goes my dinner plans.

I am depressed and so pissed off. I hate the Navy.

2008-09-17T23:55:00.002-04:00

Well, I have a couple pet sitting jobs starting this week. I am excited to get back in the swing of things with my pet sitting job. I really enjoy it. Thursday morning through Tuesday morning i am checking in on two cats. And Saturday through the end of the month, I am checking in on a dog and a cat in the evening. It's such easy work for the money.

I also am planning to post more items to my etsy shop and get back into that. I would love to sell some of the pages that I have made. I don't know how this scrapbooking is going to take off or not. Who knows, I may end up just selling what I have and just keeping scrapbooking as a hobby of mine. That would be okay too, but I definately want to give it a good try first.

I am also thinking about starting a Passion Parties business. That would be something fun to do for a party once a week. Just to make a few more bucks. Plus we would get discounts on the products. ;-)

Another thing on my list to do, since I am bored out of my mind wating for my husband to come home and our house to be ours, is to make a new Home Management Binder. I might make more than one because I think I want a couple smaller ones rather than one huge one. I'm thinking of making a general household binder that includes cleaning, menu planning, schedules, and other things. I also want one for home decorating and organizing. Also, I have a book I bought for my budgeting. It is frustrating because I am trying to get my mind in order but I'm having a hard time because I'm in such a transitional state right now.

When I get my binder, or binders, put together I will post pictures and updates.

2008-09-02T22:06:00.004-04:00

things to do (besides house hunting and sitting on my butt in front of the tv and laptop):
scrapbook
read
start a new hobby
list things and improve my etsy shop
find a new work at home job (online researcher? information consultant? genealogy? book reviewer?)
start new Home Management Binder (buy ebooks from HHC and KTH?)
figure out what to do about Wiggles' bump

2008-08-27T23:30:00.004-04:00

things on my mind:
candy's ebook HMB updated version
marmee dear 2009 planner
HHC life planner
LiveOps work at home job
PCOS meetup group
other meetup groups
house hunting
changing addresses
wiggles cyst
my cycle/ttc
scrapbooking business
FRG group
FRG silent auction and night before party

2008-08-03T23:54:00.002-04:00

sitting alone at night
missing you
wish you were here
to hold onto

seeing you in my dreams
leaving me
crying out in my sleep
my heart aches

reading your emails
it just isn't the same
you're there having fun
i'm here pouting

squeeze my eyes shut
screaming "take me away!"
i wake up alone again
i hate myself today

ABC's of Me

2008-07-05T18:01:00.005-04:00

A - ADVOCATE FOR: PCOS, Military Wives, Animals, and Children
B - BEST FEATURE: hair

C - COULD DO WITHOUT: deployments :-)

D - DREAMS & DESIRES: to be a mother
E - ESSENTIAL ITEMS: family, friends, computer, books, tv
F - FAVORITE PAST TIME: music
G - GOOD AT: writing, poetry, math, being a good friend

H - HAVE NEVER TRIED: skydiving
I - IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS: I would buy the house of my dreams

J - JUNKIE FOR: internet, scrapbooking, purses, chocolate

K - KINDRED SPIRIT: there are a few

L - LITTLE KNOWN FACT: I can solve a Rubiks cube, my fastest time is 2 min.

M - MEMORABLE MOMENT: my wedding

N - NEVER AGAIN WILL I: eat seafood
O - OCCASIONAL INDULGENCE: ice cream
P - PROFESSION: housewife
Q - QUOTE: always and forever, forever and always

R - REASON TO SMILE: my husband, my friends
S - SORRY ABOUT: not seeing my friend before she passed away.

T - TAG SOME FRIENDS: Anyone who hasnt done it yet.

U - UNINTERESTED IN: sports

V - VERY SCARED OF: being abandoned, spiders and all bugs, speaking in front of groups

W - WORST HABIT: compulsive skin picking

X - X MARKS MY IDEAL VACATION SPOT: anywhere with my husband

Y - YUMMIEST DESSERT: too many to choose from
Z - ZODIAC SIGN: Pisces

TO WIVES LEFT BEHIND

2008-06-25T02:36:00.000-04:00

TO OUR WIVES WHOM WE LOVE,
WHO ALWAYS GET LEFT BEHIND.
PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE THOUGHT OF,
YOUR ALWAYS ON OUR MINDS.

