I'm HERE! I'm ALIVE! I'm BUSSSSSY!!!!

*sigh*

How pitiful that it takes a comment from Bedky to make me realize that I haven't updated my blog since before Christmas.  Sad. sad. sad.

BUT...I haven't just been sitting around twiddling my thumbs.  Did you know I got a job in October of last year?  Of course you did.  I probably told you...that, or you heard me screaming from my roof how thankful I was ;)

I'm working for a promotional company in the Model & Talent department.  It's a very stressful job, but also very fun work.  It makes me excited to go to work every morning which is very helpful considering I did NOT want to go back to work.  I would still rather be home and truly feel that's where God will have me end up, but He's got something in store for me at this company...there are just too many things that have happened to NOT be the case.

The family...yes...they're still happy and healthy.  Mike turns 33 tomorrow.  Crazy.  It's weird to think I'm married to someone who's in their mid-thirties...heh.  But then again *I* will be 30 this year so I'm not teasing him...much.

Jackson is WALKING!!!  I'm so not dealing with this well either.  He's into EVERYTHING :)

Blake is doing well in school and is learning how to read.

Ryley is reading like crazy and doing well in school.  If I could just keep him out of trouble we'd be doing well...heh

Did I mention that my MIL moved in?  She came up to live with us right before Christmas and has been here ever since.  Things are going really well and I couldn't ask for a better person to watch my children for me during the day.

That's about it...I'll probably update again in about a month...or 6...heehee...

Christmas time is HERE!!

Does it seem to anyone else that Christmastime is just really short this year??

We actually put our tree up a week before Thanksgiving so it's SEEMED Christmasy in our house, but I don't think our hearts were really into it yet. Mike and I were talking about this last night as he was hanging Christmas Lights on the front of the house. He has been VERY anxious to get everything up and decorated this year. Don't get me wrong, he USUALLY loves Christmas (as do I) and we often go over the top with decorating (3 years running as the winners of the decorating contests at FCC!!), but for some reason we just have this NEED to decorate this year.

We came to the conclusion that it is probably due to the fact that this has been one of the HARDEST years in our marriage that we've ever faced. Praise God we've grown closer during a time that would probably break up a lot of other marriages, but it's almost like we're trying to get this year over quickly. We need the refreshment of Christmas and then the cleansing of the new year...We NEED IT!

But is that how we should be going about this? I mean...shouldn't the anticipation come from wanting to remember the anticipation people felt of meeting the Messiah? Even the eve of Christ's birth was BUSY...it comes with the territory of the season I think (yes, I know that Christ was most likely born in the springtime...just hear me out). The night of Christ's birth was busy due to people returning to their hometowns for the census. They were being reunited with families, I'm sure mom's and grandma's were preparing their homes for lots and lots of company. Meals were being cooked, bread baking, houses being cleaned. It's really not much different from what we see now.

But...amidst all of the hullabaloo there was something so beautiful as a baby being born. Everyone was so busy that I'm sure they didn't notice the poor woman who was forced to sleep in a barn and lay her baby in a feeding trough. I'm sure they didn't notice the poor man who wanted nothing more than to offer his wife the best possible service and place to deliver her baby, and only be disappointed that he had to go with this alternative. I'm sure they didn't notice the smiles as they looked down at this precious baby and no longer worried about where they were sleeping. From that point forward all they could see was his beautiful sleeping face.

Peace, Peace.

That is the true meaning of Christmas...it was before the shepherds came. Before the wise men visited with gifts. It was the peace and the love of this precious gift sent from heaven.

May you all have a blessed and PEACEFUL Christmas this year.

Psalm 5:1-3

"Listen to my words, O Lord, and hear my sighs.

Listen to my cry for help,

My God and king!

I pray to you, O Lord;

you hear my voice in the morning;

At sunrise I offer my prayer and wait for your answer."

(Psalm 5:1-3, TEV)

Friday Felicities

* Diet Coke in the can straight from the fridge (No FF would be complete without mentioning it)

* Sipping said Diet Coke with the windows open.

* Spending my Quiet Time with God with my windows open.

* Cleaning house while the windows are open (it's the BEST way to motivate myself to clean).

* Having hubby home today so he can reach the window over the sink.

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!

Psalm 51 according to me.

Be gracious to me God, because you love me;
Because of your compassion, erase the crap I've stored up.
Wash me fully from my past and keep me clean from the sin I seem to encounter daily.
I know what I've done, and it's always on my mind.
You are the only person against who I've sinned
And done what is evil according to You,
I have made it so that you are justified when You speak
And without any blame when You act in my life.

I came into a sinful world.
But still you expect and desire truth in my heart,
And in my mind You expect me to use wisdom.
Purify my heart and I will be clean;
Forgive my mind and make me white again.
Allow me to hear all that is good,
Let the pain I feel, rejoice to know that I FEEL
Don't look at all of the dirty stuff in my heart
Clean that all out please.

I want a clean heart God
Fill me with longing for You
Keep me close
Keep your Spirit in my heart
Give me a new fire
Keep me willing to do your work
So that I can teach others about You
and they will come to know You.

Keep me from that guilty verdict
And I will sing daily of your glory
Speak through my words
So that Your name will always be praised.
It's not about how much I give up, but how my heart gives it up.
You aren't pleased with the things I do
The sacrifice is in my spirit
Only when I come before you broken and humbled
That is when you love me most.

Be good to the church Lord
Build us up.
Delight in the spirit of the work we do.
In the work and in the way we accomplish it
Our work will be lifted to You.