Welcome To 2009

Another Year Is Dawning

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be

In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.

Another year of progress, another year of praise,

Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,

Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;

Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;

Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,

Another year of training for holier work above.

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be

On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

Frances R. Havergal, 1836-1879

God's Gift To The World

Merry Christmas!

Christmas. I love Christmas! But what do I love about it? Do I love the worldly ideal of Christmas-the decorations, the music, the baking, the shopping, traditions- or do I truly love what caused us to put aside this special day in the first place?

I would love to say that Christmas to me IS about Christ, but is it really true? When I think of Christmas of course I think of that night centuries ago when God appeared in human flesh but right on the heels of that thought is the tree, the "what am I gonna get everyone", the food, the songs. All those are great things but when they surpass Christ and we begin to lose sight of a Kingly Babe come to redeem His people, than all we have is shallow celebration that leaves us empty at the end of day.

The Christmas season comes and goes really quickly for those of us who love it and as kids we look forward to it all year, but on December 26, it's over. That is, if it's just all about what the world says it is.

But if Christmas goes deeper in your heart, it doesn't have to end when you unwrap that last gift, put the decorations away or when the last candy cane has been eaten. No, the true meaning of Christmas really should be a year round celebration in our hearts.

This season-to the world- is centered around gifts but in a way, for the Christian it is too. For that first Christmas was the day we received a gift that goes beyond any gift ever even thought of. On that day God gave the world Himself. In one seemingly insignificant night, in an insignificant town, to insignificant people, God came. No one noticed but silently God slipped His gift into the world and laid it in a manager.

People today seem to take gifts for granted. They don't realize sometimes what gifts cost as long as they get them. But do we understand what God's gift to us cost Him? For in the shadow of that manager loomed a cross. Why? For you, for me, for the world.

May we, this Christmas and every day of the year, understand that God's gift was more than a sweet nativity, it was also a cross. It was ultimate redemption by the shedding of the blood of the Babe we celebrate on this day.

Looking at it like that, Christmas IS Christ.

I read this quote somewhere and I think it's fitting here- "We can not truly appreciate the gift, if we do not truly understand the cost."

Thank you, dear God, for your miraculous gift!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11

MERRY CHRISTMAS (EVE)

Since I was a very bad girl this year and didn't send out Christmas cards, I will now wish you a wonderful Christmas and pray that 2009 will be a blessed year for all of you.

Out In The Cold Night

It's 1 am. Yes I should be in bed but I can't sleep.
So here I am, catching up on this blog that has been sadly neglected this month.
As I'm sitting here, ice is pelting against my window at a rather alarming rate, snow is falling softly to the ground and the snow plows are hard at work making sure that when we all get up in the morning we will be as safe as possible on the roads.
To this I say, thank you Mr. snow plow people.
I'm pretty sure that our maintenance men and the manager of the apts. are the ones doing this. During the winter, in every storm, they are out salting, shoveling, plowing and generally doing all the work while we stay warm and snug as a bug inside our heated homes.
I know it's their job but I'm impressed. Especially at 1 am. I wonder if they ever get a "thank you". I wonder how many people notice.
There are a lot of hard, thankless jobs out there and this is certainly one of them. Especially considering I know for a fact that they have been at it all day.
I'm thankful for these kinds of people, those who do their job and do it well. Because of them, we have a little more peace of mind. Because they don't quit when they could or when they feel like it, we are safer.
Hmm, there's a lesson for all of us in there somewhere.

Summary Of Our Trip To Washington

The thoughts they are a swirlin' as I sit down to write a post about our recent trip to the beautiful pacific northwest to see V's family. V was on vacation for awhile so we flew out to spend time with them and celebrate the Christmas season with them. We got back last week.
How in the world can I put into a few short sentences (or paragraphs) all that we did, all that I thought or convey to you how very much we enjoyed our stay? It's impossible so I won't even try.
There was so much going on during our trip that I'm not even sure I could remember every moment or event. It was a jumble of activity so I'll only hit the high notes.
Right after we got there we were able to see V's brother Adrian gradute. So, in honor of that...

CONGRATULATIONS!

The next big event (and the best Christmas gift) was LeAnn and her family driving all the way down to see us. We had a wonderful time.We stayed up late playing Cranium, played a little pool
(it's okay, LeAnn, I won't post the pics), helped the kids make a gingerbread house, baked cookies and just gabbed. However, all too quickly the time for them to leave was upon us and we had to say good-bye. I'm just thankful for the time we had.

After they left it got really cold so we stayed pretty much close to home, not even sticking our noses too far out the door. We had a little bit of snow which just added to our Christmasy celebration. It was the perfect finishing touch.
One night, V, A and Dad got out the music and we had a jam session. My favorite group is Adrian and Vince with Dad on drums. They don't know it, but I'm pretty partial to them and I could listen to them play all day long. Folks, they are pretty good (and funny).

Before we left we had our Christmas with the family. This is the first year (I think) that we have been able to spend the season with them so that was a real blessing. (We missed you Marissa & Erik.)
Some of the other events that were scattered throughout our stay-
*a graduation party for A
*the honor of meeting a precious older gentleman that is a friend of the family
*a cookie exchange- (too many sweets, not enough me!)
*trips to Winco and Kohls (but I'm bummed that I didn't get my bubble tea)
and I'm pretty sure there was more in there that I forgot. See? Jumbled thoughts.
But it was a precious time and I treasure every moment.