AS WE SAIL ALONG THE OCEAN,
AND PULL INTO DIFFERENT PORTS,
THE FIRST THING WE GO HUNTING FOR,
ARE TRINKETS OF ALL SORTS.

SOMETHING TO SURPRISE YOU WITH,
ON THE AWAITED HOME COMING DAY,
TO LET YOU KNOW WE THOUGHT OF YOU,
EACH PORT ALONG THE WAY.

SOME DAYS WE BARELY GET A BREAK,
AND WE WORK UNTIL DAYS END.
BUT WHEN WE LAY IN OUR RACKS AT NIGHT,
PLEASE KNOW, OUR LOVE WE SEND.

OUR DEPLOYMENTS MAY BE LONG,
AND THE END IS HARD TO SEE,
BUT SOON DEAR NAVY WIVES OF OURS,
IN OUR ARMS YOU SOON WILL BE.

copyright 1999, Michelle L. Dillman

Struggle In My Mind

2008-06-16T03:14:00.004-04:00

What do you do when your life has no path?
No direction to follow
And no guideposts to map.

Where do you turn to?
When you can't find your goals.
Your threads are all tangled
And your smile is faded.

How do you decide
What to do next?
It tumbles and turns
Inside of your head.

Give me the answers
So I can see clear.
Make my eyes open
And scream in my ear.

Top Books on PCOS

2008-06-12T03:52:00.003-04:00

I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) back in January. Though it has been tough, I have found some great books to learn more about PCOS and how to cope with it. I'd like to share my top picks for PCOS books:

Positive Options for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Self-Help and Treatment by Christine Craggs-Hinton and Adam Balen - This is a wonderful book that lays out all the options for dealing with PCOS. My favorite chapters discuss "complementary therapies" and natural therapies.
PCOS and Your Fertility by Colette Harris and Theresa Cheung - If you are looking to get pregnant and have PCOS, this is the book for you! This book gives tons of great information for increasing your fertility and getting pregnant. It even talks about what to do once you are pregnant, since there is a higher risk of miscarriage for women with PCOS.
The New Glucose Revolution Guide to Living Well with PCOS by Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller and Nadir Farid - As a woman with PCOS, I understand how hard it is to lose weight. This "diet" book is a great option to help you lose weight and change your eating habits.

There are plenty of other books about PCOS and managing your symptoms. These are just a few that I own and absolutely love!

Much Better

2008-06-12T02:24:00.003-04:00

I am feeling much better but still not sleeping. Those last pills I took for my insomnia were kinda scary. Unfortunately, these new pills are not working very well. But at least I don't get amnesia with these ones.

My husband called me yesterday and I had a nice long conversation with him. I am so happy I get to see him in a little over a month! It is so hard being a military wife, but I love my sailor so much!

A Little Off

2008-06-10T15:50:00.003-04:00

I had a good weekend in Palm Springs but I didn't do much besides shop and lay around. So I don't have any pictures to share.

I have been off the last couple of days because of a new medication. I go back to the doctor today because this new medication is not working right with me.

So for this week, my posts will be sporadic. Please bare with me as I try to feel better.

Palm Springs

2008-06-06T11:51:00.003-04:00

I am going to Palm Springs for the weekend with my mom. We are staying with her friend. They are going to antiques roadshow tomorrow out there and I'm going to tag along for the weekend. While they go to the show, I will go shop! :-)

I also have some books along, my swimsuit, puzzle book, and my cross stitching. So it should be a very restful weekend. I am hoping to finish my current cross stitch project and post a picture of it on here when it is done. I'm taking my camera so I will hopefully have some pictures on Sunday or Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Day 5: Steps to Humility

2008-06-06T08:00:00.002-04:00

On the last day of Character Makeover's study on humility, the author presents an action plan. I'd like to share this action plan here in today's post. A Humility Action Plan lays out the steps to follow to deepen this quality in your life.

