We know how to P-A-R-T-Y

This morning we took off from Atlanta and headed to Virginia. Wayne's mama's family lives up here and we decided that there was no better way to ring in the New Year than by embarking on a road trip to visit the relatives.  Lynn and Craig (Wayne's sister and her hubs) are our FAVORITE traveling partner.  I have heard stories on the way up here about their childhood that make me laugh so hard I could wet my pants.  I have laughed until I cried.  This New Years party is just getting started. After spending all afternoon with Uncle Georgie, and eating some of Aunt Dean's incredible vegetable beef soup and cornbread (the kind that tastes better than cake), we are now trying to get in the party mood. I think we decided after watching a little sci-fi  TV we are gonna walk over to the El Matador restaurant in front of our motel and ring in the New Year with a enchiladas....yeah....this is the good life!

What's your plan?

About 2 weeks ago out pastor, Andy, invited us to take part in a 30 day challenge. For the month of January he wants us to read through the Bible. OK, I've never once read through the Bible, ever. Should be interesting.....

My sunday school class is starting of the year with a Kay Arthur Bible study. "Lord Teach Me to Pray in 28 Days." We are going to do it online and each girl takes a day to go online and talk about her study that day.

I read this blog today by one of my favorite online preachers.

What's your plan for 2010? If you have an organized plan to study the Bible I'd love to hear it.......

look what I did yesterday

Ever since we took the pool down this summer, (does it make me a redneck to swim in a pool that I can put "up" and "down"?) I have  been wanting to take off that part of the deck and make that portion a garden. 

Yesterday I got up early, got Wayne's crowbar and mallet from his shop, and what you see above is the result of four hours of hard work.  The standing rail and stairs are going down, but Wayne will have to do that. The  area where the deck was was will be my daylily/vegetable garden this summer.

When Wayne got home I told him that I really liked working on a project today that had results I could see. Being a nurse means listening to people tell you how bad they feel, treating them, and they leave. You don't see them better, because they only come back if they feel bad again. Sometimes I feel like I never see results from what I do.

Wayne informed me that if I had to build decks and install gutters for a living, the Welchs' would probably starve to death, and there is no way he would be a nurse. I guess I'll stick to what I know, but for one winter morning I was the woman with a tool belt!

New baby sis

This Christmas brings us a new baby in the house.  Willow is Ginny's new baby puppy. We love her. There's nothing like puppy breath, puppy sighs, and warm puppy sleeping under your neck.

Ginger is learning to share her turf, and despite our misgivings that she was too spoiled to have a baby sis,

She is learning to take care of her little sister. She comes and gets us when the baby cries, keeps trying to pick her up, and

has even given her a kiss or two.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Random picture....long story...Merry Christmas!

Don't screw up in Pakistan

Check this out. Maybe the old "eye for and eye" isn't just an outdated model.

His favorite girl

Bye Daddy! I'll miss you today. Stay warm while you are hanging gutters.  I'll be right here at the door waiting on you until you get home!

These are the best days

More than ever before, I have this deep sense of awareness that the days I'm living in are the best days of my life.  I was thinking this morning as I plugged in the Christmas tree lights and sat in the early morning darkness sipping my coffee, "These are the good days."  This Christmas finds us at a great place in life. All my circumstances are not perfect, but I am full of peace and joy.  I think I have learned this year to live in the moment. I've learned that life, marriage and children are continually changing.  It is important to soak each day in and enjoy it for what it is.  Learning to live in the moment means forgetting what is behind and not wishing for what tomorrow brings.  This Christmas I'm living in the moment. I am watching Ginny laugh while she watches Christmas movies she's seen a hundred time. I am listening to Wayne belt out Christmas carols while he makes pancakes in the kitchen.  I am laying on Leslie's bed chatting with her about nothing in particular, but knowing that these are important conversations.  I am living in the knowledge that all these gifts are from above, from a God who does not change in the midst of my crazy ever changing life.  I have received immeasureably more than I've ever asked or thought.  These are the best days.

Blehhhhh

Yeah that's how I feel tonight. Have you ever noticed how the slightest thing can take a perfectly good day and turn it inside out?  Well, that's me. That's right where I am tonight. When I was little I used to say I felt "Blucky" a combination of blah and yucky. I am in need of a hot bath, a good book and some Tylenol PM. See ya' in the morning! Hopefully the sun will be shining and I will too!

Stop what you are doing

and immediately go to iTunes to download the Holiday Sampler album . It's free, contains about 15 holiday songs by great artists, and I've been listening to it all day. You'll love it!

The best of my weekend

Talking theology with old friends at a birthday party (ever heard of progressive sanctification?)
Baking cookies with Ginny all afternoon
Knitting in the recliner, with Ginger snoring beside me and the rain coming down outside
Christmas caroling for Ms. Maggie
Singing my favorite worship song while Will rocked out on the drums
Listening to God speak to me while Andy preached on "Maybe"
Thinking about what God "May Be" able to do with me....anything! (I needed to know that!)
Lunch with my favorite girls
Sunday afternoon nap with Wayne and Ginger
Chips and salsa with Worth and Shantal
Listening to Leslie burp and laugh as she walks in the door tonight.
My cup is full and overflowing!

Tonight......

........I'm sad for people I love who felt deep loss today.
........I'm thankful that God is in my future and already sees what will be.
........I'm ready to spread my wings and fly again. Feels like I've been running instead of flying.
........I'm taking tomorrow to be still and soak the season in.
........I'm tired of trying to manipulate and figure out the next step.
........I'm not wonder woman, just an average woman who is loved in an immeasurable way.

My tree....from Leslie's viewpoint......

Once upon a Christmas......

There was a woman who had two little girls.  They loved Christmas.  They ask for Santa for things like new baby dolls, kitchen play sets and tricycles.  They woke up very early on Christmas morning and jumped up and down in their rooms until their mom and dad said they could come out.

Those two little girls grew up and Christmas is different but still fun.  They ask for big girl things like scarves and boots and ipods.  They still shake their presents and help their mom bake cookies. Best of all....they still believe in Santa.

