I'm Just Sayin'... http://nicole.soulsoap.com Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:11:50 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Blessed to Bless http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2011/06/29/blessed-to-bless/ http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2011/06/29/blessed-to-bless/#comments Wed, 29 Jun 2011 18:11:50 +0000 Nicole http://nicole.soulsoap.com/?p=36 Nothing is more thirst quenching to me than being real with someone. Unabashed honesty is gritty, yet somehow refreshing, like taking a shower after working in the yard on a hot summer day. Why is that? Maybe when sharing within the context of a loving relationship we are giving them the opportunity to walk away from us… in the case that maybe we weren’t what they really thought we were. But then when they stick around, relief fills in the open space that once was occupied by the fear of rejection. Is it wrong that I find healing in the fact that I’m not the only one that is messed up? I guess authenticity for the few who choose to live it, is not only freeing for them, but also to the others who get to witness it. It reassures me that we are all cut from the same cloth.

]]> http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2011/06/29/blessed-to-bless/feed/ 0 Lying in bed for days and days http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2010/01/15/lying-in-bed-for-days-and-days/ http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2010/01/15/lying-in-bed-for-days-and-days/#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:44:27 +0000 Nicole http://nicole.soulsoap.com/?p=32 Lying in bed at 2:30 in the afternoon conjures up images of teenage video-gaming dropouts.  If you saw me right now, you may think I went off the deep end.  I have a perma bed-head.  You know, that spot that is flat where your head hits the pillow with the weight of your skull and brain.

I am so lucky to have such a great husband who is fulfilling his marital oath to have and to hold from this day forward in sickness and in health.  I am not exactly sick per se, but I do have this “thorn in my side” to borrow from Paul’s artistic repetoire of poetic language.  I have a hernitaed disc which has impaired my ability to do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING for the past 6 days.  M has has taken off work/worked from home in order that I receive what he deemed as proper care.  He has brought me countless meals in bed, scoured the kitchen after many a meal prep, done laundry, vacuumed, kept our books, and been a single parent to our two children who are both growing quite tired of this mommy in bed business.

At any rate, I have not posted in a long, long time, but wanted a place where I could publicly affirm, compliment and give a shout out to my bestest peep in the world.  You are a wonderful example to our kids of what unconditional, selfless love is.  May they be as blessed as I, to have a partner so hopelessly devoted to them.

]]> http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2010/01/15/lying-in-bed-for-days-and-days/feed/ 0 The Art of Spiritual Discipline http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/09/14/the-art-of-spiritual-discipline/ http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/09/14/the-art-of-spiritual-discipline/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:24:09 +0000 Nicole http://nicole.soulsoap.com/?p=29 For the last eighteen months or so I’ve been feeling a need to implement more discipline in my life.  Fasting is something that has always interested me not because I would be inclined to do it on the contrary, because I have a mini panic attack when I think of the fact that I’m supposed to go to my yoga class with an empty stomach.  I HATE the idea of going without food.  This being said, there are many mornings I skip breakfast and do fine, but that is because if I want something I just go and get it, if I’m fasting, I don’t have that option.  I so badly want to be unchained to the desires of my flesh, but when push comes to shove so often I take the high road.  Why?  When I know He will give me what I need when I need it. The other thing I’m grappling with is getting up early to spend time with God before the kids get out of bed.  Now I’m not a morning person, many times this summer we stayed in jammies for a good part of the day.  I like to stay in bed even if I’m not sleeping anymore.  WHYYYY God are these the two things I feel convicted to incorporate in to my life?  Fasting and rising early.  God give me the strength.  I cannot do these things on my own.

]]> http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/09/14/the-art-of-spiritual-discipline/feed/ 0 Top 10 Things about My Day (in no specific order) http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/08/13/19/ http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/08/13/19/#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:14:49 +0000 Nicole http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/08/13/19/ 1. Reading the first chapter of Max Lucado’s newest book, Fearless
2. Making chocolate cheesecake cupcakes with Nolan
4. Not being mad at my husband after our counseling apt.
5. Eating doughnut holes for dinner since we didn’t have kids
6. Finally getting my dining room table cleared of my scrap booking stuff that has been there since June (Sick, I know)
7. Typing this on my new MacBook Pro in utter peace and silence  ah….. golden
8. Hearing Matt’s car drive into the driveway after being out with his buddies
9. Talking to Matea on the phone since she is visiting my mom in Seattle
10. Receiving fresh tomatoes and herbs from Sarah‘s garden
]]> http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/08/13/19/feed/ 3 Blogging with Google docs! http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/08/12/18/ http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/08/12/18/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:14:16 +0000 Nicole http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/08/12/18/ My husband is so cool!

