Monday, August 29, 2016

I really really like this pen...

I have this pen I love... I can tell you exactly when I got it. May 2014 Miss Kitty (aka Karen Hilla) was in town specifically for Matt (18) and CJ's (17) high school graduation. We love Miss Kitty, I have known her since she was 12, and she has known the kids all their lives. She was in the country from China where she had been living for sometime. She let me borrow this pen to sign a card. Mistakes were made... I LOVED it. It is ultra fine, very small precise writing and it's BLUE!!!!!! I LOVE BLUE! I have blue eyes, I even have blue hair... I love blue. So, I promptly informed her she was not getting her pen back. Being the sweetheart she is, she acquiesced and I got to keep the pen. I have had it for 2 years. Two long years... and I never read it. Can you believe that? Kinda weird. I didn't care what it said, I cared that it writes good, is blue and was from Ms Kitty. Everytime I use it I think of her. Tonight I got it out to write in my prayer journal. Not about her, but I thought of her and said a prayer for her as I often do. She just left the country to spend another 2 years in China. For some reason (God's prompting perhaps?), tonight I read the pen. Do you know what it says???
"My favorite past time is thinking of you.
Today is special and so are you.


It's a very very beautiful day"
Well I'll be... How cool. It reminded me of Psalms 119:11 
"I have hidden Your word in my heart so I won't sin against You"
If we put God's word in our heart when we don't need it, it will surface when we need it and comfort us. How cool is that? 
I miss you Miss Kitty!!!




Friday, June 17, 2016

What do you mean he didn't say it back?????

I really love it when God shows me things, about myself or others. One of the things he showed me tonight was that "I love you" had become a trap to my husband. How? How could a simple phrase, words of affirmation, become a trap? Because early on when we first got married, 22 years ago, I trained him. I used to say I love you at night before we would go to sleep, and he had to say it back.
No, you don't understand. He had to say it back. I was Monkish (as in the tv show, as in obsessive compulsive, you HAVE to say it, or I won't let you go to sleep, because I won't be able to go to sleep, and we ALL know it is ALL about ME>>>) in my pursuit of his saying it back. To the point where it got to where he trained himself to be asleep and mumble it because I had to hear it. It was part of me being needy I had to have that security. It was a romantic notion, I wanted "I love you" to be the last thing each of us heard before we went to sleep. You know, incase something happened to one of us in the night... Ok, ok it was actually just selfish insecurity. I admitted it, are you happy now???
The problem is I OBSESSED over it. We would lay there and talk at night, and then I would hear him start to snore, so I thought to myself "I'll be nice and let him go to sleep..."
(out loud) "I love you..."
(patiently waiting for a response) "I LOVE you.."
(not so patient elbow jab) "I LOVE YOU>>>"
and he would mumble Ilu utoo"
Looking back I see how it became a trap.

However, I robbed myself of being able to give him the gift of saying I love you, without expecting him to say do or give me anything in return. I was young and foolish and didn't understand what unconditional love was. First Corinthians 13 love.
I Corinthians 13:4-8a

Love is patient. Love is kind. Love isn’t jealous. It doesn’t sing its own praises. It isn’t arrogant. It isn’t rude. It doesn’t think about itself. It isn’t irritable. It doesn’t keep track of wrongs. It isn’t happy when injustice is done, but it is happy with the truth. Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.
Love never comes to an end.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

