Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday and time to join up with Sonya over at Truth 4 the Journey for Thankful Thursday. It's a time we set aside to list five things that we are truly thankful for.

It is such a blessing to be able to share what I am thankful for and rejoice with you in how God has blessed you as well.

Click here to join us in sharing the faithfulness of God!!!

Here are my thankfuls for this week......

1) I am thankful that we had an incredibly blessed Christmas. With so much negative going on in our world, all I could do was look around and thank God for His blessings and faithfulness.

2) I am thankful for a super wonderful three days away with my husband. We celebrated 26 years of marriage on the 16th and I can honestly say that I'm more in love with him today than I was 26 years ago. Speaking of DH........

3) I am thankful for the Christmas gift he gave me. I'm a bear at Christmastime when it comes to giving money and/or gift cards as gifts. There is nothing wrong with that and in many cases, my teens prefer that..it's just something I, personally, don't like to give or receive. So, when I opened my gift from DH...I found, you guessed it..money. Knowing that he knows how I feel about that, I was slightly caught off guard until I read the letter that went along with it. The basic jest of the letter was that my DH had actually listened to something I said while we were away for our anniversary. I mentioned that I'd love to have a girls weekend, just me, my mom and DD. He gave me the money to do just that and in 2 weeks, we're off!!! How super is that man of mine!!?

4) I am thankful for answered prayer concerning DD's new job. She starts Monday at the hospital (where DH works). She will be working in Dietary in a management position, 40 hours a week with benefits and a substantial raise. There have been a lot of problems and some moral issues where she is currently working and this was a total God-send for her.

5) I am thankful for my warm, dry house. Here where I live, it is rainy and cold..typical winter..and going to get colder in the next week. I tend to take a warm, dry house for granted..not thinking about it because it's my life and where I live, but when I'm lying in bed at night and I hear the rain pelting against the window and the wind blowing all around..and I'm all snuggled under the blankets with DH's arms wrapped around me, I'm gently reminded of how truly blessed I am.

" O God, we give glory to You all day long and constantly praise Your name."
Psalm 44:8, NLT

Random Dozen

Time to share a bit about myself by linking up with Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee for Random Dozen. I really love participating in this meme. The questions are fun (although sometimes the answers can be tough) and it's great to read how others think about the same things.

Click here to join us!!

1. Do you find it gross to share drinks with family? Friends?

I don't mind sharing my drink with DH, DD or DS. After that, I'll just give you my drink. I'm totally grossed out by backwash!!!

2. What have you learned this year? (You didn't see a question of that weight coming, did you? At least not for #2.)

That I'm too busy and too worried about pleasing everyone I come in contact with, including total strangers. I've learned that my main goal is allowing God to direct my steps and pleasing Him.

3. When do you dismantle the Christmas decorations?

As soon as possible after Christmas. I love them when they're out, but as soon as the gifts are opened and the festivities are over, I'm ready for them to come down.

4. Something you wish to accomplish before the end of 2009 is:

Losing 30 more pounds, getting totally out of debt ($46,000 more to go) and finishing the 37 books I've begun reading!!

5. How do you feel about winter (after Christmas)?

I enjoy winter until about March, then I'm tired of being cold and wet.

6. Have you participated in after-Christmas sales?

I don't go the day after Christmas but I do buy bows and wrapping paper and such as I find them on sale.

7. Do you have plans for New Year's Eve?

We'll probably do what we always do....DH and I will dose on the couch until the alarm goes off at five till midnight. We'll quickly pour the sparkling cider, ring in the new year with a smooch, a drink and off to bed!! We are TOTAL party animals!!!

8. Is there anything special awaiting you in January?

The 19th birthday of DD!!! A trip for 2 nights and 3 days with just me, my Mom and DD!! (A Christmas gift from DH..ain't he the best!!!?)

9. If your life this year was a movie, what category or genre would it be? (Romance, Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Suspense, Farcical, etc.)

Drama...ALWAYS drama!!! (I have teenagers, remember??)

10. How much time per day do you spend blogging? Please do not lie. I will know.

In the past, I'd find 3 or 4 hours quickly fly by...Now, I get on here if I have something to post, check out a few other blogs, comment and I'm off of here. I've been greatly convicted of the fact that I spend more time on this computer than with my Father..no more...

11. Who runs your household?

God, DH and myself. Usually in that order. Have I mentioned I'm a control freak??

12. Share one hope/dream for 2010.

Well, mine will be two rolled into one....that I'm able to slow down and truly spend time with my Father and my family enjoying all that He has blessed us with and enjoying every minute and trusting Him with the ones that aren't so enjoyable.

Time to Get Back on Track

I hope each and everyone of you had a wonderful Christmas!! Around here, we were very blessed. There were gifts and food a'plenty. We are blessed to still have my mom and dad and DH's mom to celebrate with us. All of the family on both sides were able to get together and enjoy. It was loud and chaotic but the laughter and hugs abounded and, like I said, we were blessed.

This week finds me trying to get back on some sort of schedule. I had to buy some groceries yesterday and quickly implemented a new strategy that I want to try for the new year. Instead of swiping that debit card for everything I purchase, I made a trip to the ATM and withdrew the money that I intended to spend. It was the oddest thing in the world to me, using cash for everything. For someone who was raised in a cash only family (my mom didn't even have a checking account until last year) plastic had totally changed me. I told myself, when the cash is gone..I'm finished shopping...time to go home. Amazingly though, each time I opened my wallet to pay for something and actually watched the money dwindling away, I became more and more aware of what I was spending!! Hey! This might just be a good change!!

Today is my Daddy's birthday! He's 68 years old today. I'll give him a call a little later when he's up and about but I probably won't see him until Friday. I found out about this restaurant just outside of town that I want to take him to. He's not real big on going out to eat, but even at 45, I can pout just a little and Daddy will do what I ask.......

So that means that I will begin taking down the Christmas decorations, being careful to leave out the snowmen and anything that looks like winter. The house is a wreck right now and will be in worse shape before it gets better...but eventually, I'm sure it will all come together.

Got on the scale yesterday morning and shockingly, I had actually lost a pound over Christmas!! So that means I'm starting the new year with a better frame of mind on getting healthier than I thought I'd have. This is a good thing!!

Like most, I find myself wanting to do things differently in the new year. In years past, like most, I'm gung-ho for a few weeks, but by February everything has fallen by the wayside and I'm back into old routines and habits. But the older I get, I'm finding the things I truly want is a closer walk with my Lord, a healthier body and to master the ability to slow down and enjoy my family. To lower the stress levels and just enjoy the path God has put me on. So I'm quite certain that many of my posts in the future will be focusing on my progress with these things. I'll share my failures as well as my victories because, as I recently posted, I want my blog to be real. A place where folks can read and say, "Hey!..I'm not the only one who_______".

