16-Minute Sunday!

Okay, I actually set a timer for myself and will wrap this up in 16 minutes or less... I did a 15-Minute Friday post a while back, but I feel like writing tonight, so I changed it to 16-Minute Sunday, just writing whatever comes to mind for the next 16 minutes. =)

• I'm sickly today. Sadness. My throat started hurting Friday morning, and by the end of the night, my voice was gone. I'm finally sounding a little better today, but it kills me to swallow (and yet somehow I keep eating - I'm a real trooper that way. lol) Anyway, taking off to rest and headed to the doctor tomorrow to see what this is and get some meds and hopefully get well ASAP!
• Despite that, I got one of the best compliments I've gotten in a while today from Chettles and JEM... "You look really good without makeup." "I was thinking the same thing." (Granted, I had tinted moisturizer and mascara on, but not my regular makeup routine because my eye's been watering off and on all day so there's just no point.) Anyway, that was encouraging and very nice to hear! :)
• Happy Birthday Eve to my dear friend, Lauralai!  Excited to celebrate with you tomorrow!!
  
• How fun is The Voice!?  I"m happy to finally be watching it this season. #craigwayneboyd #walktheline #WOW
  
• I adore these Friskies "Dear Kitten" commercials - hilarious, and they chose the perfect cat and the perfect condescending cat voice for him. :) I highly recommend that you watch all four!
  
• I find pretty much every PSA commercial to be irritating, but most especially Usher's "The More You Know" ad where he smugly informs us: "You don't have to be famous to be unforgettable - the more you know." I can't help but hear "Even though you'll never be me, please know that your life can still have a little value." #geethanksusher #getout
• Having said that, I really like Usher and was obsessed with his music for a while - I just don't like whoever wrote that ad.
• Speaking of terrible advertising, the latest commercial for The Bachelor somehow manages to be as offensive as watching the entire season, all packed into one tiny commercial. Random guy walking through a field, then you start hearing girls voices saying, "If you're the bachelor, I'm the one." "NO, I'm the one." "I'M THE ONE!" etc., then it tells you the next season is coming soon. Don't miss the petty catfight between desperate women who are dumb enough to be certain they're "the one" for a guy they've never met based purely on the fact that he's going to be kinda famous for one year and give them some TV time. #yiiikes 
• I'm super excited for the new theater coming to the Tulsa Hills area next year, and for the new Warren Theater coming in Broken Arrow next month!
• I'm reading Jim Gaffigan's book and it's so so funny! Not sure it'll be funny to people who don't get the love of food, but it's hilarious to me. I'm excited to post some quotes when I finish it (maybe tomorrow).
• I have nothing very serious to say tonight. Oh well.
• Just realized that my phone timer was set to "Stop Playing" at 16 minutes, so I'm not sure if or when it went off, but I'm done now. I'll set a better timer next time. lol
• And I'm off to bed! 11:30 is pretty good for me! :)

30 DAYS OF THANKFULNESS!!

Rather than writing 30 separate posts, this post will be a short but sincere "Gratitude Journal," adding to the list for each new day of November. :)   

"In life, we’re not made happy by what we acquire but by what we appreciate." 
~Michael Ramsden

This month, I am #thankful for:

1. A fun night with friends at the Fosters' Halloween Party last night! (Laura = chicken cordon bleu & my costume = "Muecke Mouse.") ...Also thankful for the Christmas lights being put up outside at the courthouse yesterday. lol #mademyday #christmasonhalloween #notjustthemueckes 
   
2. For God using Matt Chandler and THIS sermon series to build and encourage me lately!!"You being dumber than you should be in order to attract an even dumber man - how does this in any way serve God or you ultimately?  Do you see how you're sewing seeds even in that moment of resentment and bitterness later? GROW in a knowledge of the Word of God!  Strengthen your mind as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with emotive devotionals. Get in the deep end of the pool! Grow theologically. Grow in your gifting. Practice and exercise your gifts to make disciples for the glory of God. Be the type of women who are iron that sharpen the iron of your husbands and male friends. And young men, don't be intimidated by women who are more theologically informed and educated than you are. Her strengths should compliment your weaknesses. Ladies, I want you to thrive!  We need you!!" ~Matt Chandler 
3. The super-productive homework night I'm going to have. lol And for God challenging me to fight through hard emotions as obstacles that keep me from moving forward with Him!!
4. Teresa's life and inspiring testimony! ...And for my 6-year Friendiversary with Laura today!! :)
   
5. My one and only niece, Miss Kyndal Faith, aka Mini Miss, aka Presh-Face! lol She started walking on Halloween, and Rach sent me this video the next day! :) #cuteness
   
6. The quick realization that Christian Mingle is not for me... (This = their pre-written "smiles" you can send to people. Get ouuuut. I marked the ones that are particularly painful / eye-rollingly terrible. The only two that are slightly funny or clever are from Friends and Dumb & Dumber!) So many thoughts on this - hilarious that "I'm praying for you" is a response option. Anyhow, hopefully I'll find eHarmony or Match to be slightly less ridiculous (...next year).
   
