Thursday, June 25, 2009

Treated myself to a spa retreat this week...

I finally used a gift certificate that Dana gave me for Christmas and scheduled a spa retreat this past Tuesday. It was the whole package of a massage.... AHHHH!
A facial, which I've never had before but really enjoyed. It was like two massages back to back.

And I had a pedicure and manicure. Ashton keeps saying that she's enamored of my nails and her eyes keep watching my hands move... They really are pretty, but I'm not the dainty type and they are already chipped after just two days.


It was so worth the time to invest in a little TLC for myself. I don't do it often enough and I have had a really stressful few weeks at work and home. I need a little renewing of my mind and body.
Last night as I was trying to sleep, I kept rehearsing in my head what I was going to say to my boss about a particular problem with a client. I couldn't get it out of my head and I finally started to sing praise songs about create in a me a clean heart, and I'm gonna lift up the name of Jesus, and of course my favorite praise song is Seek ye first, the Kingdom of God... I must have drifted off to sleep while singing because I just remember waking up about 3am and having to go to the bathroom. Then I fell back to sleep...
So when the word of God says to think on whatsoever is noble, true, right, uplifting... that it really does help to blot out the noise that preoccupies our mind...
I hope you find some renewal in your life soon.
Love you!
Lea Anne


Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Intentional effort takes intentionality

When you strive to be more intentional in your efforts, it really commands your attention to details. I've managed to complete 10 full days of the Love Dare Challenge... because we are doing this on a Wednesday night, we actually only have to do 5 days a week instead of 7 so we get to play catch up if we miss one... But even with the reprieve, it's been a good opportunity to learn how I can serve Dana in little ways that make a big impact.

Just as a recap I'll list a few of the challenges I've completed over the last 5 days...

Day 6... love is not irritable... Sometimes we get overwhelmed with responsibility and stress that we get irritated at our spouse easily. This day I was supposed to react to tough circumstances in loving ways instead of with irritation. Make a list of the areas where we need to add margin to our schedule.
The only major stress in our life is the house payment... It's way more burdensome than we imagined so we made a decision to sell our house and trust God for the next step. Just like that, we both agreed and now we'll act it out to give us some margin in our finances...

Day 7...Love believes the best... Get two sheets of paper... On one list the positive things you love about your spouse... On the second one, list the negative things. Save these sheets for another day. Pick a positive attribute and thank your spouse for having that...
I picked the fact that he's always worked for us... He's not idle or lazy... That's a huge deal for me since I have a tendency to be lazy or idle... It asked which list was easier... I have to admit I had a whole page of positive things that I love about Dana... The negative was very small...

Day 8... Love is Not Jealous... Take yesterday's list of negative attributes and BURN it... Okay, I didn't see that coming.. I wanted to at least mull over the things I thought were negative so that I could help fix them... But do you know that Bible even talks about thinking on things that are noble, good, right, just, and honorable...
I was supposed to share with my spouse how glad I am over a recent success... I have to say that his position with Shannon is a good one, with a lot of benefits... Like the ability to take the boat out and spend the day with the family for two weekends in a row... that's a huge success and even though the boat isn't ours... It's as available to us as if it were...

Day 9... Love makes good impressions... Greet your spouse in a way that reflects your love for them.
This day Dana actually met me at the door with a huge kiss and he was cooking potato soup... I wonder if he is actually reading the book too... He's doing everything the book is saying to do without it seeming to be a burden... It's so natural for him to express himself and his love to me... I don't want to take that kind of attention and love for granted, so I had better learn how to return the sentiment... So I kissed him back... Then we went walking together that night.

Day 10...Love is unconditional... Do something out of the ordinary today for your spouse... something that proves that your love is based on your choice and nothing else... When Dana cooks, I always clean up after him. I feel it's my way of thanking him for cooking... And I did that the other night... But since this is today's challenge and the day isn't over yet... there is something that I can do for him... See, our washing machine broke on Saturday and we wash like 5 loads of clothes a day usually... So that means we haven't washed in 4 days and we have a pile of dirty clothes waiting... I think the repair man is coming tomorrow.... So, I think he used his last pair of clean underwear today, so I will handwash him a couple of pairs to get him through to tomorrow... If that doesn't speak love, I don't know what will...
I've been having to handwash Ragan's work t-shirts as well, because she only has 2 and we've been 4 days without a washer... She has said thank you...

