Critty Joy

Compassion and Adoption

Two things are heavy on my heart.  And both have a little something to do with one another.

First,  The Compassion International Blogger's Trip to El Salvador starts today.  There is a lot going on in El Salvador because of the recent hurricane and floods.  I know it is still going to be an amazing week for those bloggers because God is in control!  You can kind out more information and read their blogs here:

The individuals going are:  Kelly (and her husband), Heather, Molly, Keely Marie, Shaun and Patricia.

Secondly,  God laid adoption on my heart a long time ago.  To be honest it has always been a dream of mine.  So when I see God working in that area it delights my heart so very much.  I am so blessed to have become bloggy friends with Amy and Lauren over the last few months and cannot tell you how excited I am about what God is doing in their families.  So take some time and go visit Amy of Filled With Praise and Lauren of Living By Faith and see the great things our God is doing!  I cannot wait for the day to see the wonderful news their little ones are home.

I share this two things because this is what I am going to be praying for this week.  Instead of blogging I am going to be spending time in prayer for the Compassion trip and for Amy and Lauren's families.

Be Blessed Peaches and I will see you next week.

 
 

Sami

So my new bloggy friend and fellow Exemplify writer, Tracy, has been doing this fun series of introducing her pets.  I just could not resist any longer!  Yesterday I introduced you to Bella.  Today it's all about my miniature schnauzer, Sami.  

 Sami is 2 years and 2 months old.  My Mum had a friend who had some minature schnauzer puppies and I had been wanting a dog of my own.  I had, at first, wanted a cocker spaniel but after seeing those mini schnauz puppies I just could not resist!  I was able to meet and pick out Sami when she was 3 weeks old.  Goodness she was adorable.  When I first brought her home I took a lots of photos of her.... I love that her eyes still convey the same things they did when she was a puppy.  She has beautiful eyes and you can tell how she is feeling by just looking at her!  She also has the cutest eye lashes.  She is a blast to play with and loves to spend most of her time outdoors.

Sami is actually named after my favorite movie character ever.  I had actually picked her name out before I even saw her.  At the time I was going to get a boy dog but when I saw her...well who could resist?  So she became Sami Gamghee instead of Samwise Gamghee :)

She has several different names we like to call her....Sami, Sam, Sami girl, and a personal favorite Nosey Rosey.  She loves to get her nose into anything! 

I had to make Sami sit and answer these questions....she is quite the on the go pup!

 1. What three words best describe your personality?

Fun loving, adorable, stubborn.

2. What three words would others probably use to describe you?

Silly, talkative, trouble :)

3. Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.

My Human and her Mum.

We live in a house but my favorite place is the fenced in front yard.  I love to run and play....and chase the neighbor's cats that come to visit.  I love to bark at the cows who are across the street and I can always see when Michael comes to visit.  He is one of my favorite humans.

4. Do you have any ailments or physical weaknesses?

Nope I am a healthy pup.

5. If you were any other creature what would you be?

I like who I am just fine.  Being a dog is just great....I get to run and play and be friendly.

6. What are your pet peeves?

I don't like cats in my outside territory and I hate loud music.  I do not like when Bella has my Human's attention.

7. What is your greatest fear?

I am not scared of very much....well except my cousin Nova....she is a much bigger dog than I am!

 8. Do you care what others think of you?

Very much so.  I get my feeling hurt very easily but I forgive with just a few cuddles.

9. What is your favorite food?

What ever is in the bowl.  I have been known to eat napkins and the like but I have not done that since I was a pup.

10. How do you deal with stress?

 I like to bark my feelings out.

So now you have meet my sweet Bella and fun Sami!  Pets really do make our world a better place :)

Have a wonderful weekend Peaches!

 
 

Bella

So my new bloggy friend and fellow Exemplify writer, Tracy, has been doing this fun series of introducing her pets.  I just could not resist any longer!  So taking a cue from her I thought I would introduce my kitty and my puppy dog to you.  

Today I am introducing you to Bella....tomorrow I will introduce Sami.

 Bella is my kitty.  She was my college graduation gift.  It was a really rough time family wise and I needed a pet.  Bella was a fiesty little kitten.  She had been outdoors and she did not like become an indoor kitten...at first.    She is definitely a cat.  She has quite the stubborn personality and can be a little erhm...stuck up!  She has definitely mellowed out over the past 4 years.  She is also a one person cat.  This year has been a really tough year for me health wise and she has been a constant in my life.  She sleeps with me and loves on me and she makes me laugh a lot.  When I am feeling really bad she stays by my side and follows me everywhere.  I could not ask for a better furry friend.

I loved Tracy's questions so I thought I would borrow those too :)

Bella loves my computer so of course she jumped at the chance to answer a few questions!

1. What three words best describe your personality?

Lazy, stubborn, Queen.

