Oh, Christmas tree!!! Oh, Christmas tree!!!!
Tonight we put up our Christmas tree. Today was wonderful. Not only did we put up the tree, but we rearranged all of our living room furniture. And put some of it back the way that it was before we messed with it today. (I love rearranging furniture. It gives me an adrenaline rush.) And I let Hubby put tacky colored lights on the tree instead of elegant, beautiful white lights. And we ate Zesto burgers for dinner. But the best part about today...I had Hubby at home with me and Peanut all day!
We decorated our mantlepiece with a pineapple. It is so bootifullll!!! I love Christmas!!!!
One small correction to the last blog...Daddy does help Mama make the turkey. Thanksgiving day tradition. And Daddy helped Mama do all of the dishes. And the turkey's name is always Lurkey. Some things never change. And I am so glad that they don't.
I really, really love tradition. I like knowing that on some special days, certain things will always happen. Just like presents undere the tree...Okay, it's nice, but I'm kidding. No, seriously...I like knowing that on Christmas Eve we will always have ham and potato salad. And I like driving around with hot chocolate and doughnuts to look at all of the Christmas lights. And I love getting dressed up just to come to the dinner table for Christmas dinner. But there's a funny thing about traditions...Traditions change. And it doesn't really bother me. Because life changes...so traditions change to accommodate life.
For example...Last year was my first Christmas as Hubby's old woman. (For some reason, that phrase just tickles me...But I don't know why...) So I traded out the tradition of waking up Mama and Daddy to go see what Santa brought for the tradition of waking up in my husband's arms and drinking coffee with him under the tree as we open up our presents for each other. And while I will always treasure the memories of being in my parent's house...I wouldn't trade my new tradition for the world.
Here's another one for you...When I was a child, my brother and I would always go play with all of our toys while Mama and Daddy finished cleaning the kitchen. Now...I will clean the kitchen and listen to my little boy play with his presents from Santa. And I can only hope that Peanut will have brothers or sisters that are as wonderful as my brother - and as much fun.
Some things never change, though. And that is where God comes in. While the rest of the world is constantly changing and life never stays the same...I know one thing that is eternally the same. There really is no shadow of changing with Him. He is the same today as He was yesterday or will be tomorrow. And I praise Him for that. So He will always be there...even after life here is gone. And that is the only thought that keeps me sane sometimes. So, this Christmas, the tradition that I am looking forward to most of all is just sitting cuddled up with my husband and son while we read the Christmas story and praise a Savior who would humble Himself enough to come down to earth as a baby to die a cruel, undeserved death on a cross to pay for our sins. That truly is amazing love.
Don't ask me why I have tears in my eyes when I think about this. I guess somethings are just too great to think about with dry eyes...
24 November, 2006
23 November, 2006
Baaaaaa!!!!!!!Gobble Gobble
Have you ever woke up praying at the top of your lungs? I woke myself up last night praying at the top of my lungs for someone that I love. I was asking God to bind Satan from trying to influence their life and tear down their faith. It was almost scary. But one of my prayers was fulfilled in that. I want to have God such a huge part of my life, that even when my conscious thought is cut off, He is there in my mind and heart and thoughts. I don't want to serve God just half-hearted. This is going to be all or nothing. I can't only give part of myself. I want to be completely obedient, and I want to be punished when I am not. (Hebrews says that God punishes those He loves.) And I want to live in a state of constant, perpetual prayer.
Hubby is sleeping in front of me. I married a very handsome man...who is also a very hardworker and a wonderful father...I am a pretty lucky girl. I need to wake him up so that he can go to bed, but I feel bad to wake him even for that.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving...or today, rather. Only the second Turkey Day spent with Hubby and the first spent with my little boy. Tomorrow is a big day. Hey...It's the first T-Day in 4 years that I haven't done some kind of work. Last year I worked the finish line at a race. The year before I worked all day at CVS. And the two years before that, I worked at the Cancer Center. Hospital food is pretty yucky...and especially on Turkey Day. And especially for a vegetarian. Thank goodness for Mama's cooking.
Can you always be polite and still preach the message of God? Jonah was anything but nice and polite to the Assyrians in Ninevah. He told them that they were going to be destroyed. They decided to change their ways so that God would take compassion and mercy on them. I don't know if it would have worked if Jonah had sugar-coated his message. But then again...I don't think that it was anything that Jonah did...I think that God used Jonah to speak to people...But I can relate to Jonah. I would have had a hard time preaching to the Assyrians...especially if I had claimed fame by prophesying against them. Jonah is a deep book. It really amazes me how a story that I have heard from infancy can still be teaching me new things even now. Praise God.
I just want to be a sheep...Baaaa Baaa Baaa. I just want to be a sheep...Baaa Baaa Baaa...
Pray the Lord my soul to keep. I just want to be a sheep.
