I Don't Get It

I had a lot of free time this past weekend so I sat down and read the Twilight books. All 4 of them. My son is into them so I wanted to see what all the fuss is about. I had been told they might not be such a good thing for him to read but I didn't see anything that made me raise my eyebrows too much.

Please don't hurt me but...I don't get it.

I mean, they were decent reads and I can see why teenage girls would go nuts over them, but the main female character? I wanted the vampires to eat her because she was so indecisive and whiny.

To each his own but I just don't get it.


In other news, Josh had a good birthday. I surprised him and Patrick on Friday by checking them out of school and taking them to see Monsters vs. Aliens in 3-D. It was a big hit with them.

I also found a birthday card for Josh that sings a song from Madagascar 2...the one that Moto Moto sings? "I like em' big...I like em' chunky..."

Josh loves going around singing that but he HATES it when we catch him doing it and laugh about it.

He opened the card and cracked up.

Good times.

Trying new things

I have made it a point to try and do things I wouldn't have done in the past during this uncertain time in my life.

Getting out and building the extended patio? Not something I would normally do. Work in my yard, yes, but take on a project like that? No way. And I did it.

I looked in our dining room the other day and decided it needed a Spring flower arrangement. I went shopping and all the ones I saw were SO expensive so I decided to try and make my own. And I did it.




I have always cooked dinner for my family each night...even back when I was working. It is on the table 98% of the time when John walks through the door at 5:45. I call it my 1950's Housewife throwback but I can't help it. Even though my career has always been very important to me having that family dinner around the table with conversation and no television is more important.

Last night I made the boys a special dessert. And Josh REALLY enjoyed it. Can you tell? Yes...they are in martini glasses... Bygones.






Tomorrow my "little" boy will turn 7 years old. He wants steak for dinner and a cake with a Robot on it. I'm struggling with the robot cake deal. I haven't been able to find a bakery that can do a Robot cake so that is my mission today.

House of Prayer last night was ironic. It was all about healing. I prayed for Stellan the entire time and God was so good to reveal things to me through our pastor and the Bible about healing.

Prayers for Stellan

I know a lot of people read Jennifer's blog and already know about Stellan's heart issues.

I've been praying off and on all day today. He is on my mind because when I see pictures of him he reminds me of Colin so very much.

I'm adding some pictures for his name gallery...Patrick thought of the diapers and Josh thought of the army men...

If you want to participate in his name gallery you can find the info at
http://knowingnorrah.blogspot.com/.

To read more about Stellan and his amazing journey in life so far you can visit www.mycharmingkids.net.

And pray, pray, pray for his healing but ultimately God's will be done.

When God Gets Personal...With My Schedule

Notes from the sermon:

Luke 10:38--42

It is easy for your spiritual gifts to get in the way of your spiritual identity.

Ask yourself:

Who am I?
What have I bought into? What am I sold out to?
Who do I belong to?

Refer to the scripture above. Who was better prepared to worship the Savior? Martha or Mary?

How do we prepare for worship? Do we just go because it is Sunday and that is what you do on Sunday or do we really prepare ourselves for worship?

Until we understand what the most important thing in our life is we will never grow.

Accountability is painful, but it is necessary.

Priorities should be predetermined and followed through with discipline.

Steps to take:

Admit you are weak and need Christ's help.
Get some accountability.
Use a journal.
Start small. Commit to having focused prayer for 5 minutes each day.
Read the same passage for 5 minutes each day for 7 days straight.
Memorize 1 scripture per week. Imagine how many verses you will know in a year!
Write down the victories that come from being disciplined.

Salvation is found at the feet of Jesus...not in the kitchen. Mary was at the feet of the Master while Martha was busy doing things that HAD to be done in her mind.

Rescue Me

Some days this is exactly how I am feeling...

