unified front

i've been pondering lately. we've been studying ephesians with kay arthur (not really WITH her, just watching her and her big broaches and earrings and shoulder pads on video). and we're to the part where it's talking a lot about unity. it's talking about speaking the truth in love. it's talking about one body of Christ. and i have to tell you, i've been pretty fired up about it.

i might get on my soap box for a bit, so don't say you weren't warned. :) here it is:

i think we might be missing it. i think the church in america can easily get carried away with productions of beautiful lights and great music and never really teach truth. i think we can easily come together on sunday mornings, say hey how are yah, and go on with our week without much thought to sacrifice or loving others in good times and bad. i think it's much easier to make eye contact, smile, and never speak up about sin or struggles. and heaven forbid we talk to someone else about something we see them struggling with OUT OF LOVE. --or appreciate it when someone does that for us.

so here's my idea. here's my Christmas wish: i pray desperately and earnestly for truth to be spoken in love to our fellow brother or sister in Christ. to share with each other so honestly and openly that there is NO doubt in their mind that if the time ever arises where we have to say something that might be a bit painful, that they will know beyond a shadow of a doubt we love them and love (not our own agenda) is what's the driving force behind our accountability.

i desire a church that doesn't have padded seats or nice lighting because i personally struggle with it all looking like a production and not an authentic act of worship. (i'm sure others don't have the same issues i do. it's probably just me). i desire to give up things that i think would make me happy at this moment so that i can have resources to help provide for someone else who is in want. i desire to reach out to my community and love them and help them and meet needs and point it all to Jesus. i desire to see the body of believers discipled in such a way that they seek God on their own and are united together with others knowing the foundation of truth.

are you convicted of the same things? do you desire a more grass-roots type of worship? i'm just wondering if anyone else out there is a bit disenchanted with what we've been doing...and desiring something more. more God, less us. i think that's what i'm looking for.

"...being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." --Ephesians 4::3-6

the breeder's cup

recently the hubs and i went up to my 10 year high school reunion. i sprained my ankle loading up the car to head out of town. that was fun. nothing accessorizes an outfit quite like a wheelchair and cast.

now i had a nice picture of the two of us looking pretty spruced up, but it's from my phone, so it'll all pixely. --that's not a word.

the food was delicious and we had a great time...correction...i had a great time. the hubs was a saint and never complained, but who likes going to meet someone else's friends for an hour or two knowing you won't see them again for another 10 years?

they handed out awards for people who had gotten the most degrees, been married the longest, come from the farthest away, etc.

we got an award, too. ready for the hilarity? we got the breeder's cup. yep. we have the most kids out of the people who were there. i tried to tell them we didn't breed any of them ourselves...we outsourced for that, but that still did not disqualify us ;)

so you are reading the post of a winner. a winner of the breeder's cup. it's okay to be jealous.

the plague

what were the seven plagues again? locusts, gnats, frogs...

around here we've had our own plagues. it's been a bleak time here. i've had a very painful cyst (i know you wanted to know) that warranted 5...count them...5 trips to the doctor. and we still don't really know what it is or how to treat it. it's dying down now. the same day i went in for that initial visit, i found out i had strep.

then i sprained my ankle and had to have a cast and use crutches.

then i got strep again.

i think that's more like 4, but it felt like 7.

so now it's been over 2 weeks of me being medically ridiculous and unable to care for my children, and i am ready to be back to normal again.

praise God for my husband, mom, and friends who have helped out. i truly would NOT have been able to do anything without them. it was kind of bad timing that only a few months ago we moved to a new town where we didn't really know anyone and now i'm in need of help. but God provides!

so...since i try not to leave things on a negative note...here are the rich and wonderful blessings that occurred during this time of craziness:

1. spent extra time with my mom....and i love her

2. the boys got a few lessons in compassion. --still learning

3. i enjoyed a lovely dinner prepared by my beautiful neighbor because she wanted to help us out

4. i watched movies by myself this morning because the hubs had to work and we had to farm out the kids to great friends. thanks again, y'all.

5. my husband showed me once again that he is truly wonderful (never doubted it) last night when, after meeting my every need while i was sobbing and felt awful and was coughing so hard i thought i'd die, he laid next to me and said, "i'm here if you need anything else."

see? 5 blessings! and i'm sure there were much more that i can't think of. i encourage you to look at all the blessings you have been gifted with when it might be easier to look at the negative side of things. 4 illnesses, at least 5 blessings. God tenderly takes care of us. i'd say we've got it made, wouldn't you?

my day off

proof for sissy that i DID in fact organize stuff ;) not great quality, but it'll do.

wahoo! look at me blogging more than once a month!

the hubs gave me a day off yesterday and relieved me of my motherly duties. it was wonderful. i had lunch with a great friend at a girly place, got a pedicure, and bought a pretty dress and belt.

i feel spoiled. it was so relaxing!

the picture above are my toes. my calves look freakishly large. i hope they are not this scary in real life to onlookers.

i forgot to pick a color, so i had my pedi guy pick it out. --this pink color you can see from space was his choice. i like it.

i also read gossipy magazines and enjoyed every minute of it.

now let's all put our feet up.

organization extravaganza!

i'm a firm believer that if you put the word 'extravaganza' at the end of something, it makes it downright exciting. flu EXTRAVAGANZA! or fatigue EXTRAVAGANZA! see? gives it a little extra something, doesn't it?

i've been on an organizing kick lately. Organization EXTRAVAGANZA! (in my head, you yell it.) and what i mean by "organize" is that sometimes i go through things, sort them out, and throw stuff away, and sometimes i just hide stuff in other locations so things LOOK organized.

shameful.

so far i've organized the pantry, the junk drawer, and the guest room (sort of). i had pictures but they're from my phone and not good quality at all. the hubs built shelves to go in the garage (in one evening! he's handy!) all the kids are rearranged in rooms upstairs, i've filed all our important papers, shredded stuff i needed to, and cleaned out our filing cabinet. i've even gone through my scrapbook and labeled it. --my sister does my scrapbook for me and leaves the labeling to me! isn't she fantastic? i've also rearranged our junked-up closet. because let's face it, sometimes the junk just has no where to go. and you can't get rid of said junk because you really do need it.

anyway! i am feeling mighty productive, which is a feeling i enjoy. ;) especially since yesterday i was diagnosed with strep. ugh. and how's the new schedule of education going, you ask? great! today was shapes and colors and the kids had a great time coloring and finding shapes in books. so yay for achieving goals!

like the pic at the top? the boys were in my bro-in-law's wedding back in may. and while this pic is cute, i really meant to upload the whole family pic. but you get what you get. ;) now for a nap. and maybe some chocolate. mmm. chocolate.