Hello, my name is Jo, and I'm a Procrastinator

It is 8:15 p.m. and I am so tired I could fall asleep typing except my dishwasher has all of a sudden decided to start making a noise like a jet plane taking off. I should be concerned, but I just don't have it in me. Which brings me to my shameful neglect of even attempting a Friday Feature last week. It was one of those Fridays that just never stops being busy, and so I said.. oh, I'll do it on Saturday morning. And then I got up at 5 am to go yard saling with The Fox on Saturday morning... and it didn't happen.
 "Oh, I'll do a really nice post on Tuesday. Maybe I'll even find another etsy shop I like and do a feature on them to make up for it."

o_o


So now it's after 8 o'clock and I'm stuffed full of this:

Which was beyond delicious, and the fact that I neither made it nor cleaned up after it was only the icing on top. The Fox worked his mad kitchen skills and that was after cutting hair non-stop today. 

Aside from that, things are pretty normal around here. I had some sales on etsy over the weekend which was very encouraging, and there are two new tomato sprouts that are peeping out in the new planters. Sowed my carrot and pak choy seeds in the back yard garden plots, and my sweet peppers and eggplants look like they may be ready to transplant soon. 

Sunday we had a chance to have lunch with another couple from our Bible study and we really enjoyed spending time with them! 

Then Monday night I got a text with this picture---->

And was at my best friend's house about 10 minutes later to see these sweet things in person! Oh, they were so sweet! Her DH had gone over the nest with the lawn mower and they were jumping everywhere! We ended up returning them to the nest, and I think the mother has since been back for them, so all is well, but I would have packed them home with me in a heartbeat if I thought my three wild hooligans would not gobble them up.

So that's been my excitement for the week. Now I can't make any promises, because as soon as I do, I'll flake out, but definitely check back on Friday for this week's feature piece! I am off to bed!

Not the Week I Expected

This has been kind of a discouraging week for me.

All of my seedlings are dying. Over the last two weeks I have lost an entire set of hot peppers, tomatoes, and assorted other sproutlets. I water them, I sun them... I don't know why they are dying. I'm sure I am doing something wrong, but I have followed the directions to the best of my abilities and that's all I've got. So I'm on round two with some plants, waiting for them to start sprouting. I already did this waiting thing once, I don't want to do it again! I feel impatient, and then I feel angry. And now that I'm starting to get angry, I think.. nothing ever works for me. Nothing ever goes my way. Now I think about how I haven't done any painting/sketching/etc for a few weeks, and I wanted to finish that one watercolor for my Dad, and it's... well, it's kind of crappy, and I'm not an artist, I'm a moron with a pencil and too much time on her hands. I need to be doing something productive. Need to be working. I'm working on the shop, taking pictures for listings, editing pictures for listings... there's a freaking hair stuck in the prongs of the ring I just took 20 pictures of. Retake pictures, do a blog feature, troll etsy...

No sales.

And now I'm confused, impatient, angry, my neck is all sore from not using proper computer posture and

BLARGH WHY AM I FAILURE AT LIFE

I just realized I didn't even type that correctly. Rinse, and repeat.

I've been reading a book my mom loaned me, called "Not a Fan" by Kyle Idleman. And by reading, I mean I started it, got a couple chapters into it, and then left it sitting while all the aforementioned super awesome fun time stuff was going on. I sat down last night for a few moments between all the "busy busy busy" and read this:

Diagnosing Fandom: Is Jesus one of many, or is He your One and Only?

And questions 1 & 2 are good; very good (For What Do You Sacrifice Your Money; When You're Hurt, Where Do You Go For Comfort?) but #3 is what I really needed.

Really really needed.

3. What disappoints or frustrates you the most?
When we feel overwhelmed with disappointment it often reveals something that has become too important. It may be something as significant as a loss of a job, or something as insignificant as the loss of a ball game. When we find that those things have the power to determine who we are and what kind of day we have, it very well may be evidence that something is more important than it should be. Of course some level of disappointment and frustration can be natural. But if you find that you are excessively disappointed or over-frustrated it's an indication of what might be competing for affection that is to be Christ's alone.

BOOM.

Truth bomb, as The Fox likes to say.

Instead of getting bogged down, I need to realize that if I don't have a garden full of shiny heirloom tomatoes, that's Ok. I can go to the farmer's market and support my local farmers.
I need to step back from the computer and instead of obsessing over perfect pictures, go outside and enjoy a sunny, 78 degree day after snow and slush and gloom for months.

It may be rainy today, but look at those blossoms!!

And yes, I am a moron with a pencil. But I like it that way and what else really matters?

James 1:2-4- Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Romans 8:26- Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Philippians 4:6– Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

There's so many more. It encourages my heart so much to read such powerful words!
What I hope to take away from this week is when things start to get me down, firstly- is it really that important? In 10 years, 6 months or even 2 weeks from now.. will this even matter? If the answer is no, then I need to get over it. And secondly, maybe it is important- but is it more important than it should be? Am I letting the world take my eyes off Jesus and focus on the fool's gold it offers instead?