I guess you're never really ready

A really good friend of mine had a really bad day. Her elderly father had a stroke.  He's nearly 90.  He has done every single thing he's wanted to do in life. He loves God, his family and has been blessed indeed.  As I stood in the hall of the ER with her, her eyes filled up with tears and splashed down her cheeks.  Through quivering lips she said, "He's ready, I guess I'm not."
Strange, a sixty year old woman should be ready to let go of her dad. She's taken care of him on a daily basis for the last decade.  She knows he has no regrets, and neither does she.
Strange, even in the best of circumstances, I guess you're never really ready to let go. 

24 more days.......

They're rotten, but I'm thankful for them

A different kind of thankful

This year was a very different thanksgiving for the Welchs'.  This was the first year that we ever spent Thanksgiving by ourselves. Thanksgiving is for family, and we have always been with my parents, Wayne's family, all my sisters and their families or even with just Papa, but never just the four of us.
It was the best Thanksgiving I've ever had.

We left our busy, crazy world on Tuesday afternoon, and headed to the mountains. We camped at Moccasin Creek State Park for four days.  I had some doubts that we wouldn't kill each other, die of boredom, what with no intenet and all, or just plain end up refereeing fights between my two teenage daughters.  Can I tell you that I felt sad when we packed up to come home this morning?

After making the customary we-are-leaving-to-go-camping-so-we-need-to-stop-and-eat-at-Cracker-Barrel stop, we got up in the cold mountains and set up camp without any problems, unless you consider Wayne yelling at me, me crying and stomping me feet, swearing to never help him back the camper in ever again, a problem.  No sir, no problems at all.
Wednesday was girl's day, we headed to Cumming to try on bridesmaid dresses, while Wayne spent the day at the campground all by himself. Poor thing, he was very brave about the whole thing and assured us he would try and make it through the day with nothing to do but sleep, eat and fish. The girls are both in Megan's wedding in June and the dresses are gorgeous. That is saying alot! Raise your hand if you've ever hated a bridesmaid dress!  After a girl's day in David's Bridal, we ate at Olive Garden and talked and laughed and got lost twice on the way home.   Wayne had  a hearty campout supper waiting when we got back to camp and it delicious!  We sat out by the camp fire and drank coffee and hot chocolate.

Thursday (Thanksgiving) was freezing cold. I was wondereing how it would feel not to slave away in the kitchen all morning listening to the drone of Macy's Day parade. Let me tell you, it was wonderful! Didn't miss cooking a bit.  We went to the Dillard House and let Mrs. Dillard feed us a fine, and I mean a fine meal!  That afternoon we went to see The Blind Side. Best movie I've seen in a long time. That Tim McGraw can't act, good thing he can sing. What he lacks in the acting, Sandra Bullock makes up for...she's one of my most fav Hollywood women!

Friday was the best day yet, we rode horses in the morning, and the entire family laughed at me because my horse got spooked and all but bucked me off and I screamed.  They all swore he just shook his head, but I know his front legs left the ground!
 Lunch was at Fat Boys BBQ. Oh yeah baby! Better than a turkey sandwich any day. Next door to Fat Boys was a Goodwill, so you know Wayne had to let us run in and treasure hunt for a minute. More about that later.  We got back to camp and the crowning moment of the entire vacation was the hike to the waterfall. I'll post pics as soon as Leslie downloads them for me.  In a word, beautiful.  As we were walking back out, we were really deep in the woods, I had one of those moments where I was able to shut everything out and just be in the moment.  Have you ever done that? I just took it all in.
I am one blessed woman, I was holding hands with a wonderful husband who loves me despite my insanity.  My two girls were in front of me, laughing and wrestling.  I love to see them enjoy each other, it doesn't happen all the time any more.  I haven't felt this happy in a long time. Just us. Just the four of us. Happy. Healthy. Loving.  It was the best Thanksgiving I've ever had.

my girl

My Christmas List

I have already started my Christmas shopping. My goal is to complete all of it online by the first week in December. I want to relax and enjoy the season this year.  Wayne, on the other hand, never gets in a rush and has more than once finished his shopping on Christmas Eve at the local CVS.  If he happens to read my blog.........

1) Dirt Devil Hand Vacuum- The black carpet in my new car will be the death of me!

2.Mizuno Wave Shoes- I'm running on air in these things!  I want to run a marathon in 2010.  How many years have I been saying that? I'm serious this year!

3.Sunglasses- I am a ready for some REAL sunglasses.

Wayne,I don't think, with the exception of the sunglasses, that these items can be purchased at CVS on Christmas Eve, so get to hopping! Only 4 weeks until Christmas!

Would a miracle cheer you up?

I get an awesome online missions magazine called "Voice of the Martyrs". I love this monthly  bulletin that tells me about people that are suffering for Jesus around the world.  Every month after I read it I feel so humbled that I have so much freedom and do so little.
Anyways, I've been following the story of two Iranian Christian sisters, Maryam and Marziah who have been held captive for a while now.  This morning I read that they were released on Thursday.  Wow! It is really a faith building story.  It makes me think, do I really understand trials?  Does the Amreican church really get it?  Do we really think the things we deal with matter in eternity?  Are most of more concerned with power struggles amongst ourselves than the power struggle of light and darkness?

This story is a beautiful example of what happens when God's people pray.  This story shows us that our brothers and sisters around the world need us to go to bat for them.  While we live in our comfort, God calls us to so much more.

Lunch Options

If you work outside the home, like I do, lunch is not really an option. (I'm gonna eat, of that you can be sure!) WHAT I eat however is always an option.  I go through periods of time where all I want is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich w/ corn chips.  I rarely eat out due to my schedule, but leftovers is my second favorite option.  When there is nothing else and my stomach is gnawing at my backbone.......I'll eat one of these that my coworker has stashed somewhere:

Usually these frozen lunches make me gag...literally and there's not much I don't eat, but today, I think Healthy Chicken Sirfry Steamers hit the spot, and for 90 calories I can't complain.  Incredible for an appetizer, now if I can decide what's for lunch :)

Happy Birthday Shantal

Shantal is an amazing young woman.  I love her so much!  She is on her way to becoming a wonderful nurse.  I suspect I'll visit her on the mission field one of these days....... I love you Shantal! Happy Birthday!

