People Come and Go so Quickly Here!

Last night we took a break from our travels down the yellow brick road to watch a performance of The Nutcracker. It was the fastest two hours of this entire journey. While it is true the ballet artists do not belong to the Lullaby League, I believe they would be invited to join if the Mayor of Munchkin City could see them dance.

It is almost time to click my heels three times. There is a slight problem, however. I did not have room in my suitcase to pack the ruby slippers!

If it Weren't for Glinda, the Good Witch of the North....

I would still be asleep! I lay my head on a pillow of poppies around midnight after another adventurous day in Utah, only to wake up this morning to little snow pellets peppering the ground. Snow in Oz was strange - and it is here, too. Ever since I've been here I have been traipsing around in sweaters - with no coat - and wishing I'd brought lighter weight clothing. Even late last night it felt like springtime as we walked from the restaurant to the car.

I cannot wait to arrive back in Kansas and begin to tell the tale of my trip to Oz. It wouldn't surprise me if just like Dorothy, I am met with accomodating smiles and comments that imply my adventure was just a dream.

I wonder what today will bring?

Lions and Tigers and Bears. oh My!

One of the things I love about coming out West is being exposed to new things and being taken on adventures that surpass my wildest dreams. Yesterday definitely went beyond my expectations. Unfortunately, I was a little slow with the camera and missed a few shots. Do you think that will stop me from posting about Utah, Day Two when I get home?

Of course not.

Aunty Em! I'm Here! I'm Here, Aunty Em!

Hello!

This is just a quick pop-in to let you know I survived my 4+ hour flight to Salt Lake City. My first day was full of adventure and will require an entire blog entry to tell. Don't fret! I have pictures, too!

I've had a passing glance at one of my nieces and haven't yet seen the other. The rest of my nieces and my nephew no longer live at home so I don't know when I'll see them.

I hope everyone is enjoying themselves. As for me, there is no telling what today will bring!

The Opening of the Gifts

Time changes things. Some things, however, do not change. Take for example the fact that I am always ... and I do mean always the first person awake on Christmas morning.

It did not matter that this was a small Christmas. In the words of Garfield the cat, "Christmas...it's not the giving. It's not the getting. It's the loving." Love was evident. There was a lot of laughter and it was obvious that thought went into each gift.


Shannon arrived fairly early and waited patiently for Pat to wake up. Eventually, she couldn't wait anymore and held to tradition: opening his bedroom door, calling loudly to him, and then tossing a pillow at him to wake him up. What she really wanted was breakfast! Homemade fried corn meal mush, scrambled eggs, and bacon that she did not eat because we all know, "Pigs are friends, not food."

Andy is a difficult man for whom to buy. A person generally cannot go wrong with anything Porsche or Marine Corps. This car flag was a gift from my folks.

I have to mention his generosity. He gave well to the kids and emptied his Christmas Club account and handed me the cash for my trip to Utah. I was shocked and felt a little guilty for taking so much, so I handed some back to him. It is my goal to come home with money in my pocket so I can finish decorating the den and maybe get started on one of the bathrooms.

He has also been a huge help to me in the kitchen over the past couple of days and has been the best of sports as I've disappeared into the den or up in the attic night after night. Soon, all will be settled. *whew!*

Yeah, Pat is not a picture person. Especially when it is the first picture of the day! He seemed happy with his gifts, though. Andy and I have started buying things for Pat's inevitable move-out....and I can honestly say his bathroom is set! We went with a poker theme, knowing we couldn't lose with that.

When Beth and I went to the Renaissance Festival, I bought a gargoyle puppet for Pat. I'd have posted a picture of that but as is my habit I had the camera on the wrong setting and the picture didn't turn out well at all. Ah, well. Pat likes it and so does Aslan!

Luke likes to bag his face. Hahahahaha...actually, he is the typical curious kitty and likes to dig inside things. This is nothing compared to the abuse he suffered at the hands of Shannon. I absolutely refuse to post that picture!

Poor Lukey has had an upset tummy today. he did well though - he and Aslan played peek-a-boo around the packages. In fact, I caught Luke washing Aslan's face yesterday. Shhhh...don't tell anyone, but I think Luke has a new buddy. :o)

Aslan sits quietly and waits his turn for whatever is going to happen next. It may be a nice pat on the head, an opportunity to wrestle with Luke, a bit of a snack or the coveted paper ball. In all things, he is sweet and unassuming.