Humility Action Plan

Prayer Focus: Worship God by praying about his wonderful characteristics or his names. Ask him to show you where pride is being exhibited in your life. Praise him and put your focus on him.

Devotional Focus: Choose a Scripture passage on the topic of humility.

Extra Perspective: Read books to better understand God's nature. Or give extra attention to a friend so you can take your focus off of yourself.

Action Steps: Developing a Right View of God
Choose one or two action steps to practice this week.

I will worship God. Take time to pray more during your daily activities.
I will study God. Read your Bible and maybe buy a bible study book.
I will hunt for God. Journal where you see God in your daily life.

Action Steps: Developing a Right View of Myself
Choose one or two action steps to practice this week.

I will stop trying so hard to be perfect.
I will not tear myself down.
I will not boast.
I will try to learn one new thing every day.
I will check my motives.
I will obey God in an area in which I have been holding back.

Action Steps: Developing a Right View of Others
Choose one or two action steps to practice this week.

I will be an encourager.
I will be a helper.
I will be a servant.
I will be a receiver.
I will be a mentor.

For your Master Action Plan, choose one major action step from the Humility Action Plan and record it on your Master Action Plan. Consider writing the Master Action Plan in your journal.

That is all for this week's focus on humility. Join me next week when we study the character quality of confidence.

Humility Day 4: He Must Increase

2008-06-05T04:05:00.006-04:00

Today, Katie takes us deeper in to ourselves to explore ways to be more humble. I love the verse that she opens up with: "He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:3o

"The prescription for humility starts not with working on humility, but working on increasing your vision of God. As you grow closer to him, spend more time concentrating on him, set your sights firmly on him, invest yourself in learning about him and talking with him, he will take up more and more of your field of vision." pg. 47

Let's examine Philippians 2:3-8 and meditate on how you are decreasing yourself and increasing your vision of God.

Verse 3: When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves.

In what ways can you give more honor to others?

Verse 4: Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others.

What can you do to shift the balance and draw out more from others about themselves?

Verse 6: Christ himself was like God in everything. But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit.

How can you use your skills, abilities, or talents to bless others more often?

Verse 7: But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born as a man and became like a servant.

In what situations can you let go of your rights and serve instead?

Verse 8: He humbled himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death-death on a cross.

In what situation do you need to let go of your fears and obey?

After all those tough questions, take a step back and ask yourself: What encouraging thing did I notice about me in this exercise?

Humility Day 3: The Essential Ingredient

2008-06-04T06:52:00.003-04:00

Day three of our study on humility is where Katie discusses how humility is essential.

Humility is the essential ingredient in the Christian life. Katie states the following eight core practices that are all powerless unless they partner with humility.

Worship
Self-Esteem
Honesty
Obedience
Teachability
Servanthood
Waiting
Brokenness

In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Paul names five types of problems in which he delights, because his weaknesses serve to show God's power:

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Meditate and pray on these verses. Insert yourself into these words. What would it say if you wrote it and not Paul? Mine would say:

"But the Lord said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, Melissa, for my power is made perfect in your limitations." Therefore I will boast gladly when I am imperfect, so Christ's power may work in me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight when I am depressed, when my friend doesn't want to talk to me, when I am lonely, when I miss my husband, when I have a bad day, when I can't sleep. For when I am weak, Christ will make me strong."

Consider how humility is essential for Christian living. Pray for God's guidance in being humble in all areas of your life.

Humility Day 2: Pride

2008-06-03T18:11:00.004-04:00

Today's reading in Character Makeover is about pride. I began today thinking: I am not prideful. I am just the opposite. But now I realize that there are areas in my life that I am prideful. Ways that I didn't realize or failed to acknowledge.

I really like the things that Katie talks about in this chapter about pride.

"Pride at it's essence is a problem of being me-centered. Pride sets us up against God and attempts to seize his lordship for ourselves." pg. 31

Katie then goes on to describe the four areas of pride along with scripture reference:

Exalting myself: "It's all about me."

Exalting pride occurs when we overvalue ourselves by trying to build ourselves up.
"You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You love sitting at the head table at church dinners, love preening yourselves in the radiance of public flattery." Luke 11:43

Belittling myself: "Woe is me."

