Swisspers And Cows

I bought a new package of super cheap version of Q-tips Swisspers cotton swabs and thought it was funny that one of their advertising claims is "Hot Colors" Why do we need hot colors of cotton on a stick to insert into our ears?



Hot? Seriously?


I sure do like the cleanliness and texture of the swabs.

I went out to rehearse for a special that I am singing on Tuesday. My friend lives in front of a farm. I crossed this cattle guard...


And walked down this path...


And stopped near this gate...


And watched the biggest bull in the pasture go and hide behind a tree as if the fence between us was not enough to protect him from me...


Then I sang.

Look What I Found!

Look what I found over at BeFri's! Man! I am telling you she is such a techy girl. AND it makes me feel so special and proud to know that I am one of the reasons that she is moving that little chickie across that bar!



In true S4J 'have to have that' fashion, after jumping up and down at seeing her wonderful progress, went straight over to the TickerFactory and made one of my own! Now don't go looking at this as a competition, because it is not - I just love it because I get to see how close we are to getting to see the ladies that we look forward to every year (and sometimes new ones too). And an important factor to note: The graphs are in percentage. So, it may appear that I am further along than BeFri, however the whole graph is based on what your savings goal is. Hers could be $10,000 whereas mine could be $400. Also important to note: Our trip is not until November. That leaves PLENTY of time for all of us to reach our goals.

Being Loving Even When You Aren't Feeling Loving

Wednesday is rehearsal evening for 1st service Worship Team and 2nd service Chancel Choir. The kids and I will spend approximately 3 hours at church. On the Wednesdays that we do not have covered dish fellowship meal, we pack a picnic dinner or grab some fast food on the way so that they can eat while I rehearse. Today I had to go to the dollar store, so I decided to make picnic dinner a little more special this week(and I had been thinking along these lines when I did the grocery shopping on Tuesday so I picked up special things to go in their dinners). I even picked them up some dessert, which is a rarity in the S4J household.

I picked them each a special 'brown lunch sack' just to let them know that they are loved.





I even got a new tear-it-up toy for Angus. As you can see, he liked it.

Lighten Up, Will Ya?

Ugly Mug

Already having a fun start to my day. Linda over at 2nd cup of coffee is holding a contest to find the ugliest mug in bloggyville. The mugs that are already up are really atrocious, but the campaigning for said mugs is completely hilarious. Not only did I have several good laughs this morning, but I came across several blogs that I am interested in going back to. I am not posting an ugly mug because, well, I don't have any. I have boring mugs, but no ugly mugs. *slouches* plus, I don't drink coffee. And there is no Starbucks here to be able to make use of the prize. You feel sorry for me now. Don't you? Any way, I am happy to dedicate this post to Linda's 1,000th post so that I can say, "Thank you" for your blog. She talks about her faith, her family, her life and she is absolutely hilarious. A highly recommended read. Here is the one that got my vote.

A Softer Heart

These things softened my heart a bit today....



I met up with my new friend to rehearse this song...




Then I met up with another new friend for lunch....




Then she took me to see these......

January 21, 2009

*Warning ~ nothing fun here. You may wish to come back another day when there is a lovely picture posted, or some hilarious story about how a goat got hold of my shoe on my way to take the 2010 Census application test. However, if you feel like an ugly dose of reality, possibly a little conviction from God's Word, or just an unpleasant glimpse into my current psyche then stick around*

Goodness. How have I had no new post in 5 days? Well, there is the usual - I have been busy....
all my usual life stuff which sometimes keeps me from sitting down to post. But truth be told there is another thing that has been on my mind. Well, on my mind is putting it lightly - rotting away the core of my being might be closer to accurate. I haven't shared thus far for several reasons....

• It's a sensitive topic and I haven't really figured out how to give enough information that you would understand what was going on without sharing things that people I care about would not want me to share about at this time.
• It's really ugly and shameful (and therefore, makes me want to hide it)
• I have still not handed it over to God without taking it right back and growing it exponentially(is that the right word?)
• And uh, it's not funny or cute.