My Oily adventure...
Ok I admit it, I've been  dabbling in witch craft... Just kidding, become a snake oil pusher... ok, also not true {If you see this Deanna, I blame you for all the crossouts..} I have been experimenting with essential oils, specifically Young Living Essential Oils. I am not totally sold, but I know if I ever am, I'd be sold on YLEO... ANYWAYSE... I attended a video class with Anna L Wight, and they did a thing, comment that you watched, and we'll draw names and someone will win a free lavender... I won... Cool beans. So lavender is good for cuts, sunburn, and some other stuff. Well the only 'other stuff' I had was allergies. I had a nasty case of micoplasma (walking pneumonia) that left me with exercise induced asthma, which causes me to have allergies. Never had 'em before and frankly I'm not a fan... SOOOOO from what I've read, seen, heard, there are about 4 main ways to apply lavender, rub on foot, take in capsule, rub on face, or a 'cheek swipe'. So I started experimenting.... I haven't got any empty capsules, so for now that is out. Putting on the foot is still a little creepy... (Just being honest) so I'm left with rub on face, and 'cheek swipe' (ok, ok I admit I just think it is funny to put 'cheek swipe' in a little apostrophe induced fake quotes) (apostrophe induced? Can you tell it is 3 am???)
So I dabbed a bit on my finger  just touched the top of the open bottle and rubbed my finger on the OUTSIDE, and TOP of my nose...  Side note, I don't like lavender.... it smells toooooooooooooo perfumey to me.... ick back to your regularly scheduled programming... And nearly gagged... I couldn't breath without smelling it and I hate the smell... YUCK. I was in a room full of people, I couldn't just go wash my nose... Thankfully my friend Kayla pulled out her oils... she is fancy she has a kit, she isn't a fringe moocher like me,  and I rubbed some thieves on my wrists, so I could smell that. I love the smell of thieves...  somehow it sounds wrong to say I go around smelling thieves... I am not sure if my sinuses got better or not...
Meanwhile back at the ranch... My dear hubby, Q works as a manager at Pizza Hut. If he closes he doesn't get in till 1am some nights, and then he has to chill for an hr or two, and will come to bed around 2-3 am... I work in a hospital taking infant pics, I have to be up at 7 every morning... I can't stay up till 2... But I do if I want to see him... Since I don't have to work tomorrow technically today since I am typing this at 3am... I was gonna stay up and wait on him. I got a HUGE headache.... Since right now the only oil I have is Lavender, I rubbed just a dab on my temples.... thinking if it was sinuses that might help. I really do prefer natural to chemical when I can... That didn't help and the smell, uk the smell... So I rubbed some Icy-Hot roll on over that... Now between the two I began to feel better, asleep... Lol that was around 11 I woke up at 1:30 am headache free... So I came out to the living room, and sat with the hubby for a while. As I sat here my left nostril began to close... which is impending doom for sleep So when we finally went to bed, I thought, Lavender... ok how am I gonna apply it? I'll try a 'cheek swipe' it cant be that bad... I WAS WRONG... VERY VERY WRONG. It was worse than trying to lick a perfume bottle clean... no i haven't actually ever tried that , but this is what I imagine it would be like... ick, yuck, horrible, awful, horrendous, almost made me puke it tasted so bad. I drank half a Mt Dew trying to drown the taste... all it did was ruin the Dew taste... AWFUL. Finally I ate a cracker, and my mouth calmed down... However as I laid down to go to sleep, the time when if I have a stuffy nose already, it will get worse... I realized I can breathe... Now I am not entirely sure if that is because of the Lavender, or the trauma... lol

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

No, you are not seeing things, this is a new blog post... I need to post more often. I miss it.
It has been a hard year. Both Q and I were out of work for at least 4 months, two of which overlapped... However, he is now an assistant manager at a Pizza Hut, and I work for Mom365 taking pictures of adorable babies in hospital.
I enjoy it. Q loves his work. all is good.
 This is our 20th year together... 20 years... wow.
And on May the 20 two very important things happen... We will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary... (pat on the back, big deal in this society...) and ...
our two oldest will graduate from High School (not a current picture btw)
I WILLLLLLL cry.
God is good.
tgbtg...DaNella J. Auten

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Good morning boys and girls, the word for today is...