Here's some random pics-

Vince and Adrian
LeAnn & Me

LeAnn & Chris

LeAnn

Vince cooking his famous spaghetti sauce

Dad & V

Playing PoolMom & Dad

More of the jam session.

There you have it folks, the post of my jumbled thoughts on the summary of our, as always, fabulous trip to Washington.

The Holidays According To Me

A Holiday Questionnaire

1.Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Choc- always. My mom used to make the best hot chocolate. When I’m visiting her in the winter I still ask her to make it for me. Mothers touch and all that. I make the real stuff at home too. Swiss Miss can't compare. There’s something so comforting about wrapping your hands around a steaming mug of cocoa and taking that first smooth, chocolaty taste.
Oh, and I know this isn’t an option but I’m making it one. Candy Cane Lane tea is good too. So yummy!
2.Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?Wrapped…it’s much more fun that way. Where’s the fun in unwrapped gifts? Besides, I love the look of presents under the tree, wrapped in different colored paper with ribbons and bows.
3. Colored lights on house/tree or white? This is a quandary for me. I like both. I love the elegance of all white but then, I love the fun and festivity of colored lights with a variety of brightly colored ornaments.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Yes... and it gets used. ;)
5.When do you put your decorations up? Normally in the days following Thanksgiving, but this year it was a little later than usual. Mostly because I had to dig them out of the closet of doom.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Hmmm, I guess I’d have to say duck. Most of the other dishes that are traditional in our family are just Thanksgiving repeats, but V and I have made it a tradition to have duck for our Christmas meal. That’s the only time of year we get it so I live it up!
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Any Christmas spent with my grandparents.
8.When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I never believed he was real. I always got presents from “Santa” but I was well aware of the fact that they were just other presents from my family.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? When I was a kid we did but we don’t now. I much prefer opening them all on Christmas morning because if I open one gift on Christmas Eve, I don’t wanna stop there. I’m greedy.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Since we only have a small tree it’s decorated with white lights, gold garland and red bows. We have once ornament on it that is almost as big as the tree but it has to be there. It’s the ornament we got our first Christmas. I’d love to put more ornaments on but if I did, the thing would topple over.When we get a house I will have a real tree, not a fake one, and it will probably be decorated with colorful lights and random ornaments that I’ve collected through the years, some of which are very special to me for different reasons. There will be pretty ribbon and probably candy canes that won’t stay on very long because V will pick them off one by one until they are gone.
11. Snow. Love it or dread it? Love it if I can stay inside and cuddle up with a hot beverage and my man. If I have to go out, it’s not my favorite thing. But it is very pretty and there’s something very peaceful about a fresh blanket of snow on the ground.
12. Can you ice skate? No, unless the object is to spend most of the time scooting along on your backside.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My favorite gift was V. We met the first of December and that Christmas was wonderful. This year, my favorite gift was being able to see LeAnn and her family in Washington and spending time with not only them, but V’s family. Don’t ask me what my favorite non-human gift is, I have been so blessed and anything I have received I have loved because it means someone took the time to get me something, wrap it up and give it in love.
14. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you? The whole holiday experience is meaningful to me.
I love being with friends and family, sharing in the celebrations with parties, music and lots of food. I enjoy the special church events, nights curled up watching the Christmas lights sparkle while carols waft through the air, putting up decorations that bring back special memories.
I love the baking, the excitement in the air, traditions and the shopping!
I love the special type of worship that comes along with this season as we are reminded of what the birth of Jesus really means and what we have because of it.
I love the thought that Christmas is the fulfillment of prophecies and promises from so many years past to a hurting and lost people that were completed and wrapped up in a tiny babe. And the wonder and glorious praise that was triumphantly shouted by the host of angels as they announced this birth, not only to the shepherds in the field, but to the world.
I just love the whole miracle of Christmas and the fact that the birth of one tiny Baby gives me the eternal hope I have.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? You name it, it’s my favorite.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Listening to the Messiah. I sometimes complain because it gets played so much at our house but I do love it. That and the Amoeba Christmas.
17. What tops your Christmas tree? A gold star
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Both! I love finding the perfect gift for someone, wrapping it up and waiting to see the smile on their face when they unwrap it but I like getting things too. It’s always interesting to see how gifts reflect the personality of the giver or to get something that really makes me smile.
19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Well, I have several so here are a few in no particular order.
*O Holy Night
*O Come, O Come Emmanuel
*What Child Is This?
* Silent Night
*Welcome To Our World
20. Candy Canes. Yum or Yuck? Yum!
Here’s A little candy cane trick I learned from LeAnn that has become a special treat for me- thanks deary.
One cup of coffee, with hot cocoa to taste and a crushed up candy cane stirred in, topped off with a bit of whipped cream. Double Yum!
21. What do you want for Christmas? I’ve already got what I want. Yeah, I know it’s not Christmas yet, but V and I went to Frankenmuth and got what we wanted early. I got a complete set of corelle wear dishes. Now I match! He didn’t want to get it without me because I needed to pick out the pattern. We got a good deal and that’s all I want for Christmas. I’m not sure we’ll have anything to unwrap this year since we already got the gifts we wanted but since we are both happy with what we got, it’s not important to us. Can you say Christmas spoil sports!
22. Do you attend an annual Christmas party? Not really. But there’s always a party to go to. Just not one that you can count on happening every year.
23. Do you dress up for Christmas Eve or wear PJ's? Pj’s- We’re all about comfort in this house. I do manage to dress up if we go out or if we happen to be celebrating with other people.
24. Do you own a Santa hat? I think I do, somewhere, but I don’t know where it is. Probably in Oklahoma at my parents house with my plastic totes full of decorations and festive items that have never quite made it up here.
25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with?

