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Trish Southard

Trish Southard

Monthly Archives: March 2009

The Town Parade in Pink

30 Monday Mar 2009

Posted by trishsouthard in Comedy, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Fashion, make do with 100, More time with Jesus, simplify

mit-moms-parade-march-28th-2009-001Saturday was our town’s Heritage Festival, complete with a local parade.  I participated, and had a great time marching in my first parade with my neighbor Rona, my new friend and prayer partner with MIT (Moms in Touch), who previously had  invited me to join her every Monday to pray with them. We marched as a group wearing pink one in all.  When invited, my first thought was “Oh my, I don’t own any pink… or do I.”  Most of you would assume my thoughts would be on prayer, but they weren’t.  

On any given day my wardrobe consists mostly of black, white , khaki, and a sprinkling of navy. My husband and daughter rarely see me in anything besides my black and white Nike warmup.   The ladies in the neighborhood probably think the only thing I own is that Nike outfit.  We see each other at the mail box and it is regularly washed, but frequently on.  La Encantada has a wonderful shop called “Lucy”  which sells workout clothing, and upon my move to Tucson 5 years ago, the getup was purchased and been my uniform since.  My dear friend and prayer partner Kim passed on several of her chic yoga sets, and I enjoy wearing them, but I must confess my Nike outfit is my fav. A year ago on my birthday I received several pink additions to my wardrobe:  a camisole from Kim’s daughter Mandy, an argyle sweater from another good friend, Heather,  and a twinset from my wonderful mother-in-law Marilyn.  How does one receive so many gifts of clothing, yet continue to wear the same sweat suit every day? Why do I do this after receiving wonderful gifts of clothing ? The pursuit of simplification is a constancy in my life, and clothing has been the easiest place to simplify.  My goal:  I attempt to keep 100 items in my wardrobe all the time, including shoes, socks, and yes, underwear.  Packing for trips has become a breeze, and whenever I receive something as a gift, or purchase something new, its a replacement, not an addition.  Something has to leave generally. 

Where is this blog going today?    Ann Kroeker’s Make Do Monday calls for making due with what you have.  My challenge from that is for you to whittle your closet to 100 items, and learn to “make do.”   Oh, I hear you’re screams and cries, but let me encourage you to make do, and see what happens.  Why simplify your clothing?  Well, the economy is tough and all your chic threads collecting dust in your closet could give your local Goodwill a serious cutting edge advantage to the mall.  Fashion philanthropy reduces fellow fashionista credit card balances by luring them to a $3.00 rack.  Reducing your inventory will free up your time. Don’t believe me?  Watch and see how much more time  you will free up from not having to decide what to wear.  Astounding!  (I must confess though, that the parade attire was a bit of a decision process given I had three pink sweaters to choose from).  How many outfits do you try on before leaving for work each morning?  Going to small group?  Attending Bible study?  I hesitate to drop the big C, but you know it’s true, and also for church?  All that extra time in the morning can be spent sitting at the foot of Jesus.  He will speak to you no matter what you have on.  He stands at the door knocking and waiting while you dither your time away on which shoes to wear.

“Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch?  Have they made themselves more beautiful in the eyes of God?  Deepened their walk with Christ?  All this time and money wasted on the excesses of fashion.  Does it really make that much of a difference in the eternal perspective of our lives?  Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers.  They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it?  The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them”. 

 Matthew 6: 27-29 The Message.

One side note:  I highly recommend everyone finding and joining a  Moms in Touch group.  These are a wonderful, committed and purposeful group of women who don’t mess around.  You arrive at a given location, ours is at Methodist church near my neighborhood, and pray together in groups for the children and the teachers in our schools in target-ted prayer for an hour each week. 

 

Rest in Him, Trish

Gossip part two…Hails bruises

27 Friday Mar 2009

Posted by trishsouthard in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

contempt, gossip, hail damage, pride

The year was 1999 and the magnificent city of Lake Forest, Illinois was leveled in hail.  The city was literally sunk into the depths.   Hail bruises a roof and you don’t see the damage till years later when it dies an early death.  Our family moved to Lake Forest immediately after and my husband attended seminary, worked as a small groups pastor, and sold new shake roofs to the majestic dwellings in the forest.  Everywhere you looked the devastation from the hail was evident.  Ten years later you can probably still see damage they may never have repaired.  Like hail, gossip and the contempt for others consumes and shatters the lives we have decided are less valuable than our own.  The bruises are for others but the decay will be our own.

“I have found in the course of a long, public life that the things that I did not say never hurt me.”  Calvin Coolidge

Like hailstones the steady pounding of words, break through and destroy, some are small and some are large, all damaging.  Todd Southard

 Hail happens when hot air mixes with cold air to create a torrential storms.  Some storms swirl out of control and you get tornadoes.  Hail is the steady pounding of words that destroy your soul. Our family never saw the hail come down in Lake Forest, but we saw it come down rather shockingly in Texas hill country yesterday.

