Calm My Anxious Heart....

This is the Bible Study I'm presently studying. It's exactly what I need at this point in my life. From the title, you would think I'm anxious, fretful, worrying, etc. And some days I am. But what I'm finding out by studying this, is that all these things come from one issue: discontentment.

"Most of us base our contentment on our
circumstances, on our feelings, or on other people. However, true contentment is separate from our
circumstances. Contentment is a state of the
heart".

I have to admit that I used to struggle with contentment - the way I felt depended on my circumstances for a particular day; how things went. But the older I get, the more I realize and know how truly blessed I am. Blessed just to wake up and have breath to breathe; Blessed to have a husband who loves me unconditionally, a husband I can cook for, clean up after, and love; 3 children who love the Lord; a home; a job... I could go on and on...very content, and this book reminds me that God is totally in control. He's even in control of my "beauty"...and each morning I look in the mirror, I see more wrinkles, more sun damage, more gray hairs that are very wirey, more "dimples" on my skin, hot flashes are on the rise, and more! But God made no mistakes for He's also teaching me to be content with "me"...Psalm 139:14 says that I am "fearfully and wonderfully made". He fashioned me with awe and wonder...Wow! He sees my heart. He doesn't focus on what I see...the outward appearance.

He is the Blessed Controller of my life. He wants me to surrender. He wants me to accept His timing. He wants me to accept His ways. He wants me to accept His outcome. He wants me to trust in Him and Him alone.

Prescription for contentment:

• Never allow yourself to complain about anything - not even the weather.


• Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.


• Never compare your lot with another's.


• Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.


• Never dwell on tomorrow - remember that tomorrow is God's, not ours.

Our eyes should be fixed on eternity. Our tomorrows belong to God.

A quiet heart is content with what God gives!

16 years....

That's how long I've been driving my children to school. It was August, 1995. That's the year Heather began kindergarten. Well, the driving ended this morning. Our son, Caleb, begins his junior year of high school today and drove himself. It was sad...and happy, all at the same time.

All good things must come to an end!

Last night....

This past Friday night we were preparing for Lindsay's trip back to UNCG. It was a great night for all. As I blogged this past Friday, the kids were all out and I was home enjoying "quiet" :)
Scott, Heather, and Caleb were at the Nascar speedway enjoying what Heather said was "one of the best nights of her life". They were zooming around the racetrack at 190mph...glad I didn't know that speed before they left!

Lindsay and Brad were out celebrating their 15 month anniversary.

I attached a recipe for Heath bar cookies to that same post. You must try them! THE BEST cookie I've ever had.

Lindsay's move in day on Saturday went perfectly. She begins classes today.
I've attached a few pictures....

(always matching :)

Is it over?

Is summer break over already? Where did it go?

Tomorrow, we pack up the cars and head back to UNC Greensboro to take Lindsay where she will begin her sophomore year.

I have to say that I think this has been one of THE BEST summers ever. I hate to see it end.
In about one hour we will all be sitting down to some competitive card playing and some homemade Heath Bar cookies. I'm sharing the recipe below. They are amazing!

As soon as I finish typing this blog, they will be ready to go into the oven. They should come out just in time for everyone to arrive home tonight. Scott took Heather and Caleb to the Nascar Speedway up in Concord to go 3 laps at 165 mph with a professional driver...cannot imagine! To say they were all excited would be an understatement. Lindsay and Brad are out to dinner celebrating their 15 month anniversary. So, it's just me and Max here enjoying the wonderful sound of "quiet"....for just a few more minutes :)

Heath Bar Cookies Recipe

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped Heath Bar pieces (Eight 1.4 ounce bars)

1 Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine Heath Bar pieces and chopped walnuts. Set aside.

2 Beat together the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, and vanilla.

3 Alternatively mix in the Heath Bar mixture and the flour mixture, a third at a time, until well blended. Chill cookie dough for at least 30 minutes (better an hour).

4 Preheat oven to 350°F. On cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpat, spoon out the cookie dough in small 1-inch diameter balls (size of a large marble). Place dough balls 3 inches away from each other on the cookie sheets. (Make sure there is plenty of room between the cookie balls, and that the cookie balls aren't too big. These cookies spread!)

5 Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 6 dozen cookies.