Tag! You're it

My first bloggy tag! Margie over at Dustbunnies and Divas  tagged me for this fun-ABC-get-to-know-you-thingy. She has a great blog, ya'll. She tells the funniest stories. So here you go - more information than you ever wanted to know about me, delivered nicely on a shiny silver platter.



A - Age: 39-I too do not feel like that (except when I have sick little ones at home and haven't slept in a week like this week)  I have finally reached the age where I honestly do forget at times and don't want others to know how old I am.

B - Bed size: Queen. We've  have always had a queen and it amazes me how both of us plus a child or the dog and cat can all sleep in there at once! lol

C - Chore you hate:  Mopping. Lots of tile in our house we are in now-I like tile but almost all of this house has tile-lots to mop-doesn't stay clean long enough for my taste and it takes a good two hours to do-it is also something that my family can't really help with and I have to do during nap time so no one falls and gets hurt so that usually means I am doing it late at night when I would rather be sleeping.

D - Dog's name: Dollie and Zippy.  Both were pound dogs and had their names already.

E - Essential start your day item:  Mine would be two things-making the bed is the first thing I do when I get out of it and the kitchen sink-I usually won't go to bed without it being done cause I hate to get up to a dirty kitchen but sometimes I can't stay up to wait for the dishwasher to finish so I have to do that first thing when I get up.

F - Favorite color: Purple-just love it always have and when I wear it on occasion cause I don't find much in purple that I like-people always say it is a good color on me.

G - Gold or Silver: Both, I used to be gold only have now switched to more silver so I like and wear both.

H - Height: 5'9 (Just thankful you didn't ask weight lol)

I - I am: blessed beyond what I could ever deserve-I have a wonderful husband, four beautiful, healthy, (well most of the time-I mean major health issues) children, a nice home, a great family and friends, a wonderful church family, great part-time job and much, much more!  Most of all I have a personal relationship with my Lord and Savior and I could not survive my daily life without that.

J - Job: Mom, wife and a part time 20 hours a week as a Children's Choir Coordinator at FBC Abilene.

K - Kids:  2 daughters and 2 sons here with me and 2 babies in Heaven with their Nana Jones and their Heavenly Daddy, Jesus.

L - Living arrangements:  One story ranch home with my hubby, 4 kids, 2 dogs and a cat.

M - Mom's name: Penelope (aka-Penny)

N - Nicknames:  I really never had any except dad called me Tiger (don't know why) and my gym teacher called me Jilly Bean and some other people as an adult have done that.  Of course growing up with a sister named Jacqueline we hear a lot of Jack and Jill went up the hill-always like it was the funniest thing ever and that we had never heard that before.

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth:   Me never- only time I was at the hospital was to have my babies, have a DNC and to have vericose vein surgery and they were all one day.  We stayed the night when Alyssa drowned and was brought back to life and had to spend the night with her-something I never want to experience ever again.


P - Pet Peeve: I have to agree with Margie on this one. My family leaving things laying wherever they last used them. Especially when I've really worked at cleaning up. It's such a battle for me. Either my house is a mess and I'm stressed out from it, or I've just cleaned it and I'm Martyr Mommy on a roll. I'm definitely working on keeping my joy when I feel as if I'm picking up the same toy for the 20th time in a day.  Also being late somewhere-I am an early getting there kind of girl.

Q - Quote from a movie:  I love to watch them but I never remember quotes from them-from a TV show the other day though was a mom telling another mom who was having a baby "There are days you will be very lonely-but you will never be alone!"  I had to laugh at that one cause I don't even go potty by myself.

R - Right or left handed: Right.

S - Siblings: One sister-I am the baby

T - Time you wake up: Almost every day 6:30-6:45 even on Saturday's still cause the baby doesn't sleep much past that.

U- Underwear: Yes, I wear it!  I have all shapes and sizes-I like ones with a pattern of some sort. TMI sorry!

V - Vegetable you dislike: Brussel sprouts, spinach, beets- biggest offender PEAS!  Hate them!


W - Ways you run late: Always Sundays trying to get everyone up and ready-if there is a day everyone will sleep in and I can't it is Sunday- Satan!  I always feel rushed and frazzled no matter what time we get up and I hate being late.