Leonid

Hey did you know that tonight is supposed to be the best night to see the Leonid meteor shower? Only trouble is I am trying to decide if I should stay up until 1:30 am or get up at 5am tomorrow morning.

Lauren

I love this girl. I met her when she was a crazy college girl, and I was already married with kids.  There was something about her I just loved.  Maybe it was seeing myself in her. Maybe it was............
.....her refreshing honesty...what you see is what you get
.....she always is drawn to the underdog
.....she can make me laugh hysterically ..and cry...all in the same conversation
......she mature for a kid her age....but can totally laugh at herself

I've seen her walk through season of life, that I think would make me stumble.  She is rarely intimidated by anyone, yet has compassion for many.  She can be real about her struggles with God, and loves Him with a deep passion. She's my friend. I love her.

Happy Birthday Mom!

All in all, a great week

All in all it was a great week........

.......enjoying the online Bible study I am doing with some good friends....Who knew I would like Kay        
         Arthur?
.......cold enough to wear my favorite black poncho.
........learnng how pretty it looks to knit and purl!
........meeting the most awesome missionary....I'm ready to go to Romania!
........dinner last night at my new favorite restaurant, The Silver Moon (thanks Lauren!),with my favorite man!
.......realizing this week how much I love the girls I work with.
........seeing both my sick babies get better.
.......going goodwilling with mama and the girls today. What kind of treasures will I find?
........seeing God answer prayer in my friends life.

Praise and worship in the mountains

This weekend was one of those times that you find yourself drawn out of your routine and you find full relaxation and quiet.  I went with some really great women to the mountains.  We were a diverse group. I love hanging out with women who are  not at all like me.  So much you can learn by just watching and listening and just soaking others wisdom.
This weekend about 30 of us hung out in a huge cabin, studied the bible together, and ate well above the legal limit of chocolate.  We stayed up late, laughed and talked, oh my how we talked.  I made some new friends, and caught up with old ones.
Most of all, I learned to let go of some things, that up until this weekend, I did not realize had stunted the growth of my faith so drastically.
The highlight of the trip for me, was meeting in this tiny little chapel, where we sang for about an hour.  It was sweet.  I imagined God leaning over heaven, and shushing His angels, so he could listen to us. We told Him how much we loved Him, we reminded each other of His goodness, and He loved us back.

There's a new girl in town

There's a new girl in the stable. She's a real beauty! We love her. We promised to take good care of her. She'll be around for  long time. Around these parts we keep our girls for at least 10 years.  When most people are trading in, we are just breaking them in. 

The old girl has served us well.  She is out to pasture, but one day, when the right person comes along, we may let her go.  Lots of good memories, and lots of fun road trips.  You know, Wayne could get a piece of plywood in the back if he needed to. I hauled lots of kids all over creation, but cars weren't meant to last forever.

Anniversary trip 2009

We spent our anniversary trip in Pensacola Florida this year.  While we usually spend it in the mountains, this year was a beach trip that included the wedding of Drew, the young man that works for Wayne.  Here are the highlights of our trip:

............The silver bullet, my Honda Oddysey that I've had for 8 years, blew up outside of Montgomery on the way down. (a fantastic story that is an entire post for another day)  Within an hour, we were on our way in a rental car.  That's right, my long legged husband was folded up into a Hyundai Accent.
............We stayed in a fantabulous condo, right smack dab on the beach, in fact, the pic above is the view off our balcony.  Our friends, Scott and Tina, and Jason and Megan stayed just a few rooms below us, so there was lots of eating ice cream, laughing, staying up late talking, etc. So Much Fun!
.........Flounders Seafood.....home of the famous clam chowder, but we opted for raw oysters and shrimp po'boys.
..........The wind was incredible. A walk on the beach made me feel like I was in a sandblaster!
...........Visited my old stomping grounds of PCC. Did I really survive there 4 years?  I saw several girls strolling the campus with flip flops on. What is this world coming to?  Got to visit some of my professors from nursing school. I felt old. The guy at the info desk ask me what year I graduated. When I told him "1991", the girl next to me said, "Oh, that was the year I was born." ugghhh! Why are they letting 8 year olds into college??
........Wayne was his usual sweet anniversary self, and let me get  a pedicure and even stolled through Tuesday Mornings with me, sat on the balcony with me while I drank coffee, and basically spoiled me rotten like he does every year.
.........But, like all good things, the end came and real life is back in swing.  Saturday is car shopping day. Wayne is excited, I'm nauseus.  I'll post my new ride on Saturday.

Look what I'm doin' this Saturday

For some odd reason I am highly motivated to organize my laundry room.  Maybe it's the fact that I am being buried alive in solo socks, looking for a partner.  Maybe the entire room is covered in a layer of dryer lint.  Maybe I need to do something constructive to compensate for the strangest anniversary weekend I have ever experieinced.
For whatever reason, after reading this post on The Nesting Place, I am in full on organization mode come Saturday.

18 years...and counting

I am off on an anniversary adventure this morning. 18 years ago, I became Mrs. Christopher Welch.  18 years. It hasn't been easy.  There were many fights those first few years.  Lots of times I wanted to get in my car and drive to Mexico and never come back.  Somedays when I looked at him and wondered what planet he was from.  I think 18 years is worth celebrating.  Not alot of people make it that far these days. It hasn't been perfect, but I'd say, it's been blessed. Blessed because.........

He works hard and I never wonder if he's gonna bring home a paycheck.

He tells me that he loves me everyday.

I hear him pray for me and my girls every morning.

He has never left me or even threatened to.

He's my rock steady in a crazy mixed up world.

We still laugh at our own private jokes that seem stupid to everyone else, especially my kids.

I never ask him to go to church with me, because he takes us to church.

He thinks I'm beautiful regardless of whether I'm at my fighting weight... or over it.

He's taking me to the Melting Pot on Friday night.

