More Conversations with Teenage Sons (& More Bathroom Babbles)

Conversations with Teenage Sons

Son: Mom, can I raise the mirror in the bathroom?

Mom: (it suddenly hits her why he's asking this and she is trying to hold back a big grin) Why? Do you have to bend over to see yourself?

Son: Yeah.

Mom: But if you raise it, then it will be too high for me and I'll have to stand on a chair to see myself.

Son: Well, it's your turn. I've had to bend over for about 2 years now.

Mom: I guess I need to go shopping for a larger mirror (and no, you are not moving that mirror!)


So, I had to have the other son pose in front of the mirror for me just so I could get a photo to blog about it. I had to hold the camera up next to his face to get a shot of what it looks like from his view.

It appears he's had this problem for even more years than the younger son and never said a word.

It reminds me of when I see my children growing every day that I do not see them growing as someone who has not seen them in months. We do not notice the subtle growths until something is totally outgrown. We outgrow our clothes; we out grow our space; we outgrow our childish ways, we outgrow our hurts, we outgrow our tastes for things, and we outgrow our mirrors.

There are some things we never outgrow. We never outgrow our need to be loved.

Most importantly, we never outgrow our faith. From the moment God gives us our gift of faith, it takes root and grows. Our faith is ever growing throughout our entire life. God in His wonderful ways as given us unfathamable faith that can never be outgrown. We never have to stoop down to see the faith which is in us.

Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Sometimes I feel closer to God than at other times. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is just working through me; other times it just seems blah. However, it is not God who has moved away from me. It is me who has moved away from God. He is always there for me, waiting for me anxiously to come to Him.

James 4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.

Once again, my life is happening in our bathroom. Read other Bathroom Babbles.

My weekend

I was so excited to have an evening home tonight for the first time in ten days, but it was not to be. It was a frustrating day at work with so many interruptions I thought I'd never get anything done. I stayed two hours late just to feel I had accomplished something. When I got home, hubby was ready with a hamburger declaring I should hurry so we could head to church for a voter's meeting.

Sigh.

Oh well.

However, I do want to share with you a bit about the wonderful weekend I had!

Of course, I do not like traveling at all and the 4.5 hour drive there and back was no fun, but the boys and I did have a wonderful time while at the Lutheran Senior High District Gathering.

The speaker for the weekend was awesome! He travels the country speaking at youth events. I bought all three of his CD's so that hubby could hear him too.

You can find and listen to sermons by Pastor Yonker as his home church of Immanuel Lutheran, East Dundee, IL.






A team of youths used black lighting to perform a series of totally awesome skits throughout the weekend.








On Saturday we headed out to do our servant events. Over 300 people were sent to various places around the city. We went to an 80 year old woman's home to help her with yard work.

It was raining! We did many tasks. Here is Mason helping to haul brush.



Here's Jaron helping to replace some rock in the walkway.








Of course, I went right for the transplanting of Lily of the Valley. This photo is somewhat small, but you may be able to see my totally soaked wet head. My hands were covered in mud, as well as plenty of mud on my legs and shirt too.

There were other things we did, but I"m only sharing a few photos.

If you have never heard Fusebox, you are missing out! Wow! Love that band. Bill Buchanan is the lead singer.

Can you spy Mason in this photo? Remember, he's tall with dark hair (and a black shirt).





Here's a photo of me and Jaron with Bill Buchanan. Mason had taken off and so we missed a photo op for him.







I put together a few videos for you to see the band and the enthusiasm of the youth. What an awesome way to worship Our Great God. The first video is the gathering theme song, Light the Fire.

Always a surprise...

I often say that it is hard living with 4 men because they are always leaving me surprises.
Once again, I find myself blogging about my bathroom. Why is that? I am getting so many of these bathroom babbles, maybe some day I can publish a book and be famous. Not! I can dream of money, right?

My son had a young lady over to die his hair black. I thought they had cleaned up, but this is the surprise I found the next morning when I went to take a shower. I should have known better than to be surprised and should have been expecting it.

First, I wonder if the round stains would make good digital scrapbooking elements? I'll have to play! Only digital scrapbookers would look at a mess like this and think positive, huh?

I am not sure why he wanted to die his hair black. I had said no. However, two of the male inhabitants of my house sided with him and ganged up against me. It is no fair when they do that to me. His hair does not look much different to me because the original color was so dark already. At least he did not want to die it pink.

I am wondering if it is one of those actions teens take when they are trying to identify themselves and understand who they are. I never understand why teens do that. Really, how does wild hair styles and body piercings help you find who you are? I never did get it even as a teen and never did things such as that.