X - X-rays you've had: Lungs-wrist-ankle

Y - Yummy food you make: Pumpkin Bread-Sweet Potato Casserole-Amaretto Pie -Oreo Truffles

Z - Zoo favorite: Giraffes


I tag:


Margie @ www.dustbunniesanddivas.blogspot.com/
Alexis @ withhimalltheway.blogspot.com/

Baby Mama @ ofloveandababy.blogspot.com/
By His Grace @ isabel-eli.blogspot.com/
Hopeful Housewife @ ourhopefulhome.blogspot.com/
Lynnette@lynnettekraft.blogspot.com

If you want to play along, copy the ABC categories, delete my answers, insert your own, and tag someone else. Have fun! Some of you I have never met but you were on another friends blog and I liked your site-hope you will join in and I will get to learn more about you and make a friend in the process.

pathwaytopurpose-jillaileenjones.blogspot.com
Jill

Ruth and Boaz -Strange title I know-just keeping reading

One thing we did do for a little while  yesterday to get some fresh air was pick pecans up off of our backyard.  We have a pecan tree in both our back and front yard and the pecans are now starting to fall.  I love the them-it is the only nut I truly like to bake with-if it calls for walnuts most always I substitute pecans and so I was thrilled when we bought our house and there were two trees that were pecan trees.  They have just started to fall so we went out and started to pick the good ones before the wild life-including our two dogs (who love to crack and eat them)-get them all.  They give off a huge crop every other year and this is the year. Two years ago we had so many I couldn't keep up and when you went out in the back yard you couldn't walk without stepping all over them.  The sad part was I was bound and determined I was going to keep them all and shell them all and have them to eat and bake with.

Well-I am sure you know the rest of the story-it rained and rained for days not quite 40 but close (which never happens here really) and I couldn't get out to get them all picked up and they just started to rot.  Now had I picked up bunches and taken them to be sold for a few cents a pound or put up a sign in my yard that said free for the taking-I would have had plenty left for my family but I didn't.  That greed of having all those pecans that sell in the store for at least $3.00 a pound over took me and I couldn't stand the thought off selling them or giving them away!

Ok-finally my part of how this fits in to the whole Ruth and Boaz story!  One morning I looked out my front window early to see a man in my yard with a sack helping himself to my pecans.  At first I stood by my window with my arms folded watching him somewhat in amazement that someone would dare walk into my yard and start picking up my pecans-I had no idea who he was-the longer I stood there the madder I got.  My kids then arrived to ask me what was happening-at this point I could have used this as a great teaching tool ( at the time I thought I was but I was only venting and teaching my children a lesson I wish that I could go and back and change now) but no-they asked who that man was and I said "I don't know and matter-a-fact he is in our yard picking up our pecans without permission."  I then launched into my lesson that day telling them how that would be like us walking into someone's yard with pretty flowers and thinking I like those they have plenty I think I will help myself to a bunch for my home.   Well I admit today that I can't really believe not only did I say that but I then proceeded to walk to my front porch and stand by the mail box thinking he would notice me and leave or at least say gee I am sorry I just wanted a few of these and saw you had plenty hope you don't mind-nothing or the sort.  He just kept picking and when he was done left.   I proceeded to tell my husband the whole story to which his reply was-"Don't you think we have plenty?  Maybe he doesn't have a tree and there were so many out there he probably thought we might spare a few."  To which I was thinking whose side are you on?   Then he said this, to which I will never forget Boaz allowed Ruth to collect all the grain she needed from his field.  I must say every time we teach the story to our 1st grade SS class I am saddened a little for my behavior.   This story was much like that of Ruth and Boaz.  He had no idea at first who Ruth was when he saw her out on his field picking up the grain left behind by his workers as they picked the grain.  When he did find out-he didn't stand there with his arms crossed or walk around his field hoping she would notice him and be embarrassed and leave.  The Bible says in Ruth 2:8 "Boaz went over and said to Ruth,"Listen, my daughter.  Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don't go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field."

Then not only does he do that but in Ruth 2:15  When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men. "Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her.  Let her pick them up, and don't give her a hard time!"  So not only did he allow in his field to pick up the grain that had fallen he ordered his workers to allow her to be there to pick grain from the sheaves and for them to place barley where she could find it and pick it up!  Whew-how do you respond to that-except to repent for a heart of greed  on my part.  

So next time there is someone in my front yard wanting pecans, I promise to not only let them pick them up and walk away, but if I can I will go out there and help them pick up more.

#1 I learned a few lessons from all that-as giving as I like to be and think I am-I still am so human and my natural instinct is what is mine is mine.  Even though God was the one who gave them to me to begin with.   #2 Maybe it rained more days ever than on record for not only Abilene but for Abilene in the Fall-because God knew my heart and thought maybe a good lesson could be learned by all that rain-that those pecans weren't really mine and that I had more than I could ever use or ever begin to find the time to crack and the Christian thing to do would have been to share them.

It makes us laugh a little now-not that it is funny but that when ever we get pecans that fall from our trees-like yesterday-one of us Mike or I will bring up the story of Ruth and Boaz and it reminds me that those pecans are plentiful and maybe this year I need to bag some up and leave them in my yard with a sign and a little scripture verse from Ruth to give away.  I just might do it.

On the Pathway-

Jill

I love fresh baked bread-especially around the holidays.

