This is my daughter. She is lovely and sweet. Always concerned about her appearance and is careful that her hair always looks good. She is pretty quiet and unassuming and is mortally afraid of being embarrassed. She nevers wants to be the center of attention and does not like for people to fuss over her. She is a shy little flower.

NOT!

Wake up! It's Morning!!

Okay. I'm back. During the Christmas season I just didn't feel very bloggy. I began to suffer from something I like to call "holiday blog envy". Everyone in the blogosphere went to work posting beautiful holiday pictures and sweet stories about "shelf elves" and home made decorations and i just began to feel, well... inadequate. But the truth is that we had a beautiful Christmas and a great time with family and friends.
It is interesting how the new year began for us. Instead of looking forward to the New Year, J and I did a lot of looking back. We had to face some difficult realities about how we have managed our lives up until now. Sometimes you just have to take stock of how things really are. We did. And we have a plan. I love the sweet verse in Lamentations that reminds us that God's mercies are "new every morning". Those same mercies are yours and mind every time we need to start over. I am thankful for the voice of God that calls me back to where I need to be.

Pre- Decorating Jitters

How weird is it that I would get nervous over decorating my house for Christmas? Don't get me wrong I love the idea of decorating I just have never been very good at getting it done without a near nervous breakdown. I am not good at it like so many others are but yet I still have this Norman Rockwell vision in my head that keeps me dissatisfied with my decorating choices. This year we are on a tight budget, as are most people, so I have to go with what I've got and make it work. The only exception is my quest to find an artificial pre-lit tree that is in my price range. The hunt begins tonight and poor hubby has no idea that in a span of 3 hours he is going to find himself in Target, Kmart, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Lowe's and Home Depot. Pray for him. It is going to be a long night!

Election 2008 and life beyond it...

Today I will get up and put my pants on one leg at a time and start today's life journey. I am not happy about the election result but I refuse to feel defeated. I guess if my ultimate hope was in John McCain than defeat would be my drink of choice but it is not. Maybe that is the learning curve for some of us today. My hope lies in the firm foundation that is Jesus Christ. He never moves, never tires and never blinks or turns his head. All the events of our lives are sifted through the Father's hands and this election is no different.
So today I will keep on trying to save babies, love college students and be a good friend to others. I will lead choir, do laundry and get food on the table. I will pray, cry, sing and worship and stay busy with kingdom things. And I will pray for Pres. Obama, his wife and precious children that God will work massively in his heart and life, just as I pray He will in my own. And when it is all said and done, "it is well with my soul".

The Top Ten Reasons I Love FALL!!

10. “IT”S THE GREAT PUMPKIN CHARLIE BROWN”. I watch it every year. It makes me all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

9. Front porch fall displays. In case you didn’t know this is the pre-cursor warm-up for the annual front yard Christmas light extravaganza. J. is breathless with anticipation.

8. Football Time in Tennessee. Eighth place may seem like a low ranking for some of you rocky toppers but it is the best I can do.

7. Fall Leaves. If you have never been to Cades Cove during the fall season, drop everything else and make plans to go. God was in a mood to show out when he created the Smokies.

6. New Wardrobe. I am sick of my summer clothes. Girls can I get an AMEN?

5. Cooler Temperatures. Let’s be honest, at my age I need cooler weather to offset my inner thermostat which is permanently set somewhere between “tropical breeze” and “bake until crispy.”

4. Left Over Halloween Candy. It makes our office a much happier place to work.

3. Dancing With The Stars. Dance Warren Dance!

2. Church Fall Festivals. Our church has perfected this to an art form. It is a combination of food and fun that can only be rivaled by a day at Dollywood!

And the number one reason I love fall is….

1. Family. The fall brings tons of opportunities for families to have fun together. There is so much to do from football games to campfires to carving pumpkins. Take every opportunity to be with the people that you love most and have a GREAT FALL.

No Shave November

Have you ever heard of “No Shave November”? For those of you who may be uninformed it is a holiday recently adopted by women who are sick and tired of shaving their legs. So for one month they don’t do it. That’s right. No shaving of the legs for one month. Personally, I think that is a pretty gross concept but I sure can identify with just getting tired of doing something that seems mundane or monotonous. Every now and then I feel like my life is in a rut and I feel like a robot just getting through the day. I get up at the same time, I shower at the same time, I get stuck in traffic at the same time and I get to work at the same time. I turn on my computer, check my email and begin the motions of the day. And then when the next morning comes, I start over. Blah!
I think it is okay to feel that way some times as long as you don’t get stuck in the rut of complaining about your rut! There are those thing that we do in the course of our daily “sameness” that are good. Every day God gives us the gift of an opportunity. A person who needs love help and encouragement is a reminder from God that He is NOT a God of boredom but a God of excitement, challenge and yes, even FUN!

Galatians 6:9 tells us: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” So go ahead, grow the hair on your legs long enough to braid! Just don’t grow weary in the important stuff. After all you can shave tomorrow but today’s opportunities to love come only once!

Happy Birthday Rev.

Happy Birthday Joel. He is 42 today and has held up pretty well. Although he did, for the first time yesterday, hear a Doctor utter the word "arthritis". This is a word I have dealt with for a few years now so Joel has some catching up to do! HA HA!! For 21 years we have had the pleasure of celebrating our birthdays in the same week. And even though we share the same zodiac sign we are NOTHING alike which in my mind confirms that astrology is without fact and is based on gobble-de-gook( a true theological word!). Joel is calm. I am not. Joel is not a worrier. I have it down to an art form. Joel is steady. I am a weeble wobble. He has tons more energy and a lot more nerve. I am so proud of him. He is a wonderful husband and a terrific Dad. Happy Birthday Honey. You are the best!