I have a feeling that a lot of the other teens are doing this and it is a new trend. He just wants to be like everyone else and be cool.

I looked at those stains on my bathroom sink for a while yesterday morning reflecting. I immediately thought of how I feel so stained. Is this what I look like to God when I sin? I know I must have a ton of those little circles of stain or long runs of stain all over me each day.

However, I am comforted that I know who I am in that I am in Christ. He washes away my stains and makes me new. I do not need to follow what the rest of the world is doing, but rather come to God asking for forgiveness. I praise God that he does forgive me and does not count my sins against me.

2 Corinthians 5 16 - 20

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

It's the Bride's Day!

It's the bride's day!

How many times have you heard that statement? The statement is to indicate that everyone should please the bride because it is her day and it should be special for her.

I have always felt sorry for the groom. Isn't it his day too?

Through prayer today, God answered my prayers and I gained a new incite.

Never again will I say "It's the bride's day!" Weddings are not about the bride and the groom. Yes, it is their special day and much of the focus is on them. However, the bride and groom are coming before God to make a commitment to Him to love each other always. Weddings are all about worshipping God.

So the next time I am tempted to say "It's the bride's day, do whatever she wants," I am going to stop myself and say, "It's Christ's day! What would Christ want done."

It is amazing how God continues to work in me and teach me. I am enjoying my daily morning instant messenger prayer time with my friend. We meet every work day morning to pray together on instant messenger.

Today and every day is Christ's day.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Bathroom Babbles Continues

I am always amazed at how my life seems to always come back to the bathroom! Are you ready for another edition of "Bathroom Babbles."

I just do not understand men. I'm not sure God intends me to, so I just have to learn how to be a better person through it all.

One of my favorite phrases is "Boys will be boys, and come to think of it, so will men!" It is SO true. It seems as if hubby is still a boy, especially when he changes his stories while talking to me as if he's in trouble and trying to say what he thinks will get him in the least trouble. Goodness, I'm his wife! Why not just tell me the truth!? I don't understand.

For several weeks we have been having trouble with our shower head not flowing well.

Last Wednesday night I indicated to hubby that since he was off on Friday, he could just put a baggie with vinegar in it on the shower head, secured with a rubber band (see photo here). I had done it one day and not five minutes later a son came along and needed a shower. So, it was hubbie's turn since he could do it later in the day when it could sit for a longer period of time.

OF COURSE, men NEVER listen to their wives. I am not sure why. Is it because if they did what their wives said to do, that would mean they are admitting she is right and they could never do that? The next day I go to get into the shower and the part at the bottom of the head was completely off. It was even a worse shower than I had had for the past weeks. I immediately knew hubby had taken it off so that he could soak it in vinegar rather than putting a baggie on it like I said. Yes, boys always try to do things the easiest way which always ends up the hardest way. Keep reading to see why.

THURSDAY
ME: Why did you break the shower head off?

HUBBIE: So that I could put it in a bowl of vinegar.

(catch that? He admitted breaking it)

ME: Well, then you will just have to go buy a new shower head on Friday when you are off then. Maybe we will finally have a good shower.

FRIDAY MORNING

ME: (as I stare at a shower head that appears normal, but I know it cannot be because it is unfixable, I turn on the water and it falls out) I see that you tried to fix this that you broke. I can see it is not fixable, you need to go get a new one today.

HUBBIE: I did not break it, it just fell out one day.

(catch that--his story changed--and I let him know it had changed)

FRIDAY OVER LUNCH DINNER DATE

ME: So, were you able to get to the store to get the new shower head yet?

HUBBIE: No, I fixed it. I just pushed it a little harder this time and it stayed.

ME: (yeah, right -- I'm shaking my head instead my head) Why did you do that? I told you it was not fixable and to just buy a new one? It is going to be me who stands in the shower and has the thing fall out on my head! I am going to end up having to take another shower under trickling water again tomorrow. I just know it!

HUBBIE: Then I'll buy a new one.

ME: (frustrated and not wanting to be controlling) Do whatever.

Pause.

ME: So, why did you tell me it was broke and then change your mind and tell me it just fell out?

HUBBIE: Well, I noticed it was loose and so I was turning it trying to screw it back in when it fell out. (okay, so maybe I got the partial truth finally, but my gut is still telling me that he was not trying to screw it back in, but that he noticed it looked loose so he thought it was probably the type that just unscrewed, so he tried to unscrew it and it broke off.)

FRIDAY AFTER WORK

ME: So, did you decide to go get a new shower head?

HUBBIE: No, it seems to be working fine.

