GOOD RIDDANCE...

One of the few places we had left behind in the 70's in our house is a small bathroom upstairs.  (Well, I guess we had painted over the wall paper and replaced the toilet seat) Until yesterday!  My husband had it in his head that if we are to sell our house and downsize in the next few years that the little bathroom might turn some people off.  Me, I thought it was kind of cool and think if they don't like it they can change it.  Hubby won this one, so out with the olive green toilet, olive tile and olive shower stall!  And out with the wood paneling that who knows what had splashed on...

My husband barely let me get these before pictures!

It's going out in pieces!

see ya

the stuff that won't fit in the trash can...

Updates to come!

JUST A LITTLE LOWER....

than the angels!  Angels, those mysterious,incredible, powerful, heavenly beings, and we are just a step beneath them.  I am special!  You are special.  We are made by the Lord of everything and we are just a little lower than the angels!

This thought was brought back to me in my reading this morning:

Psalm 8:5  You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.

It takes me back to my high school days and an all girls class we had with a teacher named Phyllis H.  She is a really interesting lady, a former missionary, mother, teacher and Mary Kay salesperson.  I'm not even sure where she lives now, but she had an impact on me as a teenager.  She continually told us, "You are just a little lower than the angels!"  It was a thought that gave me a boost and stuck with me.  A little healthy shot for my self-esteem.  A little bit of scripture that I have remembered all these years.

Have a wonderful day - how can you not when you remember this truth?  :)

BLOGGING IS A SPIRITUAL ACTIVITY...

I learned this listening to a sermon.  Actually, the speaker said JOURNALING is a spiritual activity.  This was based on II Timothy 4:13  .  He was referring to Paul asking Timothy to bring his parchments.  Presumably for him to write on....so I would venture to say that blogging can be a spiritual activity!  Hopefully most of the time what I write is thoughtful or uplifting.

I've been doing some kind of weird stuff lately. Like scrapbooking while listening to online sermons.  I've never really felt like I had the time to listen to things online, but it's great when you are busy cutting and pasting and generally sitting.

Here's some of the resources with sermons I've been listening to:

http://www.desiringgod.org/

http://www.tiptonchurchofchrist.com/

http://www.ccmcdermott.org/ResourcesMedia/SermonArchive.aspx

So two of those are relatives of mine.  I just wanted to creep check on them and see what kind of things they are preaching!  It's all good, I assure you.  Especially the one who says journaling/blogging is a spiritual activity.

So I've gotten two years of photos scrapbooked this last month!!!  2006-2007.  Yay!  Only 4 years of photos away from being caught up.  It just might happen this year, if I stick with it.  A big snowstorm would help!

Here's some of my favorite memories/layouts:

Oklahoma Centennial Parade

Easter pics with my family

My daughter's first Prom

Christmas with my in-laws

One of the best productions of Wizard of Oz ever!

A really big VBS production

                               One of the funniest songs my son ever performed!

Blessings to you today.  May your blogging be a spiritual activity!  Or at least bring a smile to someone else's face.

SEE WHAT I MEAN...

BEAUTIFUL MUSIC...

makes me happy.  Sometimes makes me teary-eyed.  Especially when you watch a group of people sing that you know.  Something really sweet about that.  It means a lot more.  I don't know how the teacher holds it together sometimes!  Wonder if God looks down when we assemble and sing praises and smiles at the words and expressive faces and sweet hearts he sees?

In the Vocal music world around here, we have OMEA convention and several rounds of auditions for performances.  It is a lot of work on difficult music and different languages and quite an honor to be selected.  Our local boys at Memorial, including our son, were selected to sing for the convention.  It is performed at a beautiful church in Tulsa.  When you step inside, you might feel like you are in Europe at an old cathedral.  Wonderful acoustics but hard wooden seats!  We watched several of the groups sing.  They performed with passion and it was a great evening.

Not only that but we made an evening of it by eating downtown.  I can recommend Elote, an organic Mexican place.  Really interesting and fresh tasting food!  The icing on the cake was my college roommate meeting us at the concert and going for coffee afterwards.  It was a beautiful evening!

Puffy tacos with sweet potatoes cooked in molasses and corn 

(I thought the sweet potatoes were cubed meat)

                                     Thanks honey for taking me to Tulsa!
                             Thanks boys for showing us your passion for music!

YOU'D THINK I'D KNOW BY NOW...

