Oops, they fell out!

"What's your name?" "What's your name?" "Push me please!" "John Sally, excuse me, John Sally!" One inquiry after another. Little Mr. 4 YO was so adorable this weekend. A friend of my sister's in VA. He's a mess. He's been such a well of conversational inspiration in our family for years now, because he learned to talk very eloquently at a very young age. He is always saying "actually" and "excuse me". He and I and Sarah spent some time on the patio whilst the youth group watched a video and had their discussion group. I tell you what. He's a stinker! I almost wanted him to go home with me, but then I remembered why I stopped having children 9 years ago. I need a full nights sleep.

Anyway, upon playing pea in the pod on the hammock and giving him push every now and then, he would stick out his feet and I would reply "PU! Stinky Pete Feet!" And then laughter would ensue. I informed him that his giggle box had turned over. He became very inquisitive about this phenomena. "My giggle box?" he asked. "What is a giggle box?" "Don't you know?", I replied in shock that his mother had not taught him these important anatomical features of a toddler, "it's that thing in your tummy that turns over when there's somethin' funny and the giggles fall out and spill out your mouth causing an enormous amount of giggling." To which he replied with a giggle, of course. He's four.

My giggle box doesn't turn over near enough anymore. The lid is stuck or the giggles are old and rotted. Who knows! I am bound and determined to find a way to fill it everyday and make sure it spills over and out my mouth!

God Bless each giggle you giggle and each of your "Stinky Pete Feet"!

My 20 questions +1

Why do bats hang upside down? (My daughter wants to know, but now I'm curious.)

Why does God allow me to speak?

Why does love hurt?

Why do I care?

Why does bubblegum work?

Why does toothpaste work as spackle?

Why does God give some people children?

Why are there mosquitos?

Why do my neighbors not hear their dog barking?

Why do some refuse the blessings?

Why do I love coffee?

Why is my inbox full of forwards and my voicemail empty?

Why is there so much laundry!?

Why does it hurt when your heart breaks?

Why do I let my heart break?

Why don't I learn from the last heart break?

Why does warthog with raspberry sauce taste like ham?

Why do noserings make my think about allergy season?

Why am I here, now, here, this place, this moment, why?

Why can't I let God be God?

Why does this guy get to have so much fun?

Raymond Barone is on American Idol!!!!

Don't you have to be younger than 28 to participate in that show? I just found it funny when watching one of my favs on American Idol last night, Anoop, from NC, that he reminded me of the Everybody Loves Raymond star. Unfortunately, that image will always be there when I watch him sing, so I'm closing my eyes next time.

Adam Lambert is to country music as sandpaper is to toilet paper! Interesting version, I actually liked it in some very weird way. Ya'll know he's gonna sing his way into all of those Sci-Fi soundtracks!

But let's be real, really. We all know that Danny Gokey is going to win. Hello?! That is my opinion, of course, but like I tell my kids, "Don't argue with me! It's just because I said so!"

So, if you were forced to sing something in front of a million, billion people what song would you pick? What genre of music would you absolutely hate to have to sing? Even if you don't sing, if someone forced you to sing, like in "My Best Friend's Wedding" karaoke scene, you never know. Noone is safe.

I absolutely love to sing! So, I've picked my song and here it is, only because the lyrics are easy! You know how those judges hate it when you forget the words!

A Top Floor Studio Apartment with a Rooftop Garden.

I remember my life plan when I was a teenager.
I must stress, MY life plan.
I really had it all worked out. I had put thought to it. Applied reason.
Mixed in how things would serve me best. And baked it ... for a while. Isn't God so funny?
Doesn't he have such a sense of humor? My life would involve a downtown studio apartment over looking the theatre district with a kitchen of stainless steel appliances, a wine cooler,
an overhead potrack, an open floor plan (hence the studio).
Why did I name THOSE things?

I did not think that marriage was something I wanted or needed, my career was going to be my first love.
It wasn't out of the question, but just on my terms, what was best for me, what I wanted and when.
Oddly enough, I had my career planned out.
I say odd because it was an ironic career choice for me to make considering my life plan. I wanted to design bridal gowns and own my own bridal store. I had written my business plan and drawn out a blueprint for my store layout. Strange, huh?

