Bits for Sunday, January 6, 2008

WHEW. I'm exhausted.

This new year brought about a pretty significant change in my daily routine – one that I’m enjoying so far, but the actual shift in schedule is tiring right at this moment. I’ve made a commitment to do part of my daily devotions in the morning…so I am allowed no more than one snooze per morning alarm. That’s a big change from the hour and a half I used to spend hitting that little button.

By the third day, I was already quite sure I didn’t care for the change, but I knew it was a good thing and I needed to stick with it. I’m learning that to make a commitment means to make somewhat uncomfortable sacrifices, but the rewards are worth it.

So here I am, still trying to get the hang of when I need to officially end the day in order to complete all of the new night routine – and exactly how much time is required in the morning to make any sort of sense of this hair. I’m hoping to have it all figured out just in time for the time to change. (Let’s not get started on that, though, okay?)

In other “new routine” news – I made a somewhat annoying observation this week. I’m technically allowed to drink pop again because I didn’t renew the “no carbonated beverage” commitment…but I can’t bring myself to do it. Friday I went to Subway with some friends and I stared long and hard at that drink machine before rolling my eyes and filling up with fruit punch. The day will come when I’ll break down and have a good old Coke or Pepsi, but for now, I just can’t. And now that I can have it…I don’t crave it like I did for the 365 days of last year. Isn’t that just how it always goes!

To take a break from the elliptical routine this week, I did tae bo for a couple of days. I can’t turn right. Something in my neck must have pulled or popped or snapped or gone on strike or something. It makes for an interesting time in backing out of the driveway. If you find a huge chunk of my house missing, you’ll know how that happened.

I purchased a new table and chairs this week to replace the temporary table and folding chairs I’ve been using for a few months. I fully assembled the table AND the chairs all by myself and so far, everything appears to be properly placed and quite sturdy! Oh – and did I mention I did it without power tools? Thankyouvermuch. Even my dad seemed impressed. Who am I kidding…even I am impressed! I’ve come a long way from the days of college when my roommate, Christi, and I put together a tower that leaned quite significantly to the left and was missing a large chunk of finish on the right-hand side. (Went a little crazy with the hammer.)

So that’s the way 2008 has started for me. The first week was busy and I felt like I constantly ran from morning until night…so it’s okay with me if it slows down a little. But I am enjoying the changes…the new routine…the trying new things…maybe not so much the furniture assembly.

Channel Surfing

This evening I spend my time doing some quality furniture assembly, so while I wore out my fingertips with non-power-tools, I got caught up in a little channel surfing. Landed on Wife Swap. Though I've seen the show before, I'm not a devoted viewer. But this evening, as I sailed past in my surf, I heard them say one of the wives was a Quaker pastor, so I stopped to see what she was all about. Having grown up Quaker, I try to check in on my roots now and then.

Well, if she were to serve as the denomination's spokeswoman (as I'm sure she'd take high offense to being called a "spokesperson"), then I'd just as soon not even be associated with the denomination at all. I was extremely disappointed.

At the beginning of the show, as they introduced the families, they did show her behind the pulpit. That was where any reference to the Lord seemed to stop. I went on the show's website just now and read the first part of her manual (each wife has to write a manual for the wife coming in to her household...and the manual includes a general synopsis of the family as well as an idea of their weekly routine and household rules) - and other than the reference to her occupation, I never would have known she knew anything about God at all.

She's very into the feminist movement and insists that her daughters understand they are not "defenceless" people. She doesn't approve of women being treated as a piece of "meet." Oh - and did I mention she homeschools? (Maybe her husband teaches the spelling part.)

Speaking of the homeschooling - I found it interesting that her manual indicated she (and her husband) did not want the kids "trapped in a patriarchal educational system surrounded by mindless social drones," but yet her husband (the patriarch) is a high school special education teacher. Hmmmm.