A  friend and I were talking about why someone would gossip.  Rest assured the two of us have enjoyed our fair share of scripture memorization on any text which includes the tongue. Do not perceive me as one in a perfected state, after all He is not done with me yet.

She enjoys A.W. Tozer’s “Renewed Day by Day” the following is from March 17th.

“Contempt is an emotion possible only where there is great pride.  The error in moral judgement that undervalues another always springs out of the error that overvalues ones self.  The contemptuous man esteems himself too highly, and for reasons that are invalid.  His high opinion of himself is not based upon his position as a being made in God’s image;  he esteems himself for fancied virtues which he does not possess.  The error in his judgement is moral, not intellectual.”

The car dealerships just south of us will not be able to sell one single hail damaged car, no matter how fancy the car.  We may have driven out with our shiny new fliver the previous week, perhaps even full of pride and a slightly higher opinion of ourselves because of our new ride.  Who will buy it with the windows busted out and 3 inch divots all over it.  Remember this visual the next time an acquaintance has a story about someone you must hear. They are not valuing the individual as they should and reflecting God’s value of human life. 

hailing-in-austinmarch-25-2009-001Be gracious, break away and head for the cover of your Father before the hail falls.119twitter7

Have you ever held contempt in your heart for another.

Your verbal hail is leading you to hell literally.   

 

Sharing is helpful if the confidant or counselor is part of the problem or will be assisting you with the solution.

Tozer points to  Proverbs 16:5

“Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;  though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”

“The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.  Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, and in safe and restful dwellings.  But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink into the depths.  Happy are you who sow seed beside abundant waters, who let ox and donkey range free. 

 Isaiah 32: 17-20 Holman CSB

Rest in Him, Trish

Rest in the Rabbitat

25 Wednesday Mar 2009

Posted by trishsouthard in Comedy, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Homemaking, Organizational Tips, Restful enviroments

Tom and Susan Bean built a rabbitat out of very simple materials and attracted cottontails to their Flagstaff home.

Tom stated in the February issue of Arizona Highways, ” I began throwing carrots into the burrow entrance, ”  In fact, I started to ring a little bell each time I went out with a carrot.  In a surprisingly short time,  the desired Pavlovian response occurred, and rabbits began to come out and await their carrot.”

The few followers I have on this blog may have picked up my focus is to rest in the Lord and what that entails in my daily living.  The “Unnatural Habitat” article has been stewing around in my brain since it arrived in the mail and the following are just some changes I made to help the wildlife in my habitat. aka husband and teen daughter.  Here are the carrots:

Step One

Forget the house for the morning and spend the entire morning studying God’s word.  I began in Chambers and he led me through a morning of contemplation on “Friendship with God”  (March 20th).  Everyday I visit and chat with my Father all day, but today He was my friend as I poured through Genesis 18 and then onto my WYAMDaily prayer calendar readings.  Writing in my journal, thinking and forcing myself to be still in His presence for the morning hours.  A big help withnoise reduction in our new home has been the elimination of the TV noise. Unhook  it if you have it in your house.  We are 2 1/2 months now without it and no one is complaining, our time with God has expanded exponentially.  My family occasionally views shows on the internet. The accompanying quiet is oh so….tranquil.  We all have library cards and check out movies just a quick walk away from our library.  We also occasionally rent, but you would be surprised at the selection.  Our library will order a popular request.

Step Two

Remove all clutter from most surfaces daily.  Clutter removal is visually restful to the eyes and moving has made this quite a challenge to me.   This week I moved 6 boxes out of the corner of the dining room into the garage.  Just physically lifting and relocating them was a challenge, last night during dinner I didn’t have to stare at them and think “where will I put everything in those boxes”   The “putting” just may be to the local Disabled American Veterans van if they pick up here in Texas.

Step Three

Food for the wildlife.  My travels this week included a very long trip to the grocery store where I purchased all the things my family loves to eat.  My husband loves salmon, and the special of the day was salmon so I bought 5 and stored 4 in the freezer.  My daughter likes snacks so I took her with me and she selected all her favorite snacks to fill the pantry.  Her delight in picking them, the expression on her face as I said yes each time she placed an item in the cart was worth it all.

Step Four

Treat myself to cleaning help.  I called a local house cleaner and asked if she would ever consider coming for one hour to help.  She had never been asked for one hour, but if that is what my budget afforded she would gladly accept.  Five hours later “Josey and the Cleaning Cats” (that’s really the name of their company) arrived and cleaned for exactly one hour and threw in an extra 1/2 hour for free once they figured out my husband was a Pastor.  I insisted they leave at one hour, but they insisted back it was important to them to give in a small way also.  I cleaned things all afternoon in preparation for their arrival knowing they would be able to come in and do a special forces attack on my habitat if they didn’t have distractions of bunnies everywhere.  MaggieBry3866.wordpress.com has a very funny blog on this.  Our teen daughter could not understand why we cleaned before the cleaning ladies arrived, but it became perfectly clear once she saw them decendon our home and attack it with great speed and intensity of purpose.