There’s not a “normally” with us.


Okay, so there you go. My holiday in a nutshell.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Time Is Here

Today I made the Christmas season official at our house. I spent the day putting up decorations and making the place look festive.
I hung the garland and bows, trimmed the tree, brought out all the little Christmasy knick knacks and all my cute little snowmen and even hung a pretty wreath on the door. All in all, our apartment now looks like it is indeed in the Christmas spirit.
I just LOVE Christmas!
But after a day of decking the halls, many rounds of Winter Wonderland and Sleigh Ride on the radio and a little bit of laundry and vacuuming thrown in, I'm kinda tired.
I'm going to bed soon and let the visions of sugarplums start dancing in my head.
To all a goodnight.

Car Of The Future?

Check this out- how cool is that?
I know it's a little...odd but there's a certain cuteness to it. Wouldn't you love to have one? Think about the looks you'd get.
I think it'd be fun!

Bargins or Bust

In my unending quest to find a good deal, I officially became one of the crazy people who sets their alarm clock for the wee small hours of the night and bravely goes off to face the daunting crowds and long lines out in the cold just to have the satisfaction of getting those "fabulous deals" that Black Friday promises.
My brave face lasted until I pulled into the Wal-mart parking lot a little before 5 am and saw the line of people wrapped around the side of the store all the way to the back of the building. One has to wonder at the sanity of someone who would stand out in the cold for that long and then once inside fight and bump and claw your way to the department you want and then elbow and knee your way to the display where hangs your goal. If it's still there.
This is my new definition of insanity.
Sadly, after all that, I found NOTHING, notta, zilch that I wanted and the prices weren't that exceptional.
Lest you feel sorry for me (or call the loony bin after me) I did go to Kohls, Best Buy and JcPenney and found some pretty decent deals. I got some more Christmas shopping done and bought a little something for me at a very nice price.
Although I found these things, I have to wonder, was it worth it? I think I would almost pay a little more NOT to have to get up early, brave the cold, fight the crowds and come home feeling tired at 9 am. But it was an experience. One I'm not sure I'll be repeating. Ever.
I'm beginning to understand why they call it Black Friday.

A Prayer For Thanksgiving

(I got this prayer off a flyer from a store in Frankenmuth. I hope it touches your heart.)

They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

Psalm 145:7

Lord, as I sit down at a Thanksgiving table once again,

I want to thank You for Your goodness to me.

Thank You for meeting my needs every day- for food and shelter and clothing, and for the many extras You provide that I so often take for granted.

Thank You for family and friends who make my life complete. Thank You that even when we are miles apart, we are bound by the cords of Your love.

Thank You that I live in a country where I am free to worship You and to read Your Word.

Most of all, I thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the "light of the world". When I turned to Him, He flooded the darkness of my soul with the light of Your love.

Thank You that He not only died for my sins, but that He is alive today at Your side- hearing my prayers and preparing a home for me in Heaven.

Thank You that Jesus came into this world and took up residence in my life as Saviour, Lord, and God.

Thank You for all that You have given me as a Christian: The Holy Spirit who is Your presence in my life, the Bible that is a light to my pathway, and Christian friends who encourage and help me.

Thank You that I can face tomorrow with hope because Jesus is living for me.

O, Lord, how truly rich I am!

Thank You for all You mean to me.
Amen

"...Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations. "

Psalm 100: 4-5

****

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power

and the glory and the majesty

and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;

you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name."

Psalm 95:1-6

"Oh come, let us sing to the LORD!

Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;

Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

For the LORD is the great God,

And the great King above all gods.

In His hand are the deep places of the earth;

The heights of the hills are His also.

The sea is His, for He made it;

And His hands formed the dry land.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker."

For Thanksgiving I'm The Stuffed Turkey

Because Vince will be working Thanksgiving day we have already had our big meal. Tomorrow while all of you are eating your freshly carved turkey and digging into all the fixin's, I'll be on round 3 of ours. Vince will be too, as he sits in a hotel room and eats his next round from a rubbermaid container brought from home.

We had a lovely meal but as always, I fixed way too much. I always have this debate with myself about the pros and cons of having a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the traditional foods vs. just fixing what's sane since there is just two of us.

As always sanity never wins.

When we sat down to eat, hungry and ready to dig in, all the food looked so good and we were looking forward to the pumpkin pie afterwards.

In what seemed like no time at all we were both groaning and looking at the table, thinking "did we even make a dint in this?" And needless to say, the pumpkin pie didn't even get touched until much later. I spent a good chunk of the day preparing this lovely feast and when we were as stuffed as the poor turkey on the table it looked like we hadn't touched it.

