awestruck wonder

Shane preached at Grace on Sunday in Mobile. He preached on Matthew 1:18-25. So, the focus was on Jesus as Immanuel (God with Us) and Jesus (Our God Saves). The final song was The Revelation Song. I could not get it together. For me, this song really captures who Jesus is and why we worship Him.

irony

Jesus had no servants,
yet they called Him Master.

Had no degree,
yet they called Him Teacher.

Had no medicines,
yet they called Him Healer.

Had no army,
yet kings feared Him.

He won no military battles,
yet He conquered the world.

He committed no crime,

yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb,
yet He lives today.

the mall

I worked today from 10-3. It is really the greatest shift. It goes by so quickly and you do not miss much of the kids' day. But, being at the mall is challenging. I never go shopping. This is good because I do not know what I am missing. Jill's mother's mentor years ago said, "Do not go the the mall and you will not want." It is so true. Our counter in itself has lots of tempting products. However, it is also right by the jewelry department. I care nothing about jewelry. I think it is pretty but it is not something I need. But, staring at it as I wait for customers makes it so appealing. It brings to life the truth of the verse about fleeing temptation. If you stare at a forbidden object too long it becomes a desire, and then something that occupies your thoughts and eventually something you will pursue, often at all costs, while disreagarding the consequences. So, as I work next Monday thru Friday, I will be faced with the temptation to buy. I pray I will not only fight it, but also that I will see the things as just that, pretty things.

Bawl Bag

I have been really emotional lately. Not to the point of crying, but probably only because I stop myself. I get choked up on the strangest things. Some of them are not strange but some really are. I noticed it in November when I was giving Streed's teacher a thanksgiving book. She was so excited that I was giving it to her. I love both Streed and Ella's teacher. I don't know what it was but I felt a lump welling in my throat. The other day I was asking Nate if he would stay a baby, if he would just stay a little two year old. I had to quit talking. Earlier this week I was reading the December newsletter for the kids school and for some reason getting choked up. I was reading it out loud to Streed and totally had to stop at the end of the Director's letter when she quoted "Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord". I know that is a reason to get weepy but the first part of the letter wasn't. Today I went with the 4 year old classes to sing at a nursing home/retirement center. I knew this would be rough. I was fine inside but we started walking outside through the Assisted Living area. A sweet couple came outside and were waving and singing too. I had Streed walk over and give the lady a book mark that he had made at school. She was saying how sweet he was and how thankful she was. I was about to lose it. Thankfully it was freezing and it just looked like the weather was making my eyes water. Immediately I thought about the scene in The Notebook where the mom is reminiscing and starts crying. She gets herself together and says something like, "Well look at me. I am a stupid woman. I am a big bawl bag." This cracked me up.

Winn-Dixie

I am assuming this is a national ad. I went to Winn-Dixie today to get the Buy One Get One items that I needed. They also had an amazing deal that I had to share. Buy a Stouffers Party size Lasagna-- AND Get for FREE a bag of Steamers vegetables, a Pepsi product, Pepperidge Farm Garlic Bread, an Edwards Pecan Pie!!! I know that is a lot of food. But it is great if you want to have people over for dinner and not spend much at all.

I usually go to Winn-Dixie and Albertsons when I get their ad in the mail and see what is Buy One Get One Free. It usually is cheaper than Wal-Mart. Today, just to make sure, I went to Wal-Mart first to check the regular price against the Buy One Get One price. It was cheaper to go to Winn Dixie. So, since I was by myself, I went straight to Winn-Dixie. My total before the sale was $101. Once the cashier keyed in my WD card number my total was $57. I bought only sale items except $1.99 grits. I am not patient enough to figure out all of the other sale websites or bonus bucks etc. So, this form of saving money makes me feel good about my capabilities :)

(no subject)

Just downed my 2nd glass of orange juice (thanks shana). Been decorating the mantle. No one ever told me this was hard to do. I have waited my whole life for a mantle and now I don't know what to do with it. Actually I got it how I want it, I think. I really want a nice nativity scene to put front and center. I think what was hard for me is that I like it simple and 5 stockings is not simple. So, I settled for some greenery, some glass cylinders filled with red and gold glass balls, and mine and chips stockings. I need to go to bed. Shana said I needed to go to bed earlier than normal. I also need to read my bible. Streed was giving me fits going to bed. He said, "Why do you have an angry attitude?" I told him it was because he was not going to bed. He said, "I think it is because we did not read the bible." I told him he was right and that I needed to go do that.