Worthlessness is the most deceptive form of pride. This type of pride masquerades as humility, but it's really a reverse method of attracting attention. Women who belittle themselves are masters at undervaluing their worth.
"And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you, that is the only reward they will ever get." Matthew 6:16

Attacking others: "You're not as good as me."

Pride that attacks others is a judgmental spirit, one which devalues others by tearing them down.
For scripture reference on attacking others, see Matthew 7:1-5

Ignoring others: "You're not the boss of me."

This type of ignoring others obviously undervalues their input.
"Israel's pride will cause their defeat; they will not turn back to the Lord their God or look to him for help in all this." Hosea 7:10

After discussing these different types of pride, there is a self-evaluating test on which kind of pride you deal with most often. I took the test and was surprised by the results. It was a very revealing test. My area of pride that I struggle with most is belittling myself.

Here are Katie's suggestions for dealing with each type of pride:

Do you exalt yourself? You can decide to die to self and stop attempting to steal God's glory. This is a conscious choice; it is a daily decision.
Do you belittle yourself? You can learn who you are in Christ as his precious daughter and stop lying to yourself about your lack of value.
Do you attack others? You can declare that God is God and stop trying to be president of the world.
Do you ignore others? You can start seeing people as God' instruments and stop resisting their input.

Today, examine these different types of pride and how you see them in your own life. Ask God to show you. Pray to God for help in trying to be more humble and less prideful.

Humility Day 1: Seeing God

2008-06-02T17:51:00.003-04:00

Humility is the foundation of all other character traits. Without it, we become boastful, prideful, and self-righteousness.

"The only sure path to humility is through gaining the right perspective. Humility is a natural result of having an accurate view of who God is and having the right perspective of who you are in relation to him. Truly humble people compare themselves not with other people, but only with Christ. They realize their sinfulness and understand their limitations. On the other hand, they also recognize their gifts and strengths and are willing to use them as Christ directs. A truly humble person will surve God in any capacity, even if she doesn't feel particularly gifted in that area." pg. 24

Some people think that humility means being a doormat and letting others walk all over you. But that is humiliation, not humility. God loves you and chose you. He wants you to know your strengths and weaknesses and not compare yourself to anyone but Christ. God wants you to use your gifts for Him and be willing to do things He calls you to do. Do not consider yourself more than you are, but don't consider yourself less than you are.

Katie ends day one with a journal activity that I will share here and answer truthfully.

Psalm 103:1-5
Who is God? God is a healer, forgiver of sins, redeemer, mercy giver, renewer.
Who am I in relation to him? I am forgiven, healed, renewed, and redeemed.
How can this understanding help me become humble? I am healed, redeemed, renewed, and forgiven because of Him. I recognize that God has given me a new life and I want to serve Him with it. I am blessed.

Psalm 103: 6-10
Who is God? God is merciful and gracious. He does not hold grudges. He does not punish us for our sins or reward us for our sins.
Who am I in relation to him? I am forgiven for ever! He has poured his mercy and grace upon me. He knows me in love not in anger.
How can this understanding help me become humble? I have done nothing to deserve his forgiveness, yet still he gladly forgives me.

Psalm 103:11-14
Who is God? His mercy is great. He has removed our sins far from us. He pities us and knows us. He remembers that we are only human.
Who am I in relation to him? I am truly forgiven and shown mercy.
How can this understanding help me become humble? God knows I am human and make mistakes, and he won't hold those mistakes against me.

Psalm 103:15-18
Who is God? God is eternal and merciful. He keeps his word to His children.
Who am I in relation to him? I am loved and chosen.
How can this understanding help me become humble? God will always keep His word to us, so we should keep our word to him.

Psalm 103:19-22
Who is God? God is ruler of all. His angels do His work.
Who am I in relation to him? God sends His angles to help me.
How can this understanding help me become humble? God sends his love and help to me. He is my helper and I will do his good works with His help.

Tomorrow we will talk about pride, one of the strongholds of humility.