   
   
   
7. FRIENDSHIP... specifically Lauralai, Chettles, JEM, Kelly Marie, Karli Marie, Tall Kyle, K-Foster, Tara Lynn, Tiffany, Angie, Sarah Elizabeth, Lindsay, Linda, Talhia, Alyssa, & Mindi!! "A friend sees who you are meant to be and beckons you to rise to the higher version of yourself. Friendship is a high and holy thing, and a two-way street. Friendships are also messy. They are not for the faint of heart." ~Stasi Eldredge  
   
8. Fun times with the fam... and the fact that Christmas is coming soon!! :) (Mom and I took pics for the Parrish fam Christmas cards today - SO much cuteness!)
   
9. The girlfranz (my Pom puppies) and the groomers who make them clean and pretty!!  Two puppies learned a valuable lesson yesterday: Not everyone you wanna be friends with wants to be friends with you, and trying too hard sometimes backfires. ...yeeeeah, they both got sprayed in the face by a mean old skunk who'd wandered into my parents' backyard last night! Sad day. After a midnight trip to the emergency vet to wash out their eyes and a dramatic late night bath and hair drying, the entire house still reeeeeks of it. As I'm sure will my car and house later today. Good times. But a couple trips to the groomers and the awful smell will go away, eventually and the girlfranz will be good as new, and hopefully a little wiser for it (although I myself took a while to learn that lesson, so who knows? lol)
   
10. Today, I'm thankful for music and lyrics -- for the ability songs have to immediately speak to my heart and connect with my emotions in a way few other things can!!  My latest song obsession is Next to Me by Emeli Sande (thanks to The Voice, which I finally started watching this season and I'm loving it).  "When the skies are grey and all the doors are closing and the rising pressure makes it hard to breathe, when all I need's a hand to stop the tears from falling, I will find him, I'll find him next to me!" Amen. :)
11. Veterans who have fought with honor to defend and protect our country!  And on a much lighter note, for having today off work - it came at a really good time!!
12. My "lifegroup ladies" - for the memories and projects and events and deep talks and Bible studies and growing together with God! And for the dependable consistency of seeing them every week (or every other week in Lindsay's group).
    
    
    
    
13. For creativity and fun, artsy projects (lettering, calligraphy, painting, etc.)!!
    
14. That it's Friday! :) And that I randomly ordered an awesome pink glittery violin this morning -- WHAT!? lol -- I've always wanted to learn to play, and there are Youtube videos that can teach you a lot, and they're not super expensive, so why not try it!? YAY!! =)  #embracethenew #nowIalmosthave30
    
15. For God's hand of protection over my life and my family, and that His love is always with us even when things go wrong and when we suffer loss! And on a far lighter note, thankful for getting tickets for Laura and I to see Garth in concert in January. #getexcited  (Thanks to this video for making me want to go!)
16. Snow. :) And happy fall-scented candles. And the girlfranz finally grasping the concept of fetch! lol
    
17. Laughter!! For the circumstances, people, books, and shows that genuinely make me laugh out loud! :) I'm also feeling thankful for acceptance... that Jesus and a select few people love and accept me just as I am and will not reject me when things get messy!  "May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus...Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory." ~Romans 15:5,7

    

    (Pic = friends who accept me & make me laugh!) :)

18. Pre-Thanksgiving Lifegroup Thanksgiving feasts!  And this reminder...
    
19. For determining to live wholeheartedly and promising myself and God that I won't give up in life no matter how much I want to escape something deeply painful! 
20. KINDNESS - people who are genuinely kind! And for fun movies to look forward to... there's been quite a drought lately, so even though it's not till May, this is exciting! #thepitchisback
    
21. John - freaking - Eldredge!! lol  I adoooooore him.  His books, letters, CDs, podcasts, & retreats have been life changing for me, and so often perfectly timed with the trials in my life!
    
