Nothing...

Usually I have a whole slew of blog ideas running through my brain, I just don't have the time to put them into words. But tonight, I have a free minute, and I can't think of anything to say.

It was a good day. I really love Mondays. I don't go anywhere, I do laundry, we get all of our school finished, I clean up the house, make a nice dinner. It's probably the most peaceful day of the week. It probably helps that we've all been refueled by an awesome Sunday, and are ready for a new week.

Yes, Monday is my favorite day. I'll bet not many people say that. It wasn't that way when I was working, having to get back to work. But I guess that means I really like my work now! You know you like your "job" when you look forward to Mondays!

Of course I love weekends and having Lee home! But it's nice too when he can come home from work Monday night to a peaceful, unhurried home. He's not feeling well tonight, so he's watching a movie and eating popcorn with Katie and Nate. Abby's practicing her typing (It's a game she loves to 'play'), and I'm here typing myself.

Did I ever mention that Abby thinks my favorite hobby is typing? LOL! Well it's not, but I do spend a lot of time here.

Ok, well, that was a nice break. Now I'm going to get a few more things done on here that are more pressing than my blog.

I hope you all have a great rest of the week!

"Happy" New Year!

How have you started your year?

Here's how we have spent the past week:

Yes, they look great, don't they? We had the fever/cold virus fly through our home. It hasn't left yet, stubborn thing. Thankfully they all have it at once, so it might not drag on for all of January. (Notice they are all holding their medicine cups for pain reliever.)

Ahh, winter. Some might think of snowball fights, hot cocoa, snowmen, and warm fires, but for a mom of three, I think of Stain-Free Motrin, late-night baths to reduce fevers, disinfectant, and vitamin C!

Enough is Enough!!!

I can put up with political correctness to a point. Go ahead and say Happy Holidays, put Santa in the malls, and air "It's a Wonderful Life" on TV. Fine with me. I'm not complaining. I know what Christmas is really about, so I'm not offended.

But I draw the line at changing the words to tried-and-true, familiar CHRISTmas songs!

I recently took my girls to the Yuletide Celebration downtown for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Abby was in their commercial, so I thought it would be fun to see the show together.

The African Children's Choir was wonderful, Sandy Patty, the hostess, wore more outfits than I have in my closet, and overall the show was cute and light hearted. That is, until they sang "Oh Come All Ye Faithful."

It was a large number, with a majority of the cast included. The orchestra was brilliant, and right at the end, in a large, grand crescendo of a finale, they sang:

"Oh come let us adore Him.... Joy to the world!"

And with their arms in the air and smiles beaming, I was about ready to be ill.

"What?" I almost yelled to the people next to me. "Joy to the World? Those aren't the words!"

(In case you don't know, the song is supposed to end with "Christ the Lord.")

I didn't complain about the tap-dancing Santas or the Up on the Housetop songs. I thought it was cute when they showed Santa going down the Chimney and then flying away with his reindeer. I'm not asking for a religious experience when I go and see a secular holiday show. But, and I emphasize this GREATLY, if you're going to sing a song about MY LORD, then sing it right!

You'd better believe I plan on writing them a letter.

Enough is enough.

Memory Lane

Each year, 3 friends and I take pictures of our oldest kids at the same place at a park. We have 5 pictures already! That really makes time seem like it's zooming by. Here they are...

2003

2004

2005














2006














2007

Lite Brite

(This is from an old blog of mine I ran across today, written on 02/06. I thought it was worthy of a re-post here) :)

This afternoon at my parent’s house, my mom pulled out my old Lite Brite. (You know, where you stick the pegs in the black paper to make designs, and they light up.) Abby and I had a great time making all sorts of pictures! It was a lot of fun. I’ll get back to this.

I’ve been contemplating pride lately. It affects everyone. We can be prideful of our abilities, giftedness, appearance, position, talents, children, acts of kindness, apparent righteousness, status, whatever!

And as I played Lite Brite, I realized I am a peg. Plain, boring, and dull. However, when the light shines through me, I’m bright and colorful! Imagine if a yellow peg said to the blue peg, “I’m so much brighter than you! Look at how shiny I am! I’m the best peg!” It would seem ridiculous. They’re both equally boring and plain and dull. The light is what makes them shine. It has nothing to do with them.

Everything I am – talents, possessions, abilities, giftedness, lack of ability even – it all came from God. He created me for a purpose. When I’m connected to Him, He makes me shine. It’s not my own doing, and to brag about it, even in my innermost heart, would be absurd.

Now I see even more clearly what Jeremiah meant, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” Amen to that!

Of course, the analogy can go even further. If I’m not in Christ, I’m in darkness. There is no in between. I praise God for sending Jesus, His Light, to our dark world so we don’t have to live in the dark anymore!

Cobwebs in the Soul

Today I'm having one of those days. I didn't get up when my alarm told me to, I had to rush right into the day w/ the kids, I didn't have a quiet time, I still haven't showered, I'm tired from staying up too late, I have dishes left over from yesterday, I didn't get my laundry put away yesterday, and I'm still not unpacked from our weekend in Ohio, so it's spilling all over.

I'm at the sink this afternoon trying to get some dishes put away so I can have space to make lunch and throw some food in the crock pot for dinner when I start thinking, "I have got to make sure I get up earlier! If I would have had time in the morning with God, this day would be better." My thoughts continued, "And I've GOT to make sure this kitchen is all cleaned up before I go to bed, no matter how tired I am, or I start out behind and the rest of the day is ruined." "And I absolutely have to go to bed earlier."

Then it hit me. And I said it out loud. "That is a lie!" My peace is not dependent entirely on what I do or what the circumstances are around me. Peace in a trial is sometimes easier because it's BIG. But peace amidst the ordinary isn't earned by routines and orderliness. Of course I believe that cleanliness helps! LOL! But really, God's peace is available to me all the time, no matter where I am.

So I prayed, "God, I need your peace and joy, because I've been in a rotten mood all day."

Nathan was jumping off the couch onto a big stuffed dog shouting "Look! Look!" So rather than "mmhmm-ing" him, I turned and watched. It really was funny, the way his little body would bounce and roll. I actually let out a genuine chuckle. Rest time came, and as I laid him down he asked to read a book. We read "Moo, Baa, La La La." Watching him make all the noises brought out another genuine and not forced smile.

I'm still feeling sort of all tied up inside. But I'm smiling, because I know that God will help me unravel the cobweb of emotions that sometimes makes a nest in my soul.

Time to go upstairs, unwind, and spend some time meditating on truth.

Even things that sound good can sometimes be a lie, and we miss out on all the blessings around us.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does."

John 14:27-28

Straight No Chaser

This was excellent! Enjoy!