Vince was so full that he laid on the couch and just groaned for a bit. Either the food was really good or really bad. ;)

What do you think?

As a side note, a family from church has invited me to spend Thanksgiving Day with them so I'm going to go, have fun and enjoy the blessing of good friends. I guess this turkey will get a little more stuffed.

For Today

Outside my Window... darkness has fallen on my little world and occasional snowflakes are falling.

I am thinking... about Thanksgiving dinner.
I am feeling… slightly lonely with Vince gone.
I am reading... some of my favorite blogs.
I am hoping... (wishing) that my mom could come out for Christmas.
I am creating... homemade cards with the new supplies I got on sale.

I am hearing... the quiet.
From the kitchen... leftovers.
Scripture read in devotions today… Acts 13 & 14
One of my favorite things... Pumpkin spice creamer
I am inspired… by women who love and serve God wholeheartedly.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week… laundry, spend time in God’s word, spend time with Vince, work on a few projects, Christmas shopping, shop for Thanksgiving dinner

and go to church.
For Today…
I will realize that my hope and happiness lies in no other place than Jesus Christ.
For Today…
I will serve Him, love Him and give Him all of me.

Here is a picture that makes me smile...

Did I Do That?

When I do something, I like to do it up big and when I break something I like to make sure it is good and broke.
So, on the day I decided to break the Internet I thought "why stop there?", so I broke our TV too. Yep, I'm that good.
It's a long story and I won't go into it but somehow I managed to completely mess up our whole Internet connection. We have just recently got it working again after a few days and many long hours talking to customer service (and I use the term "service" loosely).
There are still some issues that aren't fixed yet and it's getting frustrating because random things just keep popping up on our screen that I don't understand. And of course this always happen when Vince is gone.
Since we get our TV service through our Internet, there isn't any TV either and we still don't have that back up and running. I have a feeling this will require more days and more hours on the phone.
All I did was change one little thing on the computer and all this happened. When I open up a can of worms I let them all slither out.
Vince has been really good about this whole thing. I think he's getting used to fixing my mistakes. I don't know what I'd do without him. He's a sweetie!

For My Man

Yesterday was Vince's birthday so,

I adore you, my love.
Thanks for being the best husband in the world. You're my hero.

What Is That White Stuff In The Sky?

It snowed today!
It looked so pretty dancing in the air as it fell softly and silently to the earth. I felt like I was in a snowglobe.
It didn't last and was pretty much melted as soon as it stopped snowing but it's offical, we've had the first snow of the season.
So with that, I'm off to bundle up under my covers.
I bid you goodnight.

Tis The Season To Go Shopping

Today it starts... the dizzying, confusing, tiring, running around, bargain hunting yet wallet breaking and oh so fun process of finding a Christmas gift for our dear loved ones.
It's always an interesting process for me, one that I have such high hopes for at the beginning of my shopping season but slowly I become slightly disheartened as I run out of time, still not having found that "perfect" gift. Sadly, by the end (should I be admitting this?) with a few short days, sometimes hours, left I end up getting gifts for these special people that are, in my opinion, less than what I had hoped. I feel I settled just so I can quickly wrap something up and throw it under the tree.
So this year, in the hopes of trying to keep that scenario from happening, I started early, here and now, today.
So far I spent 4 hours shopping and bought 2 gifts. I'm not sure what that says about my ability here.
The problems lies in that I want each person to understand, through our gifts how much we truly love them. I want them to be as happy to receive our gifts as we are to give it. To me, giving a gift to someone is saying, "I love you, you are important to me, take this gift as a way of me showing my gratitude for just being who you are and being in my life." That's a lot to expect out of a gift so to find something that says that, well it takes time. And frankly I have to wonder if the fuzzy cozy socks I give someone communicates this effectively enough. But since I truly love fuzzy cozy socks, that's what it would say if someone gave that particular gift to me. (that's not really TOO big a hint though.)
However, I must keep in mind, in the process of going from store to store, comparing prices, colors, styles and similar items, that it's not really about gifts. Is it just me or do we get so consumed with finding (or getting) that perfect gift that we lose sight of the sacredness of the season? In the hunting down and giving of gifts this year, lets try to stay focused on THE Gift.
Gifts are nice and its fun to walk through the stores, seeing the decorations and getting a spring in your step as you listen to the Christmas music fill the air, but it's getting to be so much about the gifts and "what will I get this year" that Christmas is more about the boxes wrapped in shiny paper under the tree than a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes laying in a manger.
I want to take this season slow (hard to do I know, when the stores are shoving it down your throat before Halloween.) I want to savor it and rejoice in the reason for our celebrations! Christ, the promised One, is here! Not, Santa, the fat little red man who gives us stuff.
The season will soon be here (but it's NOT here yet people!) and I'm excited because I love Christmas and all it is but let's prepare our hearts for more than decorating a tree, singing Jingle Bells and opening presents around a fire. Let's prepare for the miracle that was God coming to earth as a baby, born of a virgin, to save us all.

Go Vote!

Well, I have nothing to say on this subject because I believe that most people who are reading this already plan to vote so I guess all that's left to say is, Have you voted yet? If not, why are reading this? Get going!
I found this blog entry on one of my favorite blogs that seems to echo my sentiments and I think it's rather cute.
But anyway, I am resting in the fact that God has this in His hands and He's not a bit worried about it.

