5
February
2007
So I have this saying ’starving children in Africa’ that I throw out randomly in conversation. It usually relates to a struggle with whether or not I should do/have something.
I realize that this is not something you should follow through to conclusion, otherwise I would be sponsoring 100 children and living in a rusty shack myself, since having anything more than they have would be wrong….
The other disclaimer is that I never (that I can remember) use it to judge other people. Just myself.
So it usually goes something like this. “Man I am sure sick of getting zits…at my age… geesh, maybe I should go to the dermatologist and get something, but ya know….. there are starving children in Africa …” then I put on some make-up and move on.
Or
” I would love a nice new pair of black everyday shoes, but those eastlands are still in good condition. But I bet I could get a good deal on a stylish pair at DSW, but…starving children in Africa….” Then I may buff up the old ones, until I run across some rat killing deal on some others.
Please don’t think this makes me noble at all because we still have a big t.v. and netflix, this post was purely an insight to my lingo.
shana 
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28
January
2007
You don’t actually sit on the cold toilet seat.
You have to warm your hands under warm running water.
Your hands are too cold to fold laundry effectively.
You ask your husband to get into bed first and “swish” his legs furiously to create some friction heat.
You try to put some clothes on first then wiggle your jammies out from underneath.
I was doing these things, but now we keep the house at 66 and it’s much better! Thank You hun!
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9
January
2007
“NEVER MISTAKE ACTIVITY FOR ACHIEVEMENT!” this was a blow to me as I listened to pastor Dan Wentworth this Sunday at church.
As a mom, wife, homemaker, among many other things I love to be productive. In fact often I have as my display name in live messenger reading “multi-tasker extrodinare”.
Now it is good to get things done, obviously you can’t just be a sloth, but the Holy Spirit has given me somewhat of a dissatisfaction lately and I felt it and in prayer came to want change. I knew that wisdom or direction would follow soon, so was sensitive to scripture that I was reading and hearing watching for something that would resonate with this desire for change.
There it was, the exact wording of that statement satisfied that desire. Never mistake activity for achievement.
Also in that message was Proverbs 11:3
“The integrity of the upright guides them but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. “
Wow, could I be unfaithful, and “two-faced” to my Lord. Serving in His house, but all the while not making time for Him. I mean my quiet times were usually squeezed in between other more pressing chores or plans. And they were more about filling in all the blanks than quieting my heart and seeking Him.
Then this verse came to me In Matthew 6:24:
”No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”
Yeah, I can’t be caught up with doing things that serve me (my master of sinful nature), but must be caught up with my true master.
Then as I started mulling over my next home improvement project, I paused to squeeze in a quick quiet time, while the baby slept. and Here is was the final blow. Luke 10:41-42
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord Answered, “You are worried and upset about many things, but Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.”
Okay, so right then, I prayed “Lord, Kill the Martha in me”.
This is a pretty hard thing and will be on going I assume. But I want my life to be full of the Lords -Achievement- and not just my -Activities-.
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19
December
2006
Today it happened. While I was looking up a recipe online for pinecone firestarters, Madilyn quietly sat in the front room opening a present. I didn’t hear her until she was tearing through the cardboard packaging. It was Allisons idog (ipuppy actually) and luckly she was at school and doesn’t even know. So I will wrap it when they all go to bed tonight. And I will keep a better watch on Madi for the next 4 days. I am thankful that it was only one and not one of Carsons since he was home.
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13
December
2006
I know sometimes that sentence ends with a terrible tragedy. Mine not so much, but that line comes up almost daily in my recap to Ryan when he comes home from work. I know you are not terribly intrested in my daily trials but every once in a while I need to share.