The other thing that really baffled me was what seemed to be missing from her weekly schedule. HER JOB. I didn't read that part word for word yet, because of time, but as I skimmed through it...I found the sleeping in and the watching public television and the schooling and the QT with the empowered women in training and the family outings...but other than preaching on Sunday morning, I didn't find much about her work with her church. Goodness, my pastor is at the church most every day of the week...and he visits people...and counsels people...and goes to the hospital...and pitches in on almost any kind of need a congregation member could have...and THEN he preaches a sermon he's worked hard to prepare.

The inconsistencies were disturbing, but even more disturbing and disappointing (she would like that last word - it's a big part of her method of discipline according to the manual) was just the lack of shining any sort of light for God. What better avenue could she have been given to leave a positive impression than an hour in primetime TV? And yet even the wife she swapped with made a comment about "And you're a preacher?" It made me sad, but I had to agree.

The Passion Promise: Living a Life Only God Can Imagine

Remember the list your English teacher handed you in high school? One hundred books you needed to read before you died?

At this rate, I need to live to be about 200 years old to squeeze in all the books. With all due respect to the great authors whose books comprised that list...most of the titles just don't interest me. So I decided that over the course of the next ten years, I would make my own list. Not that I think I can do any better than the master list of 100 great books...just that I think there are other books out there that deserve a chance too.

So the list that I'm making is a compilation of books I would recommend that my kids read (if I ever have kids, you understand) as they move into adulthood and start foraging a way for themselves. The way I've figured it...if I introduce a new book roughly every two and a half months, I'll have a list of fifty books at the end of the decade.

With that being said, I bring to you my first book of choice for this list:


The book is The Passion Promise: Living a Life Only God Can Imagine, and it's written by John Avant. I received this book as a gift from my friend Marie back in June, 2005. She told me the author had spoken at her church and moved her so deeply as he spoke on this subject that she went to the bookstore and ordered a number of copies of The Passion Promise to distribute to her friends.

The Passion Promise was the first book I ever remember crying over as I read. I cry all the time at movies, commercials, TV programs, testimonies in church, you name it, but books don't often make me cry. John wrote with such fervor, though, that he stirred up all sorts of God-planted desires in my heart - some that I hadn't felt in years. And that brought on the tears.

In his introduction, he says, "Deep in your heart, you know you were made for more than the daily grind. Like Paul, you were created for a passionate life designed by God. Even now the Lord is calling you to that life! Calling you to trade rusty religion for radical risk. Guaranteed safety for lifelong significance. Worthless ambition for wild adventure" (p. 11). That phrase received the first of many underlinings as I read through his book.

To write a book about "how to live" can be a perilous thing for an author. Some fall on the opposite side of a dangerous line that leaves people relying on the authority of a man (or woman) over the authority of God's Word. John states early in his book "The treasure is not in this book. It's in His book" (p. 20). In fact, he pulls the entire premise for his book straight from Ephesians 3:20-21, which says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen!"

Starting with "Now" and concluding with the "Amen!" John spends ten chapters dissecting these two verses, sharing from his personal experience as a husband, father, pastor, teacher, Christian, and human being. He brings in bits of study from the Bible's original languages, and he frequently backs his own words with the Word of God. He challenges anyone reading to take specific action to begin living a passionate life.

I've read this book more than once and I still find new things to underline and star. I love the practical wisdom he offers, and I think it's a very appropriate book to read at the start of anything new...a new year, a new ministry, a new marriage, a new baby, a new day, a new trial...anything.

John's words and his conclusions of Scripture have inspired me to dig even harder for the passion God has placed within me. I reread this book again just before the start of the new year, and it gave me the extra push I needed to begin my new lineup of commitments with renewed enthusiasm!

2007...A Good Year

Every day when I hop online, I'm greeted by yet another top ten list of this past year's highlights. I was going to make my own list, but I'm too tired, quite frankly. So I just thought I'd wish the year a fond farewell (much too busy tomorrow to do it then) by pausing to remember a few of the year's major events.

Today I busily geared up for my next round of covenants and commitments, since I'm pretty much done with the list of 25 for 2007. I'm thrilled to say I accomplished more than I thought I was capable of doing. My biggest triumphs were 365 days carbonated-beverage-free and a whole year of exercise. And of course - the before and after pictures to spur me on to continue in the path of a good thing.