I guess what I am saying is that this is ~ or ~ I am, a work in progress and so I will share where I am at in the progress, or lack there of, and try to move on.

Let's call my problem, "A thorn in my side". Hm, not it. "A rosebush that keeps whacking me with its thorns in my side". Nope, not quite. "A rosebush with the most poisonous and rampantly destructive thorns ever known to mankind with roots that have been growing down for nearly 15 years that keeps whacking me and the people I love in my side and then says, 'I have done nothing wrong ~ rosebushes will be rosebushes after all.'"

Melodramatic? Mmhm. I have been trying to prune said rosebush, prayed over and for said rosebush, begged for deliverance from said rosebush, licked the many wounds from said rosebush, praised God in the midst of being entwined with said rosebush, pleaded with said rosebush to be more careful ~ only to have it right back there with one of its branches coming loose from its ties to stab me in my eye causing it to bleed, swell, and painfully itch.

Currently, I do believe that the rosebush has done the biggest damage ever and I am finding myself unwilling to let go of the malice I now hold for it. In the most graphic and unpleasant truth, I want to take an axe and ruthlessly remove every limb of the bush and then dig its roots completely out and throw the whole mess into the burn pit so that it can never-more cause one more poisonous stab to myself or to the ones whom I love.

I am here to tell you that this is wrong. I know it is wrong. I am in regular need of forgiveness and here I sit, unwilling to give it. I know that it does not matter how many times I have been stabbed by the bush, I am to forgive. I know that as much as I have thought murder in my mind, I have done it. I know that the rosebush is an intentional and beloved creation of God, and I should be (and am) ashamed of wanting to see its destruction, rather than its fertilized, well-tended, restoration to beauty.

Just when I think I am making progress, preparing to ask God to forgive me for my black heart and remove the sin from me, that stinking rosebush pokes me again. It just.will.not.stop.

I am sure you have heard referenced the verse in Ephesians that some translations translate as, "Do not give seat to the devil". I've been pondering this in recent days with a more personal realization than ever before. I am not just giving some random seat to the devil, I have outright invited him to sit at my table and be in my company all the live long day. How gross is that? Yet, here I sit before you, still not repenting. It is not okay. I know.

I'm Just Too Cute

Not sure where I got this from, I'm thinking maybe my Grandfather gave it to me before he passed away. That little one is me. Doesn't it look like I'm saying, "You tawkin' ta me? Ah YOU tawkin' ta ME??" And the cutey in the stripey shorts would be my brother. Probably 1972...

Snippets Of The Past

Found a journal today that I had written in only twice. I am much better about blogging!

Here is the entry from 02 February 1996

I started a diet today. (160lbs) This weekend has been so wonderful! The weather has been perfect so yesterday hubby and I took the babies outside to play. They explored all over. Boy twin likes to have a hickory nut in each hand - he doesn't put them down until it's time to go inside. Girl twin brought me leaves, grass, pine needles and whatever else she could find. Today we took them for their first trip to the park. Boy twin only liked playing on the grass. He cried on the sand and on the slide. Girl twin loved it! She especially liked watching the other kids play. I've been suffering from insomnia lately. I haven't been able to figure out why. Bedtime struggles have paid off! The babies go to bed at 8:00 pm. We read them 1 or 2 stories and then a prayer, shut off the light and turn on the music box. They lay down & fall asleep - no fuss, no fight. It's fantastic!

Interesting.

First Order Of Granny Business

I made a quilt for the baby. My friend helped me choose a pattern and the fabrics, then cut most of the strips for me too. For the rest I was left to my own devices. Have a look-see.....




I collected some scriptures and prayers and printed them onto iron-on transfer paper to sew into the quilt so he'll be all snuggled up in prayers and the Word of God


In true S4J fashion, I forgot to flip the print during printing, so they all printed backwards. Good thing no one will see them but me. Well, and you.