So, I'm off!! Time to get dressed, make the bed and tackle the mess....allowing God to direct my steps so that I find myself doing what HE wants me to be doing!

Worship Him

" He alone is your God, the only One Who is worthy of your praise..."
Deuteronomy 10:21a, NLT

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, this message was scheduled for today because today will find me solely focused on my family and my Savior.

Blessings to you and those you love. May God's love shine on you and may you find yourself enjoying your family and resting comfortably in the arms of the One we celebrate.

"At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. "Don’t be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize Him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
'Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this Child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them."
Luke 2:1-20, NLT

Merry Christmas Eve!!

Merry Christmas Eve!!

Today is finding me enjoying a bit of celebrating with my family and stepping into a new season of life.

Today both of my children have to work. Thankfully they didn't have to go in until the afternoon and they only have to work about 5 hours, but still, it's interrupted my day as I've always known it as a mom.

I have to admit that in the beginning I was a bit sad. I want my babies here enjoying the gifts we've allowed them to open today (they get the rest tomorrow) and enjoying the soup or chili I decide to make. But then I realized this......this is God's way of slowly preparing me for the day that they have nests of their own and they will be building their own traditions and lovin' their own babies.

So...while I'm only mildly weepy eyed, I find myself thankful for the blessings of a Heavenly Father Who does everything right on time.

Just Lettin' Go...

Here we are just two days before Christmas and I find myself in a strange spot. I don't need to make any emergency runs for last minute gifts or ingredients to finish that 'perfect' recipe.

I'm not wishing I'd mailed 'one more' Christmas card or decorated that room a little better.

Am I saying that I was able to cross everything off my "want to have done" list? No.

What I am saying is that I've decided not to stress about it.

There are many gifts under the tree. Proof that we are blessed to still have jobs and incomes and the ability to give...abundantly.

The pantry shelves are stocked as is the frig and the freezer. Rolls will be baked, ham will be glazed and potatoes and gravy will be plentiful.

On the kitchen island sits two different types of cookies and two different types of candy. Not to mention the apple pie and pecan pie that will be baked on Christmas Eve.

Maybe I'm just getting older and wiser, or maybe just older and more tired, or maybe I'm just standing around watching all the people around me angry and stressed looking like they hate everything about life. But I'm just choosing to not live that way.

Nothing can make me believe that what God wants for His children is stress, chaos, anger, confusion, depression...so why would I willingly choose to continually put myself in situations that would cause me to have those feelings and emotions?

In my quest to find balance and to be totally in tune with God wants me to do, I'm finding that He wants me to simplify, stress less and enjoy the blessings He's given me.

He's encouraging me not to worry about what the Jones' have and to appreciate what He's given me.

He's showing me that what I have is more than enough, what I write is what He's leading me to write and what I do truly needs to line up with His will.

And I'm finding that maybe that is the best Christmas gift of all......

Just Catchin' Up...

Since my posting has been so sporadic of late, I thought I'd take a minute just to catch you all up!!...

DH and I had a wonderful time in Gatlinburg!! It was so nice to just have that one on one time with each other. You don't realize how important that time is with your husband until you actually take the time to do it. You don't realize how crazy busy you've gotten...so busy that even meaningful conversation has taken a back seat.

If you don't already, let me encourage you to take regular time with your hubby just to reconnect. You don't have to go away for a few days, you can take a walk together, go out to dinner (or breakfast, or whatever works for your schedule). You can put the kids to bed early...it doesn't matter what you do, just do something to make sure that you and your hubby have some time just strictly for each other.



A story to share..it reminds me that we've got some awesome teens....

DD and DS decided to get a bite to eat at a local restaurant while DH and I were out of town. They enjoyed a great meal and had a wonderful waitress. They paid their bill and when it got time to leave the conversation went like this:

DS: "What about the tip?"

DD: (Lays a $20 bill on the table)

DS: "I'll match it!!" (Lays another $20 bill on the table)

They leave, slowly, watching to make sure that their waitress buses the table. She does. As they walk by the huge window out front, the waitress looks up at them with tears in her eyes. DD and DS move on to the next store (they were in the mall). Just a few minutes later the waitress catches up with them, gives them a hug and tells them, "Thank you so much!!" and she runs back to work. What a wonderful blessing my two gave someone right here at Christmas!! Let me tell you, this Mama heart is proud!!!

Finally...today is an awesome special day...today my baby turns 17!!!! Oh he is such a miracle and such a blessing to me. You see, he shouldn't be alive. Had God not intervened, this would be a day of sadness instead of celebration.

There is no doubt about when we conceived this man child of ours. We were planning our next child and was coming off of birth control, but using other means of protection while we were waiting for the birth control to get out of my system. Well....let me just say that DS is the poster child for the "There is No Such Thing as Safe Sex". About 4½ months into my pregnancy, my doctor told me out of the blue that he felt we needed to do a sonar. Okay. We were curious about whether we had a boy or a girl, so...no big deal.

As we lay their watching the screen and listening to the nurse things were going just great. Then she became very quiet and began getting really serious about her job. After several minutes, she shared that this little boy we were waiting on had no kidneys and no bladder...but she guessed I just wasn't as far along as we thought. She sent this news and DH and I back to my doctor.

My doctor reviewed everything and looked at us with those all-knowing, all too serious eyes and told us what the plan was. In two weeks I would come back for another sonar, if it showed the same, he would send me to a different hospital with some specialists who would do what was needed to prepare our son for a kidney upon birth...should a donor be available. If there were no donor, then upon birth, our son would die.

Needless to say, I fell apart and through his tears and own turmoil, DH tried to be strong. As we prepared to leave the doctor's office, Doc put his arm around me and reminded me that, "We know Someone bigger than this".

Two weeks of praying and waiting found us back in that same sonar room with that same nurse.

Nurse: "Well, let's see now...here's his head, see his eyes? And here's his spine..look at that little heart just beating away..and look!!!!! There are two kidneys and a bladder and they are functioning perfectly!!!!!!!! See, I told you, you weren't as far along as you thought!"

Us: "No mam!!..that's all God!!! Only He can make organs and put them where they belong!!"

Back in my Doctor's office there were tears all over again, but this time tears of shear joy and thankfulness to a God Who has big plans for this child.
So....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZACHARY!!! I love you SOO much!!!!




By the way, a few months after he was born I learned that Zachary means "Touched by God"...how fitting.....

Studying...Created to Be His Help Meet

Last week we ended Part One in our study of Created to be His Help Meet. Before we move ahead into part two, I'd love it if you'd take the time to look over what we've already studied and see if there are any questions you'd like to ask or if there is anything you didn't understand or feel like we should study a bit deeper.

I've gotten some wonderful comments and questions from many of you and I hope that I've been able to encourage you in your role as help meet to your husband.
Looking forward to hearing from you!!!

Happy Anniversary!!!!

