Fa La La La - Ah CHOO!

Well, I am sick with a cold. Got all the symptoms: constant runny nose, watery, itchy eyes, stuffed head, wee bit o achiness, sore throat.......yay. Oh well, at least I got a great hubby and teenager to take care of me.

I was fine Monday -- even ran 2.5 miles. Tuesday it hit me so fast and I am trying to not let it get worse as we are headed to my mom's Christmas afternoon. Plus I really want to go to the Christmas Eve Service at church tonight. I always love church on Christmas Eve and have had pangs of missing my old church Immanuel in VA.

I wanted to blog earlier but I've been busy with Christmas! This past Saturday we went to Danny's family for their annual Christmas get together. Then we dropped off Michael with his mom. We won't get to see him until 1/04 which is a bummer he won't be spending our first Christmas as a family together.

I can't believe Christmas is HERE. I guess we all say it every year. I swear next year I'm getting started BEFORE Turkey Day. Speaking of turkey, I'm attempting to cook my 2nd turkey ever for dinner tonight. I LOVE turkey and since we spent our Thanksgiving with the Scudders, we didn't really get leftovers. Anyway, my plan is to make turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green beans, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes. We will be bringing all the leftovers to my mom's to have again for Christmas dinner. This is to ensure a safe edible dinner. Plus she will have ham. There just better not be a Christmas Peking Duck.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Top 3 Most Annoying Christmas Songs EVER:
1. Christmas Eve in Washington
I'm sorry, but is Washington, DC really "America's hometown"????

2. Christmas to Remember
Hooking up with a stranger in a ski chalet makes this a "Christmas to remember"??

3. Christmas Shoes
Such a blatant manipulative emotional use of a dying mother.

Cake Decorating Class Status:
Its over. I have learned my suedo dream of becoming a professional cake decorator was unrealistic. Too much prep work and my eye hand coordination thing isn't as good as it use to be. My teacher said I have talent, but seriously when your rose looks more like a head of cabbage than a rose, one ought stick with decorating cookies.

What I Want For Christmas:
I want everything and nothing. I had the wedding of my dreams, WHAT really could possibly top that for Christmas?
Its been a great to see Lauren exhibit the same gift giving qualities as me. Gift giving is a love language and is not always synonymous with generosity, but she has had a very sweet generous heart this season.

Christmas Cards:
We are obviously not doing Christmas cards this year. I usually do an online Christmas card, but with a blog, there doesn't seem to be a reason to "update" people. Anyway, we had one friend call us with a "Christmas Call" instead of a card. It was a financial decision to save on 100 plus stamps. Smart move! Its a sign of the times. We have only received 4 Xmas cards anyway. I'm feeling the love :)

So Merry Christmas to all of you out there who love and pray and keep up with us. Merry Christmas to all of you who have known us for years or just a couple. You know who you are, you know you're special to us and you're important in our lives. You know that our lives are richer and fuller because you are in our lives.

Philippians 1:7-11

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Say It Ain't So Joel

"Evangelical megachurch pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life, will deliver the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration next month, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies announced today."

Well, yay.

I just don't understand. I thought Joel Osteen would have been a much better choice. Or why not even Victoria Osteen? Dr. Phil? What about Oprah?

Repeat after to me: "Moving to Canada is not an option. Moving to Canada is not an option."

My Wise Friend

Proverbs 14:1
"Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands."

One of the things God has always blessed me with is good and godly female friendships. My female friends are indeed the jewels and treasures in my life.

Today I was mulling in my head the various struggles and issues that I am facing as a mother and a step-mother. I called my high school friend Catrina. She home schools 3 boys and has taken in a friend's teenage daughter as a 4th child. I knew she could give me a little perspective.

But it wasn't a little perspective, it was a deep well of wisdom. And I drank with much thirst. I so appreciate a wise woman. A woman humble enough to share her faults and brag about the grace and mercy and intention of God in conforming her to Christ. Catrina had a spiritual and practical answer for every one of my issues --- it was such an encouragement to me.