Okay... that's the recap of the last week and I am honestly looking forward to the next week's challenge...

I've started a health challenge at work and have even walked three times this week, but I gained a pound... So I'm adding in that challenge as well as the love dare challenge that I'm also using on my co-workers and clients... (that's a blog for another day;-)

Anyhoo!!! I'll go ahead and end this blog as it's gotten a little lengthy!!!
Love you!
Lea Anne

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Flowers for my Birthday

Mom sent me flowers for my birthday! I love flowers. They are just so happy looking!!

Sunday was my 39th birthday and I had a great day. I started the day by attending church.

Then Dana cooked lunch for us and I took a nap.

Dana and the girls went back out to the lake and I decided to stay home and enjoy some peace and quiet. That's my idea of a good time... Just alone time.
Have a great week!
Lea Anne

A day at the Beach


Click on the slide show to the right under "Day at the Beach" for the pictures from Cameron and Big Lake. I haven't even driven to the coast since the Hurricane and one of our friends from church had a beach house there that was completely destroyed. It's amazing how some houses survived and others were wiped away. It reminds me of the parable of the Foundations that we build our houses on... there is a picture of one house where the entire bottom of the house is missing... I can't understand how the house can be standing with no foundation, but it's there.
If you are interested in buying property on the gulf, you can pick up a deal real cheap right now.
I just wanted to share with you those pictures from the day at the beach.
Love you,
Lea Anne

Friday, June 12, 2009

A call to repent and obey...

We don't use the word repent very often and I'm sure some people couldn't even tell us what it means. But recently I've been praying for many of my friends and about the need for repentance and then I had this devotional prayer in my inbox this morning.

Dear God, I am so concerned about some of my friends and family members who are living in sin. Even Christians can make wrong choices and fall into a life of sin. I pray right now, that the Holy Spirit would move in a mighty way to convict them of their sin and their need to repent. I pray that you would give them strength and direction to step up out of that pit and return to you as their first love. Please, for their soul and sake and your glory, move in these special situations. And for those who do not know you, please bring people and circumstances into their lives that your power may be shown and their eyes may be opened. Save their souls and change their lives. May all glory and honor be unto You, My Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, amen.

You see in the prayer where is said, please bring people and circumstances into their lives?... Maybe I'm that person, or maybe not, but just yesterday I was able to talk to a friend that is facing divorce and is living with another man and all she wants is "for it to be over"... Well forgive me if I sound harsh, but exactly how is this suppose to be over? When you have children involved, and parents, and the new family of blended children and exes and their extended family, and then you have the hurt that the soon to be ex-spouse is suffering, (even if it is mostly due to his own unrepentance) ... It will never be over...

Life is about choices and consequences... If we choose to obey the teaching of God that we get from His Holy Word, then our lives will be blessed through Obedience...

However, if we choose our own thoughts and ways and knowingly go against what God's Word says about something, then, I'm sorry, but you will have to suffer for those choices...

It's the law of reaping what you sow...

You may think that you are okay... Doing what you want to do, instead of what the Lord has laid out in His word of what is right and wrong... But are you truly blessed? Do you have peace? Are you safe and secure in knowing that the Lord is your guide?

Everyday I go to the Lord and ask Him to reveal to me the things that I am not doing right... I humble myself daily to keep from getting proud and arrogant and thinking "I know best"...

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares
the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 58:8,9).


This scripture clearly tells us that our thoughts are not the same as God's thoughts... His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. So how can we know what God wants us to do?

If you have thoughts that are so foreign to anything you've ever thought and you are praying for a breakthrough in a certain area, then search out those thoughts, no matter how crazy they seem, and then turn to the scripture, which is God's love letters to us, and see if it will guide you to your decision...

However, if you are just flat out living in sin, then the first thing you need to do is repent, then turn, and obey the Lord...
First and foremost... God loves sinners....Never think for a minute that you aren't loved by God... Right where you are, doing what you're doing... He loves you!!!

God rewards obedience...
"Return to me and I'll return to you..." Zechariah 1:2...

I love you and hope this ministers to you today.
Lea Anne

Thursday, June 11, 2009

An opportunity...