Today finds me in Gatlinburg, Tennessee celebrating my 26th wedding anniversary.

26 years ago today I said "I do" to my best friend and I've never regretted it.

Oh, there have been times over the years that have been really tough. There have been times when both have us wondered how we got ourselves in 'this mess'

There was a time when the "d" word was spoken and sought after and only by the grace and mercy of a great God, did in never come to pass.

We've known times of lean and times of plenty. We've known sadness and happiness and total and complete surprise.

We know what it's like to want a baby so badly and not be able to get pregnant easily and we know what it's like to get pregnant with only 1 try.

In 26 years, we've lived a lot....and there were a few times when it wasn't living, but shear survival....but..

I've walked through it all with God on one side and Philip on the other and there is one thing I know for certain....

I wouldn't want it any other way.

Happy Anniversary to my husband, my lover, my best friend....

I'm At The Well!!

Hi Everyone!!!

Hope you're having a wonderful Tuesday!!

Me...I'm over at The Well today! Click here to join with me. My post title?

It Doesn't Need to be Difficult

And a Carolin' They Went

A caravan of 9 vehicles carrying in the neighborhood of about 40 people.

All ages they came out, 2 years old to 70 years old....all for one reason...to bless someone else.

Who did they bless?

The elderly. Those who would have joined them if their body would have allowed.

The sick. Those who also would have joined in...again, if their body would have allowed.

The dying. Those who knew in their hearts that unless God intervened, this would most likely be the last time they celebrated the birth of Jesus here on this earth.

Those 40 people sang. They sang loudly and way off key, but no one minded.

They sang the wrong words at times and even, at times, forgot the words completely...but no one minded.

There were tears. Tears from those visited and from those doing the visiting.

There was laughter and clapping and smiles.

All because a church decided to say "I Care" enough to make someone's day a little brighter.....and they did.

Worship Him

"At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize Him by this sign: You will find a Baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the Baby, lying in the manger. After seeing Him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this Child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them."
Luke 2:1-20, NLT

Studying...Created to be His Help Meet

We are studying the book by Debi Pearl, Created to be His Help Meet. Through our study of this book, we are going to learn what it means to be a help meet and actually living the role that God created us as women to fill. I've read this book once before and applied many of the things that Mrs. Pearl spoke of, and it has transformed an already good marriage into nothing short of awesome!! I encourage you to purchase this book and follow along or at the very least, check out the Pearl's website at http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/
Any text taken directly from Mrs. Pearl's book will be highlighted in blue.

I realize that in studying Created to be His Help Meet at the rate of one chapter per week, we will be doing this study for approximately 24 weeks. We could go at this at a much faster rate, but I believe that if we truly want to change and fill our God given rolls as help meet to our husbands, then we need to take things slower and put into practice what we are learning. I hope you agree and stay the course with me as we become better help meets together.

Part 1: The Help Meet

Chapter 14: Kings and Kingdoms

We all know and agree that Adam was created first.

We all know and agree that God told him to rule over every living thing and he was to be over woman as well. In that, it stands to reason that most likely the only place he will ever 'rule' over, is his house.

I found it interesting that Mrs. Pearl pointed out that when the President comes to town, even if he's not liked in that area, there is still a lot of preparation that goes into welcoming him to that city. When he gets there, he is treated with respect...not because he necessarily deserves it, but because of the title he holds.

She likened our husbands to being the 'president' of our families. God has given him the role of 'head honcho' and we, as wives, are to welcome him home and have it prepared in a way that will please him and give him respect because of the title God has given him, even if he hasn't truly earned it.

Some may think that being submissive to your husband shows a sign of weakness, but believe me, it's the farthest thing from weak that I can think of. I am a very strong willed woman and I don't give in to submissiveness easily. It is something that for me is very often hard to do. There are many times when I submit because it's what God has asked me to do...not because, hey! that's the way I'm wired and I'm just tickled pink to do it!

However, do not think you can just do for him and not put the emotion behind it. A man can quickly tell if you're reverencing him because it's what you're called to do, or if you're reverencing him because you love God and are totally committed to both of them.

Sometimes it may not seem 'fair' to hand over all of this reverence to a man who hasn't earned it, but remember, God has required our husbands to love us so we should ask ourselves this question....have we earned the right to be loved? I can only answer for me and let me honestly say, there is no way that I continually earn....or even deserve....his love. There are just times when I truly don't deserve it.

Mrs. Pearl makes this statement, "A man will allow his woman many, many faults, as long as he knows that she thinks he is great." This is not a right or wrong thing, this is simply the way God created man thing. Our man wants to be our hero, our reason for getting up in the morning. If he knows she is thankful for him then it won't matter as much how she looks or how clean the house is or whether or not dinner has been burned...he's going to be crazy about his perfect woman because she is crazy about him.

Finally, in this chapter Mrs. Pearl quotes Elisabeth Elliot: "The very heart of reverence is extreme appreciation and profound thankfulness that this man, just as he is, has chosen to love me, just as I am."

With this chapter we have reached the end of Part One. Next week we will begin Part Two which will take us into the book of Titus, chapter 2. Now that we have studied and understand what the true meaning of a help meet is, it's time to actually learn how to put Titus 2 into practice.

Next Week: To Be Sober

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday and time to join up with Sonya over at Truth 4 the Journey for Thankful Thursday. It's a time we set aside to list five things that we are truly thankful for.

It is such a blessing to be able to share what I am thankful for and rejoice with you in how God has blessed you as well.

Click here to join us in sharing the faithfulness of God!!!

Here are my thankfuls for this week......

1) I am thankful that I'm feeling better. My 'under the weather' turned out to be bronchitis!! But.....the coughing is less and my family is as thankful for that as I am!!!

2) I am thankful for the snow we got Saturday!! It wasn't much, but it sure was beautiful to look at!

3) I am thankful for the bargains that God has blessed me with in purchasing Christmas gifts for my kids. The older they get the more expensive their 'toys' are and those bargains are true blessings!!

4) I am thankful for the opportunity to teach the young girls at church on Wednesday night. It's been a while since I've had the younger girls and I'm really looking forward to it!!

5) I am thankful that next Wednesday I will be celebrating 26 years of marriage to the most wonderful man in the world!!!!

"My cup overflows with blessings."
Psalm 23:5b, NLT

Random Dozen

It's time to join up with Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee for Random Dozen.

Click here to join in on the fun!

1. Which physical trait do you now accept--maybe not love, but accept--and no longer feel extremely self-conscious about?

My feet. I wear a size 11...quite large to fit in any of the 'cute' shoes that I see so many women in. It used to drive me nuts, but hey!...God made them so they're perfect for me!!!

2. This week Meredith Baxter Birney, best known as the mom on the favorite 80s sitcom "Family Ties" came out of the closet, which led me to formulate this question: Who do you think is/was the best TV mom?