SATURDAY MORNING

ME: (Being the third person in the shower as we are trying to rush to get out of town, I see the thing lying on the floor of the tub). Dear, see, I told you I would have to take yet another bad shower today! You need to go get a new shower head today!

HUBBIE: Okay.

SUNDAY NIGHT UPON RETURN FROM TRAVEL

ME: Did you get a new shower head? How much did it cost?

HUBBIE: Know, I just put it back in and pushed even harder this time. We have taken several showers and it is working better than ever before.

ME: (staying silent as I do not want to fight, but I am sure it is unfixable and doing my best to just not argue)



MONDAY MORNING

Here is a photo of my shower yet again on Monday morning. Hubbie is already gone for work, so there is no conversation.

I have resolved that I am just going to have to go out after work and get a new shower head myself and install it before he gets home. The only way to get it done right is to do it myself. He refused to listen to me because I cannot be right and he must be right. I DO NOT GET MEN!

Now look at that photo? I can quickly observe that the screw in the middle cannot be screwed into with the circular plastic piece in the forefront. There is no way at all to re-thread the piece. It is SO obvious to me. I checked to see if there was a way to pull it all out the other end so it could be threaded and there was not. It is something that was put on in a certain order during construction and he used his manly-men strength to take it off to make things easier so that he could throw it in a bowl of vinegar instead of putting a baggie of vinegar over it. Now I've gone through all this stress because he refuses to listen to his wife because he has to be the one that is right because he can never admit that I am right. It is a total insult to his manhood to admit that his wife is right about handyman things and that he does not have that gift.

How many times in our marriage are we going to have to go through this same struggle of me having a handyman gift and him not? Will it ever go away? I try so hard to be a good wife and be patient, but I feel like I spend my life fixing things he messes up. It's a constant trial that God gives me.

So,

....this makes me think about how many times God is probably this frustrated with me. How many times does God try to tell me things and I just won't listen to him because I think I'm right when I'm not? How many times does he have to just quietly shake his head and not say anything and allow me to learn on my own through trial and error because I refused to listen to him?


So, I decided to look in the Bible to see what God has to say to me about when I do not listen to Him. Ouch! This is hard to read!

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Proverbs 1: 22 - 33

"How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.
But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you-when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me.
Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."

IM Prayer Parnters and Bananas for the Lord

I had a great weekend getting recharged spiritually with the youth. Having so many youth that are so full of faith all in one room, attending because they love to be there, is magical. You can feel the Holy Spirit working!

God is good. Although I have known that lady for quiet a few years now, God showed us this weekend how much we have in common. We have decided to become prayer partners and are going to meet each week day on IM to pray together. We prayed together this morning and it felt SO good!

Here is one of the small videos I took of the youth singing a song for the Sunday School at this particular church. They make me smile.




Here is a photo of one son sharing God's Word at the nursing home.










Here is a photo of the other son sharing survey results with the church after we witnessed door to door.

A struggle with Myself

Does anyone else ever have internal struggles? Do you ever fight with yourself?

So, Julie reminded me that I should just pray about whether or not to keep the camera. Which put me on the right track that if I were to keep the camera, I should have a goal to use it for the Glory of God.

I do plan on using it for our church website that I am currently building.

I also have recently had an idea that came up through conversations to get a weekly Bible verse started. A family I know always printed out one verse per week and taped it up on the wall at their table. They read it before prayer and/or prayed about it.

I think it's a wonderful idea to do and have always wanted to do that, but just never have. So, I was already considering utilizing my digital scrapbooking skills to make something for everyone to print out weekly and post. If I used the camera to take photos and put the verse on them each week, that would make me feel better about getting the camera --maybe.

So, I come home on my lunch break and take the camera out of the blue plastic shopping bag. This is what I see.

I am stuck again.

Here I go again fighting with myself. It is a struggle.

I do want to mention how much I appreciate everyone allowing me to share my thoughts. I cannot tell you how many times I have grown as a person and learned more about myself through this process.

For instance, I just learned that I do not always turn to God first when I struggle internally. Julie gently reminded me that I needed to do that. I need to let God handle my struggles for me.


Romans 15:30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

The Church of Oprah --What's that got to do with Kool-aid

Someone shared this with me and I felt compelled to post it just so that others can become aware. I am going to refrain from saying anything about it myself in a public avenue. There are also plenty of "related" videos that can be found on the topic on YouTube.

And to think "The Big Give" is......yeah..I'm not saying what I think here.

Empowered Graphics

I made these graphics some weeks ago and realized I have forgotten to share them on my blog. My son who is in college is on a committee helping to plan a convention for next October and asked me to make some "college cool" graphics for flyers. The theme is empowered and he gave me the Bible verse. These are what I came up with. What do you think?