Last Christmas:



This Christmas:

Yes, I am aware that they are taken from totally different angles. Yes I purposely picked the worst of last year and the best of this year. But you know, in every single diet ad you'll ever see, the people tanned and got a hair cut and teeth whitening in between their before and after pictures, so let me have my fun, okay????

The year wasn't all amazing triumphs. Hopefully this year will be less catastrophic for the family - no more tornadoes! No more windy storms of any kind! Having said that, it was quite an amazing thing to see how people came together to help. People who knew me and had never met my sister or her family still wanted to help - and that was pretty humbling to comprehend. Though I wish the circumstances could have been different, I am glad that I had saved the vacation days and had the money to go out to see/help/be there after the tornado. Thank you to all of you who patiently read and encouraged me and prayed for our family during those first especially rough weeks. Lori, Jeff, and Cassie are looking forward to being in their new home soon!

(Below: Julie and I in front of a massive random rubble pile.)

I loved the times this year that allowed me to reflect. I enjoy reflecting and love the moments in a day when I can zone out of crazy life long enough to catch up with God and sort through the ideas tumbling through my head. This year my exercise hour often became that time. But I took out other days for purposeful retreat - like this one on the lake:

But never fear - my crazy side is never far away. I had a fun year. Overall, minus the tornado, a fun, fun year. I went into this year hoping to see the joyful moments for what they were and I feel that I accomplished that. I stumbled. I fell. I hurt. I cried. But I didn't do any of those things nearly as much as I laughed and enjoyed this life.

Here at my desk I have my brand new still-smells-like-leather day planner that is already filling up with fun stuff. I also have my book for January. (One of my commitments this year is to read a book every month that deals with a relationship of some kind. Trying to learn more!) I'm excited to dig in to both!

This past year, my theme verse was 1 Samuel 16:1 - "The Lord said to Samuel, 'How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.'" My goal for the year was to work to put the things of my past behind me for good and prepare myself for the work ahead. I didn't do a perfect job, but I'm pleased with the foundation God helped me build this year. I don't know exactly what I'm doing with it yet, but I can tell some good things went into that foundation.

My verse looking ahead into 2008 is Romans 8:5 - "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." My prayer for the coming year is that I put aside what I have concocted in my head that I desire and need for my life and instead embrace whatever God has planned for my path. Not easy...but I want it.

So to each of you - happy new year!

Bits for Sunday, December 30, 2007

I realize that Christmas is over...but I have one more Advent reading to share, so you will find it below.

The Wise Men: The Light of Offering The Best Gift

Matthew 2:1-12

The wise men. Perhaps the most controversial characters in the record of the first Christmas. Should they or should they not be included in the Christmas account? They weren’t there right away…their visit was months…up to two years later, perhaps! Were there three…were there more? Were they kings or were they just smart guys? The debate goes on all these many years later.

And we spend so much time trying to figure out just how far away from the manger to place these figures in our Nativity scene that we miss the entire purpose for which they came! Even when we do separate ourselves from controversy long enough to talk about why they came, we focus on the exciting part of the story…like their run in with King Herod and their secret journey home. Or we focus on the lavish part of the story...like the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh that they brought to honor Jesus.

And tucked away in that story, in the middle of lavishing and excitement, is the part we usually gloss over. “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him” (Matthew 2:11a). That was their first order of business. They didn’t rush into the house and start pulling out presents right away. They didn’t scurry in and begin a great ceremony, declaring the Kingship of Jesus. They walked in, stopped, bowed, and worshiped.

We remember them for their material gifts that they presented. But their greatest gift – their first gift – was their worship. They didn’t come with the intent to impress. They came with the intent to humbly worship the One they recognized as their King. And the rest of that verse says “Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.” Then. After the worship, they gave the gifts.

I love giving gifts at Christmas. I love planning out exactly what I want to give. I love planning a theme. I love writing notes to go along with my gifts. I love wrapping them with care and watching joy on the faces of those who receive them as they unwrap them during the Christmas festivities. Presents are good – but they are not everything. The greatest gifts are the unseen ones. The ones you cannot hold in your hands. Your time. Your friendship. Your listening ear. Your hugs. Your caring.