I will credit her husband Nate too who I know also encourages in her daily efforts to nuture, train, and grow her family. She also has to be reminded of the big picture regularly because like me, and many moms, we get distracted by the daily little "dramas" or mishaps or unscheduled happenings.

Is the life I am providing this child the best for this child regardless of seeing or not seeing "results" from this child? Am I remembering to submit to God's authority to serve and love and pour out grace regardless of this child's appreciation or lack of appreciation?

Are my eyes on the seeds I can plant and NOT looking at the soil impatiently for the seeds to finally sprout?

It came down to this: I am a farmer. I am here to plant seeds of Christ in my children. I am not here to force those seeds to grow. If they start to grow, I am here to provide the environment and relationship to nuture it. But plant, plant, plant. Its a good thing I look so cute in overalls.

Plant honesty. Plant service. Plant grace. Plant selflessness. Plant sacrifice. Plant joy. Plant patience. Plant mercy. Plant compassion. Plant dependability. Plant peace. Plant kindness. Plant wisdom. Plant gentleness. Plant forgiveness. Plant, plant, plant.

Yes, I am to plant the seeds of Christ. But I am also to grow the seeds that are already in me too. No point in planting if the seeds in me aren't growing and blooming and bearing fruit.

Thanks Cat.

Tree Trimmin'

Last Sunday we headed out to a Christmas tree farm to cut down a fresh tree. It was fun, but we didn't find any left in tact we liked enough, so ended up buying a tree already cut --- its about 7.5 ft high and smells NICE!

The kids, Danny, BamBam and I all had fun! Its always interesting when 2 families with their own personal traditions/histories of Christmas try to combine them. I was grateful when Michael insisted on colored Christmas lights b/c that's what I grew up with. I handed out the ornaments while everyone else placed them on the tree. And yes, I do believe I "art directed" as to where which ornament would look best. They kept hearing me say, "There's a hole there. There's a hole there -- it needs an ornament."

In the end, my husband, was sure to let everyone know only I would have the honor of placing the angel on the tree top. She is a beautiful white angel. I know they make black angels. Would be nice to have an Asian Angel??? She could say, "Melly, melly chlistmas!" Oh, I'm so bad.....

Studly Seventeen

Yesterday was Michael's 17th birthday. Now there are officially TWO seventeen year olds in the house. It feels like they are outnumbering us somehow despite the same 50/50 ratio.

I meant to post yesterday but between my crazy cake decorating class, and various logistics of wrapping his gifts, sneaking cards into his lunch, and sneaking his favorite pizza home from Mello Mushroom for dinner, I was lucky I survived the day!

And the irony of the whole cake decorating class thing was I played it safe and made Michael a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. The pictures will show that it is CROOKED! But boys don't care about a decorated cake at that age. They care that they can consume large amounts of cake. And Michael and Danny did so.

Tonight Michael is having about 9 other friends from school for a slumber party. I don't know why I thought having 10 teenage boys in my basement was a great idea and a cost effective way to throw a birthday party. After hitting the BJs, and gettin' wings, pigs in a blanket, six 6packs of Mountain Dew, chips, carrots, cookies.... I realized...... I haven't a clue how to take care of grown boys.

Well, happy birthday Michael from your evil step mother.

P.S. Lauren is skat and spending the night at a friends. Wish I could go!

Icing on the Cake

So its official. I've become one of those stay at home moms/wives that take a Wilton cake decorating class.

I remember my mother doing the very same thing and our birthday cakes were never the same again.

Well, we all know how Lauren's birthday cake turned out (see post). So we know the skills are lacking.

Anyway, I had my first class last night at Michael's Craft Store. I thought it was going to be learning basic techniques --- this is cake decorating, how hard can it be?

What they did not prepare me for was all the supplies I would need to purchase. I know Danny is thinking: "We better have the prettiest Christmas cookies this year!!" I am also overwhelmed that the truth is that this is no namby pamby sissy class. I am intimidated and overwhelmed by what we're expected to accomplish in this class. Who knew there were 3 kinds of icing: stiff, medium and thin. Who knew food coloring that is liquid is bad, but the gel colors won't make your icing bleed?