The funniest thing about Aslan is his time spent under the tree. He'd go way to the back where we couldn't see him, but every now and then a fuzzy orange arm would come shooting out to play with an ornament.

Hm...I guess you had to be there.

Speaking of being there~In just 12 hours I'll be on my way to Salt Lake City. I hope everyone's Christmas was grand and full of warmth. The kind that comes from the heart.

The Official Greeting

Merry Christmas, one and all! I hope to post one more time~with holiday photos~before jetting across the country to my sister's house. Once there, my computer access will be limited so my blog may be inactive for a week.

A special holiday hello to the person whose isp is based out of Hephzibah, Georgia. Did you enjoy reading my postings while waiting for Santa to arrive? I hope he (she?) was good to you.

All Kidding Aside...

Please pause and consider Emmanuel, God with us. Where would we be without Him? Praying for your health, peace, joy, and the ability to hear His voice clearly this holiday season and in 2006.

Love,

Cons

Holiday Cheer Eleventy-Three

In honor of Christmas Eve....

I hope everyone has a spiffy day today. Mine will consist of making the house smell wonderfully holiday-ish. Dozens and dozens of yummy snickerdoodles, pumpkin pie, tomorrow's breakfast, and tonight's chicken & dumplings will be whipped up with joy and style!

If you are going over the river and/or through the woods to grandmother's house or somewhere else, please drive carefully. There are people in this world who care about you. Chances are I care, too.

Merry Christmas (Eve!)

Almost There...

Another day of hard work is behind me. I'm now lounging in the Connie-sized papasan chair that sits in the corner of the den. The pictures have been hung! I need one more - probably a black and white print that I'll order from allposters. I'm so pleased with the way this room has turned out. However, the burgandy curtains must be replaced with olive green. They'll look much better on the wall. At least, I think so. When the room is finished I'll post pictures. Oh joy for you!

All of the Christmas presents are wrapped. I'm such a stickler for wrapping and ribbons/bows that it takes me quite some time to finish. I am happy with the way they turned out. While working in/on the den & wrapping presents I've been watching my Christmas movies. Presently, I own 18 of them. I have seen twelve thus far and Christmas is nearly here! There is much more watching to be done...somehow while preparing meals & packing for Utah....

There was time spent in the attic today as well. I am in the process of exchanging cardboard boxes for plastic containers. Tomorrow I'll be taking 7 or eight to the storage unit. Then my Vue will be used to help Julie move into her new place. I'll stay home or have coffee with Beth. I haven't heard back from her on that, yet.

Andy and I were supposed visit the Carmike today to see Narnia. I begged off. There has been so much running around that I just wanted to stay home as much as possible. We did take a very nice walk late this afternoon, however. I have grown to love our strolls.

That pretty much wraps up my day. *Applies nice bow* Sleep well, everyone. Don't forget to say your prayers.

~Cons

Holiday Cheer 10

I'm a little tired of running all over creation. I was out for a good 4 hours yesterday with my Sunflower and while we had fun, there is a lot I'd like to get accomplished in the house before leaving for Utah. In a few minutes Andy and I will run our typical Saturday errands. Yes, I know today is Friday. We just didn't want to do it all on Christmas Eve day and who can blame us, really?

Hopefully, I'll be able to stay home all day on Saturday with the exception of running out for coffee with Beth.

And by the way...Merry Christmas!!!

Blue Skies..

Am I the only person who has noticed the sky today? It is so very blue! It's gorgeous, with deepening shades of blue the higher you look up. Wait, let me check on one person. Of course! My Sunflower noticed, too.

Beauty can be found everywhere. We just have to look. Sometimes, we have to look up.

The Three-Strand Cord

When my musings on this subject began, I was angry and cynical. Okay, so maybe I'm still cynical (one change at a time, people!) However, I am no longer angry. I can't really call it a fascination~it is just that the three-strand cord has come up several times during the course of my marriage.