He totally figured out how to make blogging so easy by using Google docs for constructing the posts.  Then he put the relevant bookmarks in Safari for me.
Who knows, I may turn into a frequent blogger!
I’m Just Sayin’…
]]> http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2009/08/12/18/feed/ 0 Beans, beans, the musical fruit http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/09/15/beans-beans-the-musical-fruit/ http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/09/15/beans-beans-the-musical-fruit/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:16:52 +0000 Nicole http://nicole.soulsoap.com/?p=17 After reading the fabulous book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingslover I was inspired to “put up” some food for the winter.  Today M and I washed, snapped, blanched and froze about 12 lbs of local green beans I bought at the farmer’s market.  It actually didn’t take us long at all (one hour) and even after the whining about being asked to help M got into it and enjoyed it.  I love that we live in a community that is so supportive of local agriculture.  I also bought about 25 lbs of tomatoes to make sauce.  That undertaking will happen tomorrow.  I hope to make applesauce in the next few weeks as well.  There is something so satisfying about preparing for the barren months of winter by taking what summer has to offer right now and freezing it in time.

]]> http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/09/15/beans-beans-the-musical-fruit/feed/ 0 Kindergarten Expectations http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/09/10/kindergarten-expectations/ http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/09/10/kindergarten-expectations/#comments Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:02:02 +0000 Nicole http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/09/10/kindergarten-expectations/ Sometimes I am so overwhelmed by what I need to express I can’t blog without this pounding in my heart, you know the one you get when you feel like you need to stand up and share something with a large group and you aren’t sure how it will be received. My goal is to write something at least twice a week. I have several friends who have much busier lives than I and who seem to have a constant flow of new pictures, ideas and thoughts that they have successfully blogged about. I’m going to Target.

]]> http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/09/10/kindergarten-expectations/feed/ 0 Bittersweet http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/05/19/bittersweet/ http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/05/19/bittersweet/#comments Tue, 20 May 2008 03:44:11 +0000 Nicole http://nicole.soulsoap.com/?p=13 A while back I made the startling discovery that the chocolate I love so dearly was most likely being harvested by one of 12,000 trafficked children who labor on the cocoa farms of Cote D’Ivoire, Africa.  According to my research, both Nestle and Hershey have been know to turn a blind eye to the business of child labor.  I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat another Hershey Kiss again.  But guess what, there is hope for those of us who cannot imagine a life without chocolate.  There is a free printable guide to ensure that your chocolate is is traffick free.   www.stopthetraffik.org/chocolatecampaign

]]> http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/05/19/bittersweet/feed/ 2 Filter This… http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/05/16/filter-this/ http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/05/16/filter-this/#comments Sat, 17 May 2008 04:04:12 +0000 Nicole http://nicole.soulsoap.com/?p=12   So… a few things We’ve done lately to “greenify”:

My husband purchased a “Gold Cone” coffee filter so we don’t have to use the paper filters any more.

I put our names on the catalog and junk mail removal list.

I got a “Diva Cup”, if you don’t know what it is look it up, you’ll be so glad you didn’t have ask someone.

I purchased the kids both their own Sigg bottle.  My goal is to not buy any drinks in containers this summer other than what we put in the bottle.

To do list:

Get clothes line so I can hang my clothes out to dry this summer

 

]]> http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/05/16/filter-this/feed/ 0 Sweet Nothings http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/05/15/sweet-nothings/ http://nicole.soulsoap.com/2008/05/15/sweet-nothings/#comments Fri, 16 May 2008 04:04:11 +0000 Nicole http://nicole.soulsoap.com/?p=11 So we went to visit another church yesterday evening to take a class they were offering.  We took along our two little chitlins.  Before we deposited them each in thier class I took my five year old daughter to the bathroom.  We did our business and began washing our hands, the facility had those automatic water sinks and she was pleasantly surprised that the water just came on when she moved her hands under the faucet.  She said, “So does God do that?” 

Earlier that day I had to run some errands and took along my two year old who was quite accommodating for being forced to sit in a stroller.  I promised him some hot chocolate if he was patient and didn’t whine.  So we finally got to the establishment where I procured his beverage.  After taking a very long, loud slurp he said, “MMMmmm Hot chokit is dawicious.”

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