If you can't tell already, my love language is "words of encouragment". "Sticks and stones" don't hold a candle to what a mean-spirited, cruelly-aimed word can do to me (or aimed at one I love)(or even one I don't love!). A kind word can alter my perception of the entire day, an ill-spoken word can derail an otherwise great day.

Not that I live for other people's words; as God is continuing to transform the way I think, process information, and view people, He's also redirecting my focus to hear what He has to say about me; how He already views me. I'm a princess in His eyes and that's pretty doggone good.

That being said, an older friend of mine shared something with me this summer that kinda blew me away. He's in his 70s (older???) and we served together on Young Life's adult committee. Bob and his wife, Helen, are two of the most gentle souls you could meet, they're "who" I wanna be when I grow up :). They love their babies and grands (and great grands?), they're active in serving others, and they're still teachable :). They often look like "Jesus with skin on".

Apparently, years ago (and I do mean YEARS, we've lived in Tennessee over three now), I complimented him and told him he looked nice in a particular shirt. When I was in South Carolina for a visit, I ran into them; it was great to hug their necks and catch up a bit. Before I left, Bob told me, "I still wear that shirt you told me looks good on me." I have no idea what shirt he's talking about...but he STILL remembers. From a casual word of encouragement, he was influenced and sees himself differently, favorably because of something I said.

You KNOW this isn't about me patting myself on the back for uttering a kind word to a friend--it's well beyond anything self seving. It IS a fantastic reminder about both the power of influence we all have on those within our "sphere", and encouragement to choose our words carefully. I don't have to look any further than here to realize how powerful words are, and how I need to exercise discernment in what I say. I'm smiling as I recount for the umpteenth time what I tell my children frequently, "THINK before you SPEAK!" (okay, practice what you preach, practice what you preach!).

There is no way of telling in advance what's going to "stay" with someone. I wonder what my tongue has done both ways--positively and negatively. Perhaps it's best not to know. Especially where my kids are concerned, my husband, those closest to me.

I'm glad I ran into Bob for a number of reasons, but most of all, for him to "teach" me one more time :).

What's the deal about bloggers? You don't even have to ask! We'll tell ya what we think whether or not you invite the opinion (grinning out loud). At least I do, hmmm, maybe I'm the only one. I feel sorry for non-bloggers, they just have to walk around all day thinking thoughts without a means to express them......poor, conflicted, bound-up souls.

Well, Dan, a pastor in Indiana, is now inviting opinion. I noticed he changed the title of his blog, and although he didn't invite MY opinion, I shared my (uninvited) thoughts. Seems he agreed somewhat, so now he's having a "Name my blog" thing going on. Help him out, click the link. It'll freak him out to have a bunch of newbies chiming in.

I'm at my dad's right now and he's sleeping. There's a window of time to write (or read), so I'm taking full advantage. If you've been reading a while or know me, you know why I'm here; if not, this explains it, as well as the other post that one links to.

One of my oldest and dearest friends from childhood, Kimberly, encouraged me to seek moments of beauty through my dad's illness. There is so much "ugly" attached to witnessing an aging parent fall prey to the ravages of dementia, finding the beauty in the midst requires intention. But the lovely thing is, if you look for it, it's there!

Right before he went to sleep, he sang "Rock of Ages". Typically, traditional hymns don't resonate with me, but this time....this time, it was a moment of beauty that brought tears to my eyes. I had no idea he knew this song, my father only attended church with us during my childhood at Christmas and Easter. He knew both the tune and the lyrics...unbelieveable!

Once again, leaving me with hope for his salvation.....