EMOTIONAL FIDELITY!
I read a book called ' The Mailbox' by Marybeth Whalen. It made me soooooooooooo mad. in a nutshell, the story was of a young couple who went to a mailbox on the beach that really does exist on Sunset Beach NC. They went there the first time to mark the end of their first summer together when they were in their late teens. She had to go home to the city, and he lived in Sunset. Then they went again at the end of the next summer... this time after they left the mailbox, he was distraught that she had to leave for the winter. So he went to a party had too many beers, and a girl who had been chasing him all summer caught him and they had sex. She wound up pregnant, so he 'did the right thing' and married her, and had to write a letter to his girlfriend saying I'm sorry, I married someone else...
Ok I get it the original girlfriend is devastated. It takes her a while to move on. She still goes to the mailbox every year and writes a 'year in review'. So far all is ok whatever...
Here's my problem. SPOILER ALERT if you think you want to read this book, I'm telling the end...
Campbell is stealing her letters from the 'Kindred Spirit' box and reading them and still loving her from a distance. Every year the last week in July she comes to her aunt and uncle's beach house, and goes to the mailbox to write about her year. She writes about her new boyfriend/eventually husband, and father of her two children, and how their love deteriorates when her husbands starts cheating on her. All the while she also mentions how she will always love Campbell... It made me so mad. So of course in the end she and Campbell get back together.
My problem is you need to be with who you are with.
My husband and I have been married over 18 years, dated over 19. I can honestly say that in the entire 19 years I have never been with anyone but him. I haven't even fantasized about anyone else. Yes me, a pentacostal pastor's wife said fantasized...
Have I been tempted?
sure.
Did I have relationships before my husband.
Yes.
Do I have fond memories of those times?
Sure do.
HOWEVER>>> I don't dwell on them. I am still friends with most of my 'ex-boyfriends'. But I never, NEVER dwell on or think about a past date, or kiss, or conversation. Now let me clarify, there is a difference between the thought coming and the thought staying.
Do thoughts/memories of past interactions pop up? Yes, but frankly if it isn't a thought, or memory about my husband, I move on to something else.
So I will step off of my soap box. The moral of this lesson is Be with the one you are with. The bible says in Matthew 5:28 International Standard Version (©2008)
But I say to you, anyone who stares at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Oh my, what does that say about Magic Mike? Guess that is another blog...

Saturday, February 18, 2012

What are you thinking?

Wow this is something to think about. Every Pastor who even thinks about entertaining a 'questionable' action needs to read this My friend Deanna who is a pastor herself wrote this amazing informative article. This is one of those I need to bookmark and read about once a month... just to remind me.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Thank you for praying for the twins.



A little over four years ago, my sister and her dear husband , and their three children (two girls and a boy) decided to enter the ministry. Not your typical ministry, but yet a very important one. They agreed to become foster parents. They decided there was a little boy out there who needed the love their family could give. Specifically a boy, to room with their only boy. However, God in his sense of humor decided to give her a hand full... Identical twin boys 13 months old, 12 days before Christmas.
Now we are thrilled to announce THEY ARE ROTENBERRIES! Their adoption was finalized yesterday! We are so thrilled.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Loaded Potato Soup...


This was SOOOOO easy! I took a 4-5lb bag of red potatoes. Wash them good, and cut them into cubes... Skin and all. Place Potato's, 1 yellow onion, (or a dusting of dehydrated diced onions) 8 cups of Ckn broth, 5 cloves of garlic, and a dusting of Adobo Creo into a crock pot. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hrs. When the potato's are tender, take about 1/3 of mixture out and mash it. Reintroduce the mash to the mixture. Add two packages of cream cheese. Melt the cheese and then serve.
Garnish with bacon bits, sour creme and shredded Cheddar Cheese.
Pictured here with a lovely spinach and lettuce salad with poppy seed dressing, and home made yeast rolls.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

31 Days of DaNella's Brain... Microbursts! day 15


Whatever state you are in…

This year I have accused Christeonnah (11) of trying to get a medical degree vicariously. Why? She has had too many ailments! Ok here is the list;

  • Tonsillectomy
  • Tibial tubercle fracture (broken tibia)
  • Broken tooth (baby tooth thankfully)
  • Had to have her eyes checked
  • Had to be tested for glaucoma
  • The worst case of lice I have ever seen (another medicine she was on had itching as a side effect so that hid the itching from the lice)
  • Very bad Poison Ivey
  • Been diagnosed with migraines
  • Sty’s in her eye
  • Trip to emergency room with a very sprained knee.

The thing about it is through it all, with all that has gone on, she is still always, always, almost without exception, in a good mood. She is the epitome of Philippians 4:12

I have learned to be content, no matter what the situation.