Just Scrapping & Spring & Bathroom Babbles

Last night I had an urge to just scrap--for me. No goals for my blog readers, no freebies or videos for people at my site--just for me. I got almost 7 layouts done! I have just a few events from 2006 I'm trying to finish so I can call that year done. These layouts last night were from a family reunion and Christmas and have way too many faces in them to feel comfortable sharing on the internet. That's one reason they are the last to get done. It felt good to just scrap for fun!

Tuesday my Hyacinths began to bloom. They look really sad this year. I'm not sure if it is because of the ice storms and flooding or if they did not get enough nutrients last year. I may throw some fertilizer on them this weekend. They use the nutrients after they bloom as the leaves die back while preparing for next year. I just don't think to fertilize when its so cold outside.










My Forsithia bush also started to bloom the same day. It doesn't look to be affected too much by the bad weather. The green is already coming out though, two days later. The blooms seem short lived.











A few weeks ago we got all of our leaves out of the front yard and, as always, I knew it was useless. Why do I even bother? Until all the neighbors clean up the leaves in their yards, the pile just accumlates again from their yards. It frustrates me every year. I wish my neighbors did a better work on their yards.

I also heard by first lawn mower yesterday. It sounded odd--out of place. I am reminded that our lawn mower stopped running the end of last year and I'm torn as to whether or not we should pay a lot of money to have it fixed as it is 5 or 6 years old, or if we should just invest in a new one. Hubby wants to get a Lawn Boy, but I'm not sure I can justify that cost. Are they really all that better than other lawn mowers? I'd love to have your opinions.


This toothpaste has been greeting me every morning for two weeks and totally irking me until I put it back out of site. Why does my hubbie do this? Really. He opens a new tube of toothpaste and starts using it before the old one is used. I've been using the old one for two weeks now and still getting paste out of it. I often wonder if I weren't here if partially empty containers of all sorts of supplies would just gather about the house. He does this with everything. He never throws out anything. Of course, it would be a waste to throw out good toothpaste, but he just doesn't want to use the end of the tube for some reason.

I just cannot get hubbie to clean up his act. This empty tube of paste is nearly dead. Why doesn't he continue to breath life into it?

It reminds me of how God probably looks at me. Why doesn't she clean up her act? She's nearly dead, why should I continue to breath life into her?

Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?

I know hubbie's actions frustrate me, but I am reminded that I too sin and must frustrate God in the same way. Whenever others frustrate me, just turning my focus on what a horrible sinner I am helps to take that frustrations away. I am thankful that Jesus died on the cross to truly wash away all of my sins. Because I believe in what He did for me, I can know that I am clean. He could look at me as a hopeless case that would never get her act together, but instead He loves me and breaths new life into me daily. Isn't our God awesome?

Yes, this has turned into another issue in my series of Bathroom Babbles. If you haven't read them, you can find them here on my blog. I'm not sure why I gain such inspiration in my bathroom. There's humor in that. Maybe some day I'll have a mini book to publish.

Today is Harriet Tubman Day.


"I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves." ~ Harriet Tubman


************
Just a thought:
What are you a slave to?


Are you a slave to the daily grind?

Are you a slave to your hobbies?

Are you a slave to your addictions?

Are you a slave to television?

Are you a slave to your debts?

Are you a slave to your fears?

Are you a slave to your troubles?

Ephesians 6:6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.

Let's Pretend --

My statement about life: "Why does life have to be so hard?"

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:17-18

So, if Habakkuk had no grapes and no crops and not food and no sheep and no cattle, and yet could still rejoice in the Lord and be "joyful" in God, then what is stopping me? I have drink and food to eat more than enough and my troubles seem small in comparison. I must remember not to complain about my troubles, but to look toward God. And I've got a lot of troubles right now.

There is no situation that is hopeless.
There is no problem too big for God to fix.
There is no darkness so dark that Jesus cannot overcome.

So, what would happen if I rejoiced in the Lord during troubles? Will He give me the strength and wisdom I need? Will He fix my troubles? I know that I cannot change other people and can only pray that God will change them if it is His will. Waiting on God is hard. I have to try to shift my thoughts toward Jesus instead of my troubles and rejoice in Him as He knows what is best. I did read my Bible this morning (in 1st Corinthians), but I don't feel "joyful." How do I feel joyful in troubles? I cannot force a feeling I'm not feeling. I do feel peace knowing that He has forgiven me, but I don't feel joyful as if I want to jump up and down and smile. How can you smile when going through troubles? I don't feel like smiling. Ah, alas, all I know to do is to think on Him and pray.