My family members are organized and efficient.  I have prepared painstakingly to have them arrive home to a lovely, clean, picked up place of solace.  My room in heaven is filled with books,and messy piles of stuff I adore.  My casa here is occupied by others so the work today will show them my tangible response to their desires.

We all stuggle from time to time with the question “Do they really know me?”  One look at my husband or daughters precisely cleaned and ordered closets will tell you they don’t waste time looking for things.  One area is in line.  The Rabbitat is ready.

Homemaking is important and today was my artful expression of love to my family.

“A whole generation of women exhausted themselves trying to have it all, when we should have encouraged them  to examine the choices and pick out the ones that suited them best”  Thomas P. Farley

A restful rabbitat suits me best.

Rest in Him, Trish

Gossip

16 Monday Mar 2009

Posted by trishsouthard in Comedy, Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Make do with doo, Vengeance

011Yesterday I was walking Daisy, and as dogs doo,  she did.   She is a very small dog, and chose a lush front yard to deposit her present.  With great hand motion, from my pocket a bag appeared with a flourish, so that all passing could see the quick removal of the stinky specimen.  What to my wondrous eyes did appear…but nothing….and I mean I could not see a thing.  Leaning  over and looking as close as  possible without sniffing the blades of grass, still no scoobala.  My family loves to refer to what Daisy deposits outside as scoobala, because its the ancient Greek word for, well, you know…  Lots of pastors will throw this in an occasional sermon just for laughs and giggles for the kids.  We laugh, we snicker.  Somehow it is always funny.  Leaving scoobala in my neighbors lawn is very uncouth.  I looked through my pockets to see if I had reading glasses.  No, of course not, who carries readers to walk the dog.  Who knew the need for peepers for peering @ poo? 

How can one practice what Leighton Ford calls “The Attentive Life,” discovering God’s Presence in things?  What will He speak to my heart as I face Him in lauds?  Leighton has Ranger …I have Daisy…

Today on make do monday, let us see what  can be learned about sin while walking the dog and spending time in Psalm 19. 

We all leave a wretched stench when we choose gossip and unnecessary words just to fill space.  Oh we may think we’ve left nothing behind, but we have.    Don’t do it.  Don’t say anything regardless if it’s true. “The fear of the Lord is pure enduring forever; the judgements of the L006ord are true and righteous altogether. ” Ps. 19v9

Gossip, and the ever popular, I suppose I could share this with you as a prayer request, but don’t tell a soul.  “Who can understand his errors?  Cleanse me from secret faults.”  Ps. 19v.12

 Well my friends that is a smelly. 

  Be sure and think through how the person sharing the scathing details could benefit from its publishing to you or to other people in your circle.   Acknowlege her information…hey its awful you feel this way.  Do not engage.  Remove yourself quickly …being faithful to friends includes being faithful in their absence.  Let nothing unclean deposit on your lawn.

“Keep back Your servant also from presumptous sins; Let them not have dominion over me.  Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.”  Ps. 19v13

One of the most powerful sermons I have ever heard was by Tim Ayers.  He spoke of stealing.  We steal reputations. Remember the words “Thou shall not steal?”  Exodus 20v15

What do I do with the stuff left on my lawn?  How do I forget a person’s willingness to cast dispersions or broker information, and gain an edge in the gallows of “gossip girls” in church bathrooms?  Can’t I defend everyone’s honor and give them what my husband calls a “liguel smackdown?”

“I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.”  – Publius

 “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12 v.19

 Pulling in so close the only breath or words one hears is His.  He soaks our wounded hearts with love and caring passages of tenderness and protection.  Humans always fall back to the carnal and vengeance seems so exciting.  Why do we gossip? Positioning? Makes us feel like we are in the know?  Disparaging someones character?

 Our minds race…”oh but I thought she was a true friend, someone safe…how could she toss peoples stories so flippantly to another.” 

Put space between yourself  and  brokers of information. 

Live in James 3, practical teachings on gossip…photo copy the chapter and carry it in your pocket when devious mind wanderings erupt your brain. 

Clean fresh mown grass…no lingering smells…no brown smushes.

 The heaviest load any man carries on his back is a pack of grudges.   Unknown

 Give yourself permission to walk away… 

 The need for reading glasses will be gone.

Chambers was searing today ” Tolerating a wrong attitude toward another person causes you to follow the spirit of the devil, no matter how saintly you are. One carnal judgement of another person only serves the purposes of hell in you.”

Sometimes the stuff which cuts and stings the deepest at the time, God turns around and uses it for His Glory.

  “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation 119twitterof my heart, be acceptable in Your  sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Ps. 19v14

Rest in Him, Trish

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