The first occurrence came about fifteen years ago. Andy and I were new attendees at a particular church and at one Sunday night service the pastor spoke over us about how God had bound us together with the three-strand cord that it is not easily broken. While the pastor was speaking, he held our hands and started making a tying motion as if he were wrapping this cord around our wrists. I remember thinking I could almost see the cord, with one of the ends draping down my hand and off the ends of my fingertips.

I cannot remember the details behind the second time a Christ-follower in authority mentioned the same thing, but I do know it was someone other than our pastor and it did not happen at the same church. It struck me as odd - but then I know God has a tendency to repeat Himself when something is important to Him. We're sort of dense, so He has to say things more than once.

And so we come to the present. Rather, the recent past. After I moved into my own apartment I started to take a different route to work each day. This road took me past several churches, one of which has a billboard that gets changed with some frequency. Guess what the billboard declared for about 6 weeks? "Husband + Wife + God. The three-strand cord that is not easily broken." I have to be honest. My first response was a snotty, 'Yeah, right!' Then I started thinking, "Okay - from where does this Scripture come and what does it really say?"

Here it is, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NASB)

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

I read a lot of different translations and they all pretty much said the same thing, one of them adding that a third companion makes up the cord of three strands. In my red-eyed anger, I fumed that this Scripture is taken entirely out of context when it comes to marriage. This passage talks about not laboring through life alone. About having a companion. A friend. It says nothing about wives, husbands, unions, vows...nothing!

I went to Ben, who is a trusted friend with a keen understanding of the Scriptures but isn't stuck in the small Christian 'box'. He tends to join me in the world of cynicism so I thought I'd have an ally. Was I ever wrong! He was gentle in his disagreement, but I definitely did not receive concurrence from him. Ben said he could see where the (now blasted) three-strand cord would apply to marriage.

I dropped the subject and didn't speak with him about it again. However, the stewing continued.

Isn't it always a "fateful day" when a person comes to a realization? I had one. I wish I could remember where I was when the colorful thing took place in my head. (That statement, rather than the word 'vision', is much easier for some to take.) I saw a three strand cord. It was lovely! the cords were different colors - white, blue, and gold. Yes, we could go into the significance behind the colors but I do not think that's what God wanted me to notice.What stood out to me was the fact that one of the cords was raveling. It was unwrapping itself and fraying in the middle. The interesting thing was the fact that the other two strands were somehow managing to hold the third into place. I have no doubt if the strand had been just two cords it would have snapped in half. That's when I noticed the golden thread. It was slightly thicker than the white and the blue.

The vision was confusing to me because of my state of emotions, but when I told Andy about it (in a restaurant) the tears came. Our three strand cord had been gone through a raveling 10 years ago and managed to survive. The vision was interesting and heartbreaking, but it didn't change my mind. Not then. Not yet. That happened on October 9th.

What did happen was clearer thought processes. A person's spouse should be a companion. A friend. A spouse should be the person you trust the most and the one human to whom you are the closest. Therefore, the passage in Ecclesiastes most certainly does apply. And with God as the third strand in the cord, I can say through experience ~ the three-strand cord is most certainly not easily broken ... even when I wanted it to break.

That is what I learned. For someone who isn't married, I'd have to add the importance of marrying a person of like faith. (Wow! That's Scriptural!) I don't see how it can be possible for the cord to be as strong without it.

Productivity

Today was very productive! I'm pleased with all that was accomplished. I finally dropped off my Ren dress at the cleaners, tossed the apartment keys at the property management group, went to Greenville Utilities to have the power turned off at the same, and made the Santa run to my parent's house.

They treated Shannon and me to lunch at a place where the heat wasn't working...but I had a good meal so it wasn't too bad. Sometimes, visits to The Pines are uncomfortable. This one went pretty well until right before we left so it wasn't a big deal.

Now I'm wrapping stocking stuffers while watching "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." I may continue the wrapping after dinner. We'll have to see how I feel. I'm so thankful for this den Andy has allowed me to have. It has already been a sanctuary on a few occasions and Andy is very understanding.

What can I say? I'm terribly, wonderfully blessed.

Holiday Cheer 9

It isn't that I'm intentionally avoiding the meaty post I want to compose. Time is a real factor lately! Today I'm headed to The Pines on a Santa run to my parent's house. Shannon is coming with me. She asked me if she could drive my car & while she doesn't know it yet, I think I'm going to let her. At least on the way down there.