We always knew the building of 4109 Woodside was directed by God as you can read in the link to the right of my blogpage. Once when I was praying and in my quiet time, I thought that maybe the Lord was telling us that we wouldn't even get to live there. I read something that said "You will never live in the beautiful stone houses you are building."
And although we have lived there for 6 months, I think Dana and I have decided to sell our house.
It wasn't a hard decision... Just now we're back to trusting God for the next step and the next move.

When you feel the prompting of the Spirit to do something new, then you take the step of faith and do it, then you wait for God to do His part.
That is where we are.... Waiting...
Waiting is not easy, but I've never been disappointed when God delivers...
Care to wait with us?
Lea Anne

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Coping with Criticism...

I keep telling myself that my feelings aren't hurt... I can handle criticism... I can hear the answers to the questions that I myself asked...

So why is it so hard to hear "not-so-pleasant" things from our spouses?

The challenge on Day 5 was to ask your spouse what were the three most irritating things I do?

The first one I knew was coming because I've commented on it myself... I lift my voice almost two octaves higher in response to him when it isn't even necessary... I'm short and loud... A lot...

The second was that I wasn't as spontaneous as I used to be... Okay I'll give him that one too... Although I'm just tired... Oh wait, I forgot that in the challenge I wasn't suppose to defend myself, I was only suppose to hear his responses... Okay, so no defensive retorts... just accept the facts...

The third thing caught me a little by surprise and totally didn't see it coming... He said that my "No-Worry" attitude caused me to be a little uncautious... That I didn't seem to care about things that needed me to care a little more about... Okay, so I don't plan on changing that aspect, but I can receive it and take a look at it to evaluate what I might need to be more cautious about.

The Love Dare is certainly a challenge and I can imagine if you don't really like your spouse, how difficult it could be to submit like the book asks you to. Doing the challenges alone is an act of submission. I don't have a problem with that at all. I think the self reflection is more of a problem for me than the submission.

I will trust that this will only enhance our wedded bliss, so I will continue.

Oh, I'm also starting a Health Challenge at work, so I might be a little grumpy in the next few posts... Not that I haven't been that way already..

Heard from the kids at camp today and Ashton seems to have fallen in love with some boy name Danny and wants to bring him home with her.... We'll see....

One more thing that I have to write about that I'm dealing with is my work and if it's what I should be doing right now... I have been in prayer about it and have started to have that restless feeling that I get sometimes when change is coming... This is what my devotional had to say...

Lord, I pray You would show me what work I am supposed to be doing. If it is something I am to do in addition to what I am already doing, show me that too...

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 91:17

Love you,

Lea Anne

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Day 4 and Day 5...

I hope that I have more interesting blog titles than just Day whatever in the future, but for now, this has been my focus. It's hard to do a running series of events around a single topic because so many things bombard us in a day that we can easily get sidetracked.

Day 4 was fairly simple so I did it with ease... It was to call your spouse without any agenda just to let them know you were thinking of them. Dana and I talk to each other about 7 times a day and usually eat lunch together every day so that wasn't so difficult.

But Day 5... That has taken a little time to implement... The challenge for this day was to ask your spouse what three things were the most irritating and frustrating things that you do that might annoy your spouse... Talk about self-reflection... It takes guts to hear what your spouse has to say.

I could tell you right off what one of them are, but I'm going to let him tell me what his most irritating things about me are and then I'll share his comments with you.

One of the things that I was feeling yesterday was weighing heavy on my heart and it is just something that I'm going to have to deal with... Dana helped put it in perspective for me and this is what he said...

The years that I've invested in my co-workers has come to the point where I don't have to persuade them to do as I do, I just have to keep doing what I do. My disappointment comes when I see the evidence of a life that is so far removed from Christ or I don't see any interest at all in Christ like things, and I feel defeated... Dana said that the time of response is their responsibility... I've done what I can, I've lived the example, and although I'm no where NEAR a perfect example, I have been consistent in my walk and talk over the years that I don't have to convince them. Now I just need to demonstrate a little love and patience while they make their decision.

These are the kind of discussions that Dana and I have on a daily basis and I wouldn't trade that relationship for anything in the world. We are always asking each other what kind of God conversation did we have that day with someone we work with, and we pray together for our family and our friends. I'm so thankful for him for that. I'm just so thankful for my life and I will not allow the enemy to make me feel defeated and unworthy. So I share my concern with you as an opportunity to ask for prayer, because that is what I do when I feel defeated. I start praying and praising God for what He's done for me and for who he is and then things don't seem so depressing anymore.