2. What three words would others probably use to describe you?

Lazy, constant, lovable.

3. Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.

My Human and her Mum.

We live in a house with windows and french doors that are perfect for sunning and plenty of room for me to run around like a crazy cat.  I also love the heater that I can lay in front of during the cold times.

And I have a scratch pad with cat nip that is one of my favorite things.

4. Do you have any ailments or physical weaknesses?

I have a weird flap of skin but it does not detract from my natural beauty.

5. If you were any other creature what would you be?

Why would I want to be any thing else?  Cats are far superior beings to other creatures.

 6. What are your pet peeves?

Not having food in my bowl all the time and lots of people in our house.  When my human leaves...I try to sneak in her suitcase but she always finds me.  And when my human will not let me climb the Christmas tree.  Oh and when my Human gets out her camera...sometimes I have to put my paw over my face to stop her from taking my photo.  I mean I know I am beautiful but there is a point where photos are just too much.

7. What is your greatest fear?

Loud noises and going outside...I tried once but hid under the stoop...its a scary world out there.

8. Do you care what others think of you?

Of course not....I am a cat you know.

9. What is your favorite food?

I enjoy this special formula of cat food for indoor cats that helps with hairballs....I have not had one since I added it to my diet.  I also like a little milk every now and then.

 10. How do you deal with stress?

Stress?  What stress?  This is the life!

I really do have a fabulous life!  

So there you have it...your introduction to my sweet Bella.

 
 

Random Dozen :: November 4

So I decided to join in the fun of several of my bloggy friends and hostess Linda of 2nd Cup of Coffee (who is a hoot by the way!) with a fun meme called the Random Dozen.

1. It's early morning, about 2:00AM, and you're driving home. You come to a red light and sit there. There is no one in sight for miles around. Do you wait it out or run the light?   I sit through the light...I have done it many times :)

2. If you had the chance to re-do the last 24 hours, would you change anything?   I would have called about my prescription before I drove the 20 minutes to pick it up and it not be there....that's it!

3. When you reply to someone's comment on your blog, do you reply in your comments or go to her blog and comment? (Or email her)    It depends... I have done all three...but mostly email....or for a meme I make sure I comment on theirs too!

4. Your favorite Disney movie is:  The Toy Story movies.

5. Do you recycle?  Certain items, yes.

6. Games of strategy or games of chance?  It depends on my mood...I enjoy a great game of Settlers of Catan...and also a game of Apples to Apples

7. Do you have any recurring dreams?   Here is the token single girl answer...yep...my wedding.  Although I never see the grooms face and I am always wear a very old fashioned gowned.  It's a cool dream though :)

8. What did you learn from your first real job?  That I never, ever wanted to work fast food again in my life.  I just do not have the gift of patience in that area.

9. Do you buy or borrow most books?  Buy.  But if I can get them used or at the thrift store I will.  I also receive them from publishers and PR firms for my book blog.  And if it is on my favorites shelves...I don't let people borrow them.  I am kinda selfish when it comes to my books :)

10. What fashion trend of the past did you say you'd never wear again but did?  Jelly shoes :)  I could not resist they were so cute...and uncomfortable.

11. When do you start Christmas shopping?  I am traditionalist....Black Friday...I actually try to get most of it done on that day.

12. Have you ever been so happy that you literally jumped up and down for a few seconds? If so, what was the occasion?  Not yet...but I am thinking of a few occasions in which I might if they ever happen :P

That was fun!

For more Random Dozen fun visit Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee.

 
 

Sometimes Others Say it Best.

 
 

 

Thankfully....Single?

I adore autumn.  The crisp air, the changing leaves, the sweaters, the hot drinks.  It is my favorite time of year.  It also has one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving.  I love that there is a day set aside for being thankful...and it is a reminder to be thankful more often!

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7  (NIV)

    In many things I am overflowing with thankfulness.  My family.  My friends.  Many good things in my life.  As I started to think about my column for this month I knew what I was to write about.  It had been set in my heart from the time I started this column and I put it out of my mind until I absolutely had to write this.  Why?  Because the idea of being thankful for my singleness scares me.  If I am thankful for my singleness does that mean I need to accept that I will never get married?  If I am thankful for my singleness does that mean I am called to singleness?  My heart was in a quandary.  I know I am suppose to be thankful.  I know I should be thankful.  

To read the rest of this month's Single Journey column check out Exemplify Magazine.

Welcome to The Journey

 There are moments in life that when you think back on them or you are in the midst of them you know they are from our God.  I call those moments God moments.  This new singles channel is a God moment.

Each year I pray about a word for the year.  For 2009 that word has been Journey.  I could never have imagined how amazing this year was going to be.  A larger portion of my journey this year has been about my singleness.  Several months ago God laid upon my heart a desire to write about being a single girl…the struggles and the triumphs.  In fact I started thinking about a new blog completely devoted to us single ladies.  God had a different plan and I could not be more thrilled.

