Sunny Saturdays

Sunny Saturdays are for Silly Sweethearts!Sharp moves

Scrimmages with Da Da's

Sweet times with Great Uncles

Sprints in the grassand - Sensational Sugarplums

Walking Away

The only problems I have really ever had working in the school system with the kids are when I have specifically told someone to do or not do something and they have totally disregarded or ignored me. That has only happened a time or two. One day this week made the third time I think. This time it certainly wasn't on anything major at all but the student just totally walked away after being told to do something he needed to do. The student, when called back with an authoritative voice, (He knew I meant business), continued to walk away. In the past something like this would have really made my blood pressure rise on up. But this time I didn't let it bother me. I just took care of what he needed to do myself, although it was his responsibility. As I was thinking about how that would have upset me a little more in the past, I thought about what he actually did. Then I related it to God. We do Him like that more than we want to think we do. God has something for us to do that we really aren't on board with, so we just walk away. We think it may not be a good idea for us to do it. We think it could be dangerous for us, or get us into trouble somehow. So we just walk away from it. God is there saying, this is what you need to do. How do we respond? But maybe even more importantly, or at least as equally important-How does God respond? Does He respond by doing what I did? Does He come after us calling our name? Do we continue to ignore? Does He get angry? Does His blood pressure rise from the audacity like mine has done in the past? No, He knows that what He is trying to get us to do is what's best. I think it probably makes Him a little sad maybe, that we would walk away from Him. A little sad that we aren't willing to do what He is asking when it will receive God's results. I was a little sad that this student would just blatantly ignore and walk away from me. I care for him and have never done anything against him, yet he walked. How much more does God love me. God! The love he has for us is always there. The longing for us to do what He has called us to do is there. A desire to see us focus on Him, follow Him, and achieve, is there too. All the while we are walking away. See when this happened I knew if this young man would just have done one simple thing, there would have been no problem. He chose instead to make it a problem. I am wondering -- How many problems do we cause ourselves?

Wordless Wednesday

Not Me Monday

Ok it goes like this:
Got to work and decided to leave my purse in the car. I didn't need everything in it so I just grabbed my 1)car keys, 2)my work keys, 3) my glasses, and 4) my cup of coffee. Now for the part I DID NOT do. I did not also grab my 5)extra travel cup of coffee and attempt to get out of the car and shut the door without scratching it. Because I don't care if I bump my car door with keys or coffee cups. I am not that ridiculous. And furthermore, I DID NOT then (somehow - still haven't figured that part out yet) knock the lid off the travel cup of coffee, while trying not to spill my regular cup of coffee, and pour the ENTIRE travel cup of coffee onto my wrist, then down my skirt, car door, and sandals. No indeed. If you saw that happen in the high school parking lot, it WAS NOT me. Must have been some other crazy person. I didn't leave the travel cup and lid laying right there in the parking lot by my car because there was no way that I could keep everything in my hands and pick that up at the same time with my burned wrist. A teacher who came in and parked right behind me did not stop by the office to ask me if I had some sort of accident in the parking lot since she saw the evidence on her way in. What a way to start the day. I mean, you know, if that had really happened which of course it didn't.

Ok here is something else that didn't happen to me this week. I DID NOT get stuck in my skirt. Yes, you read that right. I didn't get stuck in my skirt. No not the coffee stained skirt, another one. Ok I am glad this didn't really happen because it would be a little embarrassing. I did not bust the zipper out of the said skirt. Well the zipper actually was still together at the top of the skirt but ripped open from just after the top to the bottom of it. So, I tried (I mean didn't try) to unzip it to no avail. I did not ask for assistance from my husband who also couldn't get it unzipped. So no, I was not stuck in my skirt. Finally after much tugging and pulling my big self out of it I got it to slip off. The zipper though never gave up. I also did not decide to keep the skirt so that I could use the material because I do not think I could maybe make something out of the cute material. ...a teddy bear, or a purse, who knows what. The crafty person that I can be will figure out something I am sure. I mean you know, if that all had really happened.

Last Sunday afternoon I did not spend over an hour cutting out circles and tearing out pages in magazines, and cutting out pictures from those pages for a lesson for my class. I did not then put all my work into a manila folder and place it on the kitchen table. I did not decide to go on and bring the extra folders as well. Then... I absolutely DID NOT only grab the extra folders as I went out the door. I DID NOT leave my entire lesson in the folder on the table and bring only with me the empty folders that I really didn't need to class. I did not then have to wing it, as far as something to do with my class which was unusually LARGE!

On Wednesday night I did not leave my expensive lap top at church in the sound room and get home ready to twitter or something and realize I left it! So I did not get in my car and get back up there so I could get it because I can so do without twittering, and blogging, and checking my e mail and I am not afraid to leave it in the church until another day when I could get it later.

