September's End

September's end means October's beginning - my most favorite month.

Festivals.  Colorful trees.  Cooler temperatures.  Fall scented candles.  No need for a/c or heat (thus no bill!).  Mellowcremes.  And dressing up cute little ones in adorable outfits (or wearing your own costume).

A great way we got to celebrate this wonderful season was by having the opportunity to have our first date night since William has been born.  Thanks to my mom and stepfather, Paul, we were able to attend a friend's wedding in Cleveland, TN.  They drove from Georgia and met us there for the weekend.  After the wedding, we got to explore a bit of Chattanooga before parting ways.  It was such a nice weekend.

Once back in Tennessee, we celebrated William's 5 month bday.  He has become so much MORE animated and silly.  I finally snapped some pictures of the two of us together, which is rare.  Mommies are usually behind the lens.  But thanks to the tripod and self timer, I could catch some of the precious times with my son...simple everyday moments that I want to remember forever.

This month's struggles:
Idolatry.

In the past few weeks, Matthew and I have struggled with our overuse of the internet and how it's caused a lack of zeal for Christ and a lack of luster for life in general...life outside the screen!

The internet is this amazing tool for getting more knowledge, inspiration, creativity, insights into the thoughts/hearts of others, social time, etc.  However, Matthew and I have both felt that our use of this incredible thing has started to interfere with our ability to meditate on God's Word, pray, stay focused on other important things...things that involve much-needed three-dimensionality like taking a walk outside and watching the leaves fall.  Actually starting on one project rather than pinning one thousand ideas for one thousand projects (me).  Basically, we found ourselves in a mental overload, yet never being satisfied and always wanting more.  We found ourselves wrapped in idolatry.  Yet the more we got (more social interaction, more information, more inspiration), the more we craved.  Yet the more empty and lost we felt.  And the less time we were spending together, really winding down together at the day's end and connecting on a deeper level.

So in the words of Trip Lee... it was time to regulate.

Not by cutting it out entirely, but by being more strict about it.  Setting some time limitations.

Right now we are prayerfully setting aside 20 min a day for computer time (with a stopwatch on...no joke!).  This may expand or decrease.  Especially if I start selling on Etsy again.  We are still in a testing period with this.  But we've got to start somewhere.

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away.  For it is better that you lose one of your members than your whole body be thrown into hell. ~Matthew 5:29

Right now I have a two-three hour block once a week when I can upload and edit photos/blog/online shop for Christmas/etsy/pinterest/read other blogs etc...whatever it is I need to do that can't get done in the day to day 20 min.  Matthew's time spent on his Outlook work email doesn't count towards his minutes, but personal email and all else counts.

So far that heavy ball and chain has been lifted.  It's caused me to be actually make 'to do' lists for when I get on the internet, making me more efficient once I'm on there and keeping me from getting distracted by other things and thinking, "Now why did I get on here again?"

I love Apple computers.  I love technology.  I love how technology has revolutionized the Christian's ability to hear from pastors in all parts of the world.  I love that I can login to Twitter and instantly have Godly wisdom and encouragement from people I look up to.  I love that I can get a feed of prayer updates that's updated on the hour.  I love checking Facebook and seeing pictures of my family and friends.  I love my GoogleReader blog list.  I love that I can Skype with friends and family states away and feel like they're in my dining room having coffee with me.  I love that I have access to any tutorial for arts and DIY that I could ever imagine.  I love that I can make pottery and paintings and sell them on a website to people I've never met.  I love that I can save our family money buy purchasing used items on Craig's List.

...I LOVE the internet.  Do I love Christ this much?

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.  Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. ~Matthew 13:44

If any of you have this struggle with internet or ANYthing that could be stealing your joy in the Savior, don't hesitate.  Don't just get rid of the idol, but replace it with the One True Idol.  And remember that that 'thing' is not the sin.  The sinner (that's you and me) makes it unclean.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31

Internet.  Money.  Authority.  Power...  Whatever you do.  Whatever you have.  However you use it...
...Do all to the Glory of God!  Amen!

Mom and Paul in downtown Chattanooga

Walking into visitor center (the one weekend we think we won't need the stroller)

Neat aerial photo of Chattanooga

Outside the MoonPie gift shop with lil' Will

William enjoys giggling and cutting up with PopPop Paul

He also enjoys loving on his Yaya

He was quite the talker during lunch

Had to post so many of these with my mom since they all turned out so sweet

William listening to Paul and Matthew's conversation 

Hubby <3 

Whoops!  Forgot the chalkboard.  Text overlay it is!  ...I got one shot before he kinda spit up everywhere...

...outfit no. 2

William has become quite serious about being silly

He loves playing with his feet

My favorite face

Reading on the front porch after a long day's rain

Watching the cars go by and waiting for daddy to get home

(his feet)

Pure joy

...him eating my shirt

His face when I say, "William, daddy is almost home!" :)

After marrying Matthew, I didn't know my heart had room to love any bigger.  But then came William.