Quote

Interesting quote from Rick Warren:

"When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, 'God, if
I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You
better.' God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list.
He's more interested in what I am than what I do.

That's why we're called human beings, not human doings."

Oh Happy Day

I just got off the phone with my beloved grandmother, who told me all about her birthday celebration. She told me about how people came to her celebratory dinner, and how she got to visit with people - family - that she hadn't seen in quite awhile. She kept telling me how much fun she had, and also how stuffed she was! I had to laugh. She said that everytime someone new came along, they'd want to go get something to eat. My aunt worked really hard on coordinating schedules and getting people to the party. My understanding is that she's been working on this for months.

I just kept listening to my grandmother, and how happy she was to see all these people, and fighting back tears because I had missed it, but thinking, too, how much like heaven sounds like her party. People I haven't seen in years, or even knew I had impacted somehow, will greet me - will tell me that they've been waiting for me - how they couldn't wait to hug me. Then we'll all sit and share a meal - feeling more satisfied than the best meal here on earth. And the Host, well, the Host will be first in line to embrace me - ME! And He'll welcome me with more love than I can comprehend. He'll laugh and rejoice and sing over me, so glad that I could be with Him. What a day of rejoicing that will be! I can't wait!

...and so it goes

Howdy all! Things around here have settled in to a comfortable rhythm, I think. We got the first progress report for the boyz: DS1 is doing very well - with a couple of exceptions, but is gearing up to raise those two grades. DS2 has B's across the board. Way to go, guys!!! Tyler told me that Morgan broke up with him today. Ah, well...

We're shooting our last (woot!) wedding this weekend. I'm looking forward to having it over with. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am happy for the families and all, but from a purely selfish standpoint - DONE means DONE!

My beloved hubby and I actually were able to sit together in church yesterday - hasn't happened in I don't know how long! I'm out of the praise team rotation for about a month due to many reasons. Maybe while I'm not singing, I can shake whatever is lurking in my lungs and making me cough.

I have finished another angel - stitching, at least, if not the beading. This is the time of year when the Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue comes out, but I'm really having a heck of a time finding it around here! Not sure why, but none of the book stores around here are carrying the parent magazine, Just Cross Stitch. I really don't want to have one missing of my collection, so I guess I'll keep looking...*sigh*

Things at my old job are really in a tizzy right now, and I know that prayers would be appreciated...

I'm mulling over some inspirational, spiritual-type thoughts. Hopefully, they'll decide to make an appearance in an upcoming blog soon...

I am, in every thought of my heart, yours...

I took Monday and Tuesday off in celebration of our 14th wedding anniversary on Tuesday. Nothing planned, really; just time to hang out together. The kiddoes are in school both days, so we're not going anywhere or anything.

I can't believe it's been 14 years! Some days it seems forever ago we got married, then there are the days when it feels like we're still honeymooning!

My husband is one of the sweetest, most gracious, best-looking, kindest, big-hearted people I know. I cannot believe that God has given us this time to be together - He's truly good!

Allen is so romantic! I get tears in my eyes when I read some of our old love letters (and some of his blogs, too) He wants to take care of me and our boys more than anything. I am truly blessed!

Here's to the past fourteen, and many more to come, babe! I love you!

New territory

*phew* What a busy weekend! The lock-in Friday seemed to be a success - we're really trying to get the women in our church to go deeper in their relationships. We had a better turnout than any of us expected, and more spent the night than we thought would. Found out some interesting things about some of my sisters - um, yeah, let's just leave it at that...But it was lots of fun!!

Ryan and I went to a bonfire/cookout at the home of my "boss" Saturday night. She asked me if I was alright, because despite my best efforts, evidently I looked like I had been up all night (which, ironically enough, I had been!) I explained to her that I hadn't slept all night, and had been at a lock-in. Later, I told her that we would be leaving soon, because I really needed to get home and sleep. As she's walking across the yard, she calls back to me, "Well, thanks for coming anyway! I'm so glad you came out here after you'd been at a lock-up yesterday!" Uh, that's lock-IN, Beth, lock-IN. Oh, well.

Today, we sang a song we'd never done on mics before. I had the opening solo, and it just sounded completely different to me - weird! This afternoon, there was a concert at our church to benefit our local food bank, and the PT was asked to kind of be the opening act. Interesting, to say the least...

And my elder son just asked me if he could take his girlfriend on a double date to the movies next weekend. I'm SO not ready for this! I mean, he's had "girlfriends" in the past, but this is the first time he's ever actually DONE anything with any of them besides point them out to us as we pass in the car and tell us that one's his girlfriend. ACK!

So, yeah, I can't wait to go to work to get some rest! And hey, PT gals - Moooo! ;-D

Thankful

Tyler and I had a pretty good talk this evening about counting the cost, and standing up for what's right. I kept feeling like I was talking in circles, but he got it. (Thank you, Lord, for giving him the understanding even when I didn't have the right words.) I asked him how his Bible study was going. I had encouraged him to start with John. He admitted that it wasn't going so well. I hesitantly asked him if he'd like to study together. I say 'hesitantly', because, well, you know how pre-teens can be. The first thing he said was, "When? Can we start tomorrow?" (Yay!)

I was reading something today in a daily Psalm study by Warren Wiersbe, and it talked about Psalm 103:6-12. It said that while we usually give thanks for something God has done for us, we also need to be thankful for what He hasn't done. Verse 10 says, in essence, that He hasn't dealt with us as we deserve. He deals with us through Jesus, and the cross. Thank God, today, for what He hasn't done!

What Day Off?

Happy Labor Day, Blogville! Hope y'all had as good of a time as we did! My beloved hubby and the men's ministry put on another slammin' cookout at the church today. Baby back ribs (with homemade sauce!), chicken, burgers, hot links, bratwurst, hot dogs, and a deep fried turkey topped today's menu. Then add in all the yummy stuff people brought in - oh, man! Then there was flag football, volleyball, basketball, etc, etc, etc...It was a lot of work, but I think it was worth it! I'm so proud of Allen, and his planning and cooking skills!

So, we didn't do much Friday evening, in preparation for the rest of the weekend. Saturday, we shopped for the cookout, and went to some friends' house for game night - VERY fun. Sunday was church, and well, we didn't get the email from Jeff informing us that he was too unwell to perform at his vocal recital, so we went to that. It was very nice, and it was great to see my voice coach again! I haven't seen her in a long time - just hasn't worked out to get together. Then after the recital, we had our fantasy football draft/fish fry at our house. Good times! Although, we're all exhausted...

I really did have something deep and meaningful to share, but right now, I'm doing pretty good to find the keyboard...

Until next time...