Also in true S4J fashion, I broke a cardinal rule of quilting (or if it isn't a cardinal rule, it should be. If you're a quilter and you think it shouldn't be, then maybe it should be just for me) I cut the Scripture strips on top of my finished quilt top......



Here is the finished quilt.


Folded over so you can see the brown bear flannel on the back. So snuggly, soft and warm.

Now I need a chiropractor.

Announcing!

On this, what would have been my brother's 38th birthday, our first grandchild has been born.

The specs:

It's a boy!

Born at: 4:17 pm
Weight: 6lbs 13oz
Length: 19 1/2 inches

Mom and baby are healthy and remain in the hospital a wee bit longer for observation.

Grandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the glory of sons is their fathers.
Proverbs 17:6

Sing4Joy - Award Winning Photographer

In December of 2008 I entered 20 photographs into the Army MWR Digital Photo contest. 8 of them won at our local installation level and have been forwarded on to the Department of the Army level which means they will be judged against the winning photographs from installations worldwide.

These received First Place in their respective categories:

Violin
Division 2 -- Other Eligible Patron, Class -- Color, Category -- Object

Milkhouse Tools
Division 2 -- Other Eligible Patrons, Class -- Color, Category -- Object

Nutty Nuts
Division 2 -- Other Eligible Patrons, Class -- Color, Category -- Experimental

Are You Listening?
Division 2 -- Other Eligible Patron, Class -- Color, Category -- Animal Friends

Lake Livingston
Division 2 -- Other Eligible Patron, Class -- Color, Category -- Place

Stealing A Moment
Division 2 -- Other Eligible Patron, Class -- Color, Category -- Military Life

These received Honorable Mentions in their categories:

Lake Skinner
Division 2 -- Other Eligible Patron, Class -- Color, Category -- Place

Catching The Rain
Division 2 -- Other Eligible Patron, Class -- Monochrome, Category -- People

How fun is that??

Irony Pie And Vestiges Of Christmas Music

As you may recall, irony visits me often. It is a regular companion to me. Here's an example:
Just the other day I said to my friend Jenn, "I don't read your recipe blog because I don't like to cook, but maybe you could publish it cookbook style for your kids."

And then, today, I went to 2 different stores about 30 miles apart to find whole Allspice and Kitchen Bouquet for a recipe I wanted to try. Open mouth, insert foot. The honest truth is that I DON'T like to cook. But I do have a family who needs to be fed, and we do have a need for healthier meals with fresher ingredients. Hence, I read my cookbooks(which were all gifts) and find recipes that require things that half the world has never even heard of. Whatever. It was a recipe for "Lip smackin' chicken", and it turned out fine. If you're really that interested - leave me a comment and I'll email you the recipe.

Anyway, when we try recipes out of a cookbook, we try to rate it in the cookbook so we know for next time whether to bother with it or not. And as I was thinking about that this evening, I thought - you know, my family is pretty particular about their likes and dislikes and it would be way easier for me if all the stuff WE like were in ONE book. That thought took me back to Jenn and the cookbook for posterity idea. SO - I decided that I would put together one for our family and when each kid moves out, I will give them one so that they can have the recipes for their favorite meals altogether in one place. Maybe I'll include lovey quotes and beautiful S4J photography as well. Who knows? Perhaps there will even be a recipe for Irony Pie in there. Don't go getting all 'crazy' thinking that I am endeavoring on this huge cookbook scheme or anything like that, and NO I am not starting a recipe blog. I had already downloaded the Blurb software for my New Year gift which STILL no one has gotten for me, and I just opened a file for the cookbook. As I care to pass the time with it, I will enter a recipe into it. Then, when it is time - I will have it printed.

Tomorrow I am singing a special at first service. Our first service Worship Leader requested that we get in the last vestiges of Christmas music, so I chose a truly lovely song that I heard for the first time about a month ago called Christmas Lullaby (Lead You Home) by Amy Grant which I have posted for you below. Imagine me as that skinny blond girl (minus the foreign choir, the duet partner, and the live musicians) and you pretty much know what I will sound like and look like in the morning.