I have been doing so much thinking lately about our generation.  How selfish and wasteful we have become!!!  I am blown away and our need to constantly have more and move on to the next best thing or drive the next best car or buy the bigger house and decorate a little bit better.....  Now I am not saying that doing those things are bad or wrong choices..... but I am getting to a deeper issue of the heart!!! Why can't we find contentment??  Who says we have to have it all instantly.... I know for certain those thoughts do not come from Christ... He taught so much on contentment and finding joy in what you have been given.  In this ever quickly changing world and economy I have just really been hit hard with the concept of contentment.... on making the most of what we have and gratefulness.

I was driving to the mall this weekend just to get my phone fixed...I probably passed at least 6 men standing out at a corner on my path asking for help.  I was so heartbroken for all those who are truly struggling to make ends meet.  I was so compelled I actually gave one of them money.  I just prayed that he would use it wisely.... but ultimately that part is not my responsibility. Christ calls us to reach out and help the hungry and the homeless and to give.  Instead of focusing so much on what we want.... what we just have to have this week, why don't we focus on gratefulness and ways we can help and bless others with the resources we have been given. Make a meal for a friend, give something away to someone who needs it.  Instead of throwing things away take them to a shelter and bless men, women and children with what you feel is your trash.... but I guarantee it is their treasure.

My husband and I have been known around here as dumpster divers. We don't care. We just have found that being frugal has huge benefits and blessings.  We have found so many wonderful things for our home that someone else decided was trash.  I seriously should post some pictures of all the amazing things we have found!!!  I just challenge everyone to be appreciative, to be purposeful in their decisions, to look for opportunity to bless someone else!!!  I promise you will be more blessed in the end if you do!!!!!

Some of my favorite quotes

I heard Jan Silvious speak at a women's conference once and I love her!!!  She is such an amazing woman with a gift of getting truth out and at the same time making you laugh soooo hard!!

This quote came from her series "Big Girl".... I would totally recommend it to anyone who wants to learn the difference between being a " little girl" in the Lord or being a "Big Girl".  

" This is one moment in a lifetime of moments..... You MUST move on"  Jan Silvious

I am not sure where I heard this next quote, but I love it and it is a reminder to me on handling all the bumps along the way with grace and humility.

"It is not what happens to you in life that counts........It is how you HANDLE what happens to you that leaves the lasting impression!! " unknown

This next quote comes from a book I read and it gave me many truths that made me really take a long hard look at myself.

"Countless POOR decisions are made from nothing more than INSECURITY....... Either we allow God to deal with out insecurity or our insecurity is dealing with us!!!"  Larry Crabb

This last quote for today comes from a book " Captivating " that I read during a very challenging time in my life!!  This quote spoke and continues to speak to me so much......

"Our "core" validation has to come from God.  And until it does, until we look to HIM for the healing of our souls, our relationships are really hurt by looking to each-other for something ONLY God can give!"   John and Stasi Eldredge

Three Things

SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2009

3's About Me:

THREE NAMES I GO BY 

* Mommy
* Erin
* Cricket

THREE JOBS I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE

* Chic-Fil-A
* Bath and Body Works Manager
* Nanny

THREE PLACES I HAVE LIVED

* Seattle, WA
* Marietta, GA (2nd grade-2006)
* Edmond, Ok ( present)


THREE TV SHOWS THAT I WATCH 

* The Hills
* Brothers and Sisters
* Burn Notice

THREE PLACES I HAVE BEEN

* China
* Puerto Rico
* Hawaii

PEOPLE THAT E-MAIL ME REGULARLY 

* Mom
* Facebook alerts
* Denise Greenwood

THREE OF MY FAVORITE FOODS 

* Anything from Red Rock
* Lasagna
* chips and quesso

THREE FRIENDS I THINK WILL RESPOND

* Amanda Taylor
* Erin Axton
* Karla Docter

THREE THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO 
* A vacation with my husband and no kids
* opening my own business :)
* watching my children grow up and being involved in their lives

I want to know your 3 things! Copy and paste this into your blog and erase my answers and add yours! Let me know you do it so I can read it!!!

So for those of you who don't know........ my wonderful husband and I had a date Friday night.  We went to one of our favorite restaurants "Avanti".    After having great conversation and great food..... (we had pomegranate glazed salmon...so yummy) we decided to head out.  While walking out of the restaurant in my heels, I somehow managed to roll my ankle and gracefully fall down two steps...... talk about embarrassing!!!!  Two of the restaurant workers even came out to see if I was ok.   Well I thought to myself.... I will be fine just get me out of here.  I tried to be a good sport and continue on with our date.... but the pain kept intensifying.  After about an hour I looked at Jim in tears and said I think I should go to the ER.  Not at all where I wanted to spend my evening.

Now to help some of you understand me.... when I get it in my head to do something I do it.  Well I had been on a great workout plan.... been running 4-5 times a week with some weight training in there as well.   When I fell all I could honestly think about was ...... " I can't be hurt..... this is not happening.... I have to run Sunday in the redbud.... i will be fine...... "  Well as I realized I could not put any weight on my ankle at all.... I started to get irritated.  How could this be happening?  Why was this happening?   Needless to say after X-rays and 3 1/2 hours in a hospital I was told I had a severe sprain........ so I am thinking, suck it up Erin it is just a sprain.... then the dr tells me... more often sprains are harder to recover from than a break.... I was mad!!! 

So as the weekend progressed I found myself pouting and feeling sorry for myself.   Then I received a text message from a co-worker at Quail Springs Baptist church....... The head of the children's department"s  20 year old daughter had been killed in a car accident.   Talk about putting things in perspective.  Here I was sulking and pouting about a minor inconvenience.... and a dear sweet woman was now grieving the loss of her daughter.   Who am I...... God is in control of everything.... there is a season for everything..... I was reminded of how precious life is and how important it is to make every day count.  To not pout and grumble about the little things, but to find joy and contentment in everything.  My ankle will heal and in time I will run again........Life is precious and I don't want to waste a moment!!!!   My heart and my prayers go out to the Swezey family and I pray that the Lord will cover them with his love and compassion and a peace that cannot be explained!!!!!!!