There is much to do before I leave this morning. I have to do something with my hair. The last cut was such a hack job that I'm going to have to have it done again soon. Of course, it's a pain to grow out so that isn't helping. I need to (finally) drop my Ren dress at the cleaner's. I'm going to drop off the keys to the apartment. I need to make another stop to get wrapping paper for Andy's Christmas. I always pick out a paper & hide it so he doesn't see it...but he saw the stuff I purchased this year so it's back to the store I go. THEN I'll pick up my Sunflower and off we'll go.

Heading to The Pines always brings mixed emotions. My youth was not all that wonderful - though everyone has horror stories. A lot of it tends to come back and haunt me when I'm there. Seriously, would you have liked to have had the nickname "Medusa" when you were growing up? So...just in case someone has an idea to repeat the mistake of laughing and calling me names....

yaaaay!

Hooray! Shannon has a roommate! Erica is 23 (looks 16) and will be moving in next week. She is a real sweetie who doesn't seem to have a problem with Shannon's life & beliefs. Well, considering both girls are Christ-followers I don't suppose there should be a problem, should there? It appears she will be gone most weekends, which will give the girls the necessary solitude and time apart everyone needs. Erica is from the Charlotte area, is a graduate from App and works in Williamston. She knows a few girls in Greenville other than Shannon. Just another "plus" in my book. She told me that she wants to put her name on the lease, understanding the implications should she vacate the apartment prior to the lease running out. AND she is going to pay the pet deposit, as she has two 7 month old kittens. They are spayed/neutered (one of each) and declawed. We are willing to have Gabriel declawed if need be. Right now, Andy and I are just so thankful that Erica stumbled across the ad in the Daily Reflector online.

That's the answer to one prayer. Surely the second answer is on its way. Yaaaaaaay!!

Not a Serious Post

It is my intention to post an entry on a subject that I have been mulling over in my head for several months. It took on a life of its own and when all was said and done, my point of view changed. Nifty, huh? Unfortunately, I do not have the time needed to devote to this entry. Perhaps this evening...

In the mean time, here's a shot of my new and improved (?) Yahoo avatar. Not that anyone uses Yahoo anymore. Now, I realize I should have put her in winter clothing but the colors in this shot suit my complexion much better!

Happy Tuesday, everybody!

Holiday Cheer 8

Off to work with no one in the building except custodians. Yaaay! Working payroll while (hopefully) uninterrupted! It goes much faster that way.

Make the most of your day. Seize it. Enjoy it. Find a reason to laugh.

Some Yes, Some No.

I'm happy but exhausted! Let's see if I can recap the past couple of days:

On Thursday I put in an 11 hour day at work and then came home to work on the den some more. Who'd have thunk 18 weeks would give a person enough time to accumulate so much stuff!? When I say, "work on the den," the statement includes unpacking boxes and 21 gallon plastic containers.

5:30am Friday morning found me at the storage unit unloading the stuff that had been riding around in the back of my Vue all week. I had to do it! Otherwise I wouldn't have had enough space to take all of the staff brunch items to work. 400 meatballs & fixins and then some, people...my large roasting pan and crock pot included!

Even though I was up and going at 5am on Friday morning, I only put in a 10 hour day at work. 21 hours in two days. It doesn't sound like a lot but when one considers what I've been doing on my "off time"...no wonder I'm running tired!

I have already given a brief overview of the party on Friday. I made it sound all gloom and doom. It really wasn't. I was tired and uncomfortable with my surroundings but I've had worse times at parties in the past.

Yesterday Andy & I ran the usual errands. After unloading the groceries, I went through all of the food in the house and had a few grocery bags to give to Shannon. While Andy worked on her brakes, she and I made the trip back to my apartment and got the dining set out. It is now safely in place at her house. We came back to Cooper Street and worked a little more on furniture arrangement for the den. Shannon and I work really well together on stuff like that. It makes me happy! We agreed on an arrangement and when she left the house to head back to her place she had an end table, a lamp, a blanket, and I don't know what else!