Daniel 2:20-21

20 Daniel answered and said:

“ Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

For wisdom and might are His.

21 And He changes the times and the seasons;

He removes kings and raises up kings;

He gives wisdom to the wise

And knowledge to those who have understanding.

In the end, no matter what the outcome, may our trust be in God alone and not in America or it's government. In GOD we trust!

Just A Reminder

Pray for our country!

My Attitude of Gratitude

In the normal routine of life we often forget to stop and count our blessings. We so easily take them for granted or simply breeze over them, not seeing them for the blessings they are.
So in the spirit of the Thanksgiving season that will soon be upon us I’m starting something that I’ve been thinking of doing for a long time.
I’m going to start taking a few minutes a day for a month and purposely make a list (you know how much I love lists!) of at least 10 things God has blessed me with that day. Then I’m going to take a little longer and truly thank God for them.
It can range anywhere from simple things that I enjoy to big blessings that are truly “hugs from God”.
I know that some days it is very hard to find the silver lining to our days and as we are climbing into bed we wonder why the day even was, but each day (good and bad, come what may) is a gracious gift from our Father who holds our days, our hours in His hands.
In any case, we have so much to be thankful for, great and small, and it’s time we acknowledge it.
Someone once said that it is hard to be blue when you focus on what you have, not what you don’t have. And don’t we have so much? If we were to really think about all we do have, it would at the least make us smile and at the most drive us to our knees in utter praise.

I found this little snippet on a blog and I thought it related well to this endeavor of mine.

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for
you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

That's it. That's all a day asks of me, He asks of me.
Just to give thanks.
It's what I'm made for, to give Him glory.
To glorify Him with gratitude is His perfect will for me,
His perfect plan for this day.

Harvest Fest 2008

Last night we went to the Harvest Fest that our church puts on. They do this every year on Halloween and it's always a lot of fun. Definitely a better way to spend this "holiday" than how most chose to.
This year we spent the evening at a farm that had a corn maze and space that we could take over and party like all good baptists can.
The events of the evening included a chili cook-off, getting lost in the corn maze with a group of teenage girls (it was almost dark by the time we made it out), a hay ride and other small activities for the children.
As the sun was sitting we all found a seat and ate and talked and ate some more. We sure have some good cooks at our church (and some pretty good talkers.)
After darkness settled in and the stars began twinkling in the sky we all huddled around the fire and had a worship service. This was a time of singing, testimonies and a small challenge from our pastor on peace.
Now I ask you, is there a better way to close out an evening (especially Halloween) than to lift up your hearts and voices to God under a clear sparkling sky, feeling Him especially close as you look up into the night and see His glory displayed above?

Creation Museum

About a week ago, Vince and I went to the Creation Museum near Cincinnati. It was awesome! I really couldn't put it all into words but if you ever get a chance, GO!

Here are some pictures to tease you until you can go and make your own memories.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

My Simple Pleasures

Finding Joy in the everyday moments.

* a day out with my husband
* a treat from my favorite coffee house
* taking that first bite of smooth, rich chocolate
* a meal cooked by my husband and served by candlelight and soft music
* the sound of rain on my window
* a bubble bath with Mr.Bubbles
* getting caught up in a really good book
* having a good laugh
* time with a friend
* the wonder of knowing that a sinner like me is the recipient of
God’s great grace and is Heaven bound
* checking off my "to-do" list
* getting a letter (or email) from someone I love
* making someone smile
* enjoying the little things
* holding my husband's hand
* the smell of bread baking
* petting an animal (preferably a nice one!)
* realizing I have a blessed life
* having one of my favorite songs come on the radio,
turning it up and singing along
* brightly colored flowers
* a gentle breeze on a warm sunny day
* cuddling up on a cold dreary day
* waking up on the morning something special is happening
* falling asleep at the end of a productive day
* knowing without a doubt that I am loved

I'm A Little Green

Ever have days when a picture like this is the best representation of how you feel?

Well, welcome to my day.

I woke up with an allergy/head thing and so, not only did I miss church,

but I've spent the day feeling very much like this poor little guy.

I've even been toting around the steaming cup of tea, mint tea in my case.

Hopefully, tomorrow will be better but until then,

I'm just here, feeling puny.

A HUGE...

to the COOLEST, MOST WONDERFUL, AMAZING sister in the universe!
We love you and miss you lots!

Jack Frost's First Appearance

To go along with the fall pictures I thought I should show you the other side of fall. The not so pretty part of fall. Just because I think you should get the full picture here.

A few mornings ago we woke up to this.

If you click on the picture, you can clearly see a thin layer of the frost we got to scrape off. It was the first frost of the year.
This part of fall, I don't like so much. Too bad that Jack Frost will be around to annoy us long after the leaves have all fallen to the ground and blown away. And the thing about Jack Frost is he will soon become very persistant and very nasty, leaving a much thicker layer of ice on our cars every. single. morning. (Do you really miss this, Angie?)