What was your life plan?
Picket fence?
Suburbs?
Downtown?
Commuting?
Married?
Kids?
Lakefront?
I know that as a female that a majority of our gender has the
"dream" of what our wedding would look like, or what our life will be,
or what we'll do, wear, etc.

It's fun to see girls at that stage right now who know for certain
what their life will be because they know and that's good
enough reason for them and the world they live in so just get used to it.
It's fun for me because I know where I am now and how
God's plan is SOOOOO much better than mine.
I feel blessed that God blessed me in spite of my plan.
Nothing and let me say again, nothing about
my life is what I thought it would be.
Thank you God for saving me from myself!

Give a Moose a Muffin Day!

So, today I have many things to accomplish. I unfortunately suffer from the "snowball effect" when putzing around the house. I start with one task and find something that needs to be taken somewhere, fixed, washed, sterilized, returned to sender (or lender), resuscitated, identified, etc. Thus taking me from one room to the next which sends me on a new mission in a totally different direction. This makes the task of getting it all done overwhelming to me making me want to just quit it all together and make an excuse to wash the dogs. But, I digress....I must clean the house because we have guests coming over. You see, that is how I get my house to stay somewhat livable is by forcing myself to invite people over, thereby forcing myself to pick up, clean up, cover up, pile up, hoist up those projects I've put off. Laundry IS a project in my house. 5 kids, 4 teenage boys, 1 tomboy of a girl, a hardworkin' hubby and myself. If only they would only go naked, NO laundry, eat out of their hands, NO dishes, never leave the house, NO dirt tracked in and always do what they're told, my life would be so much easier.




I wonder if that is why God started us off in the Garden of Eden in our birthday suits. He knew what laundry would do to this world and it's water supply! And how convenient, a fruit tree.....however, that was the end of convenience foods and the thought of eating fresh fruit as our only source of nutrition. We thought that when God talked to Eve about the pain in childbirth that He was referring to the labor pains of actual childbirth, but He was talking about all of our LABOR pains. Laundry labor, dishwashing labor, cleaning up puke labor, not-to-mention those diapers labor, career labor, carpool labor and so on, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera (in my best King and I, Uhl Brenner, voice).

I am only sounding like its complaining because it is keeping me from having to do anything in this 5 minutes of writing this post. I love my life. I love the labor. I will miss the laundry someday, because it will be a stark reminder of how my kids have grown up and moved out. I am grateful that God has blessed me with my tasks of the day.

I began by loading my dishwasher, which led me to clean off the table, which led to taking stuff upstairs, which led to the cleaning of my bathroom, which meant I had laundry to go downstairs, which meant I needed to clean the catfood that spilled in there, which meant I needed a broom from the closet, which reminded me I needed to take out the trash, which led me outside to the clothesline, which brought me in with more clothes, which made me realize I was not successful in stain removal so I should look it up on the web, which made me open my home page, which brought me to my email, that led me to this post. Whew, I'm tired. I need a nap....which will lead me to clean off my bed............

No thanks...

Ok, so you know I am always saying how my kids totally amaze me, continually, constantly, wow. They are so wonderful to so many people. I love to hear about my kids from others. It's one thing to have a view of your children, which is usually a biased one, but to have that affirmation from someone outside the family tell you about how great your kids are is so refreshing.

I must confess that I am a doubter. Not of my children, but of myself. I am constantly doubting what it is that I am to be doing in my life and how to achieve that. Then comes the random phone call or the compliment from someone we've never met, but who have heard about my boys. Interesting. Humbling that your children are living their lives the way God has intended as I sin day after day in doubt.

David has always encouraged our children to have a work ethic chock full of integrity and be willing to use it when necessary, even without pay. He has instilled this in them from a very early age and when they were young they couldn't understand why you would do something and not take money for it. An odd concept, especially in the 2008 society. But here we are in 2009 and the world is a different place. Those who could pay last year, can't pay this year. Those who need help desperately can't pay. So what are we called to do?

You know way back when, in the wagon train days of the west, there was always a pastor, minister, priest for the local folks. How were they cared for? How did you compensate for their service? Most were taken care of by their congregation who made sure that every need was taken care of. Like a live chicken, a freshly baked loaf of bread, a newly sewn shirt, shoes, plowing, harvesting, sowing, etc. Not like the tithing of today where we put $$ in a basket and say "live on it and it's all up to you and if its not enough, tough, I'm not given anymore than what's required." Ok, so we all don't say that, but are we aware of our neighbor's needs?

