Things I miss most about my sister...

Your blog about home sparked thoughts and emotions in me.
So many that, let's face it, a comment would have been ridiculous!

Home misses you too!
Family dinners still taste good, but have less flavor. Your empty chair is a constant reminder of the hole in my heart.
I know it has been the journey of your lifetime. A journey necessary for you to take. And your journey has worn well on you.
Your success and growth as a person are a testament to that. You are in the right place. doing the right things. and although it pains me to say it, for now, home is right where you are.
I do miss things. Man do I ever miss things...
I miss the girly little room we shared. With all the girly little porcelain 'pretties' and floral patterned everything. Pepto Bismol pink - I think I called it. I used to HATE that room.
I miss sleeping next to my sister. You were so cozy.
I miss stealing your eyeshadow when you weren't looking. You always had the best makeup.
I miss singing with you, it was like this perfectly wound thread. Nothing has ever come close to that...
I miss being your partner in crime, except for that time you ran over that kid's sack lunch, that was just pure evil.
I miss teasing you mercilessly - you were always such an easy target...
I miss being able to chuckle every time you gagged yourself with your toothbrush, you must have done that everyday for our whole lives!!
I miss having little things to talk about, like which earrings to wear - the kinds of things you can only do face to face... Or joking about "whatever should I wear today?" when we went to private school together and had to wear uniforms.
I miss you dropping by at the exact moment that I needed a friend.
I miss the fact that I could know the minute I should be expecting a phone call to let me know that you got home safely.
I miss the phone calls in a moment of great peril, when I could tell you came to me for help first. (I don't miss the moments of great peril, just the fact that I was your refuge)
I miss the frequent hair dyeing. The shop-talk. I miss having stir-fry with you.
I miss your presence, your faithful, happy presence.

I miss the tiny, daily events that you never notice until they're not there.
I miss you!
I love you!

color schemes.

yes, you're right - I have been changing my background a lot lately.
The crazy truth about it is - I am testing out color schemes for my master bedroom, on my blog.
Once I settle in on one, it will calm down - and then I will vanish for a week and my room will be done!
Just think of it as a sneak peek...
I just can't decide what I want to do with it yet.

Zip it.

How hard is it for a girl like me to shut the mouth?
Pretty hard, I'll say...

I don't usually read in the Old Testament, other than Psalms and Proverbs...
I have read it before - but I don't generally study there...
Today was one of those days where you just kinda rummage around in your Bible, looking for nothing in particular, hoping to gleam something wonderful.
Maybe even a specific answer to a specific something you might be going through at the time...
It happened. And in a way no one would ever suspect.
I was actually rummaging through my son's Bible, looking for a story that they would enjoy for bedtime, you know-action, drama, adventure, God's power, the whole nine yards...
I stumbled across the story where God empowered Moses as he led the Israelites out of Egypt and eventually parted the Red Sea. You know the one...
In the kids' Bible, it is really paraphrased and simplified so they'll understand it...
I can't tell you how many times I have read that story or heard sermons on that story and this tiny detail has never stuck out - until tonight.
Yeah - go ahead, laugh - I had to read something from a toddler Bible for it to penetrate my mind! LOL!

Exodus 14:14 says,
"God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!"

What? You're telling me to sit down and shut up?? I am a problem solver. I regularly take matters into my own hands, with mixed results. :P

That may very well be one of the most challenging things I will ever do. Hush and let God fight my battle for me. But I do know this, He has done it before. He'll do it again!

Thanks be to God for using toddler Bibles to speak to some of the more hard-headed ones of us!

Sit down and shut up!

And what a divine story it will be when He does what He promised to do!

So to you, insurmountable problem, You're toast! My God parted the Red Sea. Nanny, nanny, boo, boo...

Acknowledgements and Blog Rules to live by...