Friday, October 14, 2011

31 Days of DaNella's Brain... Microbursts! Day 14 (no you didn't miss 12 and 13, I did)



Scarlet O’Hara Theology?

Recently something was bothering me, a problem, after all, I have a lot going on. I was soooo tempted to be all wrapped up in my problem. But I remembered “If you’re gonna pray don’t worry, if you’re gonna worry, don’t pray.” I was trying to follow my own advice, but like a bad dream, over and over, it kept coming up in my mind. I kept pushing it away, and suddenly I realized what I was doing, I was pulling a Scarlet. Have you ever seen Gone With The Wind? It used to bug me to death how Scarlet always said “I can’t think about this right now… I’ll think about it tomorrow.” Aggghhh I couldn’t stand it! Face reality Scarlet, it is what it is. Well when this problem kept coming up over and over, I kept pushing it away, and thinking “I can’t think about it right now.” And I realized, there is something to this Scarlet Theology. After all, God said

So don't ever worry about tomorrow. After all, tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:34

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

31 Days of DaNella's Brain... Microbursts! Day 11

(haha one of those I took my own pic things, in a bathroom...lol)

Do Deer Have to Use the Bathroom In the Middle of the Night?

The other night, I had to get up in the middle of the night to use the rest room. Yes there is a point to this story, on my way back to bed, I saw something laying on the floor. It looked hard enough to injure me in the dark, but my first thought was. Well I know I would never leave something hard on the floor. I know better, I know I will have to get up several times a night to use the restroom, and I know I don’t want to turn the light on, so I would NEVER leave something in the way to stub my toe, I am allergic to pain. The point of the story was, my first reaction, the first thing that came to mind, which I actually said out loud, was “Well I know it isn’t something hard, I’d never do that to myself.” In spite of the fact that all the senses I had to rely in at the moment were warning me that there was something hard on the floor to stump my toe, I knew me better than that and knew I would never harm myself.

How well do we know God, when all of our senses are telling us things are falling down around us, do we realize that He will never let us fall. He makes our feet like a deer that can walk over mountainous crags and not loose our footing. Although I am not sure deer have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bath room.

The LORD Almighty is my strength. He makes my feet like those of a deer. He makes me walk on the mountains.

Habakkuk 3:19


Monday, October 10, 2011

31 Days of DaNella's Brain... Microbursts! Day 10


God Throws Water Balloons?

The other day I was walking across campus to class. I wasn’t bothering anyone; I was minding my own business, thinking about all I had to do. I was probably too deep into my own thoughts, trying to solve my problems by myself.

I had homework due, and with home-schooling 2 of my kids, and 2 in public school, a lot on my mind.

So here I am minding my own business, in my own little world, worried about the cares of life, and suddenly my head is soaked.

Really, I am telling you the truth; it felt like a huge water balloon dropped on my head.

Apparently it had rained the night before, and a squirrel jumped from one tree to another causing it to “rain” on me. It startled me, but it made me laugh, and made me realize that there are better things to do than worry about what is going on in my life, God can handle it. Proverbs 17:22 says,

A joyful heart is good medicine, but depression drains one's strength

So don’t take your self too seriously, or God will have to throw a water balloon at you like He did me.


Sunday, October 9, 2011

31 Days of DaNella's Brain... Microbursts! Day9


Nana Minion

Of my four kids, the oldest, Matt (12) and the youngest Juliannah (6) have very similar personalities, and get along well. They could be twins if not for the age and sex difference. The same thing is true of my two middle children, Christeonnah (11) often called Nana (Non-nah), and Tymothie (8) are definitely cut from the same cloth. It is almost to the point of the little ones worshiping the big ones. As a matter of fact, Matt got mad at Tymothie, the other day, and the best insult he could come up with is to call him a “Nana Minion.”

He wasn’t far from wrong; a minion is a servile or slavish follower of somebody generally regarded as important. Tymothie definitely thinks Nana is someone important.

We can only hope to be accused of being a Christ Minion.

Those who serve me must follow me. My servants will be with me wherever will be. If people serve me, the Father will honor them.

John 12:26


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