By far, Caroline Ingalls.

3. Do you speak any foreign languages? Are there any you'd like to learn?

Nope. I'd love to learn some Russian because I'm praying that God will open up the doors for a mission trip there someday.

4. Who is your personal hero?

Jesus being a given...it would be my Mom. She has worked so hard and sacrificed so much for her family. She's so tired but never complains. Wow...to be like that...

5. What is one holiday food that you find extremely difficult to resist over- indulging in?

Cookies. I'm not too picky about which kind either. I keep going back for "just one more"........

6. Tell me about a Christmas decoration that has special meaning or sentimental value.

DH made an ornament when he was in 2nd grade. It's a styrofoam ball with yarn wrapped around it and colored toothpicks sticking out of it. We've dubbed it "The Satellite" and his mom gave it to me our first Christmas together 26 years ago.

We have a game of him trying to hide it so that it can't be put on the tree. But I always win that little game and "The Satellite" always has a place of honor on the very front of our tree.

7. How do you feel about snow?

Love it!! Love it!! Love it!!! We really got to enjoy it when we lived in Indiana and in Colorado. Being back in Alabama though we hardly ever get to see a flurry. That's why a ½ inch of snowfall will bring a big party at our house!!!!!


8. On average, how many hours of sleep do you get each night? Not that I'm jealous of any number over three or anything.

A good night will give me 7 hours. A normal night will give me about 5½.

9. Tell me about your first crush.

I was in kindergarten and there was a boy named Scott who lived about a block from me. He was about a head shorter than me and had snow white hair. I thought he was the most handsome boy I'd ever seen!! He would wait on me at the end of his block and we'd walk hand in hand to school together each day....it was love... (big, dramatic sigh with hand across forehead!!)

10. You're stuck in a room for 2 hours with only a chalkboard and chalk. What will you write/draw?

Oh I will most certainly draw the names of my family in as much graffiti type writing as I can come up with. I LOVE to do that while I'm on the phone.

11. Do you dress for the current temp or for the day's forecast?

I'll dress for the current temp, but I'll take back up stuff with me, a jacket, flip flops....just in case there's a change.

12. Favorite Christmas movie is?

It's a Wonderful Life!!

You Want to Put That Needle Where??????

The verdict........bronchitis. Yuck. No wonder I feel like I'm trying to cough up a lung and yet nothing happens.

I finally broke down and went to the Dr. yesterday. My poor hubby is running on 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night...and that's not near enough for him. In the past week, I've slept on the couch 5 out of 7 nights so he could get the sleep he has gotten!! Not fun.

I'm not a big fan of going to the Dr, so for me to give in and go means that I've done all I know to do. Couple that with the fact that DH and I are leaving next week for a few days to celebrate our 26th anniversary meant that something has to be done now!!

Doc pronounced the verdict of sinus infection and bronchitis, proceeded to give me a shot in my kiester and 3 prescriptions!!! I'm still wondering why the kiester...isn't my arm closer to my lungs??? You'd think after giving birth twice and having a few surgeries, that bearing my bottom wouldn't be a big deal....but it is..

Now my challenge for today is a visit to the dentist. It takes me about an hour to drive there and so the kids and I just make our appointments all at once because of the drive. So can't you see me laying in that chair with my mouth wide open trying to hack up a lung??!!! Should make for an interesting visit as long as my hygienist can keep a tight grip on her waterpik!!!!

...I also wanted to thank my sweet friend Andrea over at Arise 2 Write for the sweet awards she has passed on to all of her bloggy buddies.

The first award is the Circle of Friends Award.


For that I'm suppose to share 5 things I love to do.

1) Travel
2) Read
3) Listen to music. All genres!!
4) Snuggle with my hubby
5) Love on my kids

The next award is the Lemonade Award.


This one is all about taking those lemons that life hands us and making lemonade. It's so easy to get caught up in the poor me...(my situation right now), but the fact is I am so blessed. Blessed to be able to go to the Dr, blessed with a husband and kids who I am sure by now are ready to make me sleep ..or rather cough...all night outside with the dogs!!

Like Andrea, I just want to pass both of these on to all of my sweet bloggy friends. Each one of you is so special to me and have blessed me more than you could ever imagine!!

Now I'm off!!! Pray for my hygienist to have strong hands. I don't want tomorrow's post title to be: "How to Surgically Remove a Waterpik" !!!

Three Mondays and Counting

We woke up Saturday morning to the most beautiful blessing....a dusting of beautiful, white snow was blanketing the ground. It wasn't much, it seldom is where we live, but it was so beautiful and so peaceful to look at. It took each one of us back in time to our mission field days in Colorado where snow on the ground was a very normal winter-time occurrence. For this family, it officially now 'feels' like Christmas.



I don't know about the rest of you, but when things like this snowfall happens, it always serves to remind me that God is always eager for ways to bless us and to bring back to mind the things that make us smile.

Meanwhile, it's December 7th, and I hope that all of your decorating is done, those Christmas cards are in the mail and you are able to enjoy this time of wrapping gifts and baking Christmas goodies with your family while Bing Crosby is busy crooning in the background, "I'll be home for Christmas...." or, if you're like our family TSO is jamming out with their famous Christmas Eve/Sarajevo...

Just a little sidenote.....I'm blessed to have a set of "Christmas dishes". They are so beautiful and a gift from my Mom from several years back. For a few years, we strictly used them on Christmas Eve and Christmas day only. Then it hit me...these are special dishes for a special family to use on a special occasion. Why save them for only one or two days because we eat everyday and everyday is a special time to remind this special family of the wonderful gift of Jesus.



So, if you have something that's only used for a special occasion or a special moment, take a moment and think about this....are your special moments only occasional happenings or are they every day that you get to share with your family??

Worship Him

"In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you will name Him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David. And He will reign over Israel* forever; His Kingdom will never end!”

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her."

Luke 1:26-38, NLT

Studying..Created to be His Help Meet

We are studying the book by Debi Pearl, Created to be His Help Meet. Through our study of this book, we are going to learn what it means to be a help meet and actually living the role that God created us as women to fill. I've read this book once before and applied many of the things that Mrs. Pearl spoke of, and it has transformed an already good marriage into nothing short of awesome!! I encourage you to purchase this book and follow along or at the very least, check out the Pearl's website at http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/ Any text taken directly from Mrs. Pearl's book will be highlighted in blue.

I realize that in studying Created to be His Help Meet at the rate of one chapter per week, we will be doing this study for approximately 24 weeks. We could go at this at a much faster rate, but I believe that if we truly want to change and fill our God given rolls as help meet to our husbands, then we need to take things slower and put into practice what we are learning. I hope you agree and stay the course with me as we become better help meets together.