So yesterday I run a basket of laundry upstairs and start putting away its contents. After about a minute I hear, a quiet uh-oh, then a shout “Mooooommm”. It was Madilyn. She had to have seen me take the first step upstairs and immediately put her plan into action. I came downstairs to find her standing on a chair at the table with hot pink sparkly nail polish on the table, chair, floor, her hands, clothes and she did a pretty good job with her tonails. I laughed at first then my mood steadly declined as I got out the nail polish remover and had to strip down the table and chairs, and floor. What makes this “sneaky” is that I had just clipped and filed my nails and put the stuff back in our little nail kit bag. Its a kind of mens bathroom bag, triangular in shape with a stiff zipper. I put that bag on the counter in the hall bathroom and closed the bathroom door. So in the time it took me to walk upstairs and put a few things away, she turned the knob, got the bag down, took it to the table, wrestled the zipper, dug for the brightest nail polish, untwisted the sticky lid (I only use nail polish for special occasions), and got busy. I now am on alert that she can turn knobs (and twist off lids of all kinds) and do zippers.
And just for the record, I didn’t beat her, and I had a nice pot roast dinner with smashed potatoes and peas for dinner, I felt like we had it all, thank you Jesus.
………………….results not typical after a hard day with the kids
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7
December
2006
Relating back to the picture incedent. I have reflected a bit on what is really bothering me. What I’ve come up with is:
1. That people think that they can judge you on what you buy (ex. Im not a good mom because I passed on the pre-school picture.
2. That I know in my sinfulness I do the same thing without even thinking about it.
I have mulled it over and know that what should bother me is; that I may say things to others about something they have or do that makes them feel the way I felt about the picture thing. But what I choose to get upset about is that the people who don’t watch and think about how they spend their money as closely as we do are careless. Who am I to judge? God has so richley blessed our family, and even more biblically I should boast nothing but Christ.
Yes, the world is full of the ” you at least should have” mentality, so why should I be surprised when some people exibit this to me. I am born again and I still allow my mind to be clouded with this worldly judgement at times. So I will no longer feel guilt for having or feel guilt for having not. But will strive to keep in my heart this verse:
Philippians 3:8 “…I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a rightoussness of my own….”
Thank you Jesus that my name is in the book, let me not put any joy over that.
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20
November
2006
Today is picture pickup day at preschool. I just want to say that I am getting kinda sick of the “whahuhh?” look from other moms when I tell them that I didn’t fork out the 25 + dollars for pictures of my kid in preschool. I mean I didn’t even go to preschool and I’m okay (please no comments on that).
More to come on the overabundance (is that a word?) topic…..
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15
November
2006
Wow, Where have I been? Well it seems that I had adjustments to make:
We all have a few more chores, team effort if you will.
Plus I have reduced all the toys by half and donated some clothes.
Put child locks on every kid level cupboard.
Pulled out the named laundry baskets again.
Laminated some chore sheets and put them up on the wall.
And just made a general commitment to keep up with things.
It also helps that I am taking a break from teaching swim lessons
I just needed to get a little handle on the house situation. Felt like I was always not quite ready to handle each day.
But it’s all good now, I even get a little ahead of the day now. And have enough time to blog.
I will do my best to keep it up.
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10
September
2006
Wow, what a last few weeks. We are done with orientations, first-days, sunday school preparation, and volunteer sign up.
I am wonderig where my summer went!!! I do remember a few trips to the pool, and a 12 hour painting spree, but other than that what happend?
I think it was laundry and bathrooms and kitchen floors. Not to mention poopy diapers. Throw in a couple rounds of Killer Bunnies and I think that about covers it.
I have high hopes for the fall. I had my first Sunday of teaching 2nd grade Sunday school and will be starting with the freshman girls soon. Looking forward to more realtionships and less sweat.
Thats all for now. Pictures coming soon.
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13
August
2006
Welcome Friends and Family to The Tow Family blog, though it will mostly be run by me (Shana), seeing as I am keeper of all information.
Thank You for even taking the time to update our addresses and check out our website.
Check back once a week or so and I will update this website with my thoughts and pictures.
If you like it, please leave us a comment so we know you saw it.
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