Here's to 18 more with you Wayne Welch, and 18 more after that! I love you!

and they call it.....puppy love

sleepy Monday morning

This morning, I am all by myself enjoying furlough day #2.  Wayne has already left for work, the girls are spending the night with friends, so it's just me and Ginger on the porch watching the rain and sipping coffee.
I have no plans, no where to go, nothing to do. I need to do laundry, but then again, I may read the rest of my book.  I need to go grocery shopping, but I think I may just watch a lifetime movie.  I really need to make Wayne a huge homecooked meal, but I think I will spend the afternoon out here, and we'll eat cereal for supper!

snapshots of fall

This is what fall looks like at my house:

front porch pumpkins

back porch mums

deer eating in the pasture

Happy Fall!

Potty mouth

I want to make a confession. I can be a potty mouth. I'm not sure why, other than I'm a very verbal person and when I'm mad, frustrated, or in the middle of a really great story, certain words seem to add more punch than others. I'm not talking about cursing, or being verbally abusive, just uttering those slang words that seem to express what I'm feeling.....really?
 Wayne hates it when I "talk ugly".  He is always fussing at me for using expressive language.  So, I've decided that I am cleaning up my mouth.  For the next 30 days I am striking the following words from my vocabulary. They just sound ugly:
crap
pissed off
OMG
Dang it
There are a few others that I'll leave to your imagination. Can I be expressive and sweet?  We'll see. I think I'll be fine as long as I avoid all frustrating situations. 

Change

I 've never been a big fan of change. I always order the Alice Springs Chicken at Outback. I buy the same thing every week at the grocery store.  It's always the beach on vacation. I always have oatmeal and coffee for breakfast.  I only run in Adidas Response. There is alot of comfort in routine.

Change is hard.  This year has been the year of change for me.  So many changes, I can't begin to sort them out. Here's what I learned about change: The reason it's scary, is because I am not in control.  I learned that the reason I love routine is because I feel in control of my world. I know the outcomes of the choices I make, so I can prepare myself for the results.  Problem with that kind of living is it can be predictable and thus, very boring.  When change comes along, I'm not in control, and I have no clue how it's gonna all work out.

Good thing God never changes.  In the midst of topsy turvy, I can rest in a God that always keeps His promises to me, to "bring me to an expected end".

argyle sweaters and red hair coloring

As a faithful long time employee of the State of Georgia, I am celebrating my first furlough day by, what else? spending money!  Actually, I have been secretly excited about this day for a while.  I don't know about you, but it's really hard to take a day off for no good reason. Most of the time I am going on vacation, sick, or tacking it on to a long weekend. I never take a day off in the middle of the week.  Well, thanks to the recent recesssion, depression, economic turndown, whatever you want to call it, I get a whole day off smack dab in the middle of the week.
Today,  I am getting my hair done.  My roots are 3 inches long and screaming for some beautiful red hair coloring.  After that, I am going to  have a little retail therapy, and hopefully find an argyle sweater. Why? I have no explanation other than I have really fallen in love with those crazy diamond sweaters and want one. Maybe it's the cool in the air.   After that I am meeting the prettiest man in Putnam county and going to lunch.
I have no complaints about my furlough day......at least not until payday!

snapshots of my weekend

shrimp and grits from Bone Island Grill.....amazing. ( and I don't use that word often!)

Big Lots..... my all time favorite place to shop...quality closeout merchandise at fabulous prices.

4 mile runs.......back in the swing...I think

grilling chicken in the rain with my favorite man in the world......

sleeping with the window open and the rain pouring outside

praise and worship....essential to understand that God requires nothing else from us.....wholehearted worship

community......finding that the people I worship with are people I love.......

knitting......relaxes me and inspires my creativity......

Monday mornings are the perfect time to eat Kim Byrd's cookies for breakfast instead of my standard oatmeal.......welcome new week!

That one small hour

Now that I have come to terms with Leslie driving (which basically means I am no longer stalking her every move once she leaves the driveway) I am beginning to realize the benefit of no longer being the main Welch chauffeur.
Every morning I have an hour that is totally mine. The girls leave the house at 7:30, then Wayne follows after that leaving me all alone. I have one hour of uninterrupted peace and tranquility. It's my favorite part of the day. I can do whatever I want in the hour. I can leisurely get ready for work, with the Today show blaring in the background. Or I can sit out on my porch drinking my second cup of coffee and read or watch the squirrels play. I can even do laundry and clean up the kitchen. I usually waste it on the internet, reading my favorite blogs. But its my hour. That one small hour makes all the difference in my day!

Fall Reads

I'm gearing up for some fall reading. What is better than a cool afternoon on my porch wrapped up in a blanket with a cup of coffee and a good book? Here is my list of books I want to read this fall:

1. Mad Church Disease by Anne Jackson. Who is not been burnt or burned out that has worked in church? My sister, recuperating herself from burnout suggested this book.

2)Forgotten God by Frances Chan. His first book, Crazy Love has got to be one of my all time favorites! I love his writing style. He's blunt, and soul searching.

3)Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult. My sister got me totally hooked on her about a year ago. I have to admit, the last book I read, Harvesting the Heart was a bit of a dud, but I am usually deaf, dumb and blind to anything else in the world when I'm reading her.

4)Finally Alive by John Piper. Piper, oh how I love to read his books. They are deep, but rich. It takes me forever to get through them, but you are so more aware of who God is after reading his works.

5)Religion Saves and Nine Other Misconceptions by Mark Driscoll. He is my absolute favorite preacher in 2009! I listen to his Sunday sermon every Monday. He is relevant, but uncompromising. I love his blunt manner.

What are you reading this fall?

850 miles

That's about how many miles I've logged in these shoes. I'm a little obsessive about my running shoes. I never ever wear them for anything except running. After I've logged about 800 miles they are shot and then they can become outside shoes, but until then, to wear them everyday would break them down too quick. These particular shoes were a new brand, Saucony. They were OK, but my heart and feet really belong to Adidas Cushion Response. Best running shoe for someone like me with really high arches. I bought these on a whim, and while they are OK, I'm going back to Adidas. I usually only put about 500 miles on a pair of shoes, or roughly 6 months, but I didn't run all spring, and then this summer I ran like a mad woman. When I felt my inner left knee begin to ache a little I knew the tell tell sign of worn shoes. I sat down and roughly figured that I probably put about 850 miles on these girls. That would be like me running to my sister's house in Michigan. I always feel a little sadness at letting go of my old pair. They have run many a mile with me, listened to many a Toby Mac song, sometimes heard me cry, and many times carried me while I sorted out the complexities of my life.