It's going on about 5 months now for me as a small group leader of high school girls on Sunday mornings.  The lesson Sunday was about community prayer.  We discussed Acts 2:41-44 and Matthew 18:19-20.  One of the suggested activities from the youth minister was a chain prayer of thanks.  I have been uplifted and blessed by prayer in small groups with women and was anxious to do this with the girls!   I did tell them it was not required for them to say anything during the prayer if they were uncomfortable.  I explained it was to be a spontaneous prayer of thanksgiving in which I would start the prayer and they could say any thankgiving they wanted to during the quiet time.  Only 3 of 7 girls said anything during the prayer time.  Later I was thinking about it and began to feel unsuccessful, questioning my teaching and wondered if I am doing any good at all!

Then I flashed back to 1990, a time when I was a "Big Sister" to a middle schooler without a mother.  Every Wednesday for about 5 years I would wake up my napping children and go pick her up from school.  We spent time together, cooked dinner together, went to church, then took her home after that.  Sometimes it felt awkward.  Unnatural.  Unfruitful.  A beautiful Christian woman who was a neighbor to this teenager gave me some great advice when I talked to her about it.  She told me, "Satan wants you to feel that way.  You keep doing what you are doing.  Teenagers don't always respond the way you want them to."  She was exactly right.

Whatever my group got out of our lesson Sunday morning, I cannot be discouraged - that's what Satan wants!  Sunday was a great introduction to group prayer of spontaneous thanks for the girls.  It was an attempt to build community and caring among young women that believe.  It was a little seed planted in their hearts and minds.  I'm reminded that is what I'm here to do - plant seeds.

This little LIGHT of mine, I'm gonna let it SHINE!

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE A GOOD SALE...

  It's been a while since we hit the jackpot on sales, but we did this time, at Famous Footwear!  All three of these pairs were on the clearance rack, then we took an additional 30% off, then on top of that I had a $10 off a $50 purchase coupon.  (I highly recommend the frequent buyer card)  So grand total for 3 pair of name brand shoes...$60 + tax!  Not bad, huh?
My son was pretty excited since he couldn't decide between the two casual pair and when I saw the prices I told him he could get both.  The dress shoes are a little big but he'll grow into them.  The REALLY EXCITING THING as a parent is that we are nearing the end of supplying clothes for our kids.  Seems unreal.  The college kids are responsible for their own clothes purchases now and we'll graduate this one to his own budget within 2 years.  So not too much more shoe buying for us!  Woohoo!

WHAT'S BLACK AND BLUE AND RED ALL OVER...

Maybe it was a 70's thing but I definitely remember those jokes...but this is no laughing matter.  My DH wanted to get outside and do some yard work yesterday and promptly ended up with this:

so I guess we are just going to take turns recuperating and helping each other out!  Aah, life is just full of twists and turns (no pun intended)!

THAT OVERWHELMING FEELING...

You know what I'm talking about don't you?  

My DH has been doing a really good job lately of taking care of me, the laundry, dishes, as well doing his regular job too.  And I'm ready to get back into life.  And I'm overwhelmed.  I really like structure.  But I'm struggling with having the energy to get back on task.  I'll be fine as soon as I get back into my walking, errand running, Bible study, etc.  Having a little trouble wanting to walk with these 20 degree mornings, though!  I'm anxious about leading my Bible study through this semester.  It is a little discouraging to me, having 1/2 my group drop out last fall.  And then there's addressing those 150 letters for my volunteer job at the high school.  Hoping an announcement that will be made Sunday about a summer event we are sponsors for will go over well...all of this weighing heavily on me!

Then I opened up my daily devotional guide, Jesus Calling.  Don't you love it when the Lord gives you exactly what you need at the right time?

 "I know exactly what this day will contain, whereas you have only a vague idea.  You would like to see a map, showing all the twists and turns of your journey.  However, there is a better way to be prepared for whatever you encounter today:  Spend quality time with me."

Exodus 33:14 The Lord replied, " My presence will go with you; and I will give you rest."

Then, I went to my Bible study and it was a really good session!  We all shared a blessing that we were given since our last meeting (before Thanksgiving) and it was a really uplifting time.  Don't know what I was so anxious about!

Look for His presence today!  He's there.  

ANOTHER GREAT COMBINATION...

It doesn't look like anything special, but boy is it good!  So moist.  I think it was 2 summers ago my oldest son "stumbled upon" this ICE CREAM CAKE recipe.  Since then we have made a lot of these cakes.  He brought some friends over the other night after spending a fair amount of time in the ice cream aisle to make another one.