Well if you have known me for any length of time one thing you would have to say about me (ok-kind things only please!) is that I love to bake!!  I also love to eat especially baked goodies but we will leave that topic for another time.
Anyways, I was thrilled when my mom sent me and e-mail today that when you click on it a name of a bread in the e-mail it takes you to a recipe for that bread!  Yeah!!!
I tried to copy and paste it in here but it didn't work so I am going to give you the address to the site instead and hope that you can go there http://www.northpole.com/kitchen/recipe and then click on Mrs Claus' kitchen.
Much to my surprise when I got there not only were there great recipes for BREADS- but also CAKES-COOKIES-FUDGE & CANIES-PIES AND OTHER RECIPES.   It is backed full of wonderful ideas for baking up a storm for the holidays.
I also realized that I had been to this site 5 years ago and they have great activities for your kids on here-games to play-coloring pages-you can write a note to Santa and he writes back and there are even stories where you can but in your child's name to personalize the story and then print it out.  One year back 5 years ago when I was on here I printed out the questions for my daughter Alyssa'a kindergarten class-had them answer them and the teacher sent them back to me and I print out each of the stories with the kids names and answers in them-laminated them and then gave them to them at the Christmas party.  It was a lot of fun.  Alyssa still has hers saved-just an idea if you have the time-resources and a small enough class to do it with-her class had 20 kids.
Anyways-I know this was not too exciting but I wanted to share it-I am always up for new recipes and ideas.
I have wanted to post on here before today but we have 3 of our 4 sick with really icky colds and so I have been running around all weekend trying to make them well.  Ready for winter to be over all ready-just the sick part anyway. Well and since they have all been sick for so long and both Mike and I ended up with it too I didn't get this posted till today-past the holidays. I actually had forgotten that I had even started it until I got on today. I think you can still get on the site though and get great recipes and ideas for next year.


On the Pathway-
Jill

Some verses that are special to me on my Pathway to Purpose

Serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.  (1 Chronicles 28:9)

You keep track of all my sorrows.   You have collected all my tears in a bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book.  (Psalms 56:8)

Pray without ceasing. ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17)

You can do no great things-only small things with great love.  (Mother Teresa)

For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.  (James 1:4)

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last." (James 15:16)

I FINALLY HAVE A TITLE & A BLOG!

Wow!  I almost can't believe it myself-I am sitting here typing on my blog.  I had one about 4 years ago that is still floating around in cyber world- it was mainly for the purpose of posting pictures for the grandparents and telling funny stories of what there grandbabies had done, but right before our sweet Analeigh (#4) was born I stopped posting and before I knew it weeks turned into months and months now into almost two years and that is when I decided I needed to hang that one up and start a new.

One of my biggest hang-ups about starting a new blog-are you ready?  Was the title for the it-lol!  I know but I wanted something that was catchy yet was something that described me or my life or both. So I have sat in my car, in the car pool line, to pick up my kids from school thinking about it-wandering around the grocery store talking to my self about it-not sleeping at 3:00 a.m., after being woken from the baby and verbally speaking things out loud while lying on the sofa-thinking how tired I would be the next day-or spending time in front of the computer after everyone has settled down for the night, reading all the blogs I follow trying desperately to come up with a title!

Crazy I know-but you know that first impression thing-even in life the first 30 seconds or whatever it is makes the biggest impact on someone about you-what a thing to try and live up to-if you know me well, you know that I love to talk and boy could you get a wrong impression from the first 30 seconds of meeting me.  So I have just mulled this around for weeks now trying to decided on a title.

It didn't help matters that after joining on to some of my friends blogs and some of the blogs they follow I felt like I was in need of a great title-I must say things have come a long way from when I was on here posting 2 years ago.  Fancy titles and photos-wit and humor-great story telling and great real life stories from real moms-moms like me that want to reach out to others-share a little about themselves or others in their lives or even share more than the average person may want to know (sorry-I gave you fair warning!) yet all meeting at similar places-places we call life and some how connecting to each other-even people we have never met because of things that have happened to us-trials we may have gone through-blessing we have experienced-even blessings from those very trials.

That is how I finally came up with my title "Pathway to Purpose" I am on a journey called life-where the blessings and trials of life are  "Like stepping stones across the steams of life, every experience in our lives takes us further in our spiritual growth. It prepares us to be able to experience God's unique purpose for our lives."

What is my purpose in the midst of deadlines-diapers-to-do lists-laundry-and daily schedules? God wants to use eveything about us-our past and present, our hope and dreams, our blessings and hurts-even our little hang ups to acheive his ultimate purpose for our lives.
 
My hope is maybe somewhere along the line maybe something I might say here will bless someone-I am so blessed, I would love to pass a little on.
 
On my Pathway-
Jill