Part 1: The Help Meet

Chapter 13: The Great Mystery (Part two)

Do you find yourself often picking out the faults in your man and focusing on them? Be honest. Sometimes..yes, I do. It's so easy with our husbands and even with our children to look at the things they did that don't please you rather than the things they did that do please you. Why do you think that is? Maybe we've set our standards impossibly high, or maybe we require more of others than we do of ourselves. Whatever the reason, I believe the cycle of focusing on the negative can be broken.

It begins, again, with a change in our thought process. How would we feel if our husbands were constantly picking at the faults in us?

"Honey, the bread is delicious..but you got the top a little too brown."

"Sweetie, I can't believe how you pulled this party together on such short notice, but you forgot to sit the sugar out by the coffee pot."

"Baby, you do such a good job keeping the laundry done, but I really wanted to wear the brown pants that I wore day before yesterday. I really wish you would pay better attention!"

I don't know about you, but with those few statements, a fuse would be lit under me that would quickly ignite into a huge explosion!!! Yet, I'm afraid that is what many husbands listen to on a daily basis.

It's time to realize that a good marriage means looking past the faults of the one we love and quit trying to change him. We have to learn and live under the authority that God has placed us as wives in. That doesn't mean that a man who is lazy and unwilling to support his family deserves the blessings of a godly wife, he is just receiving the overflow of a wife willing to submit to what God has called her to. Remind yourselves, ladies, that we are not doing this study to 'fix' our husbands, we are doing this to learn to be godly help meets.

In reality, most men love their wives and children. They take pride in them and will do everything in their power to provide for them. They want women they can trust with their secrets. Women who will keep their homes clean and ready for his buddies to drop by at a moments notice. They want a woman who will keep their secrets, their dreams and who will encourage them instead of nag. Men who have a woman like that at home, will rarely be looking at 'the grass on the other side of the fence'.

Mrs. Pearl encourages this week to:

1. Show our husbands noticeable respect at least three times a day.

2. Look up the word reverence in the Bible. Mrs. Pearl says that eight times reverence has to do with men. Reading this will help us understand from God's Word what God requires of us.

Have a wonderful week watching the change in your man as you openly show him respect and admiration!!

Next week: Kings and Kingdoms

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday and time to join up with Sonya over at Truth 4 the Journey for Thankful Thursday. It's a time we set aside to list five things that we are truly thankful for.

It is such a blessing to be able to share what I am thankful for and rejoice with you in how God has blessed you as well.

Click here to join us in sharing the faithfulness of God!!!

Here are my thankfuls for this week......

1) I am so thankful for what God has shown me during my blogging break. The enemy had such tight blinders on me and I had allowed him to pull them tighter and tighter. But God, as always, saw me drowning and extended His big, strong hand. I grabbed it and held on tightly because I was so afraid of what He would expose. What He showed me was painful and somewhat embarrassing, but He did it with such gentleness and love that I found myself thankful.

2) I am so thankful for each of my cyber friends/sisters who took the time to share their stories and extend their prayers and encouragement during my break. I truly never realized that others struggled with the very same things I have!!

3) I am so thankful for my wonderful family. I've been a bit under the weather this week with a head cold..or something, and I've not been my busy, somewhat perky self. They have all been so kind and understanding when the things that are normally done have gone undone. Even DS has been extra gentle with dear ole' mom!!

4) I am so thankful for the blessings that God showed me over the Thanksgiving holiday. I saw first hand how truly wonderfully He has blessed this family and all I can do is praise Him because I surely don't deserve any of it.

5) I am so thankful for the ability to see. This time of year brings out the Christmas lights and I turn into a 5 year old child all wide-eyed trying to take in the shear beauty of it all.

"He alone is your God, the only One Who is worthy of your praise, the One who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes."
Deuteronomy 10:21, NLT

Thank You & Random Dozen

Let me take a moment to say thanks to all of you wonderful, beautiful people who took the time to e-mail or comment. Your love, prayers and encouragement have made my cup run over!!! (BIG hugs!!!)

Now it's time to join up with Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee for Random Dozen.
Click here to join in on the fun!

1. Which Wizard of Oz character are you most like?

Depends on the day. Some days I can honestly sing.."If I only had a brain!!". Other days I need heart and courage depending on what's going on.

2. When you're deciding what you're going to wear each morning, which item do you select first? Why?

I'm a SAHM so it's a question first of if I'm even leaving the house!!

3. What kind of animal do you think the world could live without?

Ants. Well, maybe the world couldn't live without them, but I'd like to give it a try when I find them in my house!!

4. How many Christmas trees are in your home?

6 inside, 2 outside

5. Would you prefer to be emotionless if it mean you didn't have to feel a heartbreak?

No thanks.

6. Do you ever experience holiday let-down or depression?

Sometimes let down. All of that effort to be over so quickly...

7. Do you like Michael Jackson's music?

Not much of it.

8. Why is it that we never judge people who have their teeth fixed for cosmetic reasons, but every other cosmetic procedure has a stigma?

Actually, I don't judge if there is a true need..be it teeth, breasts, skin grafts...whatever. It's when you've got women (and men) who can't deal with the fact that they're staring down the barrel of 50 and still want to look 20. Let's face it. The older a barn gets, the more coats of paint it takes to cover up the wear and tear!!

9. Enjoy horseback riding?

Yes I did...haven't been on one in years.

10. Shoes--practical or stylish?

Flat feet, size 11......isn't practical all they sell???????

11. What was the name of your first pet? Feel free to post a pic.

Herman. He was a tiny little turtle that I had way back when we lived in an apartment in Cicero, Illinois

12. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done?

65%

I'm Back and, Oh, the Things I've Learned..

I find it amazing what God can do when I am just quiet and undistracted and able to listen. I've heard it said that God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason...I'm sure this applies to more than the physical ears and mouth as well!

During my 'blogging rest', I learned a few things.

I learned that I stress way too much about my blog.

Ouch. Hard one for me to confess, but it's true. I find myself wondering how others can have hundreds (or even one hundred) followers, and I can't get past fifty. I find myself wondering why my stat counter only goes up 2 or 3 hits a day sometimes. I wonder why what began as a way to learn to be a better writer, somehow minister and just have a little fun has become something that dictates how my day goes.

When that happens, I've learned that I open the door and allow the enemy to attack me. He tells me I don't write well enough, I'm not funny enough...too boring...not godly enough....what makes me think that anyone would want to read what I write...and I found myself believing him!!

I put way too much pressure on myself to post everyday just so I could keep the readers I have.

Wow....

Meanwhile I realized how much was falling by the wayside here at home while I was busy worrying about blog world. Again, wow.

I realized how much this blog.....this computer period...had become a god and was getting in the way of my relationship with the real God.

When I first began my break, I found myself frustrated and irritated, but as the days went by, I found that I had to admit that blogging was running my life instead of the other way around.

Do I want God to use my writing to serve Him? You bet.

