God's Economy

We had a representative from a New Tribes Mission Training Center come and speak to your youth group tonight about their Wayumi Training Center in Pennsylvania.  We are planning to take a group there for a week over the summer.  They teach the kids what it is like to be a missionary entering the jungle for the first time to share the gospel with an unreached people group.

The kids will learn how to present the gospel, they'll sleep in hammocks (that is a highlight for the kids :), they will study about languages, they'll participate in exercises aimed at teaching them about international travel and actually go through a mock customs, and they'll experience a tribal encounter along with other mission specific exercises and at least an hour a day studying the word of God in a group setting.

It was awesome to watch how excited they got during tonight's presentation!  The speaker said something that stuck out to me and my mind hung on to it for later....He said, "God places value in two ways....eternal or worthless".  "So, if we want to invest in God's economy, we will invest in the eternal....which is GOD'S WORD and THE SOULS OF MEN."  No time spent reading GOD'S WORD or LOVING PEOPLE TO CHRIST is ever wasted time....(and that is really saying something in this age and culture where we waste so much time due to our weapons of mass distraction...just my opinion.)

Anyway, I appreciated that he told the kids that God may not call all of them to be missionaries in distant lands, but He may call a couple out of our group to this type of mission.  But, that this experience will challenge all of them...help them to understand what missionaries to unreached populations face and, really, how to present the gospel anywhere we are living.  He said the biggest lesson to learn from an experience like this is to change the way we think....or, rather how we might ask, "what do I/you want to be when I/you grow up?"  to "what is God doing and where does He want me to join Him in that work?"  If our kids take that mindset away from their experience this summer, I will be so excited to see how God will use them! ...AND THAT IS PRICELESS!

I Can't, I Can't, I Can't Stand Losin'

TUPPERWARE LIDS!.....

There MUST be a lid thief!  Maybe I am a conspiracy theorist, but they are always AWOL when I need them most!!!!!

(Someone call the police, I think I've been robbed :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH0vjLwMyc4

The Next Leg

More of our earthly life is about the journey.  We make brief stops along the way at "destinations" but, once we feel a sense of arrival....we have to start planning the next leg of our journey.  Have you ever thought of that?  I think about it a lot during holidays and trying to plan out stops, what to pack, what to bake, the timing of it all, and will it all still fit into a mini-van with enough space for Mini Kooper....good thing we don't have a big dog :)

Anyway....I think, though it is a hassle to plan all our journeys in life....the effort serves as a great reminder that we are not home yet.  This whole life is OUR JOURNEY HOME.  There really is only one DESTINATION....where we will know we have ARRIVED and no longer need to plan for another part of the journey....and I guess you could even see that as the ULTIMATE DESTINATION WEDDING, right? :)

It thrills me to have loving friends and family.....enough food so that I have to think about how to make wise food choices...money to spend during Black Friday chaos or the Cyber Monday comfort of my own home (isn't it crazy that we have money or credit enough to make up crazy days to spend it?)...a warm home for my family to return to, big enough that I feel overwhelmed when it is time to clean it :) But, when we make a pit-stop in our journey to love on familiar people for a few days and celebrate our blessings....we should not shut the doors on the needs outside of our familiar.  We are not home yet....neither are they.  The focus on our blessings for that time should be a catalyst propelling us to give because we have now TAKEN INVENTORY of where we have ABUNDANCE in our lives.

That is part of this journey.  We all await HEAVEN....we lack the understanding of what this means as a final destination, but it is not temporary like anything we have ever known.  All the pain, emptiness, injustice, bitterness, sorrow, or disappointment we experience or witness on earth......WILL BE NO MORE.  We have such a great responsibility and privilege to use what God has given us to strengthen others on the journey.

I Put On A Few....

....new charges to Brad's credit card :)  WOW, the line at the Kohl's in Westfield, IN took 45 minutes to get through....and then when I went to leave the store after paying (because mom's strategy was to be waiting for me with the get-away car so we could get to more places), one of my items still had the security tag on it so I set off an alarm.  A lady with a badge told me to go stand in another long line to get the security tag removed....ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!  I can see why some people reach their breaking point and I wasn't even fighting for the best deals :)

Some say running around like a crazy person on Black Friday is the best way to work off the extra calories from the Thanksgiving feast, but, really, don't we NEED those extra pounds to keep us warm in the winter?!  YES, WE DO.  So, this winter, when someone is whining, blubbering, and saying "brrrrrrrrrrrr!"  I am just going to tell them, "CYBER"....."Monday" :P

So Many Reasons to Give Thanks!