There is no doubt, I was made for chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. "31 flavors" is NOT a selling point. If you read this little ditty of mine, you already know if you give me more than three choices, I short circuit. Can't do it. It's why I DESPISE shopping in a department store...and why it took Tad and me a year to pick out a coffee table (I'm married to a man who has an opinion....)...and why I could NEVER build a house because, oh my word! you have to choose paint colors and textures, bathroom and lighting fixtures, cabinets--type, finish, hardware (can you sense the panic setting in?), flooring--hardwood? carpet? If so, plush or berber? Wait a second, you have to start with an exterior design and floor plan (hysteria is mounting).......AAAAGGGGGGGHHH! I gotta stop right now...building a house has nothing to do with this post!!

The lightning strike that got our garage the other day apparently zapped the phone and tv in our bedroom. I told you we were nearly shaken out of bed, I guess that wasn't an exaggeration. Electricity is an amazing beast, the path it chooses to maraud--our room is on the opposite end of the house UPSTAIRS, the farthest point away from the garage, and yet, those were the two places it hit. (I thought Tad was just particularly "sparky" that night;) ).

Have you been to Best Buy or Wal-Mart or Target lately and seen all the choices for freakin' telephones and televisions?! RI-DIC-U-LOUS!! My inclination is to skip it, fuggetaboutit! Who needs it...really? We have another phone, more than one tv, seems like enough to me. I'm a believer: "more" and "bigger" are not better!

Tad told me about something he heard the other day (not sure where)--when faced with the myriad of choices available in our country, consumers are not consuming (lol), they evidently shut down like me. Rather than make a choice, they do without. Looking into this a bit more, I found a book written on the subject, and a few stories from NPR aired in the past.

So, I need some help. We're looking into a laptop purchase, and I was wondering if y'all had any advice. Anyone have a MAC? I've never used one, but those who do seem to have a special love thang going on with 'em. This will be used primarily by me, no business application and I'm not about to let the kids game on it. Any thoughts to help narrow down the field before we go hunting?

Photo credit: All Posters

Time to click like a (blogging) chick.

I receive Russ Breimeier's (Online Associate Editor for for ChristianMusicToday.com) weekly e-letter, and I thought this week's newsletter was interesting in light of some things I've been thinking through recently and not-so-recently. If you're looking for some help in making decent choices, this might be a good place to include; I often like and always appreciate Russ's spin on the industry and all things (Christian) music. He doesn't seem locked into the Christian sub-culture.

(hehe, if you're looking, the title of this post is the title of this week's newsletter...why re-invent the wheel...?) :D

There is a place deep within that no mother wants to admit to herself, let alone to anyone else. It's a shameful place, shrouded in secrecy, or perhaps more accurately, denial. It's a place she tries to talk herself out of, and everyday she vows never to return. But, return she does, and she is rightly concerned about what her husband and friends might think if they knew, so she remains confused and isolated and conflicted, believing that she is The Only One who "knows" this painful, heart-breaking, unspeakable truth:

She does not like one of her children.

As those words begin to settle, there's a soul chill in the air. With her own finger of accusation and expression of disgust, she doesn't have to hear it from anyone other than herself--"How could any good mother feel that way?". Over and over in her mind she is tried and convicted by a jury of her peers, the real "good mothers", who knowingly find fault with her for missing something, for withholding from her son what he obviously needs, for ranking her children in order of affection.

And she tries. She really tries. In the still and quiet of the next day, she confesses her weakness and imagined unforgiveable sin before God, pleading for wisdom and strength. Patience and kindness. Mercy and grace. And a change in the foot-stomping, jaw jutting defiance that began from the time he could walk at ten months, her only thought that the "terrific twos" so many gushingly speak of is little more than five years of "terrible" for her.

But, try she does and so embraces the attitude of "today is a new day", beginning his morning with cheek and belly kisses and cheerful encouragement and warm mother love, hoping that this day WILL be the turning point. Emotions follow behavior, right? If she acts like she likes him, than the accompanying feelings will come, if only she's consistent. And she's well on her way until the first challenge...and then the second...and then the third. Of course, all the while, the other children, although not without their own occasional challenge, are so easy to like. They're agreeable and obedient and trainable and responsive.