I have learned something about myself this week, so God is working in me a bit this week. Someone was sharing with me how my son ignores all stress and problems in relationships and pretends everything is okay until it all builds up on him and he explodes. Hmmmm. Who did he learn that from? This has been the one thing I've complained about my son in the past year as he quiets up and walks away in anything that bothers him negatively (which seems as if he is being rude to his parents). God revealed to me this week that this is my own habit, but I never realized it. We do really develop our parents' habits, don't we?

Let's pretend nothing is wrong and treat everyone with love, even when things are wrong. That's what I do in life. Aren't we supposed to just love. Period.

However, isn't it good to recognize that we cannot change other people, that only God can, and to just walk away from it and wait on God? That's always been my practice. Maybe God is telling me its not always right by showing me how my own habits as revealed in my son make me feel.

Maybe both things (to avoid drama and confrontations and to wait on God to fix the problem/or to address them head on as God can work through me) are the right thing to do, but in different situations. So, maybe I should pray to God for wisdom to know what is the right thing to do in which situation.

If you have read my ramblings thus far, thanks. It is not easy sharing my personal thoughts in public on a blog, but I am hopeful that at least one other person will read my thoughts and be helped by them. It helps me to write and organize my thoughts, so maybe if I share them, it will help others. I could hit the delete button right now---but--God can and does work in odd ways.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Phillippians 4:4

Short Circuit --Just venting cause I don't feel well

I've got a fever today and can only find energy to read or post on my laptop for a short while and then I need another nap.

I don't usually like to post negative posts, but I'm so down today I need to vent!

I am trying so hard not to come out of the bedroom and touch anything so as to make anyone else sick. Therefore, my hubby needs to take care of me, but he continues to have a short circuit! Why oh why do men not connect their brain waves! And I live in a house with four of them!

I was so full of energy yesterday, washing our bedding and cleaning windows. Last evening it hit and I was barely sitting a watching tivo. This morning my nice clean bed was soaked in sweat. I knew that coming out from the covers with the wet clothes would cause shivers in every part of my body.

So, my first thought is to take care of my family and I gave hubby instructions step-by-step on how to put beef stew stuff in the crockpot to cook all day for dinner. I asked him for a drink of hot tea.

An hour and a half later I still had no drink, really needing to replenish my bodily fluids from all the sweating. I thought I was being patient. I finally yelled. His answer: "Oh, I forgot." So much for someone taking care of me. When I finally did get my hot tea, it was cold.

A while later, at 1:30 in the afternoon, I mention to him "I'm getting kind of hungry." To which he replied, "I've got the stew in the crockpot just like you told me to."

UGGGGGG!

Okay, translation here:
I'm hungry
Wait 5 hours until the stew is done to eat.

Why do I HAVE to say things so direct to him like: "Honey, I'm hungry, go get me...." You'd think a polite suggestion would be understood, but not in my house!

And when I do get in the habit of speaking to him in blunt commands because that's all he hears, others look at me like I'm a horrible person. After 21 years, I'm tired of working so hard to get my point across.

Then, I went to take a shower. I changed my mind after being in the warm water for a while and changed it to start filling the tub. You see, this fever has given me a headache (and I never get headaches) and every part of my body previously hurting has intensified, so my pelvic area (yes, too much information) and my wrist (which I hurt on on December 10th and refuses to heal) is now a constant pain. I guess my head couldn't hurt by itself.

I hollered and hollered for hubby so he could bring me some bubble bath to no avail. As it turns out, he's gone from the house. Where's the taking care of momma when she's sick?

So, I get out of the nice warm bath with my hot body and begin streaking across the floor with cold chills chasing up my spine to every part of my body.

When I returned to the nice warm water, it was much more welcoming and joyous having just experienced the frustrating chills.


It's been a while since my regular readers have had a Bathroom Babbles post to enjoy. However, as I was sitting in the tub enjoying my bath, I was thinking.

I was thinking about how God has us go through pain and suffering often before he blesses us through that pain with joy.

James 1:4 My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.

See, I may being going through a bunch of trials today, but God is testing my faith. Am I turning to Him or am I just being grumpy? He reminded me in that nice warm bath that He will bless me even through my trials. If I had not been weary from being sick and running buck naked across the floor in my fat wet fevered body, then I would not have enjoyed that bath as much. Just when I needed a reprieve from enduring my pain, God gave me just what I needed. Oh, not the warm bath; but the reminder to turn to Him when frustrated and in pain.

after-Christmas Blahs

Is anyone else experiencing the after-Christmas Blahs with me?