Character Makeover - Introduction

2008-06-01T23:57:00.004-04:00

I bought a book this weekend that I would like to discuss here. It is Character Makeover by Katie Brazelton and Shelley Leith.

This book is a 40 day study with a life coach to "create the best you."

Katie Brazelton has been a "Life Purpose Coach" for several years and has written many books. She helps women to discover their purpose in life and create a plan for their life so they leave a legacy. Katie considers herself our "Character Coach" in this book.

"Here are some important things we know up front: God cares more about the character we bring to our life mission than he does about our ministry's strategic plan. He cares more about our Christlike integrity than our kingdom-building productivity. He wants our honesty in all areas of our lives more than our accomplishments for him. In his Holy Book, learning to be holy is the bottom line (1 Peter 1:15-16)." pg.11

Katie has selected eight character traits to discuss in this book: humility, confidence, courage, self-control, patience, contentment, generosity, and perseverance. She chose these traits because they are the exact opposite of what 2 Corinthians 10:4 refers to as strongholds.

"The term strongholds refers to areas where our enemy, Satan, has set up camp and dug in, creating for himself a fortress from which he launches attacks and tries to destroy us. These are the places where we repeatedly experience discouragement, distress, defeat, and damage. These are the monsters that keep us from our God-given dreams." pg. 12

These eight character traits that are discussed in the book are what Katie sees as the "most prevalent strongholds" she sees in women today. Half of the traits are exhibited inwardly and half are exhibited outwardly. They can also fall into five different categories of relationships which effect our life purpose.

Relationship to God

Humility deals with the inner strongholds of pride, self-centerdness, judgementalism, and worthlessness.

Relationship to Ourselves

Confidence deals with the inner strongholds of insecurity, poor self-esteem, and perfectionism.
Courage deals with the outward strongholds of fear, anxiety, and untruthfulness.

Relationship to Others

Self-control deals with the inner strongholds of impulsiveness, addiction, being undisciplined, being over emotional, and being stress prone.
Patience deals with the outward strongholds of being intolerant and demanding.

Relationship to Things

Contentment deals with the inner strongholds of envy, dissatisfaction, and perpetual restlessness.
Generosity deals with the outward strongholds of greed and an entitlement mentality.

Relationship to the Future

Perseverance deals with the outward strongholds of quitting, hesitating, avoiding a decision, and not following through.

This book will be quite an adventure for me and I hope for you too.

Tomorrow I will begin out first day of the 40 day study. This week's character quality is humility. Please feel free to join me and read along!

Encouragement During Deployments

2008-05-31T06:02:00.002-04:00

I have almost reached the two month mark in this deployment and I could really use some encouragement. I picked up my King James Version bible and started reading. Here are a few of the encouraging verses I found for those of us needing a little boost.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." - Proverbs 3: 5-6

"When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken." - Proverbs 3: 24-26

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." - Proverbs 18: 10

"I will turn their mournings into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow." - Jeremiah 31: 13

"From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." - Psalm 61: 2

Making A Living Without A Job

2007-12-21T17:15:00.000-05:00

I am looking into different ideas for making money and I would like to start a scrapbooking business. I made a couple layouts and pre made pages and posted them on ebay and craigslist but I have not got any hits yet. I would like to know how to get this business up and running, because I love to scrapbook and want to do it full time from my home. I wish I had some money to buy some books I am looking into on a scrapbooking business.

Lies We've Been Fed

2007-12-02T00:39:00.000-05:00

After reading Eat Fat, Lose Fat, by Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon, I feel like my eyes have been opened. We have all been fed (literally) lies about fat from sources that we are supposed to trust such as the government and doctors. The following are some of the lies we've been told, taken from the book Eat Fat, Lose Fat.

Myth #1: High-Fat Foods Cause Heart Disease

Myth #2: High Cholesterol Causes Heart Disease

Myth #3: High-Fat Foods Increase Blood Cholesterol

Myth #4: Cholesterol Causes Plaque Buildup In Arteries

To read more about these lies, and the truths that have been hidden from us, pick up a copy of Eat Fat, Lose Fat! You won't be sorry!

