Women of all tongue sizes....

I woke up early this morning, and came downstairs to READ A BOOK - I KNOW!!! Me, read a book....and as I thumbed through it, it turns out - I've actually finished this one before!! ;) "A Wife After God's Own Heart". So there is another tally mark for the rare "finished book" chart. Woo hoo!

It talks about the tongue. Evil little thing. A crabby, cranky, nagging, quarrelsome, complaining, ill-tempered wife is biblical. The Bad kind of biblical, though - ranks right up there with tax collectors. She writes "It not only drives a husband crazy, but it can also drive him away. To escape the constant drip, drip, drip of a wife's sour, negative words, a husband will choose to live in the attic, on the porch, on the rooftop, or even in the wilds. He would rather risk the elements, do without the shelter and comfort of home, even take his chances against the threat of wild animals than stay one more second in the presence of a belligerent wife." That's quite the power we have there, ladies!

(paraphrased from book)
My speech is to be:
**soft. A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
**sweet. Pleasant words promote instruction and understanding.
**suitable. kind, sweet words have a medicinal effect on both body and soul.
**scant. Sometimes the most skillful use of the tongue is keeping it still.
**slow. Listen much, speak little, and not become angry.

Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

Merry Christmas to Me, who is Me anyway?

My Christmas gift came today: Amy Knapp's Christian Family Organizer.

I don't know what I would do without it!!! It came today FedEx. In the process of realizing the FedEx man was stuck in my driveway and needed a shovel, I understood how devoted this man was to bring me my beloved Organizer. So the first thing I did after he got unstuck, is rip open the package and see 2 organizers - the one I ordered AND the "Expecting" Family Organizer....ya, for pregnant women. I wonder if that was supposed to be a funny joke from God. I chuckled as if to say "in your dreams", and maybe he chuckled to say "if you only knew". Let's hope I was right. So I called to see if they wanted me to send it back, but if they don't want it back, do YOU know of anyone who just found out they are expecting??
Moving on...

weekly verse, calendar of before and after months at bottom, weekly grocery list with full-page perforated edge!, daily menu planner on the right, To Do List (very important), and a prayer list - everything you'd need in a planner, right? Love this thing!!! And as I was transferring birthdays into the new planner, I ran across "ANDY DIED" on January 28th, 2008 and got a little choked up as I skimmed what that week held (visitation and funeral arrangements), and glanced up at that weeks verse to the left which says "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." -Proverbs 27:1 NIV

And yes, I chuckled again. At the simple reminder of Andy -- that I am not actually in control. Control flairs up for me at Christmas time. I am in charge of buying, wrapping, writing, organizing (which Amy Knapp helps me do), and well.....managing. So -- balance all that with "I am not in control here". I get confused on this whole issue. In our INSTE study, we had a week that looked at "God is not pleased with self-sufficiency". And I've had to re-evaluate my control issue -- and really worked at balancing this problem I have.

Let me tell you a secret: I have a problem asking for help. With everything. Unless its my husband, that poor guy tolerates mountains of my help-needs and emotional issues. So...my point is...if I pride myself on "doing it all myself" and then I read "God is not pleased with self-sufficiency".... yes, that means change. And change means accepting "you do not know what a day may bring forth".... and changing in being prideful about how much I don't need God - because I just bet that makes Him cringe. How does one go from being "in control of the decisions of my life" to "Letting God be in complete control". And how to approach that change without a "demoted" attitude? That's a whole lotta change for one person. ESPECIALLY when it's Christmas, and I should be open to guidance to shine the light of Jesus - because that's what Christmas is about!!!

I probably should have thought that out a little more before I typed all that. :)

Merry Christmas to you and your families!!! I wish you a self-controlless Christmas! :)

This is LOVE

This is me and my 2 sisters on vacation last summer. I LOVE THEM!!!!!

I love that I can call them my closest friends. Comfortable. :) Now, although we try not to make a habit out of being weird about being close, we can share a bathroom, tell each other when something is in our teeth, fix each other's make-up, give kisses to each other's children, and let each other in on the embarassing things that no one else would tell us about. I love my sisters.

VERY IMPORTANT: if you see the sister in the middle, "WENDY", give her a hug! She has a phobia. Please help her. And if you see the one on the right, "BRENDA", tell her how beautiful she is! She is in denial. And if you see me, ask me to make you a plate of cookies. I learned from my ever-so-talented Mommy. My beautiful mommy that taught me everything she knows. :)

Andy's Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY!

The last few weeks have been so emotional - then today came - and it went great! Bittersweet, that's for sure - but comforting. Harry took the day off today. We played in the snow a little, took a bath and nap, picked up some balloons, then went to the cemetery. My parents purchased one of these candles (pictured below) for Andy's birthday. You light the candle that goes inside the blue holder, put the lid on, and it will burn for 7 days. So we lit it again today, the 19th, and it will burn until Christmas. At night time, the flame looks red with glowing blue around it - it is beautiful. A light in the darkness. Very visible from the road. We love it!

And a beautiful wreath with butterflies from Aunt Wendy's family.

The girls both shouted out when they saw the ELMO balloon at the store, so that was the obvious choice for a first birthday party. :)

We each got our own balloon, and yelled up to Andy as we sent them off. "Say HI to Jesus for us!" "Happy Birthday" "We miss you!" "Have fun with your Elmo balloon!" "Love You"

then we brought the girls to amazing people....perhaps angels.... for a few hours. Harry and I went out to eat, stopped at a couple stores, and just got a chance to relax and spend some time together - something we've really needed! Then picked the very happy girls up and went home to have Andy's blue jello cake. We had to sing REALLY LOUD to make sure he heard us. And big sisters always help blow out the first candle.

This next one is a for you - a video: Stacy got to "cough" the candle out this time. :)

We sure do miss you, little guy.

Held

I was talking to my sister last week and she was wondering how I look so strong on the outside, because inside it must be killing me. I love her. And as I was driving home, I was praying for the chance to explain it the best way I could - and the song "Held" came on. I, for the first time, started really listening to the words. Then came the lightbulb in my head. Thank you, Lord. Instantly answered prayer - why can't they all be this easy? "We survive."

And his birthday next week........so held. "We will survive."

I unpacked a Christmas box filled with ornaments, and found a couple "baby's first Christmas" ornaments ready to be hung on the tree. I had packed it last year in January while Andy was still alive. And I dug a little more and found two little onesies 3-6 month size. "And to know that the promise was when everything fell we'd be held."

Go Here and listen if you have a minute today.

Prayertime

Daddy prayed at supper tonight, and Stacy followed right along. It went something like this:

Lord, thank you for this food....
(echo) Food...

and please bless it to our bodies....
(echo) o potty...

I love life's smiles. Especially the unexpected ones.