Deep is the river that I have to cross
Heavy the weight on my shoulder
I have discovered how great is the cost
Of trying alone to cross over
I try and I try but the current’s too strong
It’s pulling me under and my strength is gone
Don’t leave me stranded

Rescue me, my God and my King,
The water is rising and I cannot breathe,
Wrap your arms all around me and
Carry me over
Carry me over

There is a bridge that is easy to cross
While all of our burdens are lifted
Peace is the land that is waiting for us
Lord, give me faith to believe it
Cause I’m in a storm but I’m willing to fight
I’ll overcome and I will not die with You by my side

Rescue me, my God and my King,
The waters are rising and I cannot breathe,
Wrap your arms all around me and
Carry me over
Carry me over

I will sail over the oceans and
High over the mountains and
Soar up to the Heavens
Here is my hand is my heart and my soul and my mind

Rescue me, my God and my King,
The waters are rising and I cannot breathe,
Wrap your arms all around me and
Carry me over
Rescue me, my God and my King,
You are the only one who can save me
Wrap your arms all around me and
Carry me over
Carry me over

Thank you, Father that you step in and rescue me each and every time. It may not be how I would have planned but it is your will and carried out in your timing.

A Post Full of Pictures

I am 98% finished with my back yard project so I thought I would capture it and post for all to see because I'm sure you are very, very interested in how I've spent probably 35 hours of my time recently...


What most of the areas looked like before I got started...


The new rock garden area...


New patio and rock walkway...









A couple pics I took at Callway. I was very impressed with how well my camera did...





I took my old patio furniture and cleaned it up, sanded off any rust then spray painted them and added new cushions.

I still have to pressure wash and stain my deck but that will be another few days before I can get around to it.

I completely dug up half the back yard cleaning things up, relandscaping, adding the extended patio, fixing a drainage issue area...WHEW! It makes me tired just thinking about all of it.

Today Josh and I spread Easter eggs all in the front flower beds and I made a spring wreath for the door...




Angel and Baxter...both are rescue dogs. Angel has almost lost all of her sight now.



Me and Colin...

Brief Update

I'm still around...just have been spending 6 hours a day for the last 4 days in my back yard on several projects. I am kicking myself that I didn't take any before pictures because the after ones are going to be awesome.

I absolutely love working in my yard. I get filthy dirty and I hurt all over the next day but it is such a stress reliever for me and I enjoy it so much.

Today I am having my lunch date with Josh then taking Colin to run some errands.

We leave on Monday for Callaway Gardens for a mini vacation. I found a good deal and it is Spring Break for the boys so off we go!

One of the jobs I interviewed for fell through but I still have one hanging out there. Hope to hear about it next week.

And an old associate of mine called me this morning and said he had heard of a position and had passed my name along so we will see what happens.

It is still my prayer that if it isn't where God wants me to be then I don't want it.

This is a very hard prayer to pray because we are approaching the point that I really need to find something. But, I would rather do it this way then take something and figure out later it was my selfish desire that brought me there and not God's will.

Hopefully next week I will have pictures of my completed projects as well.

What do I have to do? Draw you a picture?

I have been known to say this to my children from time to time when I feel like I have explained something in such perfect detail that there is no way they can possibly not get it.

I had an experience this last week that reminds me that God feels the same way about me many times. I have been praying so much over this job situation and that I am where God wants me to be even if it isn't necessarily where I want to be.

I got a card from a friend that had "Psalm 37:4" written on the bottom. I was in the middle of 100 things so I told myself I would go look up the verse later.

Fast forward a few days and I get another card from someone with "Psalm 37:4" written on it. Hmmm...haven't I seen that somewhere else recently? Again I make a mental note to go look it up.

Couple more days pass...I am driving and this moron pulls RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF ME and I almost hit him. As I am contemplating how to not possibly lose my temper and say very unflattering things I see his vanity plate. PSA 37:4

Okay...this is getting spooky. I laugh and tell God that I'm listening. I pull off the side of the road and get my Bible and look it up.

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give all the desires of your heart.

Thank you, Father. You did indeed have to draw me a picture.

Snow Pictures

We had what passes in Alabama for snow this past Sunday. Now, I've been in Chicago enough during winter to know this isn't REALLY snow...but we take what we get.

COLIN'S FIRST SNOW EXPERIENCE


PATRICK



JOSH



JOHN AND COLIN