This week my prayer is to "count it all joy" and be "anxious about nothing" and I hope you will join me in that!!

Two Nesting Mallards, One Pretty Pansy...

I don't have much to share today, but I just wanted to give a quick update! We got to have a little summer teaser this weekend- Friday and Saturday were up to almost 75 degrees and absolutely glorious! We even got to grill out with some good friends on Saturday evening. That is probably one of my most favorite things to do once it gets warm. The Fox makes the best hamburgers I have ever eaten; I guarantee it. We weren't that fortunate, we had grilled pineapple chicken sandwiches with Cheetos out of a can for our side. That's how we roll up in here :)

Oh! And I got to startle a pair of nesting mallards coming out of the mall Saturday morning. (This was easily the highlight of my weekend.)

Then on Sunday, we got to experience the joy of Kentucky that is a 30 degree drop with a mix of snow flurries!! Monday morning followed with torrential downpours and two cavities for The Fox, which we were somewhat disappointed by, but as he said, "Thank you, Lord it was only two!" He makes staying negative fairly difficult. Then we spotted these beauties when we stopped by the shop to pick up some paperwork!

Other than that, we have been flying pretty low on the radar! God has been helping us in the midst of some tough situations and through them, bringing us closer together, even when we try to our best to do otherwise. How thankful I am that He never gets tired of picking us back up, even when the reason we are down is because we are having a rolling-in-the-floor tantrum. (I say we... but really I just mean myself..)

Our etsy shop has been getting some new things in, as well as updating some of the older listings. It is pretty amazing the difference a gloomy December day and a bonny March one can make when it comes to photographing. In saying that.. I suppose I should continue to take advantage of said sunshine.

May peace and all the saints go with you!!

The Tiger

Spring Outside, Spring Inside

Spring has sprung!! I feel like maybe I have said that already a few times, but I am really, really ready! This weekend we were able to get outside and grub around in the garden some, and these gorgeous jonquils were just too cheerful! The Fox came out and helped me put down new dirt and clean out all the old weeds and dead things from last year, and we had a really nice time. It  has been a whole month since we last turned on our television and we have had so much time to spend together! We have learned how to work side by side even better than we used to, and that has really been a blessing. It is amazing how "negative in, negative out, positive in, positive out" works. It sounds so simplistic; something you might tell a child- but that's another thing I'm beginning to learn: simple works. As we get older, we (or I do, anyway!!) feel like things have to get more complicated, more involved, more detailed, more, more, more. And then the stress just builds upon itself every day. How often do you see a stressed out kid? I don't mean cranky or sleepy, but full blown grown up stressed. I know that when I have seen that in children- they are the ones who have homework, sports, two birthday parties a weekend to attend, swim lessons, and more, and more. They're tiny adults. 

I've begun to learn that bigger is not better, and more stuff is not going to make me more happy. Getting to spend time outdoors with someone who loves me so much that he pokes me awake at night to tell me something he just read in his Bible? That makes me sooo happy. 

I feel like giving up TV for Lent wasn't really about the TV at all. It was about giving up control. And once I started letting go of one thing, it didn't make giving up other things easy(at all! But that is for another day!), but it helped me see that all these things are fleeting. There is so much more- God is so much more. When I finally un-clench the fist and let go of the crummy things I think I want and open my hand to the things He wants to give... It is an amazing thing. 

I appreciate your time in reading this, and I hope that my stumbling, rambling along can maybe help you too. I certainly haven't learned everything and am so excited about all the things the Lord will continue to open my eyes to. I am more than happy to answer any questions or comments either here or via email: thetigerandthefox@gmail.com

"All these toys were never intended to posses my heart. My true good is in another world and my only real treasure is Christ." - C. S. Lewis

I Smell Spring

It's a little difficult to believe that February has just about come and gone! Between my birthday, Valentine's Day and today being our anniversary, The Fox and I are just about burned out!! There's been a lot of other things going on as well to keep us busy- especially since we decided to go crazy and give up TV for Lent this year. We aren't actually Catholic, but we really like the concept of not getting something, even when you want it badly. Sometimes it is good to be told no! It doesn't feel that way at first, but really, there hasn't been anything crucial to survival that we have missed. Between smartphones and the internet, it's pretty difficult to avoid the news, and as much as I love Antiques Roadshow- it can wait for a few more weeks.
Not watching TV has really given us a lot more time; it is impressive to see what you can get done without distractions. We started re-arranging a lot of our tchotchkes, moving into more spring-ish items, as you can see! The Fox felt like it was a little feminine, but that's just how spring stuff is! (Don't let him fool you; he loves those old linens)

Look closely on the right for a much younger Tiger.. heehee.
Good times! 

I'm not sure we have enough things sitting around!! Especially with a cat. He's not too feisty anymore though..

All in all, February has been good- but we are ready for spring to start! 

Open windows, seedling sprouts, buttercups and short sleeves... These are just a few of my favorite things!!!