He reserves his best worst behavior for her alone; Daddy sees some of it, but for the most part, he's at work during waking hours, and the few between arrival and bedtime are divided among three, so somehow it remains hidden. Others might see glimpses, but for the most part they enjoy this lively personality. He's respectful and obedient to others, well rounded and a friend to many. His face is one of a thousand expressions, he can coax a laugh at will, and there are moments of delight. Those are her moments of hope that all will take a turn for the better...soon.

But "soon" is not a matter of days...or weeks...or months...but years. Years! But can you hear it? Something happened.

Obviously, this is autobiographical. I can write it because I lived it. For years. The guilt, the frustration, the denial, the shame, the sense of failure. There is such a difference between mother love and liking a child, and anyone who has walked this road knows exactly what I'm talking about. I would have given my life for my son, I was thankful for him, but I wondered if this viscious cycle would ever end. Thank goodness--thank God--I have amazing in-laws. It was my father-in-law whom the Lord saw fit to speak a word of truth to me, that at first infuriated me, and then proved to be transforming.

One day as I was expressing frustration over something new my son was doing to exasperate me, Grandy said with a wink and a grin, "Maybe this is about you. Maybe God is trying to teach YOU something!" I wanted to kill him, right then, right there. This most certainly was NOT about me and I didn't need to learn anything right then, thank-you-very-much! I needed sympathy, empathy, HELP! Three young children born within five years of each other, a husband and marriage I wanted and needed to nurture, a part time job and a busy "life" left me dangling often at the end of an unknotted rope--with freshly-lotioned palms, grasping but never secure.

As my fury faded, and trusting my father-in-law to know more than me, I began to look Godward with a different heart. Perhaps this was the first time I began asking God if He didn't intend to change my circumstances, to change me through my circumstances. If He was going to continue allowing "something" in my life that drove me to tears, that He would use it for my good, His glory, and somehow the advance of His kingdom. Even something as unspeakable and ugly, despicable and foreign as these frightening emotions from mother to child.

It didn't happen overnight; honestly, I don't even remember when things shifted. But slowly it dawned on me that this child had been MY teacher, that I was to be a student of him, to learn how to mother him in a way that shaped his best interests. He taught me that God wasn't above using anyone and any circumstance to drive me to a dependency on Him, to humble me, to affect change needed in my life.

Today, this child is the most like me, and it is not our similarities that derail me, it's our differences. Perhaps it's as simple as this "personality" on testosterone versus estrogen. But I like him. A lot. And I am thankful (and praise God) that we are on "this" side of "that".

Although it doesn't fit precisely here, a section of scripture that comes to mind right now is in Matthew as Jesus was teaching his disciples and others (beginning at chapter 5:43 through 48). Emphasis is mine, indicated in bold print:



If you're visiting from a Jenny's "Naked & Free" post, I'd love to hear your thoughts, too. And thanks for letting me "get naked" with you....

Quite by accident, I realized I have not received email notices on several comments recently. I discovered the omission when clicking on comments for which I DID receive notice, only to find there were others I missed (I did go back to check if I had just overlooked them, but they were not in my inbox).

Just curious....

Guess which one is which?

1) Seen on a bumper sticker attached to the car in front of me: "When I get hot, I take my top down". I did a double take; at first I didn't realize the car was a convertible.

2) Six-month routine check up with Thomas' orthodontist turned out to be not-quite-so routine. Dr. M. had some concerns that some of Thomas' permanent teeth weren't coming in by now. He requested x-rays. Turns out his concerns were substantiated. Thomas' teeth are coming in at an angle and Dr. M. imagines future, more painful oral surgery if we don't make a path now for the yet-to-surface teeth. This means pulling four baby teeth that are "in the way".