Book Lovers Can Save

2007-12-01T12:11:00.000-05:00

If you are a book lover, like myself, then you have spent hundreds of dollars on books. A great way to save is signing up for Borders Rewards. Go to your local Borders book store and ask to become a Rewards member. It's FREE! They email you coupons weekly that are for at least 20% off of an item of your choice. You also get bigger discounts on best sellers in the store. Every time you buy a book, they will scan your Rewards card and a percentage of your total for that purchase will be put in you holiday money. You can use this money around Christmas time. Last year, I got a whole book for free with my holiday rewards money on my card. Lately my husband and I have been going almost weekly to buy a book or two so I am excited to see how much I have earned this year! Do you know of any other ways to save on books?

Things To Do When Your Husband Has Duty

2007-11-30T18:51:00.000-05:00

1. Clean! Come on, you know your house needs it.
2. Exercise. Do a workout video without worrying about your husband walking in and questioning what you are doing.
3. Read. Pick up a good book from the library and start (and finish it!) today.
4. Go shopping. Now you can go to the stores YOU want to without him trying to drag you out of Victoria's Secret and into Game Stop so he can play the latest demo.
5. Sleep in. And take all the covers you want. The whole bed is yours!
6. Call your friends. You won't have to hear about how high the phone bill will be this month every five minutes during your hours of conversation.
7. Redecorate. Surprise your husband and remind him that you just painted and spent money on the paint so he is stuck with a pink bedroom for now.
8. Browse the internet. Look at whatever you want. Even things you can't afford.
9. Play video games. For once you can win them and try to beat his high score.
10. Do whatever your heart desires! The day is ALL YOURS!

My weekend was great!

2007-11-12T19:49:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful, long weekend! My husband and I enjoyed our weekend by going out to eat, going to the book store, playing video games, and just relaxing. Since it was veteran's day weekend, we both got Monday (today) off! Back to work tomorrow though. I am looking forward to work this week because I feel fully relaxed and ready to work hard. I also started a new blog: Healthy Nutrition. Check it out!

Day 3: Women of the Bible

2007-11-12T19:39:00.000-05:00

Hagar

Key scriptures: Genesis 16, 21:8-21, Galatians 4:22-31

Her name is Egyptian and means "fugitive" or "immigrant."

Hagar was a foreigner and a slave. She let her pride overtake her when she became a wife to Abraham. She suffered harsh punishment for her mistake. When she heard God's voice, she obeyed it. Because of her obedience, God promised her that her son would be the father of a great nation.

Hagar probably became a slave to Abraham and Sarah when they left Egypt. She proved herself trustworthy and became Sarah's maidservant. Later, Hagar became the surrogate mother for Sarah's son. This was common practice in the day for infertile women who wanted children.

Day 2: Women of the Bible

2007-11-07T19:50:00.000-05:00

This study is based off of the book Women of the Bible by Jean E. Syswerda.

Sarah - Her name means "Chieftainness" or "Princess"

Key Scriptures - Genesis 12:1-20, 16:1-8, 17:1-22, 18:1-15, 21:1-13, and Galatians 4:22-31

Sarah was Abraham's wife. She was beautiful enough to attract rulers in the ancient world, but she could be strong headed and jealous. She was considered a loyal wife who always did what was right.

When Sarah was ninety years old, God told her that she and Abraham would finally have a child. Imagine how hard it would be to believe that you would give birth at age 90!

Day 1: Women of the Bible

2007-11-06T15:56:00.000-05:00

This study is based off of the book Women of the Bible by Jean E. Syswerda.

The first woman we will be discussing is Eve. Eve is the first woman. They key scriptures to read about Eve are Genesis 1:26-31 and Genesis 2-4.

Eve came into the world at peace with God and her husband. She lived in Paradise and didn't know the meaning of guilt or embarrassment until she listened to the enemy and started to doubt God.

Since Eve was the first woman, she was also the first woman to conceive a child and give birth. Eve went through labor with only her husband, Adam, to help her. She recognized that life was in God's control: "With the help of the Lord, I have brought forth a man" (Genesis 4:1).

Our common bond as women is our pain in childbirth. The experience is both earthly and unearthly. To go through so much pain, yet give life to such a small baby is quite humbling.