Our Thanksgiving Day was all about food, fun, and family :)

Our Pilgrim and Indian centerpieces  

Brad's Barbarian face...I think...or maybe pirate....he decided to eat the turkey leg.  Why is it when you decide to eat a large leg of a bird you just automatically say, "Arrrrrrrrrrrr!"?

The Opening Ceremony to the Turkey Games....the kids make up their own countries to participate in the various games.  This was the second year for the games and they are a "hit"....all the kids want to continue the tradition.

Bray and Kassi...they won the Speed Puzzling game.  Interestingly, their strategy was to complete the middle of their puzzle and then the outside border.  I am thinking I have always been doing puzzles the wrong way :)

Vannah, Karly, and Brenna were on a team and ran away with the most points in The Turkey Hunt...they were the overall champions of this year's Turkey Games.

Kenna and Danielle were good at all the games, but didn't come home with any GOLD this year (yes, we play the Turkey Games with actual GOLD, don't you? :) .  Danielle was the mastermind behind planning the games (she is a great organizer) and I was particularly fond of Kenna's country, Kennatopia....they even had a national anthem :)

And, what's Thanksgiving without football, right?  In between food prep, I was allowed into the man cave for a score check and photo opp :)

Life's A Feast

...and it's not about what's on your plate.

:)

Bon Appetit

and

Blessed Thanksgiving!

Oh, Brother!

You know how you have all these plans and then you have plans within those plans of how the plans will unfold?  Why do we do that?  I always question my philosophy of "sticking to the plan" whenever there are holidays.  I should just leave the windows open from the very beginning and have my plans folded like paper airplanes....that way it would be kind-of like a game when they get thrown out the window.  I guess it wasn't so bad....we did make it from point A to point B, but Kassi felt sick this morning and ended up having Strep, so we had to travel a la bucket, Brad got gas in our "trip" van and then it wouldn't start, so he had to take it to a shop to have it checked out and we had to determine which vehicle we trusted, I wasn't sure if I would need to work a full day, so departure time was TBD, and Kooper (our dog) got sick as well.  At one point Brad said to me, "if we do this, it's on a wing and a prayer." Really?  You're gonna tell a planner we are going on a wing and a prayer....haha!

OH, BROTHER! 

BUT, the most exciting unplanned occurrence of today was.....drum roll please.....Brad's brother Kent came to visit.  We haven't seen him for at least 5 years, so plans will be altered for that surprise :)  We were able to hang out with him and let Savannah and Danielle meet him and, really Karly too, because she was just a baby the last time we saw him.  I can take that kind of game changer :)

We had such a great time catching up with him a little bit and he taught us a new game, Pandemic.  I   can't stop thinking about it....now, I want to play it at a tougher level.... Can't wait for a rematch.

Sunday School Answer Or Not....

I'm going for it....because when I think about everything I am thankful for...there is nothing that can top this...

The cross is the "t" that begins all my thankfulness.  From that intersection of decision, I can see that everything in life is a blessing because God can and will use it for my good.  I seriously could name blessings all the way down to the "z" in my alphabet soup...and, for me, listing every one of those blessings would ultimately be saying THANK YOU to my LORD!

Some people say if you can find some humor in a situation, you win....that is fun to do and is great for keeping a positive attitude, but I love looking for Christ in my circumstances....what is He doing?, what is He teaching?, where is He leading me?....how has He brought be through?...  When you seek Him, even in the "little things", it becomes natural to say....

Please Pass The Humble Pie

Brad is reading the girls a story in the evenings, Rush Revere...it is historical fiction, but takes them through different time-periods in American history.  It highlights the Pilgrims and, even mentions by name, my famous relatives who arrived on the Mayflower, the Billington (my maiden name) family.  You may be thinking that is really cool that I have ancestors who came to the New World on the Mayflower...and so did I...until one Thanksgiving in college:)

I was dating a guy who's last name was Atkinson and he also had Mayflower heritage.  His family had invited me to spend Thanksgiving with them (how quaint, right?! Two descendents of the first families to America dating each other....SWEET! ) and his grandma was going to be visiting from out of town.  She was a history buff and had studied about the Pilgrims, the Mayflower, and the first Thanksgiving in depth.  So, we all sat down to say grace and she said to me right off, "Did you know the Billingtons were the first family off the Mayflower to receive capital punishment for a crime?"  NO, I DID NOT....HAHAHA...I shouldn't have laughed about that, but that was soooo different than what I had pictured in my mind of my famous Pilgrim relatives!  The statement totally shocked me.  The ambiance surrounding that meal definitely changed after that comment...and suddenly I felt like a criminal....somehow needing to answer for the crimes of my ancestors...and coming up with nothing, but "is that so?" actually, there was awkward silence and no one really knew what to say after that...except "could someone pass the potatoes ?" :)

But, I laugh about that awkward moment a little bit every Thanksgiving :)... OH, the fond memories!