Hubby is sleeping in front of me. I married a very handsome man...who is also a very hardworker and a wonderful father...I am a pretty lucky girl. I need to wake him up so that he can go to bed, but I feel bad to wake him even for that.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving...or today, rather. Only the second Turkey Day spent with Hubby and the first spent with my little boy. Tomorrow is a big day. Hey...It's the first T-Day in 4 years that I haven't done some kind of work. Last year I worked the finish line at a race. The year before I worked all day at CVS. And the two years before that, I worked at the Cancer Center. Hospital food is pretty yucky...and especially on Turkey Day. And especially for a vegetarian. Thank goodness for Mama's cooking.
Can you always be polite and still preach the message of God? Jonah was anything but nice and polite to the Assyrians in Ninevah. He told them that they were going to be destroyed. They decided to change their ways so that God would take compassion and mercy on them. I don't know if it would have worked if Jonah had sugar-coated his message. But then again...I don't think that it was anything that Jonah did...I think that God used Jonah to speak to people...But I can relate to Jonah. I would have had a hard time preaching to the Assyrians...especially if I had claimed fame by prophesying against them. Jonah is a deep book. It really amazes me how a story that I have heard from infancy can still be teaching me new things even now. Praise God.
I just want to be a sheep...Baaaa Baaa Baaa. I just want to be a sheep...Baaa Baaa Baaa...
Pray the Lord my soul to keep. I just want to be a sheep.
18 November, 2006
I don't think that anyone will ever know the peace and joy and closeness to God that is felt by a parent as they join hands with their spouse and pray over their sleeping baby boy - until they actually experience it for themselves.
Christmas shopping is sooooooo much fun when you are shopping for a sweet baby boy!!!!
Jonah is an awesome book of Scripture. Don't let the story line rob you of deep truth.
God blesses families who read the Bible together and pray together.
My little boy should get a visit - and a present - from the Happy Thanksgiving Turkey. Wait - maybe it should be the Happy Thanksgiving Indian or the Happy Thanksgiving Pilgrim instead of the animal that we slaughter and feast upon on that day.(That would be the same as if Santa Claus were the Christmas Piggy that brought you presents.) Well, actually I don't slaughter it...I buy it already dead. But Hubby and Mike and Daddy are threatening to go turkey hunting...Gross...and mean. Anyways...I think that I should invent something that can give my little boy presents on every holiday. Wouldn't that be awesome?
Christmas shopping is sooooooo much fun when you are shopping for a sweet baby boy!!!!
Jonah is an awesome book of Scripture. Don't let the story line rob you of deep truth.
God blesses families who read the Bible together and pray together.
My little boy should get a visit - and a present - from the Happy Thanksgiving Turkey. Wait - maybe it should be the Happy Thanksgiving Indian or the Happy Thanksgiving Pilgrim instead of the animal that we slaughter and feast upon on that day.(That would be the same as if Santa Claus were the Christmas Piggy that brought you presents.) Well, actually I don't slaughter it...I buy it already dead. But Hubby and Mike and Daddy are threatening to go turkey hunting...Gross...and mean. Anyways...I think that I should invent something that can give my little boy presents on every holiday. Wouldn't that be awesome?
14 November, 2006
01 November, 2006
I haven't really written lately about what God is doing in my life...So here are some verses that God has given me that have really caused me to stop and think.
Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unbroken ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
until He comes
and showers righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:12
Do not be anxious about anything,
But in everything,
by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving,
bring your requests to God.
Phillippians 4:6
"Then she will say,
'I will go back to my husband as at first,
for then I was better off than now.'
She has not acknowledged that I was the one
who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil,
who lavished on her the silver and gold -
which they used for Baal.
Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens,
and my new wine when it is ready,
I will take back my wool and my linen,
intended to cover her nakedness...
I will punish her for the days
she burned incense to the Baals;
she decked herself with rings and jewelry,
and went after her lovers,
but me she forgot,"
declares the Lord.
Hosea 1:7-9,13
Here is what I get from all of this - I need to be able to realize that I can ask God for anything. Not just spiritual stuff. But anything. He really wants me to. By not doing that - I put limits on what I think that He can do for me. I am telling Him - "Hey, Lord, that's not a God thing. So, I'll take care of that one. And if I can't take care of it...Well...I just won't get it." Okay, that is stupid. First of all...anything that I have comes from Him. The grits in my tummy...The shirt on my back...My sweet baby boy...My house...Ultimately He provides everything for us. We are just dirt. We don't deserve anything. So you worked to pay for your stuff. SO WHAT? God gave you the job - didn't He? So that argument is over. But when I get things from Him - no matter if it's something that I don't really think about, such as another breath of air, or if I find a million, unclaimed dollars on the sidewalk - it all comes from Him. We tend to think about the people in our lives who put us in contact with good things. Or maybe it's your job. It might be your education that you feel has blessed you. Or maybe it's just good luck, right? Wrong. Every good thing that we have is from God. And sometimes things that we might feel just are rotten, are really for our good. Can anyone remember the verse that says that God works all things to the good of those who love Him? So when you deny God the glory for giving you what you have, you ultimately give the glory to the "Baal" in your life. And that ain't cool. So that is something else that I have been thinking about.