Oh. We also agreed on my wardrobe for Beth's party last night. Shannon promised Nikki she'd dress up so I decided I would, too. Hate Shannon to feel like the Lone Ranger, ya know! When we got to Beth's (leftover meatballs in tow), we discovered that just about everyone declined her invitation. Beth's house was filled with 12 and 13 year old girls, her 2 year old (a cutie and a crowd in herself), one other co-worker, Shannon & Nikki, and Andy & Me. Another friend of Beth's, Lisa, arrived with her daughter Mackenzie much later.

Shannon and I kept the place hoppin and my animated behavior was mistaken for drunkenness. That hurt a little. What people were witnessing was fatigue mixed with a high concentration of caffeine. It's really an innocent mistake on their parts. People who don't know me well often mistake my punch-drunk personae for actually being inebriated.

Anyway...

This is my schedule for tomorrow:

1. Work
2. On lunch hour, go to post office, Barnes & Nobles to look for bookends & a good read, and stop at another store to pick up a gift for someone.
3. On the way home stop at Jiffy Lube to have my car inspected, drop my Ren dress at the cleaner's (finally), and stop at the LAST store to get the LAST gift for Christms.
4. Come home & hang pictures in the den?

Briefly, here's what I've accomplished and what I have not:

Unpacked all of the containers? Yes
Put down the new area rug in the den? Yes
Hung all of the pictures? No.
Put up the curtain rod & curtain for the den? Yes.
Put up the Christmas tree & done all holiday decorating (such as it is)? Yes.
Finished the Christmas cards? No.
Put empty containers into the attic for later filling? Yes.
Hung clock in Den? Yes.
Reorganized the kitchen & utility room cabinets? No.
Reorganized the bathrooms? Yes.
Finished the laundry? Yes.
Finished Christmas shopping? No.

The important thing to note is while I'm running tired, I am very pleased with my progress and the way things are going. I still have other things to accomplish this week. I need to make a Santa run to New Bern. I need to clean my apartment and turn in the keys. I need to wrap the Christmas presents. I need to think about what to pack for my trip to Utah.

Still way too much to finish up. At least I'm not pulling out my hair anymore.

Holiday Cheer, 7

I could sure use some. I'm exhausted. Got home from work around 5:15. Left for Cline & Vickie's party (Vickie asked about you, Sunflower.) at 7:30. Got home at 9:45. It was an okay gathering. For some strange reason I felt extremely uncomfortable. Maybe because I haven't been traveling in that circle for quite some time. For whatever reason, I wanted to go home almost as soon as I got there. Not that I didn't enjoy myself at all. I did! Good, fun conversation with the "men" first and then a nice chat with a first time mama to be. That was neat. Lots of silent time in between.

I think my biggest problem is that I feel...flat.

Nope, Didn't Happen! (And Holiday Cheer, 6)

Consider this Friday's post!

Let me see - the things that did NOT happen today: Bank for me, AJ McMurphy's for Karen. (Oh, that one hurt!) It just didn't work. I won't whine about the weather, the train, or the length of time spent in Sam's Club. What I will talk (not whine) about is the fact that once I got home I made sure I had some quiet time. One of the most important discoveries I made while on my own is the importance of time spent alone in the quiet.

A lot of people make the mistake of filling every moment of every day with noise and/or activity. They may not even be aware of what they are doing. There's nothing wrong with busy-ness perse, but if it keeps a person from finding their center, identifying and working on internal issues, and hearing from God, it can be more harmful than helpful.

While sitting in the quiet I had a chance to talk with God about things. It is to my advantage that He created me and knows me well. I'm sure He didn't mind me working on the last of the handmade Christmas ornaments while we talked. They are now finished! (Praise God.)

Tomorrow promises to be busy beyond belief. While I was pressing myself today to get it done, get it done, get it done, I heard God's voice more than once asking me, "Where's your peace?" Just the question helped me recenter and find it while re-prioritizing. It will be my goal tomorrow to keep the peace within and without.

Oh. Have I mentioned I've had furniture, et.al. riding around in the back of my truck since Monday? I really need to get it to the storage unit....eventually!

The idea behind today's Holiday Cheer is to find joy - laugh - and spread it around a little, will ya?