Oooooo..This humble pie looks like Strawberry Rhubarb....:)

YES, embarrassing, but, it was all true...I checked it out later...the Billingtons were the troublemakers in the colony and John Billington was even hanged for murder...YIKES!  So, there went my ROMANTIC NOTIONS of being able to say with great pride, "My family can trace our ancestry back to the Mayflower!"

Is it any better a la mode?

Finger Lookin' Good

Good news today!  I had to take Karly to an Orthopaedic Specialist today for her broken fingertip and he said it is healing well and she will not need to wear the splint as long as we thought.  So,  she can go back to gymnastics as soon as she feels up to it.  We had to wait sooooo long for the appointment, so we were making up really weird games to play in the waiting area.  Karly says I have three laughs....I either laugh like Olaf, like a Minion, or like a wicked witch :)  She said today I am laughing like Olaf.  I said, "What does Olaf even sound like?"  She said. "Well, laugh again!"  :)

Oh Look, Food!

We had a wonderful service of testimonies and worship tonight where we brought our Parma and Jackson churches together for a Thanksgiving event and PIE fellowship.  What an incredible time of hearing what GOD has been doing in the lives of people/families/youth in both areas....even the GOD SQUAD showed up :)  It was the first time we have hosted a unified event for both churches and it was AWESOME!  I am so excited that we can celebrate with each other and see how GOD has been so faithful to us as a whole church body.  AND, then there was PIE, of course :)  I already feel like this...

The Trip To Bountiful

It is such a blessing to have the means to be a blessing to others.  Today, our church was able to put together a bunch of Thanksgiving food baskets to be delivered to families in need in our community.  Members of our church donated food items, one lady made tons of pies, another made these super cute pumpkin decorations with scripture verses on them.  It was just really cool to see it all come together and know today was DELIVERY day....kind-of like the feeling of a day of HARVEST, I imagine.

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for the food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.  ~2 Corinthians 9: 10-11~

He supplies for our needs and even gives us EXCESS in order for us to learn to be GENEROUS.  

The result, if we are good stewards of it all, is THANKSGIVING :)  

for us as well as those we are able to bless in the process.  

"The Things of Value You Can Only See With Your Heart"

A line spoken by Kamal, the blind beggar at the Bazaar...I got a chance to see the whole show (Keeper of the Tales) tonight and it was delightful!  It is wonderful to watch your kids have so much fun, meet new friends, and learn something new as well.  I love that Center Stage Jackson's Youth Theatre program is all about teaching the kids how to do everything involved in the show.  They even had a make-up session to teach them to do their own stage make-up and I was not allowed to help.....actually, I do not mind that...it is stressful to feel like I have to get them all ready....this show has been "a breath of fresh air" for me :)  I also love, and they do too, that a bunch of people ask them for autographs after the show....they feel famous :)  Karly has been sad that she was too young this year to participate, but she is DRAMATIC, so I am sure there will be some spotlight left for her.  She has been telling all the others how they should deliver their lines :) (I haven't told her this, because I know the others are annoyed, but she delivers their lines quite well!)

We decided we would celebrate a successful second night with two rounds of Nachos Amigos at Los Tres Amigos and I learned something tonight....well, two things....one is that tonight was happytizer night/or because it was after 8pm, so appetizers were half off :)...and two, one can say they are a "regular" at a restaurant, but it is not until a waiter or waitress acknowledges that you are a regular that you are, in fact, a regular.  Does that make sense?  So, we were paying for the our nacho binge and the man I was paying said, "We'll see you tomorrow!"  We have been starting into a habit of eating at Los Tres on Sunday afternoons because they have such a great price on kids meals :)  So, that felt kind-of weird that he knows what day we usually come....but, good at the same time....being a "regular" somewhere is kind-of heart-warming.... Like, now we are friends...well, AMIGOS, I should say :)

Time Flies When You're...

I saw this video and it made me wish I would have recorded a lot more of life thus far....taken more pictures, written down more of the funny stories or moments of growth. This man took 15 second videos of his daughter every week from her birth until she was 14 years old and he put a lot  :) of them together to make this video.

Portrait of Lotte 0-14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH1x5aRtjSQ

Fourteen years in 245 seconds....it feels like that sometimes, right!?

Happy doesn't just happen.

Fun is a state of behaving.

Keeper of the Tales

Tonight I was a Kid Wrangler....my official title :)  Vannah, Kenna, Kassi and Danielle were all in Center Stage Jackson's Youth Theatre play, Keeper of the Tales.  I was backstage helping keep all the kids going in the right directions and CALMING them, but they were so good....it really didn't feel like a job.  I will be excited to watch the show tomorrow :)  Here are a few pictures of the girls...