Though Christmas is behind us and the gifts are now given, there is still one you can yet give. An unseen gift that you should seek to give first. The greatest gift...your worship.

Toilet Tales

Below you will find a series of posts that include the touching photos of the Christmas season. Key word there - "below." Because this post is all about the madness that always happens in our family. Remember back a few weeks - my post about my sheets getting eaten up in the agitator of my washer...the same day that my chair broke while I was using it? Well you'll be glad to know that these mishaps come to me honestly. This was my mom's latest adventure.

In her bathroom, she has a shelf a few feet above the toilet. She changes out the decor on it to match the season/holiday. (More things that are passed down to me via the gene pool.) So for Christmas, she had a cut glass vase filled with gold glass Christmas balls. Well, one day she was cleaning or walking by or whatever and she accidentally knocked the vase off the shelf. This is the vase "after."


Amazingly enough - it was the least of her worries. The toilet below took the brunt of the mishap. Here's her sign to keep people away from using it. (If you can't read it, it says "Don't even think about using this!")

Why, you ask? Keep scrolling.


Yep! The vase shattered the porcelain! The stuff in the water isn't what you think. It's actually the gold paint from the Christmas balls that were in the vase. Apparently the paint comes off when it gets wet.

So Mom bemoaned the fact that she had to go toilet shopping 2 days before Christmas. I (in all my annoying wisdom) reminded her of what she said to me the last time I had to spend money on a home repair: "Be thankful you have the money to fix it." She found it about as amusing as I did when she used the line on me.

I Just Liked This One

I know I already posted one picture of me with the newest baby in my collection of honorary nieces and nephews - but I just really liked this picture, so I thought I would add it. This was taken Christmas Eve when I went over to her house to have Christmas with her (she was thrilled) and her sister and Mom.

Christmas Coordination

Janice - you made a comment about my theme. Here it is in full swing.

The packages (which match the tags)

Which match the card.....
(Skyepuppy - there is that saran wrap ink technique you asked me about)


And the winning photo for the inside - one of the last of 34 attempts my mother made at "the perfect picture."

Christmas with the Fam

Lori - I guess most of Sunday's festivities must be on Mom's camera - I was kind of in charge of both. I'm going to get my own set of her pictures on Monday, so I'll add to it then. But here's a few.

Julie (my sister) with one of her gifts from me: coffee. It's decaf, which in my head translates to "why bother?" - but she was happy and that is all that matters. (Or so I'm told.)

There's my cute princess Santa hat from Miss Kristin! :) And my new novel - it's called White Chocolate Moments by Lori Wick. It's from my Aunt B - she said the title sounded like me. I wonder why she would think that??? ;)


I think most of the family portraits ended up on Julie's camera, but this one was on mine. I kept making her retake the picture because I looked fat in all the others. (So vain.) I guess in this one, Mom and I ended up looking like a 2 headed person.

Christmas Day

Here's Dad "resting his eyes." Who was he kiddin'? He was OUT. Apparently the last minute lunch preparations just took a bit longer than he could handle.

Our lunch...and no the folding chairs are not a permanent fixture. I'm mid-dining-room-table/chair-hunt right now, so in the meantime I use a table I had in storage and a set of Mom and Dad's folding chairs.

Kitty Christmas

Of course I insisted that Kaegan and Braeya be part of the festivities......

Here's my Mom, possibly the closest she has ever been to Braeya (or "Pooch" as she calls her) - actually attempting to play with her. Good job, Mom. The ornament Mom is holding was a gift to her and Dad from lil Braeya Jo Jo.

Dad (polar opposite of Mom) l-o-v-e-s his grandcats and spent a lot of Christmas day playing with both of them. Here he is with Braeya and her new toy - well one of many new toys. She was having a blast reaching for that toy! Hey Lori - I think Mom was on the phone with you.


Greedy, greedy, greedy. She didn't even wait for me to pull the toys out of her stocking. Apparently I was not moving quickly enough to suit her.