I can't say they make me feet any prettier, but at least my lungs and heart are strong and they sure have helped in the fight to keep my mind sane!

Goodbye, Saucony's your job is done, and come this weekend, there will be a new pair of girls in town, a shiny pair of Adidas Cushion Responses, size 9. Maybe even pink!

Go get your praise on

I have been thinking about this all week.......What is the chief end of man? Yeah I know pretty heavy duty thinking. According to the Westminster catechism. It's to honor God and love Him forever.

I had a thought this week that I could not seem to shake and the more I thought it the more I realize it was a question from God to me........

What is church really all about?........Learning? Outreach? Worship? Fellowship? Is church about what I do? Or is it about what I get when I'm there? Is the morning hour wasted if no one accepts Christ? Is it wasted if I don't learn? These are good thoughts to meditate on. It should drive me to Scripture to find answers.

Revelations 4:11- You created everything, and it is for your pleasure they exist and were created. News flash. I was created for God's pleasure. My worship is more about him and less about me. He's most honored when I have filled up in my heart with how good He is.

Romans 12:1- Present yourself to him as an act of worship. Worship is not doing for God. It's being for God. When I realize that there isn't much I can do for Him to impress Him, that's when I realize it's more about knowing Him. I'm not "saving" anyone. He does that. God's much more happy with me when I'm am longing to know Him with all I have. All my acts of service flow out from how much I love Him. Leave it to us to turn our Chrsitian journey into a works based contest.

These are my thoughts on a Sunday morning. I'm gonna go to church, and open up my heart to praise Him. I'm gonna take one uninterrupted hour this week to tell Him how great He is. It's gonna be an hour that is not about what I do for Him, but what He has done for me.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go blast some CeCe Winans while I get ready. It's never too early to get your praise on!

splurge

Once in a while you love a good splurge. This weekend I am going to Belk and splurging on this super cool Clinique eyeshadow.
According to Chic Critique it lasts all day. I don't usually spend $15.00 on eyeshadow, but if it lasts all day I'm all for it. I'll let you know. It's been a while since I had a splurge. What was your most recent well spent money on yourself?

Who in the heck is Lottie Moon?

I was raised independent baptist. The implications of becoming southern baptist would fill up a post longer than you are interested in reading, trust me. One of my most favorite things about being southern baptist, besides wearing "britches", and singing praise and worship, is the missions program. My past experience is that God called you to be a missionary and then you went around to almost every independent baptist church in the US begging for support, and usually in about 4-5 years you gathered up enough funding to go to your ministry.

Southern baptist have an awesome system for sending missionaries to foreign lands. You sign up with IMB, are interviewed, attend training after meeting the qualifications, and being accepted. After training, you are sent to your field of ministry.

No traveling around for years on end begging for money. No, thanks to Lottie Moon offering, missionaries are supported fully.

So who in the heck is Lottie Moon?

I have been studying her life over the last few weeks and she totally rocked international missions in China.

Lottie Moon was a short little woman (4 ft. 11 in), the daughter of rich Virginian aristocrats (that means rich land owners). She was pretty much destined for easy street, hang around the plantation, dress up and going to parties, marry a rich good looking aristocrat in training, have babies, and fan your self down by the river.

Well, she captured the eye of many young men, but she knew God had a plan for her life that did not involve plantation parties. She attended school, almost never heard of in that time, and became a teacher. She then even started a school for indigent children in our own state of Georgia.

I think what I like best about Lottie Moon was she had a fiercely independent, outspoken personality. She blazed the path for women in the southern baptist church. She was told over the things she wanted to accomplish were too hard for a woman. She informed her critics "I'm not asking your permission, I am informing you that this is the task to which I have been called."

How did she move from a Virginian schoolteacher, to a ethnically entrenched Chinese missionary?........stay tuned......

Things I find disgusting...

1) Snakes

2)Skinny women who eat french fries and don't work out

3)Lukewarm coffee

4)Vomit that does not belong to my children

5)Pantyhose (does anyone actually wear them anymore?)

That's my disgusting list, what's yours?

Unnatural

This is the conversation I overheard (eavesdropped) on in Kroger line between two college girls this morning:

Girl #1- "What are you getting for your cold?"
Girl # 2 (sipping on a Diet Coke)- "I'm trying this echinacea."
Girl #1- "Why don't you get some of that Tylenol Cold and Sinus? I used it for my cold and it worked good."
Girl #2- (still sipping the Diet Coke full of aspartame) "No way, I'm taking this herb stuff. I really don't want any unnatural chemicals in my body."

My new favorite song

We sang this song in worship a few weeks ago and again today. I love it! My favorite line is 'We don't want blessings, we want you" Hard words to sing, because most the time I'm searching pretty hard for blessings and less for God Himself. I'll be humming this the next couple of days.....

living water

If you believe in me, come and drink!

For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.

John 7:38

nine

Now this is just too cool!

look what I got

Dillard house is my favorite spot to eat lunch when we go to the mountains, and look what Wayne bought me when we were through eating.....a salt and pepper shaker set! Aren't they cute?

Minus One

This weekend we spent four wonderful days catching up with my family. My three sisters live in different states, so it's always a fun time when we get together. We love to take pictures and I never look at a picture without thinking---we are minus one. My oldest sister, Laurie died when we were all kids, even before Liz was here. To be honest, I seldom think of her much, it's been so long now. I was younger than her namesake, my niece Kara Laurie, when she left us.

But when we're all together I often think, "we're minus one." What would her husband be like? Would her kids tease mine and splash them in the creek? Would she sit in the rocker and give me some good recipes to try? I miss her. I wish I could have known her as an adult. We're minus one.

Once in a While.......

it's nice to change things up. Do things a little different. Look at it from another point of view. Keeps things interesting. Prevents boredom. Like.........

..............taking the girls to Walmart at 10:00 at night, on a school night.