Eve gave birth to two sons, Cain and Abel.

Up and Coming

2007-11-05T18:43:00.000-05:00

Well, my work day wasn't quite as long as I thought it would be. Because of that, I was able to do some dishes and finish my laundry that I started last night. I am also caught up with all my online school work for the week. But I still have some school work to finish for my Friday night/Saturday day class.

Tomorrow I have work, exercise, and I hope to finish cleaning the kitchen and the dishes. I hope to get myself motivated to do some of the school work tomorrow and maybe some decluttering and cleaning up of the living room.

I have some ideas in forming around for some posts. I have two bible study books that I would like to share and base some posts off of. One of them is a bible study of 52 women of the bible. The other is a fun little study on 1 Peter that I picked up from Ollie's Discount Store awhile back. (I am addicted to books and that store always has some great finds!)

I am working on making a schedule that I can work with. Once I have that figured out and settled I will post it on here. I can't wait to really get this blog off the ground!

Great Cookies!

2007-11-05T17:06:00.000-05:00

I went to a Pampered Chef party this last weekend and we had a cookie exchange. Everyone brought cookies in little bags with the recipes attached. This was one of the party guests favourites: Oreo Balls. My husband is making a batch as I write this. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 package Oreo cookies, crushed
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 package white semi sweet bakers chocolate
1 package chocolate semi swet bakers chocolate

Directions:
Using a blender or food processor, mix Oreos and cream cheese together. Roll into walnut size balls. Chill for an hour. Melt approximately 3/4 package of white chocolate. Stick a toothpick in an Oreo ball and dip it in the melted white chocolate. Allow to harden on wax paper. Takes about 15 min. While waiting, melt about 1/4 package of the bakers chocolate . When Oreo balls are no longer sticky to the touch, decorate with drizzles of chocolate and white bakers chocolate.

Perfect Your Palace This Week

2007-11-04T22:19:00.000-05:00

I have a busy week planned. Tomorrow is a longer day at work and Tuesday we are going to the aquarium.

I am currently working on cleaning up my home. I got a little busy here with school and my new job and now my house is cluttered and messy again. Today my husband and I cleaned up the bathroom and the bedroom. Now they look so pretty and calming. I also cleaned up the laundry area. It needed it badly.

Since tomorrow is a longer day at work I might not work on my house much. It depends on how much energy I have after work. But I need to do some dishes and finish the laundry that I was working on today. I would also like to check out my online assignments for the week for school and see if I can knock some of those out.

I am sort of joining Candy over at Keeping the Home with her Perfect Palace Project. That is where my decluttering and cleaning up that I was discussing comes into the picture.

My goals for this week are:
Reschedule my appointment
Finish school work online
Finish school work for class on friday and saturday
Clean up the kitchen
Clean up the living room
Mop the bathroom
Vacuum the bedroom and hallway

Hopefully I can keep focused. I bought a new video game so I might take some time out here and there to enjoy that.

I am also looking for ideas to conquer making a schedule and sticking to it. I have a rough time doing that. I have made many schedules in the past but they have not worked for me and I have not been able to stick with it. I am considering using the Sidetracked Home Executives index card method but am unsure if it will be to complicated. Any advice?

HubPages

2007-10-23T19:01:00.000-04:00

Check out all my articles on HubPages.com!! Look for me under my user name: Proud Navy Wife.

I mostly have book reviews up right now, but I will be working on more articles soon! My goal is to start my own blog and sell eBooks that I write and some that I just love. Leave me some comments on my articles on here and on HubPages and let me know how I am doing!

Book Review for Military Spouses

2007-10-22T22:06:00.000-04:00

Help! I'm A Military Spouse. I get a Life too! How to craft a life for you as you move with the miltary.

Help! I'm A Military Spouse. I get a Life too! How to craft a life for you as you move with the military.

By Kathie Hightower and Holly Scherer

Help! I'm a Miltary Wife is a great book for any military wife, whether you are a new military wife or a seasoned wife. Kathie and Holly are military spouses who have been through a lot of different experiences during their years as military wives. They give great advice on planning your own life, while the military is planning your husband's.