Do I want to share and laugh and cry and minister with this blog? You bet.

Do I want to continue blogging? You bet.

I've just got to change some things. So, at least for now, here's where I'm at:

I'm only going to post as God directs. Doesn't mean that everything I post will be about my Father or a relationship with Him..could be something informative, fun or something I just feel led to share, but my steps will be directed by Him. So there may be times when I post everyday or even more than once a day, and there may be times I only post a couple of times a week...but no matter, when I do post, it will be because God has given me the okay.

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
Psalm 37:23, NLT

I'm going to be finishing our study on Created to be His Help Meet because I feel that is truly something that God has His hand on, so we will be picking back up where we left off this Friday.

"And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him."
Genesis 2:18, KJV

If I gain followers...YEAH!!!!!!!! ....if I lose them, then I'm trusting God knows and if it's something I need to change, then He'll show me that as well.

I want God to dictate every area of my life and I don't want to be in charge of any of it. I want everything I do to honor Him and I want it to always be done the way He wants it done..in other words, I want to be in line with HIS will, not mine.

So, I'm rested, my mind is clearer and I'm back in a different way. Prayerfully I will remain in the way God wants me because that is what is most important to me.

With that...........

I do hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We were so blessed and even more so because we were able, with the help of our church, to provide a Thanksgiving dinner to a family who is living in a hotel at this point with their five children. Circumstance beyond their control brought them to this place and God put them in path of DD and DS at their job. Our church provided the meal, DD, DS and I prepared it while DH did all the extras that I couldn't while preparing two meals. We were able to deliver it by noon. While we sat down to our meal here at home, we were all even more thankful for the abundant blessings that God has given to us.

We put our Christmas tree up last night and I have to tell you, it was an emotional time for us. Our tree doesn't have a theme or a particular color scheme, it tells a story. The ornaments on our tree tell of the past 26 years of our lives. The good times and the not so good. Handmade ornaments, passed down ornaments and expensive, delicate ornaments. I could look at each one and tell you what was going on in our lives at that time. The emotion that came with each one. Our tree is a smorgasbord of everything, but I wouldn't do anything different.



Finally, I won a give-a-way that Larie hosted over at her blog My Heart Speaks!!! I won a magazine subscription to a magazine called In Her Heart. I've never heard of it before, but it sounds so good and I can't wait until I receive it and can sit down and soak it up! Thanks Lari!!!
I love you all so much and many of you have touched my life in a way that I am eternally thankful.

"Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God."
Philippians 1:3, NLT

A Blessed Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving blessings from our home to yours. May your hearts be full with love, contentment and peace.
In Him,
Philip, Deb, Beth and Zack

"The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again, along with the joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the Lord. They will sing, ‘Give thanks to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, for the Lord is good. His faithful love endures forever!’ "
Jeremiah 33:11, NLT

Making a Difference

I came across this most wonderful idea in a magazine I was looking through just the other day.

Technology has brought us to a place where the written note is becoming obsolete. We, myself included, find it easier to zap and e-mail or dial a number rather than to write a letter or send a card. With that revelation, I have determined to make a conscious effort to actually, physically write to folks...be it a letter or a card or a small note.

Now, that doesn't mean that I'm signing off from tech world, just want to make things a bit more personal.

Anyway...back to this great idea!!....

Seems like you can recycle your old Christmas, birthday, thank-you...any-kind-of cards and make a huge difference in the lives of abused, abandoned and neglected children.

These kids remove the front of the donated cards and make new ones sold in packets of 10.
You have until February 28, 2010 to send in your old cards.

Click on the link below to go to the site that will give you all the information you need.


http://www.stjudesranch.org/help_card.php


What a wonderful way to recycle and make a difference in someone's life!!!!

Random Dozen

DH and I spent a wonderful weekend talking and just reconnecting. We spoke about priorities and how we'd both like to see things happen within our family unit.

While I'm still not going back to regular posting until mid-next week, I did want to join up with Linda for Random Dozen.

Click here to join in on the fun!

1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinary adventurous?

I always ask the family what they'd like for Thanksgiving dinner and they are very much the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it' folks. We're going traditional.

2. Tell me something concrete that you're thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like "hope.")

Easy. Philip, Beth and Zack.

3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you're thankful for.

Salvation, hope and a home in Heaven.

4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory.

Several years ago, we hosted a family for Thanksgiving that had no family in the area to share the day with. It was an older gentleman and his wife and we had probably one of the best days listening to his stories and their adventures. We tried to bless, but ended up being blessed.

5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year?

Watching the Macy's Day Parade!!

6. Do your pets get any left-overs?

Of course!! Everyone in our family gets to enjoy the special things.

7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying?

Yes, we hold hands and DH leads our prayer. Before that though, we each go around the table and tell about what we are thankful for. I can't remember ever getting through that dry-eyed. There are always many happy tears.....even from my teenage son!..

8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing?

No, we don't do football. ( I know, I know, living where we live and we're not big on football!!) but it's true. We usually watch a movie, play games and catch naps!!

9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing?

Nope...not going to happen..no way. Nada.

10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving?

Fairly well. Being a homeschooling family of 12 years, we've studied pretty in depth!

11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying?

Sweet potato!!!!!!

12. Do you feel for the turkey?? (This is a humorous throw back question related to the 12th question in another Random Dozen!)

Sure. I feel for the breast meat, then I feel it as I pick it up and shove it in my mouth. Ole' Tom usually feels pretty good!!!

Worship Him

"Sing praises to God and to His name! Sing loud praises to Him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord—rejoice in His presence!"
Psalm 68:4, NLT

Being Transparent.......

I know I promised a Created to be His Help Meet post but life has a way of happening.

Anyone who has visited my blog for any length of time knows that being a Biblical wife is my highest earthly priority. So now I'm going to be a bit transparent.....

This morning, my sweet husband let me know that there are a few areas that I'm "dropping the ball" so to speak. It was hard to hear and hard to deal with because submission is an area that I must work on sometimes minute by minute. It doesn't always come easy.

First of all, to my hubby...I'm sorry.

Second, in light of what I've learned, I'll be taking a short break from blogging. I won't be doing daily posts again until December 1st. If God puts something on my heart to share, then I'm sure He'll also allow the time I need to do the post. I hope you'll understand and know that I'll miss each of you, but I will be back soon.

Do check in and see if there has been any action going on.

I do pray that each and every one of you will have a blessed Thanksgiving. I pray that you will truly take the time to slow down, look around and truly be thankful for the bountiful blessings you have.

With Christ's Love.....

Uhhh..Ummm....It's Not What You Think....Really....

I just ran out of time....No excuses, I just ran out of time.

I needed to make a quick Christmas gift run for those teens of ours, and it had to be meticulously timed. That forced me to kill time that I normally wouldn't have to.