I'll try to keep the post down to a minimum of explanation as I can get a little wordy. Thanks for listening.
Love you!
Lea Anne

Monday, June 8, 2009

Day 3...

This Love Dare challenge is more difficult than I thought. It is really hard to be intentional about being kind and noticing when you're not. I think it has brought to the surface a lot of things that I took for granted and made me realize how blessed I am by being married to Dana. He is already doing almost everything the book has been challenging me to do, and he is not even reading the chapters. It is natural to him.

Now that doesn't mean he's perfect... If anything, it demonstrates that a marriage isn't about being perfect, it's about being intentional in how we relate to our spouse. We have to PUT ON the marriage just as we decide what to wear everyday and how we have to PUT ON our clothes... We have to PUT ON intentional effort to make our marriages stronger.

Day 3 was to do something that showed how much you cared for your spouse by buying them something that spoke your love to them...

Now this is my part of "Buying" something for Dana... We decided to take the girls to Johnson Bayou to swim in the ocean, but there was still bacterial warning signs, so we didn't swim, but he did borrow his boss's boat and we went boating all day on Big Lake... the girls got to go crabbing and I actually have pictures of the day, but they are on Ashton's camera which she took with her to camp... So maybe I'll post them when she gets back.

Back to the buying thing... Dana wanted to buy a Rod and Reel to take out with him, and I let him... Does that count? He really wanted it, and I really wanted him to have it, so he bought it. And then, he took me out to eat that night for seafood and that is what I wanted so we can call day three done...

Yesterday the girls left for camp after church and the college department had a picnic at the civic center... It was a beautiful day and you never know who'll you'll meet at the park. Do you notice people who are different than you? We were making our sandwiches and this man walked by that appeared to be homeless and Miriam asked him if he'd like a sandwich... He didn't take her up on the offer, but as I was walking toward the group from the other side, and he stopped me and said to tell the group "thank you" for him that today was payday and he didn't need anything... I asked him again to eat with us, but he declined... But I watched him for a little while as he went farther down the sidewalk. He looked so sad... He moved on and the moment passed, but as we were picking things up, another man came by and said that someone had told him he could get a sandwich from us. We immediately fixed him something to eat and gave him a couple of our waters, and he thanked us with "Shalom". He said he was Jewish, that he owned the hotel across the road, and that we could rent a room from him. Then he went over to one of the trees and sat down to eat his sandwich. I watched him too, and he made the sign of the cross before he ate so I assumed he had been introduced to Jesus Christ, since that is what the cross sign represents... We can't know what a person's spiritual condition is... Even if they say one thing and do something else, that still doesn't give us an inclining of how they stand spiritually... But the Bible does say that we are known by our fruit... We will reap what we sow, and if we are bearing fruit, then our life will be an example to others. We don't have to tell others what we believe, it will be obvious in our actions and our life...

Since Day 4 was actually on Sunday, and I didn't do much except siesta after the picnic, so I will do Day 4's challenge today... I've already started but will share with you the results tomorrow...

I ask for you to pray for me, because as I mentioned on the first day, I was also going to apply this concept to my coworkers, clients and agencies... I need help where this is concerned. Not everyone I encounter, but some of them are starting to weigh on my nerves and I need help in my attitude adjustment... I can get a little judgmental and condescending and I don't want to be that way. HELP!!!

Press on and conquer...
Lea Anne

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Day 2... Love Dare

I completed Day 2 and I have to say that when you are intentional about being kind to someone, it is a little difficult. Not that Dana and I aren't already in a great marriage, but when you set out to make it better, all the things that aren't so nice are a little amplified. One thing that I noticed is that I would be sharp with Dana about something and immediately I was pricked about having to be "Kind" to him, so it would bring me up short and I'd say "I'm sorry"... It's amazing how this intentional effort of being Kind is good for the intended, but it really brings to the forefront how negative we can be in an unintentional, but still very biting way in the way we interact with our spouse. One thing that we can't control is how our spouse will react to us, but we can control how we respond to them... So if your first inclination is to be sharp or biting in response to something, then you can stop it before it comes out... You be the change you want to see happen in your marriage. Don't wait for your spouse to change... you start being kind to them and then they will respond back. Marriage isn't 50/50... It is you going 100% of the way expecting nothing from your spouse, and then you'll be amazed that they start meeting you half-way...