To read the rest visit the new Singles Channel on Exemplify!

 

Butterfly

 
I have loved butterflies since high school.  For a long time my love for them was about how beautiful they were and the freedom they represented.  They also held memories of my Granny.  My love of butterflies came from her.  

My love of them changed several years ago when the campus Pastor of the college I was attending said something so profound one day in chapel.

  

I immediately wrote the quote down and promptly forgot about it.  In reality I just did not want to think about that.

It's odd enough that a caterpillar, which is not the loveliest of creatures, becomes something so beautiful.  To think that while the caterpillar transforms from something less than beautiful to a gorgeous butterfly it has a time of suffering.  

If you read about the transformation you learn that the caterpillar slowly becomes the chrysalis.  Once the chrysalis is formed it can take anywhere from 2 weeks to months to transform into a butterfly.

The more I thought about the quote and the transformation the more I realized how much like a butterfly I am.  I spent part of my life as a caterpillar, not particularly beautiful and just plodding along.  Along the way Christ found me.  He was not content with leaving me as a caterpillar.  So a chrysalis I became.  I cannot help but think this is where I still am at times.  He is working in me.  He is transforming me from the inside out.  It takes time.  It hurts.  It's hard.

And yet I keep thinking about the end result.  The Butterfly.

The beauty.  The freedom.

Only from Him can those things come.

And I cannot wait to break out of my chrysalis and show all just how beautiful I am....because of Him.

 

 

Caffeinated Randomness :: So many things....

I have so many things filling my head.  So be prepared....because this post.... it is chock full of randomness.  I also just saw that this will be our last CR together my CR blogging pals.  It has been great fun getting to know you and I hope we can still be pals, okay?

***First...I saw this video a few weeks ago at our staff retreat.  As a counselor it has become my favorite stress reliever after a hard day.  Because, honestly, it is what I would really love to say sometimes :)

***I love to write and every year I plan to do the NaNoWriMo... could I possible write 50,000   And an even bigger question...would it make sense?!?!

***I have been going to the Daily Squee everyday to look at the cute little animals...who can stay stressed, sad...all those other icky emotions when you are looking at cute baby animals?!?! 

By the way...did you know Kitty's love Jesus too...

 ***A little confession if you are still reading this... I like to listen to Adventures in Odyssey.  Yes, at 31, I still listen sometimes.  It brings back great memories :)

*** I am wishing I had something fun to do this weekend...I have had a few boring weekends as of late and am wishing for an adventure!

*** I have been thinking about a Christmas theme for my blog...I am so excited for Christmas that I can't hardly wait until I can change things up here to celebrate the Season!

***And lastly...I saw this the other night and it made me laugh...and so I have watched it every day since.  I cannot help it!  I LOVE to laugh!

Well my mind feels less cluttered now :P  I am so glad I could let some of that randomness out!

For more Caffeinated Randomness visit Andrea at Under Grace Over Coffee!

Have a fabulous weekend Peaches!

 
 
 ***P.S.  If you are having trouble commenting on my bloggy could you let me know here:  crittyjoyblog {at} gmail {dot} com (and also let me know what browser you are using...THANK YOU!)

So Loved.

A few months ago I saw these posy pins in the incourage store. 

The three sayings resonated so deeply in me.  But one.  One has stayed with me from the time I saw them.

So Loved.

One of my biggest insecurities is not feeling loved.  I wonder at times if why I am still single is that I am not loved....or if someone does not have time for me I wonder if they really love me...or even like me.

It is probably my insecurity that has been with me the longest.

And is the easiest for Satan to attack.

I know there are plenty of reasons in my past for me to feel that way.  Of course for a long time I was not prepared to face the fact that my past was controlling my present.

 For a long time I just coped with the feelings.  I would push them down and try to ignore them.  They kept getting stronger and stronger....One day last year I had a private break down.  No one was home and it just all came crashing down.  As I laid on the floor, curled into a ball, sobbing I was sure my world would never be the same.  

It was also the day I knew I had to make a choice.  I could continue as I was or I could change this.

As I look back over this past year I realized this was the beginning of the journey.

I also realized that not accepting the love that He had given me, sacrificed for me...that was worse than denying Him for who He was.  I knew who He was I just chose not to accept what He constantly tells us in His Word.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

It was not enough for me to love Him.  I had to accept His Love of me.

Just as I was.  Just as I am.  Just as I am going to be.

Because He loved me first.

I am continually amazed at what has taken place in my heart in the last 12 months.  Of course I shouldn't be because it is God we are talking about here!  

Still.  I sometimes struggle...but I am taking it one step at a time on this journey.  And my journey is far from being over.

Most days the truth resonates to the very depths of my soul...

I am so loved.