So.....usually the next post of Created to be His Help Meet would be here for you to read today instead of my rambling and running around and around this bush.

But....if you'll come back later this afternoon, I'll have that post posted and ready for you to read and hopefully move forward in your pursuit of becoming a better help meet to your man!!

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday and time to join up with Sonya over at Truth 4 the Journey for Thankful Thursday. It's a time we set aside to list five things that we are truly thankful for.

It is such a blessing to be able to share what I am thankful for and rejoice with you in how God has blessed you as well.

Click here to join us in sharing the faithfulness of God!!!

Here are my thankfuls for this week......

1) I am thankful that my two teenagers strive to keep their lunch dates with each other. Every other week when they get paid, they go to lunch and spend the afternoon together. It blesses me so much to know that they are out together, making time for each other and strengthening the relationship they have together. I pray it is something they will continue all of their adult lives.

2) I am thankful for how well DD is doing 3 months into her dating sabbatical. She is at the halfway point and God has healed and revealed so much to her. She has grown so much in Him over these 3 months and it has been truly a blessing to get to witness that.

3) I am thankful for DD and DS who, upon meeting a family who had lost everything and was living in a hotel, went together and bought food and treasures for a Mom, Dad and 5 children who feel all hope is lost. They encouraged them and told them about Jesus and planted seeds that I know will grow and produce for Him!

4) I am thankful for DS's resolve to be faithful even when it means upsetting his girlfriend. She's a wonderful young lady, but is still learning that obedience to the calling of God is above anything else you can or could ever do.

5) I am thankful for my wonderful husband who has been by my side for almost 26 years and has been my total and complete strength and help in raising the beautiful teenagers we have today.

And one more..........I am most thankful to my Father in Heaven Who saw fit almost 18 years ago to draw on my heart and the heart of my husband. He saved us, restored my marriage and has blessed me with such a wonderful family. He is worthy to be praised!!!

"Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure His greatness."
Psalm 145:3, NLT

Random Dozen

I thought that I would try something different this week and I decided to join up with Linda over at 2nd Cup of Coffee for the Random Dozen.

I've been reading these for a few weeks and found them fun and interesting as well. Why don't you click here and join us??

1. If you could master one sport, what would it be?
Tennis. Without a doubt, tennis. I love to play around with it as it is. To be able to master it....wow!!

2. When you make a major purchase, do you go with your gut instinct, or do you do research to make an informed decision?
I pretty much go with the price tag. Of course I usually have a general knowledge about what I'm buying, but no in depth research is done.

3. There is an old kids' game that says you can find out what your movie star name would be by using your middle name as your first name and the name of the street you grew up on as your last. What is your movie star name?
Lynn Cermak.....sound's kind of 1940ish, huh?

4. Would you rather give up your favorite music or your favorite food?
Are you kidding?? Two of my favorite things!!! Hmmm......Guess my favorite food. I can eat other things besides pizza, but I've GOT to have my music!!!

5. There are two types of banana preferences. One is pristine yellow, almost to the point of being green; the other is spotty and more ripe. Which is your preference?
Pristine yellow. Spots tell me it's time to add flour and nuts and call it Banana Bread!

6. Your favorite tree is?
Big, huge oak trees. I love to lay on the cool grass underneath on a hot day and just relax....

7. On a scale of 1-10, how tech savvy are you?
-12....no kidding.

8. Has H1N1 touched your family?
Not yet, but with DH working in a hospital and DD and DS working in fast food, we're staying prayed up!

9. Are you an analytical person, or do you just accept things the way they are without questioning or scrutinizing?
I question everything. There must be a reason for _________, and I find it hard to be satisfied if it can't be explained.

10. Is your personality more like that of a dog, cat, or Koala?
Most likely a cat. I'm quite content to be pampered and adored and then go off on my own until I need you to pamper and adore again!----Not really. While I do love being pampered, I truly am that loyal dog. Even if you kick me when I'm down, I'm not going to give up on you or on our relationship.

11. Do you keep in touch with friends you made years ago?
Actually I do try but I get frustrated when they don't return the effort..

12. You are checking out at a grocery store. In the express lane, there are more people than the regular lanes, but of course, their load is less than those in the regular lanes. Which lane do you choose (assuming you qualify for the express lane) and why?

I usually take a moment and watch the cashier. If she/he seems confident in her/his job, I'll wait in the express lane. It will usually move faster. If the cashier seems a bit unsure or isn't interested in being there or doing the job to the best of her/his ability, I'll go to another lane--usually self-check if the store has one!

Six Mondays and Counting

Hopefully you've been doing a few things that we've been talking about to make your Christmas season much easier and a lot less stressful!!

Now is a good time to begin putting up those outdoor lights if you haven't already. With Thanksgiving just a little over a week away, serious decoraters know that now is the time to get the outdoor stuff done.

It's also a good time to get the gifts you've already purchased wrapped. If your like my family, the tree often goes up just a few days after Christmas and I love to be able to put even a few gifts beneath it.

I've mentioned this before, but the sales are running rampant on the baking ingredients..(the coupons are almost as good too!!)

Make sure you've gotten that list of goodies you and your family want to bake together--remember it's about slowing down and enjoying your family!!!!--and gone over the list of ingredients you need and get those purchased. Nothing is more frustrating than to be in the middle of a recipe only to find out you're missing a most important ingredient.

Do one last check of that Christmas card list to make sure that you have prepared a card for every person you want to send one to. Buy those stamps and have them ready to go in the mail the day after Christmas.

It's taking care of these things a little at a time that will enable you to have a stress-free, wonderful Christmas season!!!

Worship Him

"Honor the Lord for the glory of His name.Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness."
Psalm 29:2, NLT

Studying...Created to be His Help Meet

We are studying the book by Debi Pearl, Created to be His Help Meet. Through our study of this book, we are going to learn what it means to be a help meet and actually living the role that God created us as women to fill. I've read this book once before and applied many of the things that Mrs. Pearl spoke of, and it has transformed an already good marriage into nothing short of awesome!! I encourage you to purchase this book and follow along or at the very least, check out the Pearl's website at http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/
Any text taken directly from Mrs. Pearl's book will be highlighted in blue.

I realize that in studying Created to be His Help Meet at the rate of one chapter per week, we will be doing this study for approximately 24 weeks. We could go at this at a much faster rate, but I believe that if we truly want to change and fill our God given rolls as help meet to our husbands, then we need to take things slower and put into practice what we are learning. I hope you agree and stay the course with me as we become better help meets together.

Part 1: The Help Meet

Chapter 13: The Great Mystery (Part one)

Have you ever thought about your relationship with your husband in comparison to the Church's relationship to Christ? The Church is to be obedient, reverent and submissive to Christ. Think about these requirements and think about putting them into action as wives toward our husbands.