This time they used a white cake mix with:

and cream cheese frosting.  Let me tell you folks, this was about the best one ever!  If you like berries with a hint of cream cheese, this cake is for you!

How am I supposed to lose any weight with all the good stuff we make around here?!

TEENAGE BOYS AREN'T ALL BAD...

especially when they'll work for you!  My son and his entourage happened to walk in Sunday night right as I was getting started stuffing 150 letters to parents about upcoming production meals.  I made them a deal right quick:

They stuff envelopes

and I'll make them these!  

WORKS LIKE A CHARM  :)

P.S.  My blonde haired worker friend would like to be mentioned by name:  Cameron

LESSON LEARNED...

Several lessons were learned at our house Saturday.  Our college son learned how to operate a chain saw!  The other is that our beloved trees that shade our house can also do damage.  A roof inspector told us that we would need to repair 8 shingles due to branches rubbing on the roof.  And they would not be doing the tree trimming.  Thankfully we've had nice weather and the boys are always eager to do "dangerous" chores!

Turned out nice, though.  One thing lead to another and we had a spur of the moment weiner roast.  I got the dogs out of the freezer and we just had a little down time with our son, which we hadn't had in a long time.  Nothing like a hotdog roasted over a real fire!

Also, our daughter returned from her ski trip in Colorado, so we had a fun evening hearing about her adventures.  We had gotten a special version of Cinderella in from Netflix, per her request.  It's funny how some things you remember from childhood become really special.  She's always loved this multicultural version from Disney/Whitney Houston.  If you have a little girl she might enjoy it!

Life is good.  God is good.  Thanking him for the little things today!

10 DAYS LATER...

after a Total Hysterectomy and I thought you might be curious as to how I REALLY feel.  Actually, pretty good!  (Don't tell my husband - I'm not ready to do the laundry and dishes)  I went through lots of emotions last month before having it and so far it has exceeded my expectations.  Read THIS book and spent time HERE.  I spent 23 hours in the hospital, having the robotic surgery.  Two days later I was walking upright!  I've also learned lots of new vocabulary.  Words like Oopherectomy, Total hysterectomy, DaVinci Robotic surgery, and HRT.  Ask me if you need some educating.  I didn't know much about all this, frankly, until it was necessary.

I'm required to take it easy but have actually gotten to do a lot of good things.  I have a list which gives me a sense of accomplishment (so don't burst my bubble by telling me what you've done on these beautiful OK winter days):

1.  Read a couple of books

2.  Watched movies

3.  Played on the computer

4.  Read the newspaper

5.  Cleaned out the address book

6.  Wrote down birthdays, appts., activities on the 2012 calendar

7.  Scrapbook pics from 2006 - yes, you heard right

8.  Clip and organize coupons

9.  Played the piano

10.  Stamp craft

11. Cleaned out the magazine basket

12.  Braided my hair

13.  Cleaned out email inbox

So there you go.  There's a list for you if you ever have to stay down for a while!  

Blessings to you this weekend!

PACK RAT STAMP CRAFT...

This is one of those "when I get around to it" kind of crafts.  But fun if you have the time.  I've always liked stamps and collected them since I was a kid.  I decorated this wooden box with stamps the other day.  For the craft challenged people, here's how it works:

Get out your box of stamps ripped off of envelopes.  It does take a while to collect this many!  So start collecting today.

Soak in warm water so the stamps will peel off easily.  Sometimes I let them sit a while and come back to it later.

Let them dry on a paper towel.  Don't let them dry curled up!

Put them on the box with mod podge.  I had saved a wooden box that tea bags had come in.  If you keep your eyes open, you'll find something similar.  Brush a little mod podge on the box, right where you place the stamp.  When it's all covered with stamps, do a light coating over the entire box.  I also used the big stickers from the stamp package on the corners of the box.  They still had adhesive on them so I just stuck them on directly.

The finished project!  (Don't forget to sign it inside)  This is the second one I've done in probably 5-7 years.  What's cool to me is it's like a little chunk of history from the 2000's.  Hopefully my grandkids will appreciate it when I give it to them years from now!  Maybe I'll put a little cash in there too :)

BETCHA CAN'T EAT JUST ONE....

This is my new favorite holiday treat!  My sister made these out of Famous Chocolate Wafers.  Just dipped 'em halfway in almond bark and then into colored sugar crystals.  I had never had these before, but they taste a lot like Oreos.  Without that nasty cream filling.  So simple!  I'm thinking pink ones for Valentine's Day, yellow for Easter, green for St. Patrick's, and mmmm...I'll think of some more to get me through the summer.