.............ordering soy chai latte instead of the standard mocha.

.............take a different route home.

.............listen to my kids ipod instead of my own.

.............paint my nails orange.

............wear pearls to work.

............listen to NPR instead of "the Fish" on the way to work.

.............ride a bike after work instead of running.

Yeah it's a wild and crazy life around the Welch household. We know how to live dangerous. Keep things interesting. Expect the unexpected.

Sunday Afternoon

When I was growing up, Sunday afternoon was almost as sacred as Sunday morning. You may as well not ask to go anywhere or do anything in those hours after Sunday dinner and before night service. Worldly activities such as shopping or participating in any other non church sponsored function was strictly prohibited. My dad was usually snoozing in front of the TV while the screen blared a football game to no one in particular. My mom, never a napper, took all afternoon to read the paper. She had a strange fascination with the classifieds and love to read each one. Occasionally she would make comments as she read like "Huh, a 1975 Buick for sale for $3,000", as if any of us where in the market or even cared. My sisters and I started off the afternoon by doing dishes. We were pastors kids, which meant without a doubt there was fried chicken on the menu and this called for seemingly tons of dishes. An hour or two later, with the fridge crammed with leftovers that would be devoured after night service, and the counters sparkling, we would make a dash to the fight over the comics. We would spend the lazy afternoon reading the antics of Dagwood and Blondie. We either slept the afternoon away, with our bellies full or turned out attention to the library book that would know doubt carry us the a faraway land of make believe. Not a care in the world. Sabbath, a day for rest and refilling.

I try to keep that habit now in my own house. Sunday afternoons are for reading or napping. A fantastic meal after worship service is always followed by a nap and then lazy piddling around the house. No life altering decisions will be made this afternoon. Only rest and refilling. It's Sabbath day.

I've had better weeks

This has been a rough week. I lost a really good friend to cancer, I have been neck deep in flu at work. I didn't run the first time. I've stress eaten enough sugar to sweeten a third world country. I've been inconsistent in almost every spiritual area in my life............

So glad it's Friday........
So glad that this time next week I'll be enjoying my whole family.........
So glad His mercies are new every morning........
So glad He doesn't keep track of my failures..........
So glad Ginny wanted to ride to Walmart with me tonight........
So glad Wayne thinks my shrimp chowder is the greatest.......
So glad it's gonna be cool in the morning and I can run, and breathe.........
So glad for clean sheets on the bed........

Banana bread

I generally suck as a cook. I can make a decent lasagna. I can make roast and potatoes, home made mac and cheese and shrimp chowder. Beyond that, the only other specialty I have is banana bread and pound cake.

Tonight, (Tuesday my favorite night of the week) I am getting ready to dig into a beautiful golden brown piece of banana bread with a big slab of butter and a huge glass of good ole cold milk. I'm taking the rest to work with me in the morning. My girls at work love it. It's always good for my ego when I bring it. I pretend to protest when they tell me how delicious it is but I secretly love it!

If you were here, I'd cut you a big piece and pour you a steaming hot cup of coffee. We could pretend it's winter because my living room is freezing cold and my children are wrapped in blankets while watching "18 and Counting" on TLC. I think Wayne has the thermostat on 57 degrees!

heaven

A friend of mine went to heaven this morning. As I drove over to see his family, a solitary cloud hung in a brilliant orange summer morning sky. As the rays burst through that cloud, it sprayed blue tinged lines all across the morning. I imagined that he for the first time in many years, is enjoying the feeling of being absolutely free from pain. Physical pain and the pain of missing someone you love. I imagine that he thought, " I am so glad these last few weeks are over with". I imagine that he looked up some friends and family of mine that I asked him to say hello to for me.

How foolish to think that he thought anything other than the overwhelming intoxication of Jesus. Jesus. As if there were anything else of any importance. Jesus. As if he wanted to tear his attention away from what met his eyes........ This is what he saw, according to John, the beloved disciple that is now there with him:

Revelation 4

I was caught up at once in deep worship and, oh!- a Throne set in heaven with One Seated on the Throne, suffused in gem hues of amber and flame with a nimbus of emeralds.

Twenty-four thrones circled the throne, with twenty-four elders seated, white robed, gold crowned. Lightening flash and thunder crash pulsed from the throne. Seven fire -blazing torches fronted the Throne (these are the Sevenfold Spirit of God). Before the throne it was like a clear crystal sea.

Prowling around the throne were Four Animals, all eyes. Eyes to look ahead, eyes to look behind. The first Animal , like a lion, the second like an ox, the third with a human face, the fourth like an eagle in flight. Four Animals were winged, each with six wings. They were all eyes, seeing around and within. And they chanted night and day, never taking a break:

Holy, holy, holy

Is God our Master, Sovereign-Strong,

The Was, The Is, The Coming.

Welcome home friend!

Crest White Strips

If you drink as much coffee as I do, you understand the battle against yellowing teeth. At first I could have sworn it was the Clinique Cranberry Apple lipstick, but I am out of denial. No it's the 4-5 cups of java that I consume like a caffeine junkie that I am. Should I have to choose between a stunning smile and my daily java habit? I think not! Tonight while taking my Saturday night soak, I decided to apply a set of Crest White Strips that I found in Leslie's drawer. OK either they are so far past the expiration date that the cleaning chemicals have started to break down, or my saliva has a bad interaction with the whitening properties because it feels like I just spread Elmer's glue all over the front of my teeth. The gel that is dissolving into some sort of slime is dribbling all over my lower lip and causing a foam that doesn't just tingle.....I think my lip is going numb! Wayne just asked me if a rabid dog bit me!

All this for stellar white teeth. When I turn out the lights off and lean over to kiss him tonight, he'll flashback to Ross on Friends. Remember that episode?

in 15 years.......

I can retire. A friend asked me tonight what I wanted to do when I retire. Interesting question. Didn't have to think too long. I am going to go overseas as an IMB masters missionary. Coolest program you've ever seen. You sign up to go wherever they send you for 2 years. I can't wait. I figure as a nurse practitioner with a husband that can build anything in the world we should score a really cool place in Africa, or some tropical island somewhere.

