Odds and Ends

Well, Christmas has come and gone. We had nice days with both sides of the family with our own little family celebration squeezed in between. The kids got lots of toys and videos. Roger got 2 Xbox games...so he's been busy. I finally got to watch part of my Jane Eyre miniseries last night while Roger was writing letters of recommendation for a student.

I got some cool new CDs...or at least I assume they are cool since our XBOX 360 is the only thing that plays CDs nowadays...our crazy stereo isn't working...so I haven't really gotten to listen to them. If only I could remember to take them out to the car.

We had another comedy of errors the other day when we ended up with both car batteries dead. :P Gotta laugh about it. Needless to say, we are indebted to our neighbor for his help.

Through all this snow, I've had to cancel my playgroup twice. This is a huge bummer to me! I enjoy meeting with the ladies and seeing them grow as moms. I also enjoy being paid. I know my job is a gift from God, and that particularly the Nov/Dec session is a gift since it wasn't scheduled until just a week or two before it started. As I look ahead to the next session...starting on Friday...I only have 4 people registered. That's a stark contrast to the 12+ I had last time. There are benefits to a smaller group...as long as they all show up. I will have some ladies from this past group making up sessions, so it won't be small til later, I'm guessing. May God bring the right ladies.

I'm still working on my certification for teaching lactation. I have some big projects left, and I am somehow going to need to get myself some quiet time to get it done. The research papers still feel daunting to me. I'm not worried about the writing...I'm worried about the research. I've always hated research. :P I also need a topic for one research paper. Kind of important for getting started.

Hoping you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Every so often

one of those "inspirational" emails really is good.

A woman was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids. She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season - overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday treats, getting that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card. Finally the elevator doors opened, and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed, she couldn't take it anymore and she stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and killed."

From the back of the car, everyone heard a quiet, calm voice respond, "Don't worry, we already crucified Him."

For the rest of the trip down in the elevator, it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. This year, don't forget to keep "the One who started this whole Christmas thing" in your every thought, deed, purchase and words. If we all did it, just think of how different this whole world would be.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Author unknown
edited for clarity

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I'm pleased to report that our tree finally graduated from lights to decorations this week. And the peanut butter balls got made. I bought some egg nog. So, Rog is set. There aren't many doors left in the advent calendars.

And today SNOW!!

Unfortunately, we had today figured as a big shopping day. I did some yesterday, but we still have quite a bit left. At this point, we're going to have to wait until tomorrow... Please Lord, help us demonstrate the love you have for us by giving small gifts to our family to represent the GREATEST GIFT of ALL.... Jesus!

Growth

Recent events at our church and a great post from I Could Be Serious really made me start examining my own life.

I would say one of my biggest struggles in my younger years was judgmentalism. I looked down on people whose struggles were foreign to me. I remember being horrified by the sins of friends who "partied" or slept with their boyfriends. These weren't my struggles...I knew the Word of God and knew why these things were wrong.

As I hit college, I found myself dealing with sin...that though not as extreme as my friends'...revealed to me how sin entangles. When you get in, you often get stuck. When you are stuck, you can't see the way out or if you do, you fail to exit the situation. You get isolated, and you don't want any of your Christian friends to know. Gotta keep looking good. Can't let people know I'm stuck. The slough of despond...

I can't say I'm not tempted to judge people anymore, but God has moved in my life in ways that birthed in me compassion. When I see people fail, I know that we are all capable of failure. I work hard to keep my Pharisee costume locked up. Over the years, it has actually become easier to feel compassion and caring for fallen people including me. That is growth...and I give Jesus all credit for it!

Whispers

I was sure by now,
God You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
and takes away.

And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone
how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
and takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes unto the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Praise You in the Storm
Casting Crowns
(and that last part would be from Psalm 121)

Hunting

On the 2nd we went Christmas tree hunting. We have got it down to a science as far as what to bring and how to dress. We were set. What we still need to figure out is how to transport the kids in the snow. They have outgrown the backpack...or Trina has at least. We had them in snowpants, and had them on the new sled we bought...but the combo of plastic sled and slippery clothes and mittens meant that Katrina kept slipping off the back. Roger was VERY frustrated. In the end, he went off hunting, and I sat in the snow with the kids. We sang Christmas songs. Then, he came back, pointed out the tree he liked, and I trudged over to it. I liked it (thank you Lord), so he went back and cut it while I piled the kids back into the car. The kids loved seeing Smokey Bear, Santa, and the fire truck! The tree looks great in our living room...now 10 days later I need to actually decorate it.

Girl time

Last Monday, I had some nice girl time with a good friend from far away and a lot of good friends from nearby. Girl time is something I've been missing more and more lately. I'm not sure how to prioritize it yet, but I know it is really very good for me.

I'm so glad I'm a woman!

Comedy of Errors...

(the next couple of posts have been in my head in the last few weeks, but are just now making it on screen)
Friday the 1st we had a date night! Hooray! The singles/college ministries were having a parent's night out as a fundraiser. Well, we dropped off the kids, and headed out. We had decided to see The Nativity at the Continental...which is just off the new light rail line. Roger and I both wanted to ride it, but I was afraid that we might be late to the movie. Roger assured me we would be fine.
Well, we went over the highway and got to the boarding area...but what we didn't realize was that it was the 1st night of the annual Parade of Lights which meant the trains were running slow and they were very full! As we stood outside waiting, I was glad I still had my ear cover and gloves in my coat. It was an icy night. We got on the train...but had to stand due to the large crowd. I get motion sickness, so this wasn't the fun experience I was hoping for...the dark and the standing made me long for our stop. Well, we got off the train and walked under the highway...just a quick block to the movie. We made it in time.
The movie is terrific! You should see it!
After the movie, we were anxious to get back and get our kids as it was past their bedtime. We checked the schedule and just a minute or two later, a train came. We were so cold, we didn't check which train it was. It took off...and then we realized it was the wrong train. AAAA!!! We got off at the next stop, and figured we would be able to get a train directly to our stop from there. Come to find out on the schedule that that train doesn't run late. We ended up going all the way back to the station by the movie theater.
Then, we had to wait a while. We got on the train, and someone at the front was leading Christmas caroles. I was in the middle of the train, and he enlisted my help to direct the back half of the car. I kept saying that Roger should do it...since he can actually direct music, but the man said my pink gloves were needed. Sad to say, the back half of the car didn't not really get into it.
We arrived back to pick up the kids 15 minutes late. We paid the singles handsomely...and with our Susan B Anthony dollars...none the less. It was a fun day...although a little stressful. Just yesterday Roger mentioned the lightrail again. I said "in the spring". I'm not anxious to try that on a cold night anytime soon.

YUCK

There are some parts of my job as mom that aren't so good. Example of the week is cleaning up vomit. Poor little man got the stomach bug. Please pray that the rest of us stay well....PLEASE!

thanks