Fall Colors In Michigan

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Blog Blessings

I have found that, floating around in cyberspace, there are a lot of truly amazing blogging women out there. There is so much writing talent that, thanks to blogger, now has an opportunity to be developed and shared with the world.
I am so thankful for these women that have used the talent and creativity God has given them to encourage and inspire all of us.
Blogger has made it possible for normal folks to share a little piece of themselves with people their lives would probably never touch otherwise. It's like sharing a piece of your life and ministering to a bigger chunk of the world than what's in your corner of it.
I have mined many a nugget from these ladies and enjoy reading what they have to say. It amazes me how blessed and encouraged I can get from women I don't even know.
Recently I added links on my sidebar to some of the blogs that I read frequently and have been blessed by. I encourage you, when you have a little time, to read some of their posts. I think you will enjoy it. Happy Reading.

Walk With Me

During the fall season, I love going on strolls down leaf covered pathways, enjoying the sound of the leaves crunching beneath my feet and taking in the breathtaking colors God has painted on each tree.
It's so peaceful.
Vince and I have really enjoyed going on these walks in the late afternoon, as the sun is shining just right through the tree branches, casting beautiful light on everything.
Walking has pretty much become a favorite activity for us and one that I wouldn't trade for anything. More than being good for you, it seems that walking is the perfect time to discuss important issues, make decisions about our future or just talk about what's on our minds.
I have come to cherish these times. It's on these walks that we agreed to start our life together, we have made life changing decisions, worked out problems, listened to the others concerns and grown closer together.
All this while also burning a few calories!
I was thinking about another walk that I treasure- my walk with God.
It has taken me on many different paths, through many seasons and wound around many curves and hills but still I walk. And still I cherish each moment.
What a wonder that the great King of Kings would want me to walk with Him! What a joy His presence is along the way!
On this walk, along His path, I have encountered breathtaking views, beautiful green pastures and quiet waters, but also rocky places, steep mountains and paths hard to navigate, but still I walk, Him ever beside me, and up ahead at the end of the way, He'll walk me home.

Frankenmuth

Since Monday was a beautiful fall day and Vince was off work, we decided to go to Frankenmuth, a town about 2 hours north of us.
We had a wonderful time. It was so pretty up there, the weather was good and fall was definetly in the air.
To share the day with you, here are some pictures. Wish you could have been there!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

May I Introduce To You

This blog, although originally designed for both of us, has become almost all about my life. So for a change of pace, here is a little bit about Vince.
I found this “All About Your Husband” quiz on two other blogs and thought it was sorta cute. Maybe this will help those of you who mostly know me get to know him a little more.

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? Fox news
2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Blue cheese
3. What's one food he doesn't like? My family “spaghetti sauce” recipe. It’s not marinara sauce so Mr. Italian won’t eat it. He doesn't think spaghetti sauce should be orange and says it’s a disgrace to pasta everywhere.
4. You go out to the bar. What does he order? He doesn’t go to bars.
5. Where did he go to high school? Homeschool
6. What size shoe does he wear? 11
7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? Probably something to do with aviation but he’s not really a collecting kind of guy. He used to collect Armadillos though.
8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? Hoagies or Philly Cheesestake
9. What would he eat every day if he could? Roast or his family spaghetti recipe.
10. What is his favorite cereal? He goes in cycles. Right now, oatmeal with frozen raspberries on top, used to be cheerios.
11. What would he never wear? Considering I have pictures of him dressed in a mini skirt and a bra, he’ll wear anything. (Vince reviewed this for accuracy and forced me to mention here that this was a college thing and nothing more.)
12. What is his favorite sports team? Seattle Mariners
13. Who will he vote for? Should I be telling you this? I have a feeling you could probably guess though.
14. Who is his best friend? Me
15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?
There are probably many things he wishes I wouldn’t do but he is a wonderful man and doesn’t usually complain at the things I do. He does tend to groan though when I suffer from this air-headed condition that keeps creeping up. (For examples, read last post.)
16. How many states has he lived in? 4-
Washington, Florida, Tennessee and Michigan
17. What is his heritage? Half Italian/ Half Lebanese
But the best heritage he has is the Godly heritage given to him by his family.
That’s what we want to pass on more than some national heritage that fades a little more with each generation
18. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake? New York Style Cheesecake
19. Did he play sports in high school? Baseball (not on a team though)
20. What could he spend hours doing?
Being with me, but if I’m not around he can spend hours (and sadly this is proven fact) sitting at the computer looking up old election stories and statistics.
21. What is his favorite holiday? The whole Christmas season
22. What is his favorite book? This would imply that he reads, he hates reading, except the Bible, which he reads every day.
23. What first attracted you to him? He was (and still is) sweet and funny and goofy and caring and just downright hot. He’s made me go all gooey inside from day one and still makes me melt.

