Friday Favorites

It's been forever since I've participated in a Friday Favorite's post!  I am linking up with Andrea from Momfessionals for this one.  Click on the name of her blog and you can go visit hers!

One.

I love to memorize Scripture.  It's seriously one of my favorite things to do, and I've gotten away from it in the past year and a half because my brain couldn't seem to remember anything.  Just a few weeks ago, in feeling major anxiety over something that I can't remember now, I decided I'd try again, but this time, I asked for God's help.  I do this to help me in the times when I'm anxious.  Some people take medicine for that, and I could probably stand some for my anxiety from time to time, but I do this instead.  In times when I feel myself sliding down that slope, I start reciting God's word.  So far I've memorized Psalm 23, Ephesians 6:10-18 and I'm working on Colossians 3, having already memorized the first eleven verses.  I use notecards to help me with this, because I can carry them everywhere.  Wherever I'm sitting, they're usually nearby.  Someone asked me for a strategy, and the only strategy I have is to pray first, asking God to help me to recall what I've learned, and I practice all the time.  I get my kids to help me out and I go over them with my friend who is doing the same thing.  Accountability is a huge help.

Perhaps you're reading this and you sometimes struggle with the same thing...may I encourage you to try this, if you're a believer?  I know that it brings the Father honor, because His word tells us to hide His word in our hearts.  When we ask Him for help with something that is in His will for us (that which is in His word is in His will), He will give you that help every single time.

Two.

At church on Monday, the ladies and girls in my church had a girls night out at the church to watch The War Room.  This is my favorite movie, and my heart filled with joy as I sat around those I love so much, and watched it with them.  These sweeties were some of the few seated around the table that I was sitting at.  They're precious and wonderful and I love them so much.

Three.

I did something for the first time ever this week on Tuesday, perhaps the most wonderful and new favorite thing I've ever done.  I met these two lovelies at Sunday's new house and we prayed over the entire house.  Seriously, we just walked all over and prayed in every single room, for the people who would enter, for the ministry that would take place and for the kids being raised within the wall and the parents who are raising them.  It was beautiful and moving and more than a few times, my eyes filled with tears over the words being prayed.  I love these two so much!  Abbey is on the left and Sunday is on the right.  Sunday is our youth pastor's wife at church, and her entire family is a gift from God and someone we've prayed for faithfully since before we even knew them.  They are wonderful friends to us and to my kids, and I treasure them.

Four.

I never played sports in high school, except for volleyball on occasion, and I am not competitive AT ALL, and because of those two things, this picture of our dodge ball team on Wednesday night cracks me up.  I didn't die, for one thing, so bonus!  My church is my favorite, y'all.  I know you can't tell, because I never talk about it and do anything there (sarcasm), but I thank God for placing us in this body of believers.  My pastor is my favorite!  When Noah asked him to be on his dodge ball team, he said yes!  I love that.  Not many pastors are so approachable like he is, and certainly not many teenagers could say that they know their pastor like my boys know theirs.  I thank God for him.

Five.

I saw this on the internet this week and loved what it says.  I've been seriously convicted over what I feed my mind with (books and entertainment), and though I've not stooped to the 50 Shades level, the books I was reading were not honoring to God, as in they didn't talk about Him at all.  I know this is such a private and individual decision (and NO CONDEMNATION for those who've not been convicted about what they watch), I'm just confessing to you what I personally do now.  For someone like me who loves books and television and movies as much as I do, I made the decision (after God convicting me) to stop all of that nonsense.  So now I read books that are by Christian authors.  I watch movies that are on the Hallmark channel.  I no longer watch my old favorite show (The Bachelor).  Instead, I watch news type things in the morning, my favorite shows on the Food Network and Fixer Upper on HGTV.

And in between, I read.  For years, I've only listened to K-Love, and I'm listening even more now, because most of what is on television is pure trash.  I'm holding myself to a high standard, because Jesus held me at a pretty high standard by dying on the cross for my sins.

I am no goody two shoes, I assure you.  Of all the wretched sinners in this world, I am the chief.  There is nothing good in me, except for HIM who dwells inside me.  Apart from Him, I am nothing, and I give Him all the glory and honor and praise for bringing me up out of the miry pit.  I mess up daily (sometimes, minute by minute) and I am ALWAYS going back to apologize.  But He is working on me and in me and He is changing me constantly.  That is why I do all of what I write.

He is my very favorite.

Six.

On a much lighter note, can time just please stop?  Y'all.  I thank God for making the mom of these boys.  In all their teenage yuck and drama with girls (of which I am over), they give me such joy and wonderful moments of laughter, and sometimes moments of complete and total exasperation.  I love them.  They're my favorites.  We birthday celebrated last night at Toddley's parents house for them, because there was sickness last week and they'll be gone for Drew's birthday.

Thanks for reading my blog!  I pray your weekend is wonderful and restorative.  Love to all!