It's not easy being green

I told some friends last night that I would post about some of my "green" information--organic food, natural cosmetics, etc.--and I will try to do a little each week for those who are interested (no promises of course!).
Over the last few years Keith and I have heard more and more about all the chemicals in our food and cosmetics and have desired to be more "natural" while staying within the limitations of our budget. I have strived to not be driven by fear as I learned more (which could be a real tempation!) but instead desired to make wise choices for our family that would result in better health down the road while trusting God as our ultimate protector and physician.
So here are two of my favorite websites for information about "green" things:
Organic Consumers Association and Environmental Working Group

EWG has a great cosmetic database that ranks cosmetics for safety based of FDA findings of the effects of the chemicals in them. The FDA does NOT regulate cosmetics, no one does. They also have a pesticides in produce guide you can download (I taped one to my coupon organizer so I have it when I'm shopping).

A Happy Heart

I was listening to a couple messages by John Piper from the 1997 Passion Conference (I would highly recommend it! Check out the links at the bottom of this post) which I used to listen to regularly in my college days and that had greatly impacted me to deny my sinful cravings for the great joy of serving God. I just had to share this George Mueller quote Dr.Piper gives: "Before I go out in the morning, I must have my heart happy in God or I will be of no use to anybody. I will use them and try to get them to satisfy my cravings and vacancies."
That caused me to think of how I often use my anger to manipulate people, to use people. If my heart is not happy in God then I try to use people to make me happy and when they fail to do that for me ("What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? you want something but don't get it...James 4:1-2), I become angry and use my anger, whether it be yelling or the "silent treatment," to manipulate them into doing what I want. "I must make my heart happy in God!" How crucial it is to the training of my children, to doing housework with joy, to submitting to my husband, to being any kind of encouragement to anyone that I would make my first work of the day to make my heart happy in God alone through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross!!

If you would like to hear these messages, I am pretty sure these are very similar (actually given at a Sovereign Grace Celebration conference) and are free to download from desingGod.org:
God's Passion for the Supremacy of God
Our Passion for the Supremacy of God

"See him?"

The other night I overheard Keith praying with Isaac before bed. The conversation went something like this:

Keith: You ready to talk to God?
Isaac: See him?
Keith: Who, God?
Isaac: Yes.
Keith: You can't see God, but He's all around. Since He's all around He can hear our prayers and sees everything we do.
Isaac: Oooooh. (he has this adorable "oooooh" like "I get it")

I love to see his simple faith! Little explanation needed, no objections. Just "Oooooh." I pray my heart would respond like that when I read God's word instead of objections rising as to why that doesn't apply to me. Of course, you could tell Isaac that elephants really do fly and he'd believe you :o)

Good Times with Old Friends

Last week we had the chance to have dinner with Ryan and Amber and also some dear old friends back on "holiday" from Bermuda, Nick and Karin. Nick went through RTS the same time as Keith and also attended Metro for part of that time. It was so good to see them again, hear what God's doing in their lives, and reminisce about the old times, like our sod laying "party" at Matt and Siobhan's. We concluded our dinner with some hard to come by pistachio gelato that was well worth the trouble just to watch Nick fight for it. We miss you guys :o)

Here's the guys enjoying a ride in Nick's sports car:

Papaw's girl

The last two nights as I chopped up some onions to go in dinner Samy stood begging at my feet! And after I gave her one to try, she kept coming back for more! I used to eat onions like apples when I was little, probably a couple years older than Samy. And boy does Papaw LOVE his onions!! I haven't smelled her breath, but I'm sure it's lovely :o)
I tried to snap a picture but Samy wouldn't cooperate :o)

Isaac is THREE!!

Isaac turned three on Monday! I can hardly believe its been three years! He's getting to be such a big boy and already showing evidences of God's grace in his life! I love it when he gives Samy his toy or tells me not to forget to give Samy a fruit snack too. There have even been occasions he has let Samy use his Blankie while hers gets washed! I love hearing from his sitters and teachers that he is a joy to have and that he obeyed! I love when I say, "Isaac, Mommy was having a bad attitude and was angry." And he says, "I forgive you, Mommy!" He is such a joy to me and so much fun to get to enjoy everyday!!
We had a big family day on Saturday, partly in celebration of his birthday and partly because he filled up his sheet again for using the potty. We went to the beach, came home for naps, went out to dinner, then walked around the River Walk. The beach was a blast, the kids enjoy it so much! We had dinner at Don Pablos, and dinner out with the kids is always an adventure :o) I had two free kids meal coupons, so the kids each got their own meals. But the only thing Samy was interested in eating was the sour cream and ketchup! She dug right into the sour cream with her fingers and used her french fry to get the ketchup (she wouldn't even eat the fry!). It was rather humorous.
Isaac got to choose his b-day dinner of chicken (and ketchup!), french fries, and tomatoes. But after seeing his cake earlier in the day, he wasn't so excited about his dinner and just wanted cake :o) So, here are some pictures of the beach, dinner, birthday and some other stuff. Enjoy!

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