Gloom Despair and Agony on me... and Dh's Birthday!

Well... not me personally!! Ds threw his knee out and sprained it but good. The poor kid has been in a lot of pain. He's got a massively huge brace with hinges, and with buckles to hold it in place quite tightly.

I think he's doing better now... he can walk which is such a blessing. He's still experiencing some pain but it seems under control. We were blessed and were given the athletic training price on the brace. 144.00 instead of 200.00!! That was really a nice thing for them to do, since our insurance didn't cover it.

Meanwhile, dh is feeling all icky nauseous, and he's running a slight fever. I'm worried about the poor guy. He really hates any kind of sickness especially this one. I'm so sad that he's sick.

Dd and I appear to be holding the line. Neither of us, please Lord let it continue so, have been hit with illness.

Don't you just hate it when your family is sick??

But... Dh's birthday is on Thursday. My plans? I'm making him lasagna, garlic bread, cesar salad with cherry tomatoes, and a cheesecake drizzled with chocolate. I'm buying him a bottle of good whiskey-- scottish of course, because, well... the man is a fanatical Scot. I'll also give him gifts of a more *blush* intimate nature.

Hey... we're married, and have been for 15 years... this is what God intended it to be, a beautiful expression of love for one another. I'm not going to go into details... but I'm not going to pretend that it isn't a part of life either.

The only question is... will he be well enough to enjoy it???

Thanksgiving Plans-- Generic style!

I need to make plans. I'm having the inlaws for Thanksgiving dinner. I'm planning on the usual. Turkey, mashed potatoes, scallopped corn, greenbean casserole, stuffing, gravy, crudite, and rolls and butter.

Pies... I'm thinking a couple of pumpkin, and tons of cool whip (the generic kind of course) so here's the question... do you use generics?

I love them. Most of the time I notice no difference in taste. There are a few differences and places where I stick with the brand names. I'm sometimes surprised that some people haven't tried to save money by giving up brand names. I am floored when I see things like this...

http://abcnews.go.com/search?searchtext=generic%20foods&type=

I mean, really... russet potatoes are russet potatoes. Turkey is turkey, and Butterball just means it's injected with stuff. It floors me that people pass up opportunities to save money like this. However, I guess, part of it is necessity.

Anyone got any real good ideas for how to make a pumpkin pie?

Fitness Challenge!

Well, well my friends. I am not the skinny person I once was (hah!) but in my quest to become less plump, I am enlisting the help of ds 14. Ds played football last year but this year has become hooked on debate and oratory. Great for the mind!! Less physical for the body though.

I noticed he was putting on a few pounds... and so, I have a running partner! I probably actually ran a bit today for the first time in forever. We got up at 5:30 a.m. and stumbled outside. How far did we go? A whole MILE!! LOL!!

And I didn't even run the whole way... here's the thing... it didn't happen overnight, so I'm not gonna be fixed overnight...

Lovely huh!?

Anyway... the challenge continues... still doing the devotions... just not blogging them!

How are you and yours?

Day 7 of the Challenge..

Yes... I know... it's day 8. LOL!! Ah well, we were busy yesterday with dd's dance and church and all. It was lovely. So... let me share with you the scripture I meditated on yesterday...

Psalm 149:3 ... Let them praise His name with dancing...

And so they do... why do we sometimes think that there is only one way to pray? I've been to churches where pastors get downright offended that me and mine don't hoot and holler... been told if we can hoot and holler over football we should be ready to hoot and holler over God. Well, you know what? We DON'T hoot and holler over football either.

It just isn't our style. So there!! However, we do praise with liturgical dance, we do praise with quiet meditation and devotion. Just because worship styles are different doesn't make one wrong and one right...

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Today:

My devotion was just funny. Dd pointed out to me that there is a Proverb that says that a man who gets up early and loudly blesses his neighbor is really cursing him!! She said God put that in the Bible just to keep her brother from being annoyingly overly cheerful all morning! LOL... now I'm not sure that's the reason... but I did have to laugh...

Grace

Day 6 of the Challenge

You know... I bet you thought... oh it's the weekend... she'll sleep in today, right? Well you were wrong! I am so into this challenge, that... oh... face it, I'd still be in bed but ds... has a debate tourney today. He had to be there at 7:30 a.m. so, as is usual... I got up... got him up, and got breakfast.

Now, I'm doing my devotion and going to sleep in with dd until about 11:30 or so I think. Doesn't that sound delish!? I am fried, people!!

But... devotionally wise, today... well, in light of some recent discussions on my favorite board of all time... Prairiehomemaker at least I believe that is why the Lord drew me to this passage...

Galatians 6 2:5 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,for each one should carry his own load.

I had to change the color... That needs to pop!

What a concept! Stop comparing ourselves and test our own actions against the Bible. I am in awe of this passage. I'm guilty of it. I worry that others will look down on me for being a public schooling, work outside the home, professional Christian Mom. I wonder what they think of my celebrating Halloween, and Christmas, Easter, and St. Andrew's Day... and the 5th of November, and... and... well...

You know what... I'm done. I'm going to worry about myself, and test myself and my own actions. I'm not looking to be better than anyone else... I want to be responsible for my own load. I want to be sure that *I* am doing what is right... and unless others ask for my opinion, advice and reasoning, I'll let it go.

Grace

Day 5 of the Morning Challenge!

So... today I started by firing up the old biblegateway and started looking for thought/thinking etc. I did that simply because now I've seen how important thoughts and what we think really are. These little things not only impact how we behave, but also our witness and how we portray Christianity to this fallen world.

What should we be thinking about? Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

That is what we should be thinking about. So, where does, for example, celebrity gossip fall? Is it true, honest, just, pure lovely etc... I think the conclusion is NO! So should I hunt down the latest issue of People magazine to read the latest about the gals featured there so prominently? NO.

Should I spend time thinking instead about soap operas, romance novels, bodice rippers or not... that distract me from putting time into my own marriage and can cause feelings of dissatisfaction there? NO

I really need to change my thinking. And, I will, with God's help.

May the Lord be with You!

Happy All Saint's Day!

Today's scripture and prayer time brought me to Isaiah 29:16 "You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me?" Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing."?

Again, thought... we are in dangerous territory, it seems when we start thinking. I remember the words of C.S. Lewis in The Screwtape Letters... Screwtape instructs Wormwood that it really doesn't take a great sin like murder or adultery... a "little" one like pride will do to turn their "patient" from his hateful Christianity.

What causes some of us to have this intellectual snobbery? To think we are self-made people...

Lord, help me today to be aware of my thoughts... to take each captive. Help me to avoid hubris and the idea that I know best. Help me to seek You and Your will in my plans.

Amen.

May the Lord be with you!