You run around busy busy for days, shopping shopping, wrapping wrapping, go out to eat together to get in some family time, cooking cooking, ride around looking at lights as family time, baking baking, delivering surprise cookies to neighbors, wrapping wrapping, go out to watch movie as a family, cleaning and cleaning. All of the vacation day from work goes by so quickly and doesn't even feel like a vacation.

Then on Christmas Eve company comes over, wrapping wrapping, rushing off to late worship service, and plopping down in bed totally exhausted. Christmas morning is spent together around the tree unwrapping everything you just took days to wrap, followed by pushing everyone in and out of the showers, making them put on dress clothes, loading up a cooler of foods and somehow managing to shove the cooler, tons of gifts, and other bags of food and stuff into the vehicle, all while managing to leave a seat for the children, who have to sit with stuff on their laps for a one and one-half hour drive to Grandma's.

There's unloading, more Christmas and more loading up and more travel, followed more unloading. You finally plop down in bed once again, totally exhausted, glad it is all over.

The next morning you drag yourself out of bed to head for work and after a long day at work, you return home, walk in the door, and it hits you......

you stand there in your kitchen

staring at the disarray

boxes everywhere

dirty food containers from the long trip everywhere

added dishes from the boys being home all day everywhere

empty plastic containers and papers of instructions and warranties everywhere

and the boys have been home all day and have not lifted one hand

and you stand there totally exhausted and stare

and the after-Christmas blahs hit you hard.

How can I even cook the boys supper when I cannot see my counter or table?

And to top it all off, my wrist is still injured and carrying anything of any weight re-injures it (ie. pots of food, laundry baskets, cutting up food) and it's been re-injured for days on end and there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

And you stand there and stare.

And the after-Christmas Blahs sink in further.

After working about the house, I sat down for some quiet time in the normally uplifting digi-community, only to to find it in an uproar. A popular subscriber community for designers run by Tandika Star has shut down a site on Christmas day due to pirating and words are being hurled everywhere. It's like watching a train wreck, you cannot turn your eyes away from it. I head on over to the blog which has caused uproar in the digi-community for months on end to see for myself what all the fuss is about.

Now, I've never joined this community that shut down on purpose because I am a tutorial writer and I have always wanted to be careful to not be accused of stealing other's tutorials, so although I've always wanted to join, I never have. And on the infamous blog is a link to see one of the tutorials and the little bad guy on my left shoulder argues with the little good guy on my right shoulder and I reach out with mouse to test one of the links because curiousity gets the best of me, and I get a message that the link has been taken down and my IP has been logged. Great. Getting involved in the fiasco was the last thing I wanted to do. And just like that train wreck, I look and look and get sucked into the tragedy.

And the after-Christmas Blahs sink in even lower. It's time for a glass of wine, huh?

And all this following all the ugliness of the pirating and other such stuff and the ugliness of the closing of The DigiShoppe and all the hype about Ashley Olson (not to be confused with Ashley Olsen). What is becoming of the digi-world we all so loved?

We say some of the dumbest stuff, don't we, when we are wronged. We are negative, criticle, and gossiping. Sometimes I just want to say to some people, "Listen to yourself! Meet yourself!" Is what you are saying important to Jesus?

It hurts God when we hurt one another. Saying a bunch of stuff just because we feel wronged may hurt others in ways we cannot imagine. Evaluate what you wrote? Is saying all that dumb stuff helpful? Did it change anything? Maybe it was helpful to make yourself feel better, but was it helpful in any other way?

James 1:26
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

Of course, some things do need to be said, so don't get me wrong, but just say it and move on. Our words need to be working words toward good change. We do not need to be reading a bunch of non-working words. Of course, the pirating must be stopped and we as a community need to be taking action, with working words, but dragging someone down is non-working words.

Even just reading the negativity, although I was not personally hurt, got me down. What we say influences how others feel.

Words are a container for power. That blog and its words has way too much power over us and we need to break the cycle.

We should be making trees of good fruit. For those who have spoken too much and not held their tongue, you will be recognized by your fruit.

Matthew 12:33
Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

One person at DST which I recognized by her good fruit is Thena. While all the hype was going on, she was off blessing others finding good resources.

Now, to get back to my own sinning. Although I've managed to hold my tongue for the most part, I still did go peek at that blog and get caught up in reading those threads. I've done so well to stay away for the most part, but sometimes I just get drawn into it. For the most part and majority of the time, I have no desire to read such negativity and it is easy to stay away. Only occassionally does curiosity get the better of me.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I pray that God will take away my sense of curiousity and give me the strength to only seek after whatever is noble, right, and pure. I pray that He wipe out of my mind all things of negativity and to help me think of such things that are excellent and praiseworthy. I know, God, that I still need a lot of work on me and I thank you for how you continue to move my heart.