And then there is always just the thought that just acknowledging that God is Lord with my lips and mind isn't enough. No - I don't believe that we are saved by works. That is a bunch of hooey. But, people, faith without works is dead. Seriously dead. If you don't work a field, and constantly remove the weeds, that land is going to be worthless if you try to plant something in it. And I don't care if you think that it was completely clean in the beginning. It might have been. But if weeds were once in a piece of earth, they kind of like to pop up magically in that earth again. And if you think that this is just something that I am infusing with my own, made-up ideas, read the Bible. Over and over again God compares His people to fields. What kind of harvest are you going to have? And it's not like you can get rid of the weeds yourself, because that's just crazy talk. But you have to constantly ask God for the weed-killer - His grace and forgiveness. (Don't you just love examples?) To tolerate any kind of sin in your life is to separate yourself from God.
And I don't know about you - but I can't have that. More and more I see myself as a needy, unruly child. I can't be left on my own for a second. I need to have God's presence in my life 24/7. Because I know how to pull a temper tantrum. And I am greedy and gluttinous - don't get me around chocolate cake... And I don't always play well with others. So sometimes I need my Heavenly Daddy there to remind me of what I need to do. And to give me a spiritual spanking when I disobey.
So anyways...all this just to say that My Heavenly Daddy and I had a wonderful talk this morning. He's with me all day long - but sometimes I just need a cup of coffee and a long talk. And my little boy was right there listening to the whole thing. I want him to learn how to really talk - not just the small talk stuff - but really talk to his Heavenly Daddy, too. It makes life so much better. I feel refreshed, happy - joyous even. And every talk we have, I fall a little more in love with Him.
Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unbroken ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
until He comes
and showers righteousness on you.
Hosea 10:12
Do not be anxious about anything,
But in everything,
by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving,
bring your requests to God.
Phillippians 4:6
"Then she will say,
'I will go back to my husband as at first,
for then I was better off than now.'
She has not acknowledged that I was the one
who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil,
who lavished on her the silver and gold -
which they used for Baal.
Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens,
and my new wine when it is ready,
I will take back my wool and my linen,
intended to cover her nakedness...
I will punish her for the days
she burned incense to the Baals;
she decked herself with rings and jewelry,
and went after her lovers,
but me she forgot,"
declares the Lord.
Hosea 1:7-9,13
Here is what I get from all of this - I need to be able to realize that I can ask God for anything. Not just spiritual stuff. But anything. He really wants me to. By not doing that - I put limits on what I think that He can do for me. I am telling Him - "Hey, Lord, that's not a God thing. So, I'll take care of that one. And if I can't take care of it...Well...I just won't get it." Okay, that is stupid. First of all...anything that I have comes from Him. The grits in my tummy...The shirt on my back...My sweet baby boy...My house...Ultimately He provides everything for us. We are just dirt. We don't deserve anything. So you worked to pay for your stuff. SO WHAT? God gave you the job - didn't He? So that argument is over. But when I get things from Him - no matter if it's something that I don't really think about, such as another breath of air, or if I find a million, unclaimed dollars on the sidewalk - it all comes from Him. We tend to think about the people in our lives who put us in contact with good things. Or maybe it's your job. It might be your education that you feel has blessed you. Or maybe it's just good luck, right? Wrong. Every good thing that we have is from God. And sometimes things that we might feel just are rotten, are really for our good. Can anyone remember the verse that says that God works all things to the good of those who love Him? So when you deny God the glory for giving you what you have, you ultimately give the glory to the "Baal" in your life. And that ain't cool. So that is something else that I have been thinking about.
And then there is always just the thought that just acknowledging that God is Lord with my lips and mind isn't enough. No - I don't believe that we are saved by works. That is a bunch of hooey. But, people, faith without works is dead. Seriously dead. If you don't work a field, and constantly remove the weeds, that land is going to be worthless if you try to plant something in it. And I don't care if you think that it was completely clean in the beginning. It might have been. But if weeds were once in a piece of earth, they kind of like to pop up magically in that earth again. And if you think that this is just something that I am infusing with my own, made-up ideas, read the Bible. Over and over again God compares His people to fields. What kind of harvest are you going to have? And it's not like you can get rid of the weeds yourself, because that's just crazy talk. But you have to constantly ask God for the weed-killer - His grace and forgiveness. (Don't you just love examples?) To tolerate any kind of sin in your life is to separate yourself from God.
And I don't know about you - but I can't have that. More and more I see myself as a needy, unruly child. I can't be left on my own for a second. I need to have God's presence in my life 24/7. Because I know how to pull a temper tantrum. And I am greedy and gluttinous - don't get me around chocolate cake... And I don't always play well with others. So sometimes I need my Heavenly Daddy there to remind me of what I need to do. And to give me a spiritual spanking when I disobey.
So anyways...all this just to say that My Heavenly Daddy and I had a wonderful talk this morning. He's with me all day long - but sometimes I just need a cup of coffee and a long talk. And my little boy was right there listening to the whole thing. I want him to learn how to really talk - not just the small talk stuff - but really talk to his Heavenly Daddy, too. It makes life so much better. I feel refreshed, happy - joyous even. And every talk we have, I fall a little more in love with Him.
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