Danielle as Akbara....the sweet servant.

Savannah as Khalili....the donkey thief.

McKenna as Morigana....the nagging wife.

Kassandra as Genie...she is so evil!

Opening night was a fun time and they did great!  It definitely called for a 

CULVER'S celebration!

"Kidding!....Which Is Spanish For Not Kidding."

Kenna said this to me one day last week and I thought it was so funny....I knew I wanted to keep the phrase around a little longer and now that I have "elfed" my kids to keep that tradition going.....it is perfect!  I always love the Elf Yourself videos!  This year I opted for Elfspanol :)  The elf shoes and fast footwork of Danielle and Kassi, Kassi on the castanets, a little tango action with Kenna and Vannah toward the end, and Karly on the Spanish guitar won me over.  Plus, Karly giggled all the way through watching this version.  We are hanging out again tonight while Brad and the other girls are in town for dress rehearsal.  Here it is if you want to see it:  http://www.elfyourself.com/?mId=61695397.2

I had to take Karlayna back to the doctor today because her finger looked infected...come to find out, it is and she needs to be on an antibiotic for a while to try to get rid of the infection.  She also has to keep the splint on for about three more weeks and no gymnastics until the new year.....so, she is a little bummed about that.   I asked her what she wants to do tonight and she wants to bake again :)  The first round of "some people are worth melting for" cookies didn't last very long, so it's on to round 2.....right now!

ONDELAY! ONDELAY! (phonetic English spelling).....which is Spanish for NO DELAY! hmmmmmm....?

The Google Icon

I like the Google Icon of the day...

Did you know that icons started as pictures with great spiritual significance?  Anyway, I like what this artist writes about understanding...

TO UNDERSTAND IS

TO STAND UNDER

WHICH IS TO LOOK UP TO

WHICH IS A GOOD WAY TO

UNDERSTAND

~Corita Kent~

So....let's make this icon spiritual....just for fun :)

If you need some understanding, it could be because you've allowed your situation to overtake (that is to take over :) you and now you can't see which way to go....or, you have not acknowledged (that is to ledge your acknow....just kidding, that one doesn't work!) your true position and humbled yourself under GOD....either way, we LOOK UP for understanding.

We look things up to better our knowledge...there is something in that word that I actually do really like and that is that our knowledge has an edge....a limit....a ledge rather, which is significant because we think we are up high in our level of knowledge, but we still hit limits.  And, when we hit a limit when we are up high, that requires a pretty creative solution that we can't always google, right?  Sorry, Google, but sometimes the only answer is....refer to GOD!

Even if we are on the highest ledge "in the know", we still can't see everything....GOD's ways are still higher and we have to seek Him for understanding.  

Mary, Did You Know?

Occasionally, a song will become a fave for everyone in our house and get played over and over and over and over and over....etc...etc....you get my drift.  It has been the music from Frozen for quite a long while and then, yesterday, a Pentatonix's version of Mary, Did You Know took over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE

I'm Not Great With Percentages, But....

One of my FAVORITE things about working on a college campus is watching all the relationship moments playing out in front of me. Like yesterday.... there was a couple walking across campus in front of me and the guy was coughing up junk and it sounded really disgusting.  He said, "I hate when I have all this snot coming down into my throat and out my nose....it is so gross.....(then, to the girl) except, when it happens to you....it looks great on you!"  I did laugh out loud behind them....quietly.....I am 99% sure my laugh was quiet enough that they didn't hear me....

And I am 100% sure that he would like to date her :)

Then, there's my marriage....Brad says, "Are you sure there are absolutely no germs left on you from your head cold?" (which I had recovered from about a week ago :)....."I am not smoochin' you until you are 100% sure"  :P

So I just wanna ask....how do you prove something like that?  

AND, isn't it the Lysol or Clorox commercial that says you can only ever get rid of 99% of the germs?  You know the one where they show a counter top getting wiped off and there is still this one, little green, wormy-looking thing on it.

No Second Thoughts

I've done this before....I actually have a couple weird, small tokens of appreciation still in my closet...because I had second thoughts that they might be too over-the-top :)

I like giving people things, but I like giving them things that might make for a funny or awkward moment if the person doesn't "get it"....and usually they don't....but, part of the gift is the laughter and memories.  My dad can tell a story about a time I bought him a pocket :)  One time he was working on something and complaining that he didn't have a pocket for nails or screws or something like that and I remembered his frustration and bought him this thing called "The Pocket".  Luckily, he "got it" and thought it was pretty funny.

I thought this quote was interesting though....makes sense that we would have Thanksgiving and then Christmas....love expressing itself in gratitude and then a time for the greatest joyful response of the whole year, right!?