22. For a fun Friday night seeing The Mockingjay: Part 1 with Laura (good and intense!) then hanging out at Starbucks with good friends! :) 
    
23. A nearby 24-hour Walmart so two puppies and I didn't have to listen to the chirping smoke alarm all night. (Grrr! Stupid low battery after midnight.) Also, very thankful for smoke alarms and house alarms that help keep me safe, even though there are minor annoyances from time to time. :)
24. Psalms - I love the passion and emotions and heart of David. :) 
25. Productive day today, taking tomorrow off work, and tonight = the annual "Friends-gibbing" dinner at the Wilsons. #youvegotmailquote  :) Get excited!!
26. 
27. Hebrews 12:14-16! (Full post on why later today.) And for all the memories with people, places, and puppies that have made 2014 a wonderful year. #thankful  
28. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! :)  Today, I'm thankful that God has given me a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind!!!!!!!  ...I have power through prayer and through the authority of Christ. I have the love of God, always. I have the ability to love others before and after they hurt me. And finally, I have a sound mind... God enables me to live with emotional stability and pray and make wise decisions, and I need to remember all of that when I'm tempted to panic! 
    
29. A fun Thanksgiving day with the fam at the Parrish's and the Peavlers' house!!
    
30. Hope! For my hope in the coming kingdom of Christ, and for the hope of things in my life here improving and changing!!

    

    (Decorations for the MWC LifeChurch - made 100 of these total!)

31. I'm thankful for my mom coming down today to help me, thankful I finished my research paper, and thankful that my voice is slowly returning (got sick and lost it on Black Friday). That's officially all for this post!! :)

"We held hands and thanked God for the darkness, and for the way the darkness had become light, and in that moment, we practiced thanksgiving... for the uncomplicated happiness of babies and friendships and food, and for the very complicated joys that come from loss, from failure, from reaching the bottom and pushing back up to the light!" ~Shauna Niequist

Teresa

Wow. Our family just received the news that Teresa Mobley died and moved on to Heaven tonight at 8:15. This comes after a long battle with aggressive cancer, including several chemo and radiation treatments to shrink the painful tumors in her brain, lungs, abdomen, and bladder. (Today marks exactly three months since the death of Jenni Kufahl, another strong woman of God who also died after a long battle with cancer. Please stop and pray for both families right now.)

They had just transitioned Teresa to a hospice this morning, but it's safe to say that her death was unexpectedly sudden. My Dad had gone up to see her about an hour before this happened, and I'm very thankful he got to see her one last time. Her daughter wrote that she died "peacefully surrounded by her family and friends" - I'm thankful for that also. She knew Jesus well and reflected a deep faith and love for Him throughout her life, especially in this final season. Her ability to smile and laugh and bring joy to others in the midst of her own pain and suffering was truly an awesome testimony of what it means to abide in Christ.  It's surreal but comforting to know that she is alive and completely healed and whole and celebrating in heaven right now!

Teresa had been my Dad's Secretary and then Office Manager at State Farm for the past 31 years, (ie since the day he started his business the year before I was born).  She's the only one who's been there the entire time, and her faithfulness and joyful attitude at work did not go unnoticed or unappreciated! I remember well going to visit Dad at the office when I was a kid and being so excited to see Teresa and Valerie! Random story, but I also remember her telling me one day that if I planted popcorn 'seeds,' the popcorn would grow and we could eat it together. So we 'planted' them together outside, then the next time I came to State Farm, she'd made popcorn and poured it out over that spot - I was so excited! :)

And it's her heart and joy in the little details -- (like caring enough to create memorable moments like that) -- that made her so special! :) I realize I'm using the word joy a lot, but it seems like the most fitting adjective to describe how I think of her:  JOYFUL and living her life to the fullest, right down to the last day!

Please pray for her husband, James, and her daughters, Brittani and Cobey.  And for everyone who will be deeply affected by her death.  There will absolutely be mourning and grief, but I pray that no one who knew her will grieve "like people who have no hope."

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with Him the believers who have died... Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words."
~I Thessalonians 4:13-18

"But what seemed failure from man's standpoint was a tremendous triumph from God's, because God's purpose is never man's purpose... As we go on in the Christian life it gets simpler, because we are less inclined to say, 'Now why did God allow this and that?' A [mature] Christian is one who trusts the knowledge and wisdom of God, and not his own knowledge." 
~My Utmost for His Highest

"Fellowshipping with Christ in our suffering guards it from purposelessness."
~Beth Moore

"Your reactions determine your reach.  People will know you by how you face hardship!" ~Lysa Terkeurst

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants."
~Psalm 116:15

"I will never forget this awful time as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him!”
~Lamentations 3:19-24