Oh and last night I had my head sunk down into the pillow and turned over to get a little more comfortable, stretching out my arm when my hand touched the pillow across the bed from me under my husbands head when I realized that I was touching MY pillow. Now comes the part I did not do. I was not upset that he was sleeping soundly on MY pillow. I did not go over and over in my head whether or not it would be better for me to sleep on HIS pillow with OLD GERMS from a REALLY SICK Todd, or to switch pillows and sleep on MY pillow with his FRESH not AS SICK germs. I did not go over and over that while trying only to breathe OUT! Furthermore I did not wake my husband up after I finally decided that I would rather sleep on my pillow with fresh but not as deadly germs. I am not a germ freak at all and I would not have been up for hours thinking about it every time I finally had to breathe in if I had'nt traded.

So am I the only one who had so many "Not Me's" this time?

God is Awesome

God is awesome.

Today I am thinking about the creator of the universe. There are so many incredible things that He created. Right at this moment I am thinking of one thing in particular.

When I am sitting on the beach early in the mornings, which I love to do. The waves come rushing in.It's so beautiful. What a great way to start the day. Do the people who are blessed to actually live there and wake up to that each morning know how blessed they are? Anyway, on with my thoughts. Later in the hot afternoon, those waves are still crashing in. That evening before supper, waves still doing their thing. That night after supper, beautiful sunsets, and waves still rolling over onto the shore.

In the darkness, under the moonlight, wave after wave after wave. Finally unfortunately we get tired and fall asleep. While we sleep though the waves continue to roll one right after another.

When we wake up there they are again. Never stopping, always going, splashing. Those waves have been doing that all night, all year, all the time. The waves have continued to do that same thing over and over and over since the day God created them to do it. Never stopping. Man, it's amazing how you can see what an incredible God we have just looking at one of the things he created. Just this one beautiful amazing, wonderful creation.

Recipes

I like to cook. I love finding new recipes that I think we will enjoy and I love preparing them for my family. Recently I found a few new recipes: Oreo Cheesecake, I came up with this one myself. An original! Actually I tasted some from Nikki's in town and decided to go home and create my own.) Wasn't Josh sweet to share? I think he will be glad he did too since now I will make it at home. You should try it:

1 Pkg of Philadelphia Cream Cheese softened
1 Can Eagle Brand Milk
1 small container of Cool Whip
1 bag of coarsely crushed Oreos
Mix together and pour into 2 Oreo Cookie Pie crusts
Top with a half container of Cool Whip on each pie
Top with Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
Refrigerate for an hour before serving
BEWARE! DO NOT EAT THE WHOLE PIE!

Ok too bad this is not Monday so I could say "I did not make yet another desert tonight". But I did. Again for Josh. We have got to fatten him up! :) Anyway here is one super simple version of Haystacks!
6 oz. Chow Mein Noodles
6 oz. Butterscotch chips
1/4 cup peanut butter
Melt chips in microwave (not too long).
Add peanut butter and chow mein
Drop on wax paper and allow to cool
Even though these are so easy they really are good. You can make them in just a few minutes!

The thing about recipes is that you take the ingredients and mix them together to make something great. Each ingredient in it's separate form may or may not be good to eat. But all together it makes for something delicious. Today I had to go to two different stores to get a couple of the items I needed to prepare my supper. (Well actually I went to one store and my sweet darling husband went to the other one.) All the ingredients aren't always right at your disposal. Sometimes it takes a little work to get certain things you need.

It is that way with us as well. At times there are things in our lives that we would rather not have to taste, so to speak. Other things we would like to have but we cant get our hands on them just yet. It takes a little time, effort, and maybe even a little help from a friend to eventually take hold of those things. But actually after God uses the not so tasty ingredients and they are mixed in with the other things in our lives that it took a little time to get a hold of, the end result can be pretty tasty. Are you following? :)

Blessed Weekend

Tonight in my class at church we talked about blessings from God. Pretty fitting since I was blessed by God this weekend to be able to keep Avery. She is such a wonderful miraculous blessing! We really enjoyed our weekend. After a shaky start with tears as her mommy left her with us and she knew exactly what was going on. She was great on the trip to our house. She didnt sleep too well the first night. That is one reason her mommy and daddy needed a night or two, to catch up on some much needed rest. But she was ready for the day on Saturday. We decided to do some fun things with her while she was here. First order of business was to go to Wal Mart and get her some wooden blocks. We found those so she can work on stacking. She much prefers unstacking otherwise known as smashing the stack down! But I did get her to stack one on top of another a couple of times. We also got an Elmo book that she LOVED! We had fun with her new stuff while she was here. Next while she napped - all 35 minutes of it. I made cupcakes! Later on we enjoyed those. They were delicious. Avery thought they were a little sticky for her fingers though and she decided not to mess her fingers up and chose instead to dive in this way. Which resulted in this. She didnt seem to mind the sticky face as much as the sticky fingers. It was fun watching her enjoy it and giggilng while she ate it. Then we headed up to the river walk and the fountains. I just knew she would love it there. I thought she would chase the kids around and splash in the water and make me chase her around. In actuality though she was immediately scared of the water that kept shooting up from the ground so we definitely stayed away from that which was really the whole point in being there. Then the kids made her nervous for some reason and she kept her eyes on them but looked a little worried at all their play. So we moved on down from the fountains and she enjoyed the swing a little more and seemed to like looking at the river the most. So maybe next time she comes she will enjoy that more. We will try it again sometime. We headed back home after that and she had yet another - yep- 35 minute nap. Guess thats her limit at my house! She woke up then and had fun running around and visiting with everybody. Oh and of course doing the motions to "I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart." Look at how her hair is growing! Precious curls!All in all it was such a nice weekend. I am so glad her parents got a little time to do some things they needed to get done and to get some needed rest. Well thats it for now so from Avery and her Nonna - Bye Bye!