It Ain't Happenin

No matter how hard I wish for it to be different, there will always be only 24 hours in a day. I'm making progress, just not as quickly as I'd hoped. My external life is in such disarray right now that my mind is experiencing brief periods of meltdown. Two boxes were put into the attic yesterday. They are Christmas related and since I'm not even thinking about decorating yet there is no reason to have them cluttering up a room somewhere. Another large container and one box were unpacked last night. The rug was put down in the den. The furniture has been arranged and rearranged and will be rearranged again. Oh, and I got the curtain rod out of the box. Woo hoo!

The problem is scheduling. I was complaining to Pat who quipped, "Mom, you just chose the wrong time of year to move back in!" Greaaaaaaaaat. Thanks for the warm welcome, kid! ;o) Andy and I were supposed to meet up with Shannon & Nikki last night in order to see Narnia. It didn't happen. Shannon called, telling me two church groups were there and I probably wouldn't get a ticket. Just as well. We'll catch it later. Crowds were not at all appealing to me anyway.

Most of the co-worker Christmas present stuff is completed. I would like to work on some of my crafty items tonight. Here's a rundown of my schedule for the next few days:

1. Thursday: Work. Staff party and revealing of Secret Santa (I know who mine is!) after school. Go to bank for school. Go to bank for me. Farewell dinner for Karen at AJ McMurphy's at 5:30. Going by Sam's to pick up my portion of the staff brunch which will be held on Friday. THEN coming home...making sure meatballs are in sauce and roasting slowly before I go to bed.
2. Friday: Work. Work hard. Staff brunch means running up and down the hall to replenish food and make sure people don't take more than their fair share to insure everyone gets some food. In other words: be mean. Christmas party at 7:00. This means stopping by Kroger on the way in order to pick up a goodie of some sort.
3. Saturday: Groceries and other errands. Start decorating? Beth's party at 7:00. At least I've purchased the gag gifts for this get-together. Unpack stuff? Work on den?
4. Sunday: Church. Decorate. Wrap Presents? Hang pictures??
5. Monday: Work. Work on payroll. Oh, joy.

Now see, I have to make another gift before I can take my parent's Christmas down to them. And the list for the week before Christmas continues: FINISH unpacking all the stuff!! Get den arranged! Get dining table & chairs out of apartment and into Shannon's place. Clean apartment and turn in the keys so I can get the deposit back. (Bet they take some of it, anyway.) Get my parent's Christmas down to New Bern. Do Christmas cards. Have Christmas. Leave on the 26th for Utah. Arrive home on the 31st.

Some of this stuff just ain't gonna happen. AAAUUuRRRGGGHHHH!

Holiday Cheer 5

Funny, right after saying I like to post everyday I didn't manage to get one out yesterday! I worked until 3:30, shopped until 5:30, then worked on the den until 7:15 (stopped to do dinner) and then again from 8:15 until after 10. It's getting there, but every room in the house needs to be gone through. There's a lot of organizing and tossing to be done.

Andy and I have a counseling session today. We'll come home and eat real fast, getting to Carmike in time to see Narnia with Shannon & Nikki. We'll be home around 9-ish, and I'll head right back into the room. (Narnia! Yaaay!)

Tomorrow there's nothing on the schedule for me. Good! I have one more shopping trip to make. At some point I'm supposed to get together with Janis, Beth, & Karen in order to decorate Janis' house - and my own isn't done, yet! If Janis calls, I'll go there instead of working on my own house - that's just the way I operate.

Friday & Saturday we have holiday parties to attend. Plus the usual Saturday errand running. Whew! It is an enormously busy time of year. Take time to have fun!

Holiday Cheer 4

I'm working just a half day today. That's a good thing for a couple of reasons.

1. I'm exhausted! Trips up and down the stairs yesterday and then to my parent's coupled with my schedule over the past week or so have worn me out.
2. I'm moving major furniture today. Getting started early will work much better than waiting until 3:30, considering it gets dark around 5:30 these days.

And as a reminder: Shannon and I will be working at the Humane Society's gift wrapping table today from 4:00-7:00. We hope to see you there!

Sunday Update

I like to post everyday. I don't know why, but I do! My readership has dropped dramatically - and I know why. Not that it matters to me that much. I write to benefit myself mostly. Apparently, once in a blue moon I manage to strike positive chords for other people as well. This is a good thing!