John Piper's book "Desiring God" talks about wasting your life. In that book he gives an example of an older couple who retire on the beach and collect seashells. Once in heaven, when asked by God to account for their golden years, they show Him their beautiful seashells. I've never forgotten that story. I want to do more than hold up seashells, or pictures of my trips or trinkets I bought my grandkids. I want to do as much, if not more in my "spare time" than in my "full time"

There is couple in my church that I adore. Wayne and I want to be like them when we "grow up". They are both retired and have a blast doing kingdom work. They are always busy in our church doing everything from teaching classes, to disciplining new believers, to seeing about the old lady who has no family to care for her. They volunteer in local missions and are always laughing! Somehow in the midst of all their giving, they have time for fun camping trips and grandkids.

Lord, let tomorrow be the best day yet. Let me always have a reason to look forward to tomorrow. Let me never utter these words, "We used to ......." Make me always excited to see the next thing you bring my way. Life with You is an adventure! Let me live my day believing that!

Lost and found

Leslie and I took a little overnight trip this week. We only got lost once, ate a bunch of junk food and got to talk and laugh. Very therapeutic for both of us. Since it was a quick overnight trip I threw all my junk in my gym bag. As I searched in the pockets for my toothbrush I found these:

My absolute favorite pair of earrings in the entire world! They had been missing for over 6 months. I had literally moved furniture, looked through the vacuum cleaner bag etc. etc. and no where could they be found!
Any women who has found and reclaimed missing favorite jewelry can relate. I smiled all day as I wore these earrings. They go with everything, and match anything. Made me so happy.

Priest-Friend

But if anyone does sin, we have a Priest-Friend in the presence of the Father, Jesus Christ, righteous Jesus. When he served as a sacrifice for our sins, he solved the sin problem for good-not only ours, but the whole world's.
I John 2:1-2
The Message

first thoughts

The first five minutes that you wake up have always been magical. You are in between two worlds of reality and dreamland. During those first few moments of awareness you drift between delicious sleep and the urgency of what awaits you. Those first few moments can be the difference between a good day and a total dealbreaker. As the fog of nighttime burns off and your thoughts begin to form logical meaning, what do you think of?

Most days, my precise schedule does not allow for five more minutes in this warm bed next to my warm husband. But some days, like today, I wake up and realize, it's Saturday, I can lay here a few minutes.......and my mind has the pleasure of waking up slowly and imagining the smell of fresh coffee and frying bacon....


When my babies were small I would think things like...if I lay real still they won't hear me stirring. I would smile under the covers while I listened to their sweet baby voices jabbering and cooing as they entertained themselves.

Somedays I replay the bizarre dream I just woke from and try to remember every detail so I can figure out the meaning. Other days, I lay there and think about what ever current crisis is rocking my world.

If I'm feeling especially spiritual, I talk to God about nothing...and everything...

Somedays, like this morning, I look over at Wayne and listen to his soft snore. I study the lines on his face that I already know by heart. I think about what life would be like without him and can't imagine it. I decide he deserves bacon and french toast...right after I run....

Health Care

I am not a really politically motivated person. I don't picket abortion clinics. I don't attend rally's at the capital building. However, call it distrust of government, right wing upbringing, or what ever you want to, I haven't seen much good from Washington in my lifetime. I vote, I have in every election, and I did not vote for Obama. It wasn't that I was that enthused about John McCain. I just could not bring myself to cast my vote for someone who was so blantently for things that were against my moral and spiritual values (i.e homosexual marriage, abortion, big government and against small businessman, of whom I am married to....a small businessman that is!)

I haven't worried about the state of politics since November too much, I mean, what are you gonna do? Spend every evening scanning Fox news and letting my blood pressure go through the roof? Then came the Health Care reform. As a woman that is also a health care provider, Obama's Health Care reform scares me to death! If that weren't enough, as a daughter of retirement aged parents I am worried about how they are getting screwed---big time!
I will be the first to admit that health care in our country is a mess. I volunteer at an indigent clinic for uninsured people in my community every month. You don't have to tell me that things are really bad for people w/ no insurance, but socialized medicine is not the answer. Government regulation of services, test and procedures can't be a good thing. Certainly when you are the one with unexplained headaches and the MRI won't be approved by Uncle Sam for 6 months!

OK, so much for my soapbox. Isn't it cool that you can read this and totally disagree? Isn't it great that the USA is where I live and I can say I really hate the President's attempts to fix my health care and no one locks me up in jail? Now I gotta go write my congressman.....

Dear Neighbor Dog,

Why do you hate me? Does it really make you insanely angry that I run by your house everyday? If I have never bothered you yet, do you really think that I am a real threat to your well being? I really wish you would just chill out and relax. We go through his same routine everyday. I run by, ipod blaring so as not to hear your vicious barks. As I chant my mantra "The dogs on a chain, he can't bite you." over and over, you rise up from your dirt patch, lunge against your chain and bare your huge saliva covered fang teeth at me. You bark over and over until it sounds like you are hoarse. You continue until I am around the corner and down the hill.
It's not good for your nerves, or mine. I'm more than willing to try and be friends. Tomorrow if I throw you a treat will you just lay there and shut up? That kind of behaviour is exactly the reason you are spending your life on the end of a chain, in a dirt patch in someones backyard. There are sweet dogs in this world who spend their evenings curled up in a recliner getting their ears scratched. It's all about making friends.

Kindest Regards,
Your neighbor, the middle aged runner

but then again

I could be sad that my girls are headed back to school as a junior and 8th grader... but then again....they get up all by themselves these days and I sleep in an extra 15 minutes.

I could be sad that there there are no more lunches to pack in brand new Barney lunch boxes......but then again...they pack their own lunches now and I don't have to worry about making anyones lunch but my own.

I could be sad that I can't help them with homework anymore because they are taking classes like chemistry, geometry, and life science....but then again I'm glad they can do homework all by themselves so I have time to run after work.

I could be sad that they are driving themselves to school now.....but then again.....I get control of the radio for a change. That means no more Beyonce at 8 am.