Kaegan wouldn't join us for the longest time, but when he finally did come out to play, he had fun with his Grandpa.

Christmas Night

Christmas evening, my best friend (Lynnette) and her husband (Mark) stopped by for a little Christmas get-together. They brought their active little chihuahua, Belle. Wanna guess which members of my household disappeared altogether until she was gone??

Anyway, here's my gift from them - a very pretty Willow Tree (LOVE THEM!) figurine and matching picture frame. There's a kitty book too, but it was cut out of the bottom of the picture - woops! You'll notice over my shoulder there...HGTV!!!!

Time Off...Too Much of a Good Thing?

I'm LOVING my time off work. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to the decision makers at work who extended our holiday time this year an extra 3 days beyond what we would have had under the old policy. I'm thankful! Love the sleeping in, love the doing whatever I want, love the staying up late - LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!

And then comes the question of...what to do with all this time?

I started scrapping and made some serious progress in Cassie's high school book - but even scrapping can only last so long before other shiny objects attract my attention. And now said objects are starting to turn into $$$$ (at least mentally), so I think it will be high time I returned to work when the appointed day arrives.

Yesterday, because I could, I decided to hop in the car (a sight to behold) and drive down to the Gaither store because I just "needed" their two newest Homecoming videos. While driving, I contemplated how a girl who just received multiple Christmas gifts could "need" to spend money of her own...but I just did.

Then I came home and read a book - a whole book - just because I could. It was not my first read-through of the book, but it seemed an appropriate time to re-read it.

And then I started playing online. I don't know if I've mentioned this on a blog before...but I'm a SERIOUS Little House fan. Once upon a time I could really give the best of the best a run for his/her money on Little House trivia. So just for fun, I thought I'd see if I could find online trivia games. I did. I took 19 quizzes (I know - ridiculous waste of time - but I'm on VACATION!) and scored a 246 out of 310 overall possible points. And truly, if I'd read better on a few, I bet I could have had a 260. I got in a hurry and made stupid mistakes sometimes. Still, for not having earnestly watched this show in about the last 7 years, I thought that was the display of a PRETTY good memory.

One peril of this much home-time has been an overbonding experience with HGTV. By 10 pm last night I'd been all over the Lowe's website and had completely redesigned my bathroom. I don't have the money to do it - at least not yet. But I know what I want when the time comes! Upon staring at my wish list, I thought it in the best interest of my wallet to CHANGE THE CHANNEL. But I gotta tell you - when I do the bathroom - it's going to be cuh-ute! Pretty much everything goes except the toilet. It's in good enough shape to stay.

Fortunately, one of my former college roommates drove up for a visit today, so spending time with her kept me from taking quizzes and remodeling more of my house.

If I were smart, I'd start taking down the Christmas decor. I'm guessing I am not about to be smart.

Merry Christmas!

A very merry Christmas to each of you! I've had a great day with just the right amount of food - some SUPER new presents, and now - the need for a nap.

I can tell that I'm mellowing in my old age. I finally pulled myself out of bed at 10 - and my parents were scheduled to arrive for lunch at 12. In the "olden days" I'd have been up at 7 stressing about the food. Not now!

I told Mom it was probably the worst Christmas dinner she ever had. In our family, Christmas dinner is always a big to-do, complete with ham and potatoes and all sorts of other dishes. What did I serve? Baked potato soup and sloppy joes. Tacky, perhaps, but SO yummy. And my dad even had seconds on the soup, forcing me to search for breathing assistance. (Dad doesn't do well with new dishes - and I was shocked he made it through one bowl - let alone seconds.) We had cherry crisp for dessert and it was all very yummy.

We exchanged gifts...including Kaegan and Braeya. They are pretty wired from catnip. It was fun to watch them attack the toys. Braeya was trotting (literally) around the house with her toys in her mouth - as if Kaegan would steal them from her. What!?!? He's scared of her! I don't think she has to worry.

Mom and Dad liked their gifts - though most of Dad's were less than exciting. (The man asks for garden hose and copy paper...it's so thrilling to purchase.)