Christmas Nostalgia

I was reflecting this morning on Charles Dicken's tale, also now movies that are played during the holidays. There are so many lessons in this tale to reflect upon during the holiday season, too many to enumerate.

In his greed, he was a scrooge and turned everyone else around him grumpy. What a great reminder that our actions and our mood can effect those around us. Is your home stressed and grumpy right now? Change it by changing yourself first.

Next the tale continues as a story of redemption, actively seeking forgiveness from those he has sinned against. Although this should be a daily thing for Christians (as repentance and turning our ways), what better focus to have between now and the end of the year? Who have you harmed this year that you can reach out to before the end of the year?

The tale ends as a story of goodwill. Even the poor can do things to spread goodwill. What have you done this year to spread goodwill? Of course, the whole concept of Christmas is spreading goodwill, complete from Christmas cards to Christmas gifts to giving toys to toy collections for the needy. However, what else can we do that is special and different on our own. I want to make it a point to do something for at least one person, unexpectantly, before Christmas morning.

Where is your focus this Christmas?

A Total Stranger Just Blessed Me

I spent the afternoon Christmas shopping and was at the checkout and noticed the desktop calendars and said outloud how I'd love to have one, but that I never buy for myself.

A gentlemen began asking me which one I liked. I assumed he wanted help picking out one for his wife. I picked up the one on Proverbs and he said that that was the one that first caught his eye too. He decided to purchase it and I exclaimed to the checkout lady that I had just helped her sell something.

As I was walking away, the gentlement quickly placed the calendar in front of my face and said "Here, Be blessed."

Wow, I was so shocked I couldn't find any words but "thank you" and quietly left.

There are good people in this world who are reaching out to do kindnesses to total strangers. We all, most particularly me, should learn from this guy's example and make it a goal to bless total strangers in any way we can, even if it is the smallest of actions.

Today's calendar says:

There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. Proverbs 30:1 --There is nothing sadder than a person who rejects who he is and where he comes from. We should be proud of our heritage.

How fitting for me to have this verse for today as someone who enjoys scrapbooking and looking to old photos and learning about where I came from. This reinforces for me that it is okay to be spending my time doing what I am doing.

I should go dig out my article I wrote about what heritage means to me and share it again.

I attended Advent Service last night and enjoyed it. I love reading things that make me focus on what I am supposed to during this season. It is especially hard with all the hustle and bustle of the season.

Advent is the time for us to prepare for the coming of Jesus--not only his birth, but when he comes again. If you did know He were coming tonight, what would you be doing differently tonight?

I encourage you to take a moment now.

Stop your hurry.

Give some time to God--now.

Spend some time with God while watching this video of my favorite Christmas song and reading this poem I received via e-mail.


By Mark Lowry



Same song again--I could listen to this over and over.


***********

Mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
will save our sons and daughters?
did you know that your baby boy,
has come to make you new,
this child that you delievered,
will soon deliever you,
mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
will give sight to a blind man,
mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
will calm a storm with his hand,
did you know,
that your baby boy,
has walked where angels trod,
and when you kiss your little baby,
you've kissed the face of God,
the blind will see,
the deaf will hear,
and the dead will live again,
the lame will leap,
the dumb will speak,
the praises of the Lamb.
Mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
is Lord of all creation,
mary did you know,
that your baby boy,
will one day rule the nations,
did you know that your baby boy,
is heaven's perfect lamb,
this sleeping child your holding,
is the great I am.

*******

I love the instruments in this one. The video is not that great, but his voice and the instruments just draw me in.

By Mark Lowry & Buddy Greene

****
So how shall we live in such times as these?

Live expectantly for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Keep awake.
Be alert.
Prepare for God's certain arrival.
Be not like King Herod who prepared for the advent of Christ
by killing the infants and children of Bethlehem.
Prepare for the second advent by saving the children;
saving them from starvation,
saving them from child abuse,
saving them from all manner of deprivation.

Be not like the shepherds of the fields
who were caught totally unaware of God's advent.
Prepare for the second advent
by knowing the Bible,
by loving God and all people,
by coming out of the hills and fields to attend the worship of Christ.

Be not like those of Bethlehem who had no room
for Joseph, Mary and the baby.
Prepare for the second advent by taking time
to entertain the stranger,
to visit the sick and imprisoned,
to talk with God so frequently that God becomes
a heavenly parent known intimately as 'our Father .'