Way Back Wednesday

As tiny as she looks, she was already over a month old in this picture! Crazy unbelievable. Our precious little miracle. Glad we left those beeps and doctors, monitors and nurses of the NICU and so glad that in a couple of days this little miracle will be spending the weekend with her Nonna and Poppa.

Not Me Monday!

I have not done a "Not Me" post lately so I decided since McMama is doing a giveaway I would do one! If you have not read her blog before you probably dont do much blogging at all - but if you would like to then here is her site. She is funny, a good writer and photographer and has a wonderful miracle story. God is so good all over the world. Anyway here goes my Not Me's -
After doing special diet for 2 weeks, I did not find that I couldn't eat the delicious expensive meal I ordered at a restaurant this weekend.
I did not get 2 appliances for my kitchen this week! Yes 2 -My dishwasher went kaput after about 8 years. I have not been handwashing my dishes for a couple of months now. I didnt even need a new one cause I LOVE handwashing all our dishes! NOT! And - I also got a new fridge! We bought my old one when we moved in this house. That would be 22 years ago On October 1st. Guess we got our moneys worth on that one. Hope this one lasts that long too. I am blessed!
I did not let myself run out of ink in my printer at work. Of course I didnt. I am much too good a secretary to let that happen. Especially when I should be receipting money (and plenty of it). No ink = no receipts. (Yes I can hand write receipts but that does not put them into my computer/financial program.)
I did not find more to do in the front room. I have been through re-doing that room for a while. I finished painting that room weeks ago. I normally finish a project like that in 2 or 3 days tops. So I certainly am not still working on this room probably months after I started it. I am not still waiting on the bedspread (bed-in-a-bag) that is on backorder for that bed. I certainly did not look in 4 different cities from Louisiana to Texas to find it only to discover that NO ONE had it in the size I needed. I am not excited that I got to order it, even though I have to wait and wait for it. I do not have it on a countdown at this point and dont even know that it will be mailed out to me in 11 days. And I am not in the least nervous that it might not be perfect after all of this because of course it will be.
And last but not least I am not pushing for May already because wouldnt that be like wishing my life away.

As long as I am in the tent of this body

I have been enjoying reading in 2 Peter this week. There is a whole bunch of good in there. You should check it out. One thing though (among the many) that I found in there was this:

2Peter 1:12-15 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body. because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

I have been thinking on this verse. A few things struck me as I read it. I think I will share them with you - whoever you are! :)

I love the way it starts out. Peter wants to remind them of something. Something he knows that they already know. As a matter of fact they apparently know it well because the word says that those things have been established in them. FIRMLY ESTABLISHED! They have heard it. They know it. But he is adamant about reminding them of it. He feels the importance of that reminder. He even goes so far as to say that he will continue to remind them of it as long as he lives. I like that. There are people in our lives that need to be reminded that GOD LOVES THEM! Maybe they are people who have been to Sunday School forever. Maybe they are people that rarely miss a church service. Or maybe not. But whichever it is, or even somewhere in between, they need to be reminded that there is nothing that can take away Gods love for them.

I was recently thinking about my son who is a senior in high school this year.

Oh my goodness!

I was stating things to God that I was thankful for where he is concerned. All of the sudden it just rose in me that I was so thankful that I had this last year with him at home so that he could, for that little more time be reminded of what God means to us and to our family. One year from now he will be heading off to college which is a LARGE change. There is so much there to experience that he hasn't experienced here. That can be wonderful for him but it can also be, not so wonderful. See he is one who has been to church almost from day 1. He knows about the things of God. He knows of God's love, but a little reminder won't hurt! :) So when I saw this verse, it just reiterated to me how thankful I am that I have one more year to be who I am in Christ in front of him. One more year to remind him that God loves him. One more year for my husband and I to live out our faith in God in front of our son while he is at home. I am thankful for it. It's important. I love the last part of the verse "I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things." I have heard, or heard about, many who say "when I am gone I want to be remembered." "I dont want them to forget me." That is not what is at the forefront of Peters mind here. He isn't worried that they will forget him. He is not in the least concerned that they remember him after he is gone. What is important to him is that they REMEMBER the things of God that are necessary for their lives. THEIR lives. Not his. So again I have one more year with my youngest son here at home in this house. I will make every effort to see that after (his) departure (to college) he will always be able to remember these things. (The things of God he sees in our home.) And even after he goes off to college, as with my other children - As long as I live in the tent of this body I want to remind them of Gods' love.

Wordless Wednesday