Aren't you grateful that God wrapped His gift to us in swaddling cloth

AND ACTUALLY GAVE IT TO US?!...He didn't reconsider,
"On second thought...is this going overboard?"

Let It Snow

Karly has been in the Christmas spirit :)  The first day we saw snow she was bounding all around the house singing, "it's almost Christmas!"  She makes up her own songs :)  She and I will be spending our evenings together, one on one, this week because this is the week of the play for the other girls and they have practices and dress rehearsals every night leading up to Friday's performance.  So, Karly and I went to get groceries and then we baked some "some people are worth melting for" Christmas cookies.

She decorated them herself :)  I figured baking was something fun we could do together and not worry too much about her broken finger.  We were singing, "Let It Snow" at Meijer as we were checking out.  I got to the part where it says, "And since there's no place to go....." and then I stopped to get my money out to pay and the lady at the checkout picked up the song from there and finished 

it :)  Now I can't get the song out of my head!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-10fWHdpmks

Put A Little Boogie In It

I am in a cleaning mood.....there is spring cleaning and then there is the time right before I want to get the Christmas decorations out that I start feeling the urge to deep clean.  I need some techno Christmas music, so we can boogie while we work :) So, the "right before Christmas decorating" cleaning actually entails going through drawers and closets and under beds....it's that deep :)  The problem is, when you deep clean, you run into really interesting stuff that you haven't seen for a while and that is really distracting.  Like tonight, we stopped cleaning to watch a children's Christmas program from 2011 and it was sooooo funny to see all the kids.  It wasn't even that long ago, but they have already changed so much!

It was the year I won the prize for the "worst behaved" child in the program :)  Karly was 3 and she kept lifting her entire dress up over her head...showing everyone her tights and undies...and picking and eating her boogers many....many....many times.  A friend was videoing the presentation and he kept zooming in on her whenever she would do it.

The Time Is NOW

Some days I think of a new superpower I would want if I could put in an order.  Actually, I have thought of this one in the past, but I was reminded of it again today....I always seem to remember it on Sundays.  I would want eyes with the ability to taser my kids.  Today, they asked me if they could have a couple friends sit with them during the worship time at church.  I said I would allow it and reminded them that, even though their friends are with them, I still expect them to be participating in worship and listening to the scripture reading....etc.  TOTAL FAIL.....and I am helpless from up front leading worship with Brad.....unless I had taser eyes...I mean, that would solve everything. 

Then, I thought....I wish I could take a picture of them right now and title it....

NOW IS THE TIME FOR WORSHIP :)

It's true though, NOW IS THE TIME FOR WORSHIP....the time is always now, no matter what NOW looks like.  We had a family visit our church today who we had never met... they are feeling called to be missionaries in Thailand.  AND, Guess what?!  They have five daughters...I think they were 4 yrs-17 yrs old.  The mom was feeling the call for while, but, as she testified, she was hiding from God behind her family and the "American Dream" for them.  She didn't think God could ever ask her to do something like that because she was a mom of five kids....then, her husband also testified about his insecurities about being a "missionary" as he thought of them in his mind and he didn't believe he had the skill set for it.  Their whole story of the calling was pretty incredible...God was speaking to both of them individually before they ever spoke about it to each other.  I love when He does stuff like that just to prove it is not their idea.  GOD is making Himself known!  Three of their daughters testified as well....that was pretty moving.  

One of the things the mom, Laura, said was so wonderful to me about the process God took her through to get her the the point of surrendering to His will.  First, he planted the idea....to which she said "NO WAY" "I CAN'T".....Then he gave her a burden that took her to a point where she thought she would be willing IF He called her....then, the burden turned to a burning passion that could not be quenched to a point where one day she begged God, "Please ask ME to go!"  That was my, FOR SURE, WOW moment from today....The believer who BEGS GOD to send him!

Are all these people volunteering to go wherever God calls them?  
Can you imagine what God could do with all these volunteers?  :)

The family is going to be working with kids since there is such a need in Thailand for parental figures and mentors...their tool of outreach will be evangelism through sports programming.  AND, they are going to try to reach the young men (specifically) through their efforts with sports programs and mentoring because most young adult males in Thailand become alcoholics early and either abandon or do not support their families. The problem of alcoholism in these young men leads to the breakdown of the family structure in Thailand and is one of the key contributors to the widespread problem of human trafficking.  Which leads to their other goal.... this will be to maintain paths out of the human trafficking industry for those who are rescued by providing them a place to stay...(their facility has dormitories) and training for a skill, so the people will not feel as though they have nothing unless they return to that lifestyle.  