And I was SUPER excited about my gifts. I received a new blender which not only SAYS it crushes ice...it ACTUALLY crushes the ice. I make blended coffee drinks all the time, so this is an amazing help. I also received a new shirt that Cassie might fight me for...it's that turquoise color you like so much, Cass. I also received some hodge-podge coffee stuff for my kitchen, which I recently redecorated with a coffee theme. I was pretty excited about that.

As usual, I also received the gift I call the "lack-of-husband consolation prize." I can't remember if I blogged about it last year or not. When my sisters were out on their own and then still when they were first married, Mom gave them a box of food every year for Christmas. The staple stuff - flour and sugar, Hamburger Helper, chocolate chips, pudding, stuff like that. I couldn't wait to grow up so I could get one too. And even though I'm past the "living on Ramen noodles" stage of adulthood, I still get the box - and I call it my consolation prize for not having a husband to buy gifts for. Not near as cute as a man - but it's a fun present anyway.

After lunch and presents, we sat around watching the Christmas music specials on the IWU station while the cats continued to chase catnip mice around the floor.

A pretty perfect Christmas, I have to say!

Hope all of you are enjoying your day as well!

Happy Birthday to my Girl

Today is my niece's 18th birthday. Happy birthday, Cassie! You sure did get the cuter end of the deal in this picture!

It's safe to say we've both come a lonnnnnnnnnnnng way since then! I miss you - enjoy some cake for me, okay?

Love you!

In other news today - since I don't know when I'll make it back this way to post again - I enjoyed yet another Christmas celebration this morning. I went out to Faith's to have Christmas with her and Hannah and new baby Kaylah. (Mike was there, but he mostly served as resident photographer.)

Hannah was very excited about her gift - a box full of play food for her kitchen. Christmas was over as far as she was concerned...time to serve up ice cream and onion rings and plates of cookies. (Can you tell how much Aunt Bekah enforces healthy eating? HA!)

Kaylah was slightly less thrilled over her rattle and book, but hey, I guess when you're less than a week old, if it isn't food, you really don't care. She managed to pull off some cute pictures for me though.

And then...I just have to say a GOD BLESS THE MARSH (which would be the same thing as just plain old "God bless Marsh" - but I have to put a "the" in everything). I needed four things to complete Christmas lunch tomorrow and I was n-o-t going to go to Wal-Mart and risk life, limb, and sanity for four things. I went to the Marsh and the parking lot was full, so I steeled myself for a Wal-Mart-esque experience. BUT...I went inside, found exactly what I needed, was greeted by not one - but TWO employees, AND an open lane awaited my arrival at checkout. So what if it cost me twice as much!?!? THAT is how shopping should be done. Kudos to you, the Marsh! :)

And a very wonderful Christmas Eve to you!

Christmas - Day 23

Today was my "big" Christmas bash. Though I will have a gift exchange with my parents on Christmas day, today was the day we had the official family Christmas.

First I went to church - and it was SO GOOD to be there after two weeks of being gone. I'd missed my row-o-chairs! During Sunday School I helped the jr. high class sort Christmas cards and then we all passed them out to people between Sunday School and church. I love to sort, so I was perfectly happy.

Right as church was starting, my friend Chris tracked me down with his almost two-year-old son on his arm and a panicked look on his face. Given that today was the children's Christmas program (which his five-year old was participating in and his wife was helping with), I figured he was on video camera duty and there was no one to watch the kiddo. And I was right. So Chris passed Liam off to me and together we continued to hand out Christmas cards. We parked ourselves in our pew and church began. I'm not inclined to allow for much noise - and right at the beginning of church, Liam felt the need to talk. I asked him to whisper, and he said, "WHY?" Well so much for whispering. But God was kind to me and put Liam into a very mellow mood and he sat on my lap without a peep for the entire service, alternately accepting bites of cereal bar, playing with my rings, and trying to figure out how to zip and unzip my purse. It was fun to have him there with me.