Prepare for the second advent by remembering the first advent.
Celebrate Christmas by exhausting your supply of Christmas cards,
advent wreaths, and manger scenes.
Celebrate Christmas until your voice gets hoarse
from singing the Christmas carols.
Celebrate Christmas by attending all the plays, pageants,
concerts and Christmas eve services that you possibly can.
Celebrate Christmas without hesitancy and with joy.

See you in Church.
By: Paul Kabo, Jr .

Abilities or Disabilities

I read this this morning and it made me smile and I wanted to pass it on.

-----Thank God He loves me no matter what my abilities or disabilities are.

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the
outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel
16:6-8)

I am feeling rather disabled lately trying to learn all this new techy stuff for my website upgrades. I learned this morning that Dreamweaver does stuff to my text files when I upload them for the forum files, so I had to download a new FTP client and am learning it! Just what I wanted to do--learn yet another program! With God's help, I will get through this.

I appreciate everyone who has helped me with questions and thank God for them as I continue to push forward.

Happy All Saints Day

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

If you are a good 'ol Lutheran, like me, undoubtedly you have heard that salutation a zillion times. Do you ever wonder why?

Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:21 RSV)

Because God's Word tells us to greet each other in Jesus's name.

I decided to take a moment today to read today's devotion as my way of taking a moment out of my busy day to celebrate this holiday. As the devotion states, many people devalue the word "saint" by placing the meaning on it that anyone who is good or generous is a saint. However, the devotion continues "All who believe in Christ, then, are God’s saints."

I like to take a moment every All Saints Day to reflect on those saints who have helped to shape and grow my relationship with Jesus Christ. I always seem to go first to my Grandparents in thought, but there are many more people and I thank God for each and every saint he has sent into my life.

*******************
On a side note, I am excited after spending hours last night to report I finally figured out how to build my first webpage in Dreamweaver. The program is not easy and I am having to personally motivate myself work in it. I have a lot of brick walls to climb over or break down and my first is to transfer my website to a new host. In order to do that, I have to recreate the whole think on new software.

I feel as if I am spinning my wheels and going no where. I have so many other things I wish I could be doing and sharing on my blog.

"Difficulties are stepping stones to success " Unknown

"The elevator to success is out of order. You'll have to use the
stairs...one step at a time." Joe Girard

There is a football game tonight and that is going to zap tonight for me too.

Just when I thought I was done traveling due to the end of marching band season, I reviewed my calendar and see three more long trips in November for other activities. I feel so overwhelmed.

Now that marching band season and daily practices are over, we have been hitting the appointments for doctors, dentists, and eye doctors pretty hard. I think I've gotten all of us to at least 5 appointments in the past week and at least 6 more in the next week or so. So much to remember! All of us are getting different appointment times. Life is never easy.

I had two tests recently, one today. TMI for a blog post, but pray that my health problems can be resolved please.

Stewardship Principle #2

Well, my bathroom fixtures, after much ado and a bite out of the pocketbook are finally restored and I can hope for a better day tomorrow. A friend reminded me the importance of teaching my children and, therefore, I set out to complete the task with my son. It was a lot of work! That stuff was stuck on pretty good! But we did not quit and kept at it until we took everything apart. We got to where the big pipes in the back had to come apart and gave in and called the repairman who brought his big tools and flaming torch who finished the job right up for us. Finally, at 10:30 p.m, or task was complete and behind us.

I have tried desparately to make a freebie for several days, but life is preventing it. I've got it started though!

My brother-in-law will be in town any hour now, but only for a few days before he leaves for Iraq. Our family get-togethers may prevent me from being a great blogger too this week, as well as marching band, but I will try.

As I wind down tonight and have a very short time on hand, I could not decide what to do, so I thought a little time with God be best and I am studying the 2nd stewardship principle. You can download the study and read more for yourself.

2. God's Stewards are Managers, Not Owners.

When I first read this, my first thought is as to how God has entrusted my children to me to guide and teach them, and that they are not "mine," but "His."

The study points out that although we work hard for the things we are surrounded by, the ability to work hard, our health, etc. comes from God.

Ps. 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.

Another key word I see is that we are to be joyful in our stewardship. It is a privelege to be entrusted with God's resources and life and, although it is work to care for what we have been entrusted with, we must always do it chearfully and enjoy it. Yes, we must wash those dishes joyfully.

1 Tim. 6:17-19 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Another point that caught my attention was that it is not wrong to own things, not even to own them in an abundance, but that God simply expects more from us the more we own. If we are gifted and talented in many areas, then we are expected to use our gifts. If we have more money, then we are expected to share more with the poor or utilize our wealth in a variety of ways to help others.

Luke 12:48b From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

So I must ask myself what I am doing with the things and talents and people that God has entrusted me with? Am I doing enough? What can I do better? Am I pleasing God?