Yesterday's trip was fun but boy were we exhausted when we got home! The crowds really weren't that bad, except the one place we really wanted to visit. Santa's chair. The four of us fully intended to have our picture taken with the big guy but every time we went past his location, a bunch of snotty nosed whiny kids dressed in ridiculous holiday clothing were standing in line! Speaking of ridiculous...


Picture if you will four grown women between the ages of 38-52 wearing this necklace around Crabtree Valley Mall. Each was personalized with the lucky wearer's name. What do you think would happen upon entering a store? The first clerk to catch sight of us would say, "You're teachers, aren't you?" To which I would reply, "Oh no. I work in the office. I have permanent detention!" They did come in handy, though. If one of us got 'lost', the other three would simply jingle until the lost Santa would jingle in response to the call. We found it very easy to stay together!

The necklaces are Beth's handiwork. In order to thank her for a job well done we have agreed, albeit reluctantly, to wear the Santa necklaces to school on Friday.

Holiday Cheer 3

I'm on my way to Raleigh for the day. I don't know what I'm getting myself into, spending an entire day with Beth, Janis, and Barb ~ except a lot of laughter. Maybe we'll get our picture taken with Santa!

Oh - I bumped into Shannon yesterday. (Well, she saw me) That was a nifty thing. And her ankle looks a lot better. Keep praying!!

Long Days

I've been putting in some long days this week. There's so much going on right now ~ and not just the rush of the holiday season! After my typical 8 hours at work, I've been heading over to the apartment to pack. After half dozen trips up and down two flights of stairs I drag the boxes into the house and unpack them, only to take the empties back to the apartment in order to repeat the process the next day.

Then there is the painting. We've been transforming Shannon's old room into a den. The walls required two coats of paint, which means two days. Then there was the trim. The doors. The windows. The crown molding and baseboards. The window slats. The shelf in the closet. Oh yes, the closet! No half-baked painting jobs from me! I hung up my paint brush for the last time around 10:45 last night. The painting is complete! We will be moving furniture on Monday afternoon. Some into the house and some into the storage unit I rented.

Howzabout a Christmas tree? Nope. We don't have ours up yet. We don't have any decorations on display. I am not certain when the decorating will happen. Tomorrow I'm taking a well-deserved shopping day with some girlfriends from work. We're going to Crabtree! Maybe Sunday - except that we're heading down to my parent's house in the afternoon. My sister is in town!!

Monday afternoon I'll be volunteering with the Pitt County Humane Society at the Colonial Mall. That takes up three hours. I'll probably take Shannon to dinner afterwards because we'll be working from 4-7. So far, Tuesday-Thursday is pretty clear. At least I think so. I don't remember!

The real motive behind this post is an apology to those of you with whom I like to stay in steady contact. (You know who you are) I don't like being out of touch. Hopefully things will slow down soon and I can go back to being my wonderful communicative self! *g*

Holiday Cheer 2

Just like my hopes for a little wintery weather this week...

Timing

How many times have you heard, "God is never early, never late, and always on time?" I used to bristle when I heard the too-familiar saying. You see, God and I have a running dialog about timing. When I ask Him about something that has to do with a time frame I always hear the same answer: "Soon."

I used to see this as a joke between God and me. "C'mon, God! What is time to You? A day, a thousand years; a thousand years, a day. It's all the same to You, but I'm human! Can't You do a little better than that?" I rarely hear anything other than that simple 4-letter word. Still, He has always proven Himself trustworthy and faithful.

Consider the events of the past week or so. The realization that it is time to reconcile with Andy dawned upon me a mere two days before the Shannon's roommate fiasco happened. Do you see the beauty of it? The coming together of Shannon's parents enabled a number of things:

1. The easing off of financial burdens so we can offer monetary assistance.

2. The doubling of household appliances and other necessities. With two households becoming one, there are spare items such as coffeepots, dishes, and vacuum cleaners. Two problems were solved here: What to do with the extra items, and how can Shannon get what she needs without spending a lot of money?

3. Emotional support. With the majority of her parent's problems out of the way, Andy and I have the ability to focus on Shannon and her needs, both emotionally/psychologically and physically.