After church, I went to my parents' house, and family Christmas began. We had a good time - made complete with me getting the traditional bent-over-under-the-tree Christmas photo of my Mom that you can't see because she could still revoke my gifts. :)

I got some fun presents - new sheets (since my only set encountered that unfortunate agitator episode in the washer) and the world's coolest picture frame. It's from my sister, Lori, and it is a wooden frame that says "Sisters" up in the corner and then our names are etched all over the frame. Never seen anything like it. I'll have to post a picture. I also got a very festive new shirt, a baking stone (YAY!), a new mattress pad (she rolled her eyes upon giving it to me - but I was thrilled! No more stupid vinyl thing!) and FULL SIZE makeup brushes. (I've been using the travel set on a daily basis for about 2 years because I was too cheap to buy the regular ones.) AND - a new novel. LOVE books. So I counted it a good day.

I've spent this evening working on Cassie's scrapbook - my project for the week. I'm mid-volleyball season, so I thought it was a good time to take a break, drink some chai, and enjoy the day!

Bits for Sunday, December 23, 2007

Anna: The Light of Perseverance and Hope

Luke 2:36-38

What a lonely life she must have lived in those last years. Probably most of her friends had passed away. Her own husband was gone – after seven too short years of life together. I doubt a day went by that she didn’t think of him and remember those brief years together and wish for one more opportunity to see him…to be near him…to talk with him.

Eighty four years she had lived on the earth – and for so many of them, her life had been one of solitude. Lots of time…too much, sometimes…alone with her thoughts. Had she questioned why God left her here? What purpose did she serve? Couldn’t He see how lonely she was? How tired? Was she still worth anything?

But what a prayer warrior she was! Night and day she fasted and prayed, never leaving the temple. She watched the people walk in and out of the temple courts – she saw much need. She saw people caught in sin. She saw people stricken with illness. She saw marriages in trouble and rebellious children. She saw true repentance and those who just wanted to buy off a few more days of “righteousness” before they’d have to come back and atone for the same old offense. And, burdened for their lives, she devoted her own life to praying for them.

I wonder if the day felt different to her when she woke up that morning. I wonder if she knew, in her prophetess heart, that something was going to happen that day. Something big. Something life changing. Something amazing.

As she wandered about the temple, praying as she always did, she saw the family. The mother, the father, and the brand new baby. Not an unusual sight – babies came in all the time for the eighth-day circumcision. But this baby drew her in a way the others did not. As she walked closer, she knew. This was the Child. This was the one she had prayed for. This was the one she and all who worshiped with her had longed for…for so many years.

And Anna could not keep quiet. Life’s purpose now spoke loudly. This was why she was still here. This was why God had asked her to endure days of lonely sorrow. This was why she remained when so many had gone on before her. Today, with her own eyes, she saw the Hope she had waited to see so many years. Her perseverance had paid off. Though she might not have known this was God’s reason for leaving her here, she now knew that He had wanted her to see this Child in the flesh.

We don’t always know why God asks of us the things He asks. They seem difficult at the time. They may even seem pointless. But to persevere with hope and great faith will show us that in the end, we are rewarded for our efforts. It will make sense one day. Things will come together and we will see the purpose of God’s plan!

Christmas...Days 21 and 22

Free at last! Christmas vacation has descended upon me - WOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO!

On my way home from work, I played the Hallelujah chorus in my car. So it was off the Easter CD - who cares? Still applicable!

Last night I had a fun Christmas celebration. I dropped off some gifts to one of my friends' kids (the kiddos met me at the door with an eager "You brought presents!?!?!?") and thoroughly enjoyed watching them rip into the wrapping paper. They're still at an age where everything is exciting no matter what it is - and they were unwrapping boxes and starting on puzzles almost faster than their mom could help. It was a fun thing to watch.

Then we had a girls' night out - watching movies and eating Christmas cookies until after midnight. It was fun - I hadn't had an evening like that in a while. Of course when she left and I still had to crawl on the elliptical and exercise...well...not so much fun then. :) I've never really exercised at 1 in the morning before. Wouldn't recommend it.

Today I slept in (still only got a normal amount of sleep but when you start late, that pushes back the waking up time too) and spent most of the day doing my chores.