1. I realize that I am a blog spaz.
2. It has been brought to my attention that I delete too many posts.
3. I have a fairly regular case of blog remorse.
4. I think there might be a medication for that.
5. There is always a deeper meaning, and I am determined to find it.
6. Why does it give me heartburn to see a deleted comment? Was it tacky? Great, now I've got hives...
7. My husband recognizes that blogging is a cheap addiction, unlike other potential addictions and is therefore sold on the pretense of its 'greater good.'
8. If I reveal something personal (embarrassing) about myself and your husband inadvertently stumbles across it, please warn me of the impending awkwardness that will ensue.
9. If for some reason, I am made aware of something personal or embarrassing about your husband, that under normal circumstances I should not know, please warn me of the impending awkwardness that will ensue.
10. If there is an inside joke, such as code-breaking, that will make me pee my pants (I had big babies) - a simple warning phone call will suffice. (ie. "Hey, You're gonna pee your pants when you read this...") I don't ask for much.
11. On a similar note, Computers are electronic devices. You are taking the safety of your friends into your own hands when you pen a post that cannot be read without gallons of tears falling to their keyboards. Fair warning is advisable. These are perilous times in which we live, you never know when you can get electrocuted by your space bar...

Your careful and regular adherence to these edicts hereby set before you is duly noted.

This could be classified as a post that was intended only for fun and should be administered with a few grains of salt.

Here she is ladies and gents...

My good friend, M.(rhymes with candy) who was also at the playdate and vowed to give this blog thing a try has made good on her word...
here's her link:
http://joliebijoux.blogspot.com/
As for the name, I don't know the story behind it - you have to ask her... :)

calling in sick.

Although I have no reason to believe that anyone will see this between now and time to go to church, I thought I'd 'call in sick' anyway. Most of you are probably sleeping, cuddling, or some other nonsense...

3 hours.

I just discovered one of the biggest drawbacks to having a blog.
when you use it as your diary, just to jot down a few thoughts, then save it as a DRAFT...
Sometimes you end up posting it accidentally...
such a thing has happened.
it was out there for 3 hours.
to any of you who read it, i'm sorry
to those of you who are suddenly wondering, no it wasn't about you... ;)

Betwixt.

God has always come at me in waves.
I always love God. I always want to serve Him.
But in the ebb and flow of life, I find myself more apt to follow after the things of God at the height of a wave.
Although my desire to serve Him is no less fervent during the retreat of the wave, for some reason amidst the retreat, I get disoriented.
I never lose the desire.
I lose direction.
So tonight God, as I am here between waves, I pray that You would lead the way.
I need to know where to place my foot.
Point it in the direction You would have me go.

• Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your
paths straight.

• Psalm 119:105

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

So much emphasis is placed on getting to the next wave by whatever means necessary.
There is so much to be gained between waves. Traits like trust, obedience, and faith can be cultivated there.
I want to be positioned so Your next wave can hit me full on.
I trust you, Yahweh. Maker of ALL things. Knower of ALL things. Lover of souls. Lead on.

She's smitten.

I was asking the kids what their favorite part about being at the pool was.
J. said he liked going to "the deep end" - The deep end, in this case, is an ominous four feet deep.
He also got a kick out of sticking his head underwater and trying to find me by my legs. Like THAT'S hard... :)
My daughter, on the other hand, snickered and said, "Mason and Mason's daddy."
She-devil.
I am sorry, no_iffer -
But it is so stinkin funny.
She has a crush on BOTH of them.
Who to choose??

J's time out.

My son earned a time out. He has earned a time out many times before.
The thing that set this time out apart from so many of the others is the fact that he chose to ignore me.
I called him.
I called him again.
And again.
I finally raised my voice and called him one last time.
He came.
I calmly asked him, "Do you know how many times I called you?"
He looked down, thought for a moment and made a 4 with his fingers.
He looked up and said, " Uh-huh, 4 times."
That little rascal knew exactly how many times I had called him.
And that, my friend, is how you earn a time out.