They have a huge assignment....BUT, AN INCREDIBLE GOD!

Our daughters were thrilled to meet their daughters.....they were all playing Duck, Duck, Goose in the church while waiting for us to stop talking (we are always the last to leave :) 10 girls from only 2 families :).  Our girls are already asking when we can go visit them in Thailand....and they just met today :)  

THEY WANT TO GO NOW!  

If only we were all ready with that response to what God is asking of us.

Unseen

I had the privilege to take Vannah and Kenna to THE GET LOST TOUR tonight...we did get lost on the way....the girls thought that was pretty hilarious...I don't know how I missed my turn and I had even been there once before...OH WELL, it fit perfectly with the theme and was a great bonding moment!  I know everyone at church will know I got lost tomorrow...haha!

Okay, Dannah, will do! :)

The tour is focused on teaching and showing girls the importance of getting lost in GOD and not in boys.  You wouldn't necessarily know that was the point from our ride home....we were listening to the Copperlily CD and they were discussing which songs they want at their weddings....haha!  HOWEVER, The concept and messages of the tour were terrific!  I always wish after something like this....I could crawl into my kid's brains and look around their thoughts a little bit to see what they grasped on to or what GOD told their hearts.  I know tonight's experience impacted them because the response time led to some real emotion (that I do not see very often)....something was happening and we talked a little bit about the depth of God's love for us. There is still so much, however, that happens in the minds and hearts of our kids that is unseen and we have to trust that these opportunities we take to plant something beautiful in their lives will take root.  God knows what they need to hear and when they need it and I am happy that I took them tonight so He could use the message to speak His love to them....whether I see it or not.

Copperlily's songs are cute and clever...silly sweet....they were delightful....

I think this is one of my favorites on their CD....it's not as silly as the others, but I love the concept.

The Beautiful Unseen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D6V-wi2cxM

It Looks Like Rain

Ever teach kids to make a rainstorm?  It's kind-of fun....if I am ever working with a group of kids and we have time I need to fill....I teach them how to make a storm...rubbing their hands together, then snapping their fingers, then patting their knees, then pounding the floor with their hands, then stomping their feet as hard as they can, then hands and feet with all their might.....then back down through the whole thing to let the storm pass.  It's a great little activity to let them use up some energy and I love it too...especially when the storm has passed and you are back to the point of snapping your fingers.  I love to hear just a few drops of rain left while I look at all their smiling faces :)

I have always loved rain because it smells like NEW....FRESH....LIFE!  I am getting to a point where I think I am understanding that even though some days I really feel my age or I see more clearly (because I see less clearly :) that I am aging...GOD MAKES ME NEW....sometimes that means He needs to re-invent me, or my ideas about life and what is really important by making a bit of a storm for me to walk through...and, either I start seeing things from a different perspective or I am forced to see things differently when I look for shelter from that storm.  That sounds kind-a harsh...but, a lot of the things I've thought were important for so long weren't really important and so, sometimes GOD has to prove those truths to me. I don't always like it much at first....but, that's when things get real.  When I get it....when I see what He is doing and that He is using it to draw me to Him....there is joy... :)  

I like this song....it is simple and the way it builds throughout reminds me of teaching the kids how to make it storm....the sweet ending is like the final raindrops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi8FKRZNHA0

Have You Ever Metacarpal?

Karly's nail bed and finger looked pretty swollen and purple when she woke up this morning, so we decided we better get it checked out just in case there was a break from her run-in with the hand weights during gymnastics class.  After an appointment with the doctor and a couple x-rays today, we found out that Karly's fingertip IS fractured. :(

Her other fingers have already stopped by to say "GET WELL SOON!" :)  They are so friendly, I've never metacarpal I didn't like....haha!  I should have thrown that one into our homemade joke night :)

Anyway, she is doing well and she is a little too excited about her shiny splint....

injuries give so many bragging rights :)

You Hold Me Now

Karly has some conditioning time during her gymnastics practice, so she does sit-ups, push-ups, and actually lifts some weights for a little while.  I have been dropping her off for practice and then returning to work for an extra hour since her gymnastics class is just a minute from where I work and I am not allowed to watch her practice unless they are having a "watch week".

I was just getting settled back at my computer and starting to do some research when I got a call that she had pinched her finger in the weights, was icing it, and really just wanted to go home.  I went back over to pick her up and I could tell she was really hurting.  She is a child who hates to cry in front of other people, so she holds it in until she feels like she is in a good place to let it out.  I could tell she was working really hard to hold it in.

So, I got her out to the van and buckled up to go home....closed the door of the van and then I got in the front seat and shut my door and the tears started flowing...flooding, really :(  I was giving her all the comforting words I could think of and then I just said, "Do you want me to hold you when we get home?"....she managed a "yes" and then she fell completely asleep for the rest of the ride.