Things are so different now when people are used to the facade of "everything's fine", "don't worry about me" when we all know that most of the time we're just afraid to let people know we have a need it may look weak or something.

My children have become very observant about needs and concerns in the lives around them and they act on them. When asked and they aren't otherwise committed they will help. With smiles, with gratitude, with grace, with humility and refusing compensation, saying "No thanks, that's not why we did it." I have a lot to learn from my children.

I have decided to give away live chickens if anyone needs one....just kidding. I will however bring you dinner or bake you something if you're hungry or just know someone who is. I hope that God is blessing you in ways you never dreamed of today!

Fun Stuff!!!

What an awesome idea! A blogger friend posted this on her blog and I jumped at the chance for some homemade/handmade stuff from the great state of Oregon! So now it's my turn to offer it up. Come on you know you wanna:

What a fun idea!

The first 5 people to respond to this post will get something made by me- my choice! This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees you will like what I make! (I can only hope!)

2. What I create will be just for you.

3. It will be done sometime this year.

4. You have no clue what it's going to be... it may be cards, a bookmark, something delicious, or a complete surprise to you (and me)! Who knows?

5. Most importantly, you must offer the same deal on your blog.
The first 5 people to comment on your blog get something made by YOU!



So I'm following suit. Leave your email in the comments, and tell me a little bit about what you like, and I'll do my creative best! It could be a really cool crocheted hat with my removable flowers (see pic above). Never know.......I'm hoping my blog stalkers will leave a comment and win something! Pretty cool!

God Bless!

Awake, awakening

Interesting to think about a word, a simple one. One that we have used continually until it no longer holds the newness like the first time we learned it. Wake up! He's awake! What an awakening. As my FIL wakes from the much needed sleep he was so ing in I have to wonder where he's been and what it must've been like for him. I wonder if he has any memory of his dreams. I feel as though I have been sleeping through this time of wait. As with times in my life where the outside world doesn't seem as important eventhough the speed by which it goes by is constant and persistent and very much goal oriented. It's as though one piece of the world is still or moving ever so slowly while the world whisks by at a blurring speed. Undectable faces, blurred noises. Now that he's out of his deep sleep the world and I have been playing catch up. Like when I was little and tried to jump on the merry go round at the playground when it was going so fast.

I often wonder if God puts us in these sleepy moments in our lives to catch up on whether He and I are dreaming the same dream. Are we on the same path? Have I wandered off into another place altogether wondering where God is? It's quiet here. Too quiet. Being part of an awakening of sorts brings thoughts of invigoration and joy. I've been there and felt that and known that. I'm not shy about my relationship with God and how Christ has played a role in my life. But am I still asleep to think that I have done or am doing all that God asks of me to do or to say. I avoid confrontation, especially spiritually motivated confrontation. I guess my own insecurities get in the way of me thinking it's all about what I say not leaving any room for God to get a word in edgewise. If so, some body needs to shake me awake!

In our quest for seeing Jesus, God, in our lives do we look right past him? Watching for Him, waiting, wondering. Are we like the disciples so deep in our grief for the loss that we don't understand he's walking with us until he breaks the bread in our presence? This is such a vulnerable time for so many in this economy. So many feel like failures for no fault of their own, no hope, taking their own lives and the lives of their families, struggling with debt, hungry, down, depressed, needing the relationship of another human being to say that they're going to be ok. Asleep.

Arise, awake. Shake off the nerves of sleep and get the flowing through your veins. Stretch, ready yourself for today and tomorrow. Reach out and shake the shoulder of your neighbor and make sure they're not sleeping too long. Let them know the hope that lies within knowing Christ in your life. Ask someone about the hope of Christ if you are looking or wondering or wandering. Don't be shy about sharing the love of Christ or how God is your stronghold. If you're too quiet you're bound to sleep or to dream, ah, there's the rub!
Be careful not to sleep through what God's got goin' on for you today. Sometimes it's right in front of our eyes, we just haven't had our coffee yet.

Luke 9:32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.

a·wake (-wk)

1. To rouse from sleep; waken.

2. To stir the interest of; excite.

3. To stir up (memories, for example).

v.intr.

1. To wake up.

2. To become alert.

3. To become aware or cognizant: awoke to reality.

adj.

1. Completely conscious; not in a state of sleep.

2. Vigilant; watchful.