I tell ya, the whole situation is almost enough to blow one's mind. I'll be honest with you: with all of my ranting about God's use of the word, "Soon," I'll take that over the spoken promise of a person anyday. God doesn't lie. Circumstances do not force Him or give Him an excuse to change or go back on His word.

Are you waiting for something? Be patient. God's timing truly is perfect. Keep your eyes open and your hopes high. Remember, *if it can be seen it isn't hope!

*This quote was shamelessly stolen from First Pentecostal Church's billboard.

Holiday Cheer

Expect to see these every couple of days. Merry Christmas!!

Sunday

Yesterday I became aware.

Through this time of separation and therapy I have been cradled in the hand of God. Gently, sweetly protected.


And I have had a glimpse of all the prayers that have been lifted for Andy and me. The love of God and God's love shown in people as they have prayed has overwhelmed me. To be perfectly honest, it drove me to my knees yesterday.


"Thankful heart" does not begin to describe my gratefulness. As all these truths came to light, I saw myself happy in my home. The confirmation is completed. The time has come.

That Was an Experience..

The ringing of the bells went well. I would probably do it again if given the opportunity. Andy and I laughed a lot and talked to some nice people. Shannon and two of her 'boys' showed up and I think I embarrassed her. That certainly wasn't my intention, but some things just can't be helped!

Allow me to explain (as if you have a choice!): Yesterday was chilly but not overly cold. However, when Andy and I arrived at our designated location, the sun had already moved past it. We were both wearing sweaters and I had a corduroy jacket on as well, but I knew I was going to be cold. The ladies who were ringing on the shift before ours took good care of me. One offered me her gloves and the other offered her coat! Then of course were the snowman ear muffs. They were cute....for an 8 year old. The snowman's head crowned my head and he had "arms" with mittens on the ends that rested over my ears. Yes, I got strange looks from some of the kids who came by. Shannon said, 'What...is that?' But do you know what?? My ears weren't cold!

There was another problem, however. My nose was running! I didn't have any tissues with me, and I was wearing someone else's coat. We all know that desperate times call for desperate measures. Therefore, I was forced to wipe my nose on Andy's sleeve.

I'll Be Home for Christmas...

I'll be home for Christmas.
You can count on me.

Please have snow
And mistletoe

And presents around the tree

Christmas eve will find me
Where the love light gleams.
I'll be home for Christmas.
And not just in our dreams...

Holiday Giving

Sometimes a person just wants to do something different. This holiday season I wanted to give to the community but was unsure how to go about it. Then, opportunities presented themselves. Tomorrow between the hours of 2-4 you will find Andy and me ringing bells for the Salvation Army at the Colonial Mall. We are going to be stationed at the entrance to the Belk's ladies' store. Our church took the entire day at the mall so if you decide to brave the cold and the crowds, you will find Faith and Victory-ites all over the place!

Let me suggest that you revisit the Colonial Mall on Monday evening. As you stop to visit Santa, why not slide to the left just a little and enjoy gift wrapping from volunteers for the Pitt County Humane Society? Shannon and I will be there from 4-7pm.

Thus ends my shameless commercial.

Happiness is a Kitty on Your Lap

Aslan is home! He is groggy/sleepy, but it's nice to see him back where he belongs. His little toes are swollen and it is very obvious that he is sore, but he tries to jump, play, and flex.

He has been purry and loving and the stress of the past couple of days is very evident. He is shedding terribly! It's all good, though. Once he is settled back in the shedding will decrease.

It didn't take any time at all for this little guy to win me over. Yeah, I know. I'm a pushover.

:o)

He Spilled the Paint

I have a lot of good things to say about God and the events of the past week or so. Unfortunately, the time and the energy required to post such an entry is not available to me right now. Therefore, starting the process with this picture is, in my opinion, a good idea. The photograph is entitled "He Spilled the Paint."

It's an interesting thought, isn't it? God making a mistake (impossible, though it is recorded that He regretted some decisions He made) but the mistake turning out beautiful, just like this picture?

He does this daily with our lives if we let him. We spill things. We make messes. And He makes them beautiful.

What a nice, peaceful thought to have at the end of a stressful day....