fyi: i do have a camera. a friend of mine found me one for $30 at an estate sale. i figured it would do until i could get a nice one and that it was better than nothing. but, there is no power cord and my computer does not support this size memory card. therefore, i am still picture-less in my posts.

tomorrow is 8 weeks

No, not pregnant. That is how long I have been sick. I was diagnosed with pneumonia on Sept 30. I took my antibiotics for a week then followed up with my doctor for a chest x-ray on Oct 8. It looked clear so he said I could resume normal activity. Apparently I am an idiot. I did not at all think that I should ease my way back to normalcy since I had basically been on bed rest for over a week. That very afternoon I went walking and did an insane amount of lunges. The next week I went on a field trip with Streed and then took Nate to his 18 month check up. Both of these excursions apparently put me around quite a few germs. Also during that week we got the financial news. So, I guess stress plus germs on top of a weekend immune system sent me into shock. The 17th I got a slightly sore throat in the afternoon that progressed into a severe sore throat along with fever and chills that night. I went to the walk-in clinic on the 18th. Swine and Strep tests were negative but with me just having had pneumonia she gave me Tami-flu just to be safe since I may have caught a virus. At some point I went back to my doctor because I was still congested and coughing. Another chest x-ray looked clear. The diagnosis was I may be getting a sinus infection and that it is probably allergies. He prescribed a steroid pack and Zyrtec. I took all that and saw no progression towards health. I called the doc on Nov 23 because I was pretty sure I had a sinus infection. I did not feel bad, probably due to the amount of drugs in my system, but all other symptoms were there. He called me in a Z pack. That same day a rash appeared from basically my scalp to my knees. I could not see anything on my scalp but it was itching terribly. I took some benedryl that night and went to bed. I slept but the rash was not better, maybe worse, when I awoke on the 24th. That morning, the day were leaving for Thanksgiving holidays, I went back in to my doctor to make sure it was not contagious. He said it looked like contact dermatitis rather than an allergic reaction to something I ate. So, the only thing I can contribute it to is either firewood or our citrus tree. Neither of these are new things I have touched but I touched them both that day. He said take Zyrtec. I did and it totally went away. For days I have had fluid in my ears. I feel like I have been swimming and need to jump up and down with my head tilted to the side. However, this does not help. Last night when I laid down I had pain in my right ear. Ear infection? Who knows. I feel like it is the plague. Chip and I just laugh when I have a new symptom. What else are you gonna do? I guess another $30 co-pay is coming my doctors way. Whoo Whoo!

*Disclaimer--I have never been to the doctor this much in my life. It has only been since moving. My sister asked if I needed attention. At $30 a pop + feeling like a hypochondriac, I don't need it that badly.

soon and very soon

I want to post a few things but right now I am in the throws of getting ready to leave town tomorrow. I have already squandered most of my kids nap time so I must put it into high gear. So, maybe tonight.

honestly

I was thinking today that I do not blog because there is just so much going on. Like everyone, life is busy. I just looked at several other blogs and just get overwhelmed at their ability to document everything. I am not there right now. I know I have been in the past. There really is a lot to say. Probably almost daily I think about blogging a thought, something the kids said, something I read, something to pray for. But then I don't. To be honest I think I was discouraged by the number of comments on my post about laundry verses the vulnerability about our finances. Even then I feel guilty about saying that and wonder should I erase that, will that offend somebody. I think I just at this point in my life feel better and maybe safer with my journal. I had no idea this post was going to go there. People that journal or write process as they write. I am that way. I thought I was just going to say that blogging overwhelmed me. I guess that was only partly true. I guess now I know how I really feel. to post or not to post, POST

the countdown is on

It seems like an eternity ago that I wrote NEW MOON across Nov 20th on my calendar. But much to my surprise it is now Nov 17th. I am not going to the midnight premiere but Chip and I are both excited about going Friday night to see the much anticipated sequel. To fuel my excitement, or to somewhat satisfy it, I have been scanning fan sites today. (Some people are beyond excited. They are disturbed.) I went to stepheniemeyer.com and read some of the Q&A on her page. I loved this question and answer...

My question for you is.... are you at all surprised by the variety in age of your readers? I am 32 years old and absolutely loved your books, and I know I am not alone, in many discussion groups I have found there are 30, 40, even 50 somethings reading twilight. Thanks and keep writing! - Amy B.

Because I wrote Twilight for my twenty-nine-year-old self and not for a future YA audience, it always made sense to me that women my age would get it the same way I did. Are you ever too old to remember falling in love for the first time?