But tonight I had so much fun - I had Christmas with my friend Kari and then went with her to a Grey's Anatomy trivia party. It was so much fun! Trivia's a funny thing...even when you think you know a lot...you find out you aren't quite as smart as you want to be. For you fellow Grey's watchers out there...one of the questions I missed was Denny Duquette's time of death. I could see that whole scene in my mind. I could see Bailey telling the Chief "Denny Duquette died at ...." and then the scene went mute in my mind. I guessed 8:02. Turns out it was 7:42. Hey, I got the two! Another Denny question that I missed was the time difference on the organ transplant list between him and the person who ended up receiving the heart. I guessed 2 hours. (I vaguely remembered it wasn't long.) Correct answer? 17 seconds. What a bummer. For both of us. I did manage to remember which two interns held up the 65 pound tumor as the surgeons tried to remove it (Yang and O'Malley) and where Burke hid the apartment key when he gave it to Christina (bottom of the coffee cup). Isn't it weird what sticks in the mind?

So it was a fun night - and I gotta sign off because I have 10 more minutes of exercise to clock in before the day is done.

Only two more days!

Christmas - Days 19 and 20

Only five days left...I can't believe it! I'm having so much fun this Christmas...I'm not ready for it to be almost here and gone!

Last night I had Christmas with my friend Olivia. We managed to squeeze and entire celebration into 45 minutes and still have a great time! :) We had to consult the scrapbook to make sure she wasn't wearing the same coat she wore to our last celebration. (Oh the worries of photo documentation.) Anyway, we had a great time!

And today...our office had a Christmas party. (This would be bigger than my immediate office but smaller than the whole campus.) I got the COOLEST gift from Kristin - you'll see it in pictures eventually. It's a Santa hat that says Princess. LOVE IT. Already warned Mom that it will make an appearance at the family Christmas exchange. Thanks, Kristin!

Tonight the Christmas "party" I was supposed to have was postponed, so I gained an entire evening at home (reintroducing myself to Kaegan and Braeya) and scrapped! I'm three pages away from being caught up to the Christmas season! YAY! This week has been so on-the-go that I'm thrilled to have a night to rest.

Sweet Baby

Three posts in one day - admittedly a bit much. But it's been a three post kind of day!

It's currently 10:02 - and I've basically been up since 4:30 this morning. Never let it be said that I'm lazy!

The phone rang at 4:30 and I knew that little zippy ring could mean only one thing - BABY TIME!

My friend Faith has been waiting for this day for...well...9 months! Due yesterday, actually, she finally went into for-real-no-turning-back-labor early this morning. I was scheduled to be the keeper of soon-to-be-big-sister during labor. So I pulled myself out of bed, snuggled on the couch with a blanket until the doorbell rang, and found myself in charge of a toddler in cute jammies complete with feet!

I was so proud of Hannah for jumping right into bed and trying her best to go to sleep in a room that wasn't hers...with strange sounds and different lights and no Mommy in the next room. It took her about an hour to fall asleep but she stayed very still and quiet while she tried! She slept until 9, but I got very little sleep in the meantime.

I had saved a "floating vacation day" for such a time as this, so this morning I found myself wondering what to feed a toddler for breakfast and wishing I'd stocked up on juice and sippy cups. I learned much about the Disney channel in the morning, multiple renditions of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, how being quiet too long is something to be extremely cautious of, and just how much my cats detest children within the walls.

Hannah renamed each of my cats, by the way. Kaegan is now Callie (renamed AND regendered!) and Braeya is Cheera. (Don't ask - I have no idea.)

When Faith called to tell me that baby Kaylah had arrived, I eavesdropped on her phone-delivery of that message to Hannah. Hannah sat very still and nodded (helpful for the phone) but she listened to every word. I know this because when she hung up, I said, "Well we have to get ready so Daddy can come to get you!" She responded with "Yeah, because baby Kaylah isn't in Mommy's tummy anymore!"

After working for the afternoon (so much for a whole vacation day!) and running some errands, I had the opportunity to meet sweet baby Kaylah in person. She's precious! :)

Faith's Dad also has a picture up on his website if you want to see it....here.