After I realized she was asleep, I teared up a little bit....just thinking about what a privilege it is to have this little person who loves me, needs me and feels so much comfort with me that all her raw emotion can show and then she can rest.  I absolutely love that about being a mom!  Not that I want my kids to get hurt so that they will need me, but just that....in that moment....for some AWESOME reason....my arms are the answer, you know?  I'd put everything else on hold for that.

You Hold Me Now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx2-Inc8TkA

These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

Last night I celebrated my new door, and office....and job responsibilities by using my "allowance" and buying some new black boots.  I had realized on Halloween that my old black boots had sprung a leak.  I love shoes, but I don't like shopping for them because most stores sell women's shoes starting at size 6 and I am a size 5 1/2.....BUT, TJ Maxx had some 5 1/2 black boots....YIPPEE!  This morning I cut the tag off and peeled stickers off the bottom and I was so thankful that I had them because of this cold white stuff outside.  I was feeling rather dapper (can women be dapper?...well, I don't know, but that was the word that came to mind) in my new boots.  I even decided to walk across campus and get a coffee despite the white stuff because my new boots were made for walking, you know!  So, I went to the library to get some coffee and I was chatting with people all along the way and while I waited.  What a great day it is when you have new boots!  So, when I got back I was opening up the door to my office and I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the glass.  I still had a huge tag hanging off the back of one of my boots!  AND, I'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE MAN!  SERIOUSLY!?...couldn't wait for show and tell with my coworker, Sara.  I said, "would you like me to tell you about how I am a moron or show you?"  She opted for SHOW, so I demonstrated my walk until she realized my blunder.... but now that I think about that she could have totally got me with some kind of comeback like..."and what's new?"  HAHA!  Gotta love being able to laugh at yourself!  I would miss out on so much fun if I didn't!

Steadfast

I was having a blah day this morning...I still haven't totally kicked my cold, but almost... and then none of my clothes were liking me...on days like this, I am glad GOD doesn't give us a day to match our attitude!  Instead, He gave me a great day...with a few wonderful surprises!  I already mentioned my surprise door....(that makes me think of the surprise behind door # :)  But, He blessed me in other ways as well.  I couldn't go to the last Psalms class the other night because I was too sick, so I sent my homework with Brad.  Since I was home, I decided to read the rest of the Psalms because I still had a few to get through for my readings for the year and I read Psalm 136....it's the one where every statement is followed by, "His love endures forever."

So, I was thinking about that tonight and about my day....what if I wrote out the events of my day...it would have crazy ups and downs....and then I would follow each of those statements with...HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER (because it is STEADFAST!)  In spite of me, God moved a mountain today :) He answered three prayers that have been things I have hoped and prayed for....one, that I am still in awe of.....this is gonna be an incredible Thanksgiving!

My Own Door

I got to go on a stealthy mission today :)  My boss came down to the "dungeon"...errrr.... basement where I work with my friend Sara and asked us how we would feel about moving upstairs.  I acted like I was considering it....hmmmmmm, but inside I was like...YES! MOVING UP IN THE WORLD!  We had to discreetly scope out the area to see if all our stuff would fit into the spaces.

So, I will have a door now, not that I will close it, BUT I could...that is something! 

The door comes with my own office too.....SWEET!  Not office suite....it is small and there is not a window....but, there is a DOOR and adequate ventilation (I think)!  I will remain thrilled!

Enough Of The Chit Chat

I saw a funny Christmas list....well, the list wasn't as funny as how the letter to Santa started....it said, "Dear Santa, How are you?  Well, enough of the chit chat, let's get down to business....I want" :)....I just took some time with all the girls over the past weekend to talk with them about what they are hoping to receive for Christmas and made a list to email to relatives.  It has been so funny over the years because the grandma's so often duplicate gifts....I don't even lead them into their identical ideas....they just always seem to think very much alike when they purchase things for the girls, so I thought the list would be helpful and I mentioned that everyone could reply all to the list when they made their decision on what to purchase and that might help to limit the number of duplicates.

Most of the girls are growing out of the toy ages....we are still there with Karly and Danielle a little bit, but Kassi is growing out the them and the two older girls are more into music, fashion, perfume, clothes, electronics....stuff like that.  I have been thinking about the Classic Radio Flyer Wagon today :)  It is soooo iconic.  When it is under a Christmas tree it says, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!  I WANT TO TAKE YOU ON SO MANY ADVENTURES!"  Didn't you know a wagon could say all that?!  Is that why I love it?  I don't know, but I think so.  Here's a tough question:  Was it better to get pulled in a wagon? OR, to pull your kids in a wagon?...and then there's the grandkids, right?....but, not too soon :)

I saw this idea and I think I am going to do it this year...