Mrs Pearl defines each for us:

1. Obedience: doing what you know the other person wants you to do.

2. Submission: your heart giving over to the other person's will

3. Reverence: more than just doing what a man expects or demands. It is an act of the woman's will to treat him with a high degree of regard and awe.

She reminds us that all of these are acts of the will, not something that comes naturally or easily. Willing yourself to do something requires discipline on your part.

She shares with us a letter from a woman who was married to a man who frequented strip clubs and prostitutes. She really wanted a divorce and everyone she met agreed that she should get one except for one couple. This couple shared with her what God's love truly is. She decided to honor God so she stayed with her husband. She shared that it wasn't easy in the beginning and she did cry and complain a lot. But as God's love is working through her and her husband is making progress. She states that there are days when she'd still love to "wring his neck" , but she is believing God and His promises.

Mrs. Pearl tells us that this "creep of a husband is the fortunate recipient of honor being given to God." Even if this man never comes to the saving knowledge of Christ, this wife will be rewarded for her obedience to God through her husband.

Mrs. Pearl asks us to reflect on our thoughts about our husbands. How many times in a day are our thoughts negative? If he forgot to take out the trash or pick up his dirty socks, do we go over that again and again in our mind, tearing down our husbands and building up a pretty mean attitude within ourselves? Remember if we focus on the negatives, we will spew negative out of our mouths.

He forgot the trash? Instead of being negative, just take it out yourself and while you're doing that change the focus from the fact that he didn't take it out to he deserves to rest after a hard day of working a job that supports his family.

Didn't pick up those socks? Pick them up and thank God for the precious feet that hold up the man that goes to work everyday and supports his family.

See? Just a simple change in your attitude will totally turn the situation around.

Next week: The Great Mystery (Part two)

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday and time to join up with Sonya over at Truth 4 the Journey for Thankful Thursday. It's a time we set aside to list five things that we are truly thankful for.

It is such a blessing to be able to share what I am thankful for and rejoice with you in how God has blessed you as well.

Click here to join us in sharing the faithfulness of God!!!

Here are my thankfuls for this week......

1) I am thankful for confirmation from God. Sunday night at church we had a visiting evangelist and the service was awesome!!...although right now I can't tell you what the message was about. The evangelist gave an altar call and for whatever reason....satan....I didn't move. Then, I couldn't stand it any longer and headed to the altar. Next thing I know, I'm holding a prayer cloth and the evangelist is eyeball to eyeball with me and when he spoke, God came out of his mouth!! It was so totally awesome to hear God tell me that He knows what I'm battling and that He is ready and more than able to take me by the hand and deliver me from the bondages that satan is trying so hard to keep me in.

2) I am thankful that my guys had a safe and wonderful weekend camping. They came home full of laughter and fun stories to share. Even throughout this week, they've made little statements that make no sense to me and DD, but will put them doubled over in laughter!

3) I am thankful for this sweet, sweet man at church nicknamed Mayor. He always greats me with a laugh and a smile and when he shakes my hand, he slips a peppermint in it. What a true blessing of happiness he is!!

4) I am thankful that my Dad's follow up Dr visit went well. Since his heart surgery, he's been a bit more tired, but the Dr is pleased with how well he is coming along.

5) I am thankful for my new WOW 2010, cd!! Seriously. I got a great deal on it, but there are some awesome God songs on there that do wonders in bringing me before the throne in praise to my Savior!

"My cup overflows with blessings."
Psalm 23: 5, NLT

Family Favorites

We've all been there. A sweet tooth hits and there is nothing in the house. Guests drop in and you'd love to serve them something warm and yummy, but you don't have a lot of time or ingredients. You're in the middle of cooking supper and you decide a nice finish would be dessert.
I have the perfect recipe and it's doubly nice this time of year.

It only takes 6 ingredients and is super easy to stir up and pop in the oven.
Hope you enjoy!!!

Apple Crumble

1 cup baking mix (such as Bisquick)
3/4 cup brown sugar
½ cup quick-cooking oats
¼ cup margarine
2 cups sliced apples
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Grease the bottom and sides of an 8x8 baking dish. Blend first three ingredients in a bowl. Cut margarine into bits and add to mix. Spread 1/3 of oat mixture in bottom of pan. Place apple slices over mixture. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture and cinnamon. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350ºF. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

As always, if this recipe is original to you, e-mail me and I'll be glad to give you a shout out!!

Tips & Quips

I don't know about your refrigerator, but mine tends to hide things. I put leftovers in and they disappear! I wish I could tell you that some wonderful family member had eaten them, but no...our fridge is enjoying a wonderful game of hide-n-seek with them.

Now, it's really sweet that our fridge just wants to be included in our family fun times, but quite frankly, Fridge's little game is costing this family some precious dollars, not to mention the fact that we are wasting enough that could literally feed one or two adults.

This isn't being a good steward of our finances or the food that God has blessed us with. In our home, if a leftover hasn't been eaten within a day or two, chances are it's not going to be eaten.
Yesterday I decided to clean out the fridge and what I found made me totally ashamed. I threw out an ice cream bucket full of food.

God was dealing with me with each swipe of the spatula around yet another bowl of wastefulness when He finally got through this thick skull and said, "What is good, freeze." I said, "But it's just a bite here or a bite there." He reminded me, "It's enough for one."

Then ding!!! That little light bulb turned on and the result was this:



4 bags of leftovers. Some stroganoff, a pork chop, some bbq and some polish sausage/sauce mix (family favorite from my growing up days!).

Looking at this food separated into these bags made me realize that even more than I thought was being thrown out and I was very disappointed in myself.

So, my tip....if you haven't eaten those leftovers, freeze them. Do them in single serving sizes for those times when it's just one or two eating, or when you don't want to cook and take out would strain that budget.

We are BLESSED!!!!!!! It's time we began taking care of all of our blessings including leftovers..

Seven Mondays and Counting

Now is a good time to be thinking about Christmas lights, especially if you decorate with lights outside like we do.

I didn't use many lights outside in years past because of the way that Christmas lights really hit the electric bill. But today, ahhh today we are blessed with LED lights and these babies are energy efficient!!!

Last year I did a post on the efficiency of these lights and how wonderful they were. Click here to read that post.

LED's can be expensive, but thanks to Home Depot and the promotion they are running between now through November 15th, LED's are very affordable.

If you bring in a string of your old Christmas lights, Home Depot will give you a coupon worth $3 off the purchase of LED's!! To make this an even better deal, through the promotional period, they have their LED's for $5.97 each, minus the $3 coupon means you can get these lights for $2.97!!! AND if that isn't enough, you can do this 5 times!!!!

(As with any promotional, check your area's Home Depot to make sure they are participating in this!)

I believe the light they give off is much prettier than the traditional lights and they don't get hot to the touch!!!

So, grab 5 sets of your old lights and $15 (or so) and head over to Home Depot! Your wallet will be glad you did!