Why is this worthy of a good cry? a) Thomas, THE Thomas you've already read about, is missing eight--yep EIGHT--permanent teeth (he has his two front top and four front bottom, but on either side of those, he's missing the two pair on either side of the top and bottom); b) He has already had FIVE teeth pulled; this will bring the total to NINE; c) He'll have his two front top teeth, then there will be space enough for FOUR teeth on either side of those; d) He intially cried when I told him, which absolutely does me in, 'cause, boy, I FEEL HIS PAIN! (evidently, I'm a peacock, too ;) ).

The upside, the upside, remind me of the upside! Oh, yeah, it could be worse; a) we have a friend whose daughter has ONLY her two front teeth. She'll have a mouthful of implants before all is said and done, and at the cost of $3,000-$4,000 per tooth, she could have a Lamborghini. b) Dr. M CAN make a retainer with teeth that, in his words, "looks pretty good" c) I guess novocaine and nitrous are upsides d) insurance covers at least a portion of the cost.

Can I still cry?

Another nod to Anna Venger for this one. Anna isn't just all about "fun and games", she's much deeper than that. But her funnies are oh, so, hilarious and I can't help but pass those along.

To all my Christian blogger pals, you'd better get to evangelizin' before the Evangelism Linebacker finds need to "motivate" YOU! Click and grin :).

Half full or half empty?



My day from maybe 2:00 a.m. til 8:45 or so....

Half EMPTY~awakened by a blazing flash of lightning that burned my retinas it was so close, followed almost immediately by a crash of thunder that nearly shook me out of the bed, and an exclamation by my husband (that for the life of me I can't remember now). Followed by tossing and turning and little sleep because my head was throbbing and my throat was raw, sure signs an end-of-summer cold? allergy attack?? is bearing down. Followed by Thomas in a frustrated rage because he couldn't find his school uniform pants (he's already left one pair at school because of changing for ball practice--he'll get "written up" if he's out of uniform, but I don't what that means exactly, nor do I care to find out), and me, subsequently, ill as a hornet because of his irresponsibility (and my sleep deprivation and flu-like symptoms). Followed by Stephen saying, "Mom, the garage door isn't going up...". Sure enough, I go out, it doesn't budge. I try the manual release...it doesn't budge. My blood's starting to simmer (ooooo, I'm thinking of Heather's post from yesterday all of a sudden!).

We did not lose power during the storm, but I head to the breaker box. Yep, the switch is flipped, so I snap it back over. Still, no power. I remember Tad telling me in the past, you had to reset outlet breakers all over the house when the power to the garage went out, so off I go. I reset all of 'em. Still not budging...which means I have to go under the house for the final one (I have NEVER gone under our house! On my way (it's on the opposite end of the house from the garage), I walk along the path in our front yard...STRAIGHT INTO A VERY SCARY SPIDER WEB THAT ATTACHES ITSELF TO MY FACE LIKE SECOND SKIN!!! I shall not repeat what I said at that moment, but it will win me no "Mother of the Year" awards. I get there, and thankfully SEE a bunch of webs I have to clear out before they attack me, and crawl underneath. OF COURSE, the light doesn't work!! OF COURSE, I have to go back around the house to find a flashlight that actually works!! At this point I call Tad. I head back under the house, phone in tow, while Tad tells me to do everything I've done so far. My blood's heated up a couple of degrees. He's in the middle of something at work, says he'll call me back in five. I take the flashlight and scan under the house...I see NO OUTLETS. It was still dark, very CSI-ish. And to be honest, I scanned the ground in case any snakes fell "off the plane" into our crawl space. Crouched, I wait on Tad's call, TICKED I can NOT find it on my own! (I hope you're feeling my intensity). I get his call, it's on the CEILING (ummm, I didn't think to look there). I reset that outlet, head back to the garage....AND the (*&%$ thing STILL won't open!!

I try to open it manually again...Tad's "coaching" me and I wanna HIT someone...I'm literally sweating now, my head is still pounding and the kids KNOW to keep clear of The Evil One who has now possessed their mother. I'm not making any progress, so I get