I have to apologize for not being very good about updating this blog!  Someday I will get better!  But for now you can go check out the post I wrote for Destiny in Bloom today called “Plank Eye.” Leave a comment over there and let me know your thoughts!  I love to hear from you!

“’Well, this is it.  I either believe everything I’ve said about you all these years or I don’t.  I either believe you have a plan here and still love us or I don’t.  So I’m going to choose to keep believing.  BUT, I’m pretty mad right now.  And I don’t like your plan.’

Looking back I now realize that this was a life defining moment.  Even though it didn’t look real pretty at the time, my heart made a choice that day that I was going to love Jesus and trust Him, EVEN WHEN I DIDN’T GET MY WAY.”

Read the rest over at Destiny in Bloom.  And be sure to leave a comment over there with your thoughts!

I wrote a piece for Destiny in Bloom called “The Scarlet Letter A”.  I’d love it if you’d read it and leave me a comment over there with your thoughts!

I LOVE the Christmas season.  Yep, I said season.  Because a season lasts longer than a “time” or several weeks.  It lasts a few months!  There is something about the Christmas season that just puts joy in my heart and makes me want to sing!  Well, it’s not just something actually it’s someone that puts that joy in my heart and makes me sing!  It’s the reason that we celebrate.  It’s the celebration of the beginning of the story.  Well, actually the story began long before but this is the beginning of my favorite part of the big ginormous huge story!  Confused?  I’m starting to confuse myself.  Where was I?!  Oh yes, it’s no wonder that our hearts are filled with joy and glee (love this word, and I don’t even watch the show!) during the Christmas season.  How can we help but be merry when we are celebrating the coming of the giver of all true joy.  I think it’s kind of cool how the world has taken the time of year that we celebrate our Savior’s birth and done a lot to commercialize it and call it a “holiday”.  What?!?  She thinks its cool?  Freako!  Wait a second, I wasn’t finished!  And while you’re waiting tell your favorite barista you need to switch to decaf cause you’re getting a little too fiesty!  Anyway, where was I?!  What I’m talking about is how man has tried hard to “manufacture” fun and cheer and well, JOY around all things Christmas (or Holiday, or Winter or whatever you call it depending on which store you’re in!).  And no matter what we call it or don’t the joy that is overflowing from our hearts this time of the year cannot be manufactured or bought.  It is a joy that cannot be squelched by pain or fear, death or turmoil.  It is a joy that cannot be hidden or overlooked by calling Christmas another name like Holiday.  It is the joy that overcomes all other emotions because it is the celebration of the coming of HOPE, LOVE, POWER, LIFE, FORGIVENESS, PEACE. . . (can I get a witness or do I need to go on?!?)!!   When we are filled with His Spirit our hearts can’t help but burst forth with joy.  Even though we may become busy with life, one Christmas party too many, yelling at the kids to “Put up Jesus! He’s not a toy!” as they throw your nativity scene across the living room and even though we may feel real pain from missing a loved one that departed this life too early for our likings, etc, etc, etc . . . at the end of the day (and the beginning, middle and end) my soul is joyful!  I know it sounds so cliche, so Sunday School answer (that’s for all my Baptist peeps)!  Let me wrap it up and put a little (ok HUGE) bow on it for you.  Christmas isn’t about presents and toys, carriage rides and parties, Christmas cards and who you didn’t get a Christmas card from.  Duh!  You’ve heard that part before?!  Call it what you want (with no disrespect meant to my King of Kings) and live it up with all the fun activities and commercialization the world has worked hard to create, because no matter what you do or what you don’t the season itself can’t help but point back to the ONE for whom the celebration began long ago!  Joy, people.  That’s what I got!

And these are a few of my favorite (Christmas) things. . . . (the non-Sunday School version)

Been a while since I sat down at the computer to type out more than one sentence at a time (Tweet, Tweet!) what’s going on in my world/head! So, instead of coming up with some amazingly sensical (I don’t think that’s a word but I’d like to add it to the dictionary. . . meaning: “makes sense”) post I’m just going to give you a few bullet points of random thoughts and goings on around here (goings on? whatever!)! I have to type fast before someone breaks both their arms, catches the swine flu again, or rolls their head up in the car window and gets it stuck (what? yes, it happened!)!

• Thinking about donating to Goodwill. A load of leftover Halloween candy. Would that be totally inappropriate? Don’t act like it hasn’t crossed your mind too!
• I did not just turn around while typing this to see my son licking the top of the salt shaker! Of course I did, because that would be disgusting. I’m starting to think that’s what this son is majoring in these days. . . grossing out his madre (you know, his Kindergarten major)!
• Speaking of licking . . . found my precious, dainty, girly-girl, sweet thang, baby angel girl LICKING crumbs off the ceramic tile floor in the kitchen. Wondering at what point today she morphed into a Great Dane! And yes, I sweep (when the mood hits me)!
• You know the coffee stirrer thingies at Starbucks (think anorexic tongue depressor)? Sometimes I give those out to children (my children, not random Starbucks children) that are following instructions as prizes. I call them “Good Sticks”. Sounds strange now that I’m typing it. Well, just a little parenting tip for those of you brave enough to take your children in the Bucks! Actually, it’s not all that bright of me. Because then the “Good Sticks” become swords, guns, well any weapon in general and I end up sending the “Good Sticks” to a very bad place! The TRASH!
• Last week was “Red Ribbon Week” at the boys school. Why on earth did they have to make it so complicated?!?! Sheesh! I do good to find the keys in the morning, make sure everyone is dressed and has their homework, lunches, etc.! I cannot remember to dress them like a Drug Enforcement Agent too!! Ok, well really they were just supposed to wear camo but DEA sounds better! But I do try and act supportive of all the bizillions of “special weeks” we have at school. That’s why I came up with my own slogan better than “Hugs Not Drugs”. I went with “Thugs do Drugs”. . . .and “Jesus Died for Thugs that do Drugs”. I know, random, girl am I!
• I had to tell my 2nd grader that he is not allowed to use words that Mommy has to google the meaning of to find out what he’s talking about. This after he said “Ayden pushed me and made me hit my elbow on the VERTICES of these walls.” What the what? Vertices? Seriously, he does not carry a pocket protector so geometry speak is not recommended for children his age! Besides, geometry was my worst subject ever. No geometry speak here! Just saying!

Ok, enough nonsense for tonight. Working on a serious post for next time. I know, bummer, right? Kidding! Good night my friends! Well, good night Macy. I think you’re the only reader left!