For instance, my challenge for Day 2 was this...

In addition to NOT saying anything negative, I was suppose to demonstrate Kindness to my spouse by doing something unexpected...

Okay, so we went to lunch together... although this isn't unusual because we TRY to have lunch together everyday... or as often as we can, because this has always been our time to connect with each other. So we did that...

Then I handled my insurance mess so Dana wouldn't have to... I thought that was HUGE, because I don't handle things like that usually... I went to Allstate claims, got the appraisal form and check, then went to the body shop and dropped it off so he could order the part, and now I'm waiting for them to call me to change it out... Here's something unexpected and delightful and all about the goodness of God... I have accident forgiveness for one accident, AND I have a $300 deductible credit due to my outstanding driving record... So this little "Accident" isn't going to cost me any out of pocket expense!!! Hallelujah!!

Then I had a party to go to for my boss for his 50th birthday and I invited Dana along... It was SO fun to sit out on the patio and tell stories and talk with other couples and eat party food!!

Then we went to Sonic and bought icecream for the girls and came home to enjoy some "family" time... This was our family time... I went to take a bath (while eating my butterfinger blast) the girls were watching a movie in their upstairs area, Dana went to his man cave to eat his icecream (while sharing it with the dog) You've never seen an animal that loves icecream as much as Max does)... Then I went to bed...

Of course Dana joined me later and I continued to show him some "Unexpected" kindness...

So Day 1 and 2 is finished...
Today is Day 3...
I'll keep you posted..

Oh a big shout out to my sister, Chantay, she's getting married today... She'll be Mrs. Chris Miles in about 20 minutes... Congratulations Big Sis... I love you and wish you the best with Chris...

Lea Anne

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Love Dare...

We started the Love Dare challenge at church last night and we had over 17 couples represented there. Great discussions and video clips from the movie "Fireproof".
The challenge for today is
to not say anything negative to my spouse today.
The challenge went on to say...and if that's too difficult, don't say anything at all...
I'm suppose to record how my challenge turned out each day, and I can tell you honestly, that it has been a breeze so far. I haven't said one negative word to Dana all day... Of course, we've both been at work and haven't had a chance to see each other, so the true test will start tonight as we interface.
As I thought about this challenge I began to relate it to how I interact with my coworkers, clients, and agencies that I deal with on a daily basis too. I thought, I should take this same concept to them. This will be WAAAAY tougher than dealing with Dana, but I feel like I'm up to the challenge. So today, I decided not to say one negative thing to or about my clients, coworkers, or agencies... I succeeded, until 8:05 am, when I got my first complaint... I mean, call...

This may be harder than I thought...
I will press on to Day 2 though...
I'll keep you posted on how my progress is going.
I hope you Dare to Love someone today!!
Lea Anne

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

To Complain is to Remain...

I wish I could take credit for the phrase in the title, but I heard Joyce Meyer say it yesterday on "Enjoying Everyday Life". I will take her advice and not complain about the situation I found myself in yesterday, but I will comment about it. I was backing out of the parking slot like I always do, and I turned too sharply and caught the bumper of the truck beside me. This is the result of that "Bump."

And this is the other bumper that I caught...
Barely even scratched the dirt off the bumper. So I tell the engineering guy that I did it and for him to make sure that his truck was okay and I thought it was taken care of. He came up yesterday afternoon and said it did leave a dent and that the paint was scratched off and we would have to file it, and I said, "What dent?" He said, "On the right side rear bumper." I said, "I hit the left side rear bumper with the right front side of my truck." I even had a witness as one of the girls I work with was out taking a smoking break and she came over to look at it.
Well, short story even shorter, he said, "I believe you... don't worry about it."
Now I have to deal with getting my bumper replaced...
Just wanted to share that with you.
Lea Anne

Monday, June 1, 2009

A little prayer for Ashton today


I'm sending out a little prayer request for Ashton today as she tries out for Barbe Softball... She is really nervous and I just ask you all to remember her this week as she works to fulfill her dream of playing High School sports.

Thanks for your prayers,
Lea Anne
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Back on just to say Ashton didn't make the softball team. She was okay with it but I'm a little bummed out for her. Thanks anyway.