The table of contents is very detailed so you can skip to any chapter or sub-section that might intrest you.

The books starts with a charming prologue that talks about the authors and their "qualifications" for writing a book about military spouses and their lives. Then, in the first chapter, they discuss the myth of the "Perfect Military Spouse."

Most of the rest of the book is based off of the "keys of happiness" that are discussed in the second chapter of the book. The "keys of happiness" are as follows: seek out friends and support, cultivate faith, discover simple joys, know what you want and take action to achieve it, and work from your strengths to serve the greater good.

The following chapters have great tips and advice relating to each of the "keys of happiness," including a chapter on strenghtening your relationship with your spouse which is wittingly titled "If the military wanted you to have a spouse, they would have issued you one."

When discussing the fifth key to happiness--"work from your strengths to serve the greater good"--the authors break down the subject into three chapters. They talk about having a career while you are "married to the military," starting your own business, and volunteering. To put these ideas into effect, they also talk about setting and achieving your goals. I found these chapters to be very helpful and inspiring.

Throughout the book, the authors add their own stories and experiences while also managing to touch on other "everyday" military wives ideas and stories.

If you are looking to get some guidance and inspiration on creating your ideal life while still being a military wife, check out this wonderful book!

Becoming a Better Me

2007-09-02T14:45:00.000-04:00

Today I bought 3 new casual dresses. I can wear what I want during the day, but when my husband comes home, I want to be prettied up in a dress for him. He really likes that, and I think i'm taking a step toward being a better wife and child of god this way. i like pleaseing my husband. i am begining to enjoy serving him and cooking adn cleaning for him, because in serving him, i know i am serving God. Anyway, that is all my thoughts for now.

a tangled ball of string

2007-04-18T23:32:00.000-04:00

My life currently:
trying to get involved with more women groups so i can meet more friends. (mil spouse support groups, meetup.com groups, etc)
exercising daily with the Slim In 6 series
keeping in contact with friends and hanging out with them
getting my house together so it looks pretty and clean for when my husband gets home
spending too much time on the internet
trying to find a different job (i dont think im cut out for balloon animals)
getting ready to start school for summer

2007-03-30T00:40:00.000-04:00

i couldn't sleep very well last night because my back was hurting so bad. after i finally got a few hours of sleep, i went to go take a shower and.... NO HOT WATER!! i am sick of this. they came to fix my water heater agian for the 3rd time in the past 2 weeks. i can't believe this! hopefully it stays this time. i went to hang out with kimme today and i had dinner with her family. i also got to go to her daughter's soccer practice and then to starbucks for her mom's group meetup. i stayed for about an hour and then came home. jen and her family came over and looked at our coffee table. they liked it so i sold it to them for 10 dollars. i went back with them to their house and hung out there for awhile. now i am home watching tv. in a minute i will go to take a shower. and eventually to bed. i have an early doctor's appt in the morning so i will probably not get much sleep. oh well. and tomorrow night i am going to cocomoe's (a club/bar) in virginia beach with kimme and her mom's group. that should be fun!! hehe.. i miss my husband but i am learning to become more independent. i am trying to get a life. that way, when he is gone, i am not so sad. i hope he knows that that doesnt mean i dont need him, it just means i can survive while he is gone. i can't wait until he gets home in two months! i just want to hold him and snuggle with him for hours. hehe... that's all for tonight!

Navy Wife Prayer

2007-03-29T00:57:00.001-04:00

Lord, grant me the greatness of heart to see,

The difference in duty and his love for me.

Give me the understanding to know,

That when duty calls he must go.

Give me a task to do each day,

To fill the time when he is away,

And Lord, when duty is in the field,

Please protect him and be his shield

Author Unknown

I love my sailor

2007-03-29T00:45:00.000-04:00

I am a proud navy wife! I have been married to my sailor for a year and I love him more today than I did yesterday. He is my everything! I have created this blog in order to (1) record my days and what I have accomplished, (2) keep others informed about how I am and what I am doing, and (3) encourage others who can relate to me. I hope to make this at least a daily journal, if not more. Please feel free to leave me comments!