bored and uninspired

I was quite impressed to see the new look over at Caddellfive and Liquidspider two of my favorite blogs. The only problem is, I suddenly realized how dull and boring my blog looks. Not only that, I feel very uninspired to blog anything of any interest. I could tell you all about how stressed I am this week trying to get ready for my mission trip, or I could tell you how Wayne and I got in a fight last night that was totally my fault. But really, do you want to hear that? So I slapped up a new picture and promised myself that I will peruse the Internet for a new blog design while I endure the 10 hour flight to Macedonia on Saturday.

Date Night

I spent all day at church. We had a 6 hour choir practice for our Christmas musical and surprisingly I had a great time. I seem to have forgotten that both girls were sending the night with friends, so when I got home, Wayne had plans to take me to dinner. We tried a new place on the lake called Richland Creek. It was so good. I had the grouper basket and Wayne had the grouper sandwich. We topped it all off with creme brulee, my absolute hands down favorite dessert! I indulged despite the fact that after three weeks of working out with my trainer, I have gained 3 lbs.

We wandered around CVS Pharmacy, I bought thank you notes and Wayne bought JUJU Fruits, evidently he is not a creme brulee fan. When we got home, we sat on the back deck on the swing and read the paper. Is it me or do we sound like Andy Griffith? Anyways, as he watches Georgia vs. Alabama, I decided to go take a long soak in the tub, and paint my toenails "Powderpuff Pink".

Let me show you what happens when you let your children and their friends run in the streets at night:
Hmm, yes and why are you in the middle of the street in the dark my child?


Ok, this really was a good picture Leslie, but you are still not allowed in the street .



Have a great rest of the weekend!

view from my work window

In a work world where people stand in a factory line, or peck at a computer in a cubicle, this is what I see out my work window:

Living and dying

If we really live out I John 3:16, then sometimes living out our love could be more difficult than dying for someone we love. Loving like Jesus did is really hard. In my world where time, energy and money are a premium, laying it down can be a sacrifice. Look at Jesus, he loved us without reservation. He poured it all out, knowing full well many would step over it walk by. For those of us who didn't, who stopped and accepted, we are called to love like that. Sometimes living is harder than dying.

Good things

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My Sunday was full of good things----

Our worship service was so good this morning

We sang one of my favorite songs...

"How great Thou Art"

A two hour nap

Slept so hard I think I woke myself up snoring.

Had a meeting about our mission trip to Macedonia.

It is only two weeks away!

I'm getting really excited.

Ate dinner with friends at IHOP.

The chicken fajita omelet was the bomb!

My family just devoured the chocolate chip pound cake I made yesterday.

They left me this piece or two to have with my coffee

while Wayne and I watch

"Extreme Home Makeover"

relaxin'

It is the most gorgeous Saturday afternoon! My house is clean, and the windows are open so the cool fall breeze is blowing in and we just got home from a morning of haircuts, and buying the girls sweaters for school. These are the kind of afternoons I live for:

Wayne is doing what he does best on a Saturday afternoon.

Ginny is finishing her leaf project for science class.

The dogs are enjoying their sunbeam!
Hope your Saturday afternoon is relaxin' like ours!

7 things I'm thankful for

1. I'm not impressed with Obama or McCain, but I'm so glad I can have a pick-- or even write in my own name if I want to.

2. Leslie's teacher emailed me this morning to tell me how great she is doing in Algebra II. I'm really proud of her.

3. I'm thankful for friends who are low maintenace and understand you can't always touch base when you're stretched thin...and its OK.

4. My chacos are here...and worth every penny! I am test driving them at work and me feet are smiling.

5. I am going to take dinner to friend who's really sick with cancer. So thankful no one is bringing dinner to us tonight.

6. My friend's baby Gage will hopefully come off the ventilator this weekend and be breathing all on his own!

7. Wayne and the girls are spending the evening watching movies and eating pizza while I go out with girlfriends.

thermostat wars

It's Wayne against the three women. He likes living in a virtual iceberg, the rest of us... not so much! Supposedly the thermostat has been set for maximum efficiency. I think it's getting a little ridiculous when my child is wrapped in a fleece blanket to eat supper!

sushi, Ike and bad dancing all in one night

Friday night was fun time! We dropped the girls off at church for their weekend retreat and then went and ate sushi. Our next stop was to see "Righteous Kills" It absolutely exhausted me. What with all the suspense, shootings and F-bombs I nearly had a breakdown. I must be getting old fast because I kept having "Judy McNabb" (my mom) thoughts all night that sounded like this "Oh my, Is all of that cursing really necessary?" Now we are glued to CNN to see what havoc Ike is creating in Texas. Lots of prayers tonight for those poor folks!
I found this video on a blog I like to read. It reminded me of my independent baptist childhood in a weird sort of way. This may very well be a picture of what I aspired to be in my adolescence. Oh yeah, I had moves almost as good as this. Coupled with Christian lyrics, these folks were well before their time:

Who do you mean when you say "the dog"?

I'm thinking Wayne and I should enter therapy. I never thought I'd be one of "those people" that talk incessantly about their mutts. Worse, they claim their dogs talk to them, and attribute human charaterisitcs and feelings to their animals. So last night this is how the conversation went:

"Steph, Ginger is really feeling left our because you are spending so much time with Bella." ( the puppy we are dogsitting for our friends)

I'm mad at you mother, and I refuse to talk to you...or even look at you!

Only Dad understands my true feelings!

starting and completing a good work

This morning I read Philippians 1:6 which talks about how God will complete the good work He began in us. I thought of my friend Lauren and baby Gage who had a wonderful outcome in his surgery this morning! Thanks be to our God who starts a good work and completes it! Thanks be to our God who sees the outcome of what we will be and nudges us forward to that end. Thanks be to our God for not just starting a good work in Gage, but continuing to work it out in him!

Sunday thoughts

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.

On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

2 Corinthians 10:3-4

Precious boy

This little boy is the prettiest things I've seen in a long time!! Gage has been prayed over long before he ever got here. He is supposed to have surgery on Sunday morning so when you read this take a minute to ask for God's protection on this little guy. I can't wait to get my hands on him. Who can resist a fat sweet baby?

I'm thinking it's never too early to start thinking about Christmas

Amazon vs. Barnes and Nobles vs Library

I am reading "One Month to Live" by Kerry and Chris Shook. I saw it on my sister's blog a couple weeks ago. Here's the thing, I bought it for a friend for her birthday, and I am gently reading it so that I will not spill or crease the pages! I guess if I had 30 days to live I should quit being so cheap and buy my own copy. I never buy books. If I do I usually buy it used, online at Amazon. My other alternative is to go to the public library. Our small town library seldom keeps much in stock that I haven't read a gazillion times. Do you think it is a waste to buy new, or do you frequent your library?

Proud Parents

Remember my friends Lauren and Chris? I asked you to pray for them this summer. Their baby boy, who was due in October has a diaphragmatic hernia. Fast forward.... He was born today in Philadelphia at the Children's Hospital and is doing great! They will probably do surgery to repair his hernia in a few days. I love his mom and dad so much. Their faith has really been tested the last few months and certainly has been refined to look alot like pure gold! Be happy with me today on Gage's birthday!

I would love to have a garden but....

it would be nothing more than deer candy:

Will I really miss this?

I was enjoying a peaceful Monday morning, sipping my coffee and eating my cinnamon toast, when I was interrupted by a shrill scream, followed by laughing then more shrieking,and finally a door slammed. Then I heard more shouting, a thud and I wandered in on the Welch Family Wrestling Event.

I'm gonna miss this in a few years