All I have to say is this, my pipe dream of decorating cakes professionally one day has been squashed. There is some serious work invovled in preparing and decorating a cake.

Somebody smack me when I start taking the "How to make Holiday table clothes" class or the "Perfect Easter Egg Decorating" class.

My Friend, Philippians 4:4-13

I have meant to blog for awhile, but of course with Thanksgiving travels, (the possibility of lice), the holidays starting up with tree trimming, etc. --- I can hardly keep up.

This year, as I keep saying, has been about one of so much change. I have struggled in ways I did not expect, and of course been blessed in ways I did not expect.

A couple of months ago, I was finding myself exasperated by the habits of one of the kids. It was not a moral failure or a "sin" issue. It was about training and character building, but I would get so discouraged that it would blind me to the point of not seeing my calling in this child's life. It would blind me to anything ELSE about this child and I knew that was MY sin, not the child's.

I did not know how to stop being frustrated. I would get frustrated with my own frustration. I just did not have any answers on how to deal with it --- my sinful attitude. So, at my wit's end I decided I would just memorize scripture. Specifically a portion in Philippians that says, "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right..... think about such things."

I figured that this could be at least one way I could stop focusing my mind on what was frustrating me, but on God's Word and something positive about the child. I know, I'm original and brilliant in my application of scripture. Stop the presses. BIG FAT DUH.

So I started memorizing Philippians 4:4-13. It has been nothing short of the most intimate time and insight with God. I have never been one to memorize scripture (sadly and embarassingly) but there has been so much joy and reward with this experience.

But there's more. THAT was my time with God -- just His Word, this portion that I would meditate on in the morning. I would write out the versus over and over again. Each new verse had application I had never seen before, and I was experiencing God's Word as "living and active." What was the biggest blessing was it was JUST scripture and me. For the first time in my life, my time with the Lord was not about my prayers or a study book or Bible study. It changed my perspective and method of prayer, and it changed my love for God's Word.

I found that this small portion of scripture for me was sooo rich and deep and full and unending and a wealth of application to my life in so many ways beyond my original intent of memorizing to begin with. And if these 9 versus could be this powerful, why then do I not understand and grasp what is the full magnitude of power that is in ALL of scripture?! What kind of woman could God transform me into if I meditated so deeply on the rest of His Word?

I will confess, I have a harder time saying the versus then writing them out. And I seem to struggle most with vs. 11 and 12. I find that if I skip a couple of days, I am still sketchy on vs. 11 and 12. But I am still writing them out even though I am "done memorizing" them. Strangely I can't seem to let them go. And I am finding them to give me perspective specifically with the holidays.

As I look onto 2009, I am committed to memorizing Colossians 3. If you have never been convinced of scripture memorization or have believed the lies I have or been too lazy like me or whatever your excuse --- I have had them all since I was 13 --- I implore you to be challenged to find a small portion of scripture to memorize. Don't give yourself a deadline, don't expect it to take up huge chunks of time or be dull because it is repetitive. Just do it, and see God bless you in ways you could not have expected.

So here's Philippians 4:4-13 (NIV) --- may it encourage you.

4 - Rejoice in the Lord always. Let me say it again: Rejoice!

5 - Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

7 - And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

8 - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable --- think about such things.

9 - Whatever you have received, or learned, or heard from me, or seen in me --- put it into practice. And God's peace will be with you.

10 - I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.

11 - I am not saying this because I am in need for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

12 - I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

13 - I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Happy Anniversary

Well, today is the 1 year anniversary of Danny and I "re-entering" each other's lives after almost a year of heartache previous to that.
Crazy, isn't it?

I'd offer the cliche phrase "What a difference a year makes!" but that would just not be accurate. I offer instead, "What a difference Jesus makes!"

Happy Anniversary to us and happy anniversary to yet ANOTHER way in which God reminds me that He does things His way for a reason. He does things His way in His timing for a reason.

And then I offer: "Thank GOD!"