A Key Unlocks The Door

You know that feeling when suddenly you realize that something isn't right and you have done something bad?
Well, I returned home from church tonight (about 9pm), fished out my keys and walked toward the front door... and then it hit me. I left the house key inside my very locked up house. Since my house key isn't usually separated from my key chain I neglected to pick it up and take it with me when I left for church. And I should mention here that the key was laying right by the key chain so I wouldn't forget it. Now you may ask why I didn't just put the key back on the ring but the simple answer to that is for some reason, it never occurred to me.
So when I got home and found what I had done I realized two things. One, Vince wasn't coming home tonight and two, if I didn't want to spend the night in the cold I was going to have to do something. So, I called the apt. emergency number and found they charge $25 dollars to bring a key to you. Well, thought me, it's cheaper than a hotel room so what choice do I have?
So I make the call only to find out that the poor maintenance man is sick. He's a very sweet man and I hated that I had to bother him but he willingly drove over here and gave me the key. And he even waived the charge for me. See? Nice man.
I feel horrible that he had to save the day for me, especially since it was my own fault.
Those of you who know me know that I have a horrible key track record. I think all my friends should have a copy of our house key and a car key. This would be much safer.
Nothing like this happens when Vince is home. It's always conveniently when he's gone and won't be home for awhile. Sometimes I wonder just how I got so air headed.
I could blame it on the stress I've been under lately or I could blame it on being in a hurry or just being tired, but that doesn't explain the countless other times things like this has happened. It's just sad.
It does make one glad for apartment living. I wonder what will happen when one day we own our own home and there won't be a Joe to bail me out. I guess I'll have to have a plan. I guess I should start developing that plan now.
Now if you will excuse me, I have to go put the house key back on the ring.
Good night.

I Haven't Fallen Off The World

I know it's been awhile but I have an excuse! I was trapped in "no internet" land for 2 weeks. It's a horrible place to be and I don't recommend it.
Actually, I was in Oklahoma helping my mom move in to their new home. It took longer than I thought to get her settled but we managed to go from boxes to beautiful in the time I was there so I guess the whole no internet thing was worth it.
I would like to say I have pictures of my time away but I didn't take the time to photograph anything and since most of my days were spent unpacking, finding a place for things and running around town on errands, there wasn't much to photograph.
But now I'm back home

so we will now resume normal life, for about 2 days, until something else happens.

Gifts of Love

In the last month Vince has bought me three different gifts that I just love. He knows how to make my heart melt.


The first was







FIGS!



The second was






POMEGRANATES!



And the third was










FLOWERS!




Ah, I do so love this man!

Goodbye Old Friend

Today my mom and John are packing up the last remaining items and turning over the key to the house they have lived in for 15 years.
It's kind of a sad moment for me because this is the house that I basically grew up in and every inch of that place holds so many memories, good and bad, happy and sad.
It's a strange thing to think that will no longer be the place I go "home" to when I go to see family. I will no longer pull up in that driveway, open that door, and be welcomed in and embraced by those walls. I won't be able to look out those windows to see the street outside, or listen to the sounds that were always familiar and so comforting.
I could write a long list of things I remember, places in that house that were special to me or that remind me of special moments, events that took place, or even the places around the house, outside, that hold a special spot in my heart.
I can say these things not only of the house itself but also of the town. Since they will be moving to another town, another state, I will be saying goodbye to Neodesha as well.
I'm honeslty surprised that I am so sad about all this but today it has really struck me. But although that home will no longer be a place to call home I can still have the memories wrapped up in that home. And that's enough.
So goodbye old home, goodbye Neodesha.
And I can't help but say thank you to some very dear friends that helped make some very cool memories in the home and throughout Neodesha. Wow did we have some good times there! I will hold them in my heart always.

Guided By An Unseen Hand

There is a picture in my mind of a little boy holding a toy airplane high in the air and flying it all around. This picture is a comfort to me when Vince is away because I sorta picture God doing the same thing. When I pray, I like to think of God holding Vince's plane in His hand, like a boy would his toy, guiding it safely from take off to landing.
I got this picture in my head right after we were married and my grandmother was praying with me. She asked God to hold Vince and his plane securely until he was safely on the ground and back home.
What a comfort that thought is!
Vince has relayed a few sticky situations that as a wife, are kinda scary to me and I'm sure there will be many more. But with God having a secure hold on things, what do I have to fear?
I've also been broadening that thought to encompass not only Vince but myself as well. When I'm out and about doing this or that, I like to think that God is holding on to the top of my car and guiding it safely from place to place.
It's just a way of looking at things but God really does have us in His hands, whether up in the air or on the ground. There is nowhere His hands do not cover us and nowhere He will not be able to take care of us. He will always guide us home.
I'm so glad I know this and can be firmly assured that God's not going to let us go.

Things NOT To Say

Note to husbands:

When your wife comes out in her most comfortable bathrobe that just happens to be yellow and fuzzy, try to refrain from saying things like, "You look like Big Bird."

Gotta love honesty in a man.

I haven't actually gotten out the "Big Bird" robe since last winter (or actually since the aforementioned statement) but it's getting a little cooler in the evenings and I'm thinking I might have to break out my beloved robe soon. If it just happens to make me look like a certain Sesame Street character so be it. At least I'll be all warm and cozy!

So, if you happen to knock on our door some evening soon don't be surprised if Big Bird answers the door.

Go Away, World

Today I feel like curling up, shouting GO AWAY to everyone and hiding from the world for awhile.
Isn't it a good thing Vince is working today?
I am feeling a tad overwhelmed by things at this point but I'm optimistically seeking the end to all this. I'd look for the light at the end of the tunnel but with my luck the light would be attached to a freight train hurling toward me.
Okay, things aren't really that bad. In fact, they could be much worse and God has given me daily strength for each task. But still, I'm just having a moment, okay?
So, since I'm basically stuck in one room for awhile while the maintence people try to put our apartment back together again I'm sharing my frustrations with you. It always helps to write it out and let other people experience my "moments" with me. Isn't it good the way I share?
LeAnn, you may be the only one who understands what an outlet writing is but for the rest of you, you can just pretend this post didn't happen. I won't care.