I could be sad that this is the last first day of middle school for Virginia and only one more first day of school for Leslie.....but then again..me and Big Daddy are one step closer to a new Corvette and mountain roads.

It's all in how you look at it, at least that's what I keep telling myself!

Where in the world

Do you ever look at your child and think, "Where in the world did that come from?" I'm not talking about being disappointed in them, I mean when they wow you with a skill, a loving comment or look so pretty, you wonder how that came from the gene pool they were given.

Leslie has been dabbling in photography and she's pretty good. I know, I'm her mom, but seriously, she didn't get the creative gene from me. Must be her daddy, the can make-repair-invent-dismantle- anything-with-my hands-man that I married. Creativity comes in many forms and Leslie's form is pretty good for a 16 year old. Take a look:

If Wayne and I were monkeys......

10 words

The Ivey League is a fun blog I discovered last week, so I'm linking to Bridget's post from yesterday. What are 10 of your most favorite words? Very interesting........ Here's mine:

1)Chocolate- Not sure if I'd classify this as my most favorite word, so I'm not sure if it should be #1, but since I am typing while I polish off chocolate covered peanuts, it seems an appropriate place to start. Who doesn't love chocolate beside my husband, and his lack of estrogen lets him off the hook.

2) Harmony- I sing alto, and rarely if ever do I sing the melody to a song. Even when I hum to the radio, it's usually the harmony part, and there's nothing I love better than tight harmony!!!

3)Relish- not as in a hot dog, but more like I really enjoy something. Not sure why I like the sound of that word, but it is strictly a phonetic thing.

4)Lovin'- not "loving" but "lovin"...Around our house we ask each other if we need some lovin, and if you've had a bad day you are allowed to declare to anyone that will listen "I need some lovin" someone should come to the rescue, even if it's Ginger to lick your face.

5)Forgiveness- If you've been as bad as I have been, and know what it's like to be forgiven I don't need to explain.

6)Steady- This is my favorite descriptive word of my husband (and oldest daughter). Steady. Nothing aggravates them, not too much excites them. They are both rock steady.

7)Bunny- It's a family nickname. I smile whenever I hear it.

8) Vacation- It's the best week of the whole year, and we love to plan it and talk about it...all year long. We talk about where we want to go and what we want to do. Everyone gets a vote, and it means uninterrupted family time, whether we are on a cruise, or in a camper.

9)Nap-nap- A relic from the baby days, we still call naps nap-nap at our house. Every Sunday afternoon, I announce to everyone that I'm hoping to take a nap-nap, and the girls roll their eyes. Some mornings, if I'm lucky they stumble out of their beds and into my arms for a hug and back scratch, and in their sleepy ears I'll whisper, "Did you have a good nap-nap?"

10)I love you- I know, it's more than one word, but said together, this phrase can make your day, and even change your world!

What are your favorite 10 words?

Would You Rather......

Spend your time machine free pass on.......

A. Reliving any 24 hour period of your life to date? You cannot change the outcome, but only relive and enjoy an experience you have already had.

OR

B. Adding 24 hours to the last day of your life? It can be used any way you want, anywhere you want with anyone you want.

Welcome to 2009

I have never said that I am technologically literate. I just found out that I could download sermons by Matt Chandler at Village Church the last few months. My kids set my cell phone for me. It's a miracle I can get on here and post a blog. I get jealous when I see fancy polls and quizzes on other peoples blogs. It took me a week to quit bragging about uploading pictures.

This week I took another giant step in the Internet world. Can I say, Craigslist rocks! Last week my mom and I had a yard sale. She has perfected second hand shopping, swapping and selling to an art form. Despite all all her finesse, I could not unload my pool pump and filter, liner and polaris on anybody! My last customer suggested I try to sell it on Craigslist. Wait a minute! Isn't that the online prostitution solicitation website? She reassured me that despite recent happenings, it was legit and I could probably sell my junk, er, second hand quality pool supplies at a great price.

Can I tell you that I am in love with Craigslist? I sold my stuff this morning and not only that but I have logged countless hours this last week perusing the site for all sorts of second hand junk, er quality space occupying items that look interesting. I think you can even sell food on here!
Good bye forever yard sales! You are so 2000 and late!

Wife of the Year

My poor husband. Why he puts up with me is something I'll never know. He woke up at the crack of dawn this morning and headed for the mountains where he slaved on putting up gutters, then turned around and drove 3 hours to get home. He was really tired. It was a long day for him. I'm sure he was looking forward to getting home to his loving wife and eating a great home cooked meal.

In the mean time, I was getting pampered at the beauty shop, having my red hair applied and let me tell you, I love getting my hair done. It's the only time I forget about everything but myself. Apparently I really was enjoying myself because by the time I headed home it was 7pm.

When I got in the door, I was so glad my sweet obedient daughters had put potatoes in the oven. I had not thought much beyond baked potatoes so I rummaged around the fridge, while Wayne and the girls watched with saliva running down their chins. I managed to find a bag of cabbage, so I tried to get them excited about baked potatoes and coleslaw. What do you mean what else? that's it... I offered to warm up some frozen meatballs. No one was very impressed.

OK, so we ended up with naked potatoes that were a wee bit undercooked in the middle. I covered them with chili and cheese, hoping to disguise their firmness. As my sweet husband gagged down the rock hard potatoes and coleslaw, he never said a word. I tried to find redemption with homemade brownies and a big glass of cold milk. I don't think he's holding it against me. I hear him in the living room laughing at the antics of the Duggar family on TLC. Tomorrow is another day, we are going to Carraba's with friends, He'll get a great meal.
In the mean time, my hair looks stunning!

This week I've been reading.......

I've never read anything by John Ortberg, but so far I'm impressed. I like his straight forward approach and easy style. This book happens to be timely for me right now. It deals with the status quo christian and how we are missing out. I'm only on chapter 3 but here's my favorite quote:

"You can take each moment and say, 'God, this is yours." You can offer him your spiritual giftedness- not compared with anyone else- as fully honed and developed as you can get it, identified with pristine clarity, cultivated with relentless perseverance, deployed with unstoppable vigor, submitted with sacrificial humility, and celebrated with raucous joy." John Ortberg, p. 51