I just need to find an old Radio Flyer wagon who has been on a lot of adventures.

If you see one around, let me know :)

The Highest Merit

Thinking of those closest to me who have served our country's cause...I am so privileged to have had both grandpas as veterans and my dad!

Dad, I am thankful for you and proud that service to your country is a part of your story.  When I think about you and others who served in Vietnam, I wish I could reverse history and make sure when you all came home, you knew you were appreciated and honored....but, another HUGE part of learning to be a hero is doing hard things regardless of the credit, right?!  For this and many other reasons, you are a hero to me.

THANK YOU!

The Last Psalms Class

Tonight is the last Psalms class for Brad and I.  We were auditing the course, so we never had to do the homework or take the tests....that felt really weird to me...like I was cheating or something.  The last assignment was to create a Psalm using some of the things we learned about in the course.  I couldn't resist this assignment.  I had so many ideas of things I could do to make it really creative, maybe more modern, or a theme...but....in the end....it is more about honesty than it is about fancy words or some kind of clever idea.  

And, it is more about crying out a prayer from the heart.   

My injuries are too numerous to count

Like a bruised reed, I cannot hide my scars

My enemies are an invisible kind

I find my eyesight failing to recognize their attacks

They assault my mind with arrows of distraction

They lay mines around my heart with lies

They seduce my soul to trust in myself

With worldly pleasures, they continuously slice paper thin cuts in my lifeline of strength

But, you, O GOD, are my armor and my victory

If I seek you earnestly, you fortify me with Your grace

You will dispel the lies by the light of Your truth

And restore the damaged vine to my lush source of life

Like the first light in the morning, I will find You when I seek You

Because You are willing to be found, Your gentleness falls like evening dew 

Your forgiveness is healing for me

My faith is emboldened and strengthened

O Lord, I praise You for Your deep compassion

All my days are mercifully cleansed by Your blood

O Lord, I worship you in song because of Your love

Through the strength you give me, I belt out my praises 

There is no one worthy of honor, but You

Though my heart is wooed, no one even comes close

Cast down the idols that call out to me
Break them, crush them until they are silenced

Fix my eyes

Center me in Your way, let my roots grow deep

Let me not wander off the right path into destruction

But guide me as I learn submission

Your blessings on me are extravagant

In Your presence, I find joyous delight

I desire to live every moment in the sweetness of Your favor

Consume me with the fire of Your Holiness

Not Even Gonna Ask

You know, that question you ask your mirror in the morning....I took one look at myself and my nappy hair and thought, today is a good day for that Castor Oil hair treatment since it already looks as though I have started it....and probably a face mask treatment as well :)  Sick days encourage so much important contemplation....

:)

An Apple A Day

Red Delicious and Granny Smith....how 'bout them apples?

These are the two best kinds of apples for good health.  Some of the health benefits from these apples include:

Whiter, healthier teeth, avoiding Alzheimer's, protection against Parkinson's, curbing types of cancers, decreasing risks of diabetes, reducing cholesterol, promoting a healthy heart, preventing gallstones, neutralizing IBS, controlling your weight, detoxifying your liver, boosting your immune system, and preventing cataracts....(according to an article I just read).

It is amazing....the evidence that is still visible from Eden, right?  Fruit can heal and protect us.  That is how God intended our food to nourish us and sustain us.  That is one way He will restore the earth as well...but, it makes me happy that there is still evidence of the way He made it in our organic foods....we call them super foods, but, really, they posses healing agents from GOD.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.  On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.  And the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations. ~Revelation 22:1-2

So, there is something I make in the Fall with these two types of apples and my family gobbles it up....or down...they don't really care how they eat it, really.  THERE IS NEVER ANY LEFT! I cannot say everything in it has healing agents because it calls for Heath Bar bits, Cool Whip, and these incredible new Kraft caramel bits.....GENIUS!...and I haven't yet done the research into the health contributions of these other ingredients...I'll keep you posted :)

Chop up as many apples as you like....I like to mix Granny Smith and Red Delicious because the different colors are pretty and I think it's better to have a nice blend of sweet and tart....(but, mostly I am concerned for the good health of my family, right?...RIGHT!).  Drizzle some lemon juice on the apples and toss, so they will not brown.  Then, add a couple dollops (that's a fun word) of Cool Whip...enough to lightly coat the chopped apples.  Sprinkle in Heath Bar bits and Kraft Caramel Bits.  This is really a dessert salad because it tastes like you are eating a caramel apple...only your nose and fingers don't get sticky....and you have more flavors to make your mouth happy. ENJOY!