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%