Just Around The Corner

I went to Walmart today and all their Fall/Halloween decor was out. So I guess it's official, Fall is truly in the air.
Already the farms around here are selling pumpkins fresh from the garden, corn mazes seem to be popping up everywhere, we've gone apple picking, the geese have began their trek south and the stores seem to be selling sweatshirts and coats instead of t-shirts and shorts.
For some reason this surprises me. I blinked and somehow missed summer. Now, according to Walmart, it's time to prepare for fall and all that means.
In spite of the slight shock I feel at it being that time of year again I am really quite excited about it. I love fall.
I love the slight crispness in the air, watching the leaves transform into vibrant shades of color, baking all those fall goodies, sipping apple cider in the cool of the evening or sharing a cup of hot cocoa with a friend, bundling up to go on walks and seeing the wind shake the leaves free of their branches and hearing them crunch underfoot as you walk past, cuddling with your man next to a fire. Ah, the list goes on and on.
Soon fall will be in full swing and I'll be pulling out my sweaters and coats, dusting off my fall decorations and finding all my favorite fall recipes.
There's a lot to look forward to this time of year. So although it kinda snuck up on me, I'm really glad that fall is just around the corner.

What I Need

This is SO what I need right now.

Have A...

I am taking some time out of my busy schedule to sincerely wish you a happy labor day. Okay, I'm slacking.
We have been so busy the last few days I am sooo tired. I have done close to, if not, 40 loads of laundry, scrubbed floors, shampooed carpets (well, Vince did that), washed down fabric surfaces in the house and car and generally worked my tail off.
I do get some time off today to go to a church picnic but I'll prolly be busy while I'm there as well so not much rest.
Well, I must get. I have 10 more loads of laundry to do, a bucket full of baked beans to make, and a bed to avoid.
UPDATE:
About 50 people showed up for the picnic. It was very nice and I didn't have to do anything except talk and eat. It was quite a fun afternoon.
Vince was able to come for some of it but had to leave early for work. He was there just long enough to eat and play a game or two of volleyball.
I stayed to help clean up afterwards but we ended up spending most of that time just sitting around the table drinking tea and talking way later than we should have. I was ready to call it a day by the time I got home.

I Am...

I found this fill in the blank thing on a friends blog and I really enjoyed hers. So I thought I would do one for me and post it. Those of you who have a blog, you should try it when you have time.

i am: a daughter of the King!
i think: that I don’t think as much of my thinking ability as I used to think.
i know: that I am truly blessed!
i want: a long, healthy, joy filled life with my husband and family.
i have: everything I need and more.
i pray: that others will see Christ in me.
i hate: the sin in this world.
i miss: the Oklahoma hot summer sun.
i hear: worship music coming from my computer.
i smell: the lingering smell of supper.
i crave: a nice gooey brownie with vanilla ice cream and raspberries on top.
i search: for more of Christ in my life.
i wonder: where God is leading in our life.
i regret: not telling more of my friends about Christ.
i love: my family and friends.
i like: cute cuddly things
i ache: at a world hurting, wandering and lost.
i care: about people.
i always: love my husband.
i am not: perfect.
i believe: the absolute truth of God’s word.
i dance: because He has done great things!
i sing: because He has put a new song of praise on my lips.
i don’t always: trust God the way I should or remember that God is always working behind the scenes.
i fight: to keep the thermostat where I need it.
i win: once in awhile.
i lose: when I play trivia games with Vince.
i confuse: myself and my husband
i listen: to God’s word, good music and the sounds of nature outside my window at night.
i can usually be found: at home or hunting down a good bargain somewhere.
i am scared: of spiders, snakes, anything creepy.
i enjoy: doing creative things.
i need: love, hope and Christ.
i am happy about: my life.

One Year Ago, Yesterday

Yesterday was my one year blogiversary.

To all of my faithful readers,

Thanks for reading.

Just Call Me Madame Blueberry

You are looking at the 31 pounds and some odd ounces of blueberries that Vince and I picked Thursday afternoon.

We found this lovely blueberry farm outside of Ann Arbor so we decided to drive up there.

Four hours after we got there we drove away with a trunk full of berries that I am now in the process of finding room for in our freezer. I think we should be good on berries for awhile.

But Raspberry season starts the end of this month so I have a feeling another picking session is in our future. Where does one store all this?

We really enjoyed picking them and have equally enjoyed munching on them. They are so good!!!! Yummo!

Picture of the Park

Right after I got home, Vince and I took the afternoon to enjoy the beautiful weather we've been having. We went to a local nature park to breath in the fresh, clean air and enjoy the wonder of God's creation. It was so peaceful and quiet and we got in quite a bit of walking. It felt good.
Here are some pictures for you to enjoy so it'll be like you were there too.
You'll have to imagine the sounds of nature and the gentle breezes. Sorry, I can't blog that.