We are days away (I think) from learning how to crawl. It seems like she is learning a new trick or making a new sound every day. I'm so thankful that I have this time at home with her and am not hearing about all her "firsts" from the someone else at the end of the day.

Lately I've been re-reading the Mitford books by Jan Karon. If you like clean, wholesome fiction, this is some of the best. Set in a small town in North Carolina, you see events that unfold through the eyes of the towns 60-ish year old Episcopal priest. I love these books because even though I am busy, busy, BUSY, with baby & puppies & house & etc., I can take a 10 minute break when I'm eating lunch and actually feel like I've relaxed while I read these books - as opposed to others that I have read that seem to compel me to try and finish the book in one sitting.

Random Things:

Favorite color: purple
Favorite drink: Diet Coke!
Favorite cookie: gingersnap or oatmeal raisin
Favorite author: right now . . . Jan Karon
Favorite ice cream: fudge ripple
Favorite hi-tech gadget: my new Tungsten E Palm

A verse that I have been pondering for the last couple days . . .

I Thessalonians 5:16:
"Rejoice always;" (New American Standard Bible)


Rejoice is defined as "feeling, causing, or indicating joy;" other words for it, "be happy." What do I do with a verse that commands me to be happy? Is this just a suggestion? Somehow I doubt that! I'm told I'm to be happy. Actually, I have complete Biblical freedom to be happy in my faith. And the more I think about this verse, the morning important I think it is - even though it's only two words.

Happiness is protection for me from sin. If I am happy, what am I not? Depressed, discontent, angry, dissatisfied - all ways that I can be drawn into a sinful attitude, decision, thought, word, etc. Without total happiness in Christ, and other worldly source for joy can become a tool for seduction into sin. There is nothing that can make me consistently happier than a vibrant - happy! - relationship with Jesus Christ.

List of 10 Things that Make Me Happy and That I Thank God For!
(Not necessarily in any particular order, just off the top of my head!)
1. My husband being silly.
2. Noelle's laugh - it's really funny!
3. Sonic Diet Cokes with fresh lime in them!
4. Singing - especially harmonizing with Gina & Dottie
5. Sunny days where you go for a ride in the car with the windows down
6. A squeaky clean house (which it normally isn't!)
7. Women's Bible study
8. Popcorn with just the right amount of butter & salt
9. Working on making scrapbooks & cards
10. A new purse.

I'm pooped. The youth group at our church just finished their annual Valentine's dinner/fundraiser. Approximately 80 salads, pieces of lasagna, and squares of tiramasu later, I'm now home in my pajamas putting the baby to bed. Our youth group has some fabulous kids in it. All of them are very theatrical and musical - we had two girls sing "Stand By Me" and they knocked the crowd over. The group is also very open with each other - they can debate, argue, disagree and still walk away friends. Pretty cool stuff.

Happy Valentine's Day! This is only my 3rd Valentine's Day where I've ever had a date in my life. One was with my fiance, and the last two have been with my husband. Waiting until I was 30 to meet the man that I was to marry was definitely an interesting journey . . . and although not probaby not the route that everyone would take or choose to happen to them, one that I would recommend. How can a 16 year old have a "serious" relationship that last several years? Especially one without getting physically involved far beyond what God intended for singles?? Now that I have a daughter, I am deeply burdened to teach her about purity - and not just with boys. In every aspect of her life - thought, deed, and action. The scary part is that to teach her about purity, and to do it the best I can, that means I must strive to be pure in my thoughts, deeds, actions and model that for her. That, to me, would show her my love in a far greater way than a stuffed bear or chocolate on Valentine's Day, and with a far more eternal value.

Not that I'm knocking chocolate at all. Chocolate definitely has its place in a girl's life.

We found out today that our car is sick. Big bummer! Thankfully, the Lord has provided a spare car from my sister & brother-in-law that we can use for as long as we need. However, at some point in the future, we are probably going to have to bite the bullet and get a new car. I must admit, I am probably one of the few people that would love to have a minivan. I think it would be pretty cool to get behind the wheel of our family's minivan, loaded with 2-3 kids of course, and head off for soccer practice or piano lessons or something like that.

One thing to note, if our kids get their physical agility and gracefulness from me, they probably won't be playing any kind of sports. Hopefully they will take after their father. We would be spending more on trips to the emergency room that what it would probably cost us to buy a new minivan.

Psalm 126:2

Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting; then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them."

My women's Bible study at church is studying the book of Judges right now. (Today was actually our first get-together to start working on it). The book of Judges is a pretty gory book. People get chopped up, smushed, stabbed, worship idols and make sacrifices to them, and so on. When I read it, I think, "eewww, what a horrible society to be living in where those kinds of things happen." Then someone said something today in our class that really made me think . . . those kinds of things are happening today - and they are still as terrible! People get murdered, women are raped, we worship "idols" - am I as shocked by them today as I should be? No. I'm calloused and so deaf to stories of such sorrow that I am not as appalled at the sin in the world as I should be. Sin is sin no matter what time period it happens and who is committing it. The sin that the Israelites witnessed and were part of is just as evil and despised by God as the sin that is in the world today. As I begin my study of this book of the Bible, I can't knowingly read it and be appalled at how they (the Israelites and the surrounding nations) act without looking at the world I live in and been ashamed of the way our society acts - deliberately sinful in the face of a Holy God. What should I be doing to take a stand against what is being done, said, shown on national television, in my generation?

I've just let the puppies out for the 3rd time in 30 minutes. Something I've noticed about these huskies - wind, rain, snow, cold - nothing fazes them. Sometimes I wish I was more like that. Able to take on tough decisions, big changes, unsure emotions head-on without the my human wishy-washy-ness. (I think I just made up a word there!) The Proverbs 31 woman doesn't seem to struggle with indecision or self esteem, does she?

"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness."

Is it idleness for me to post on this xanga site? How can I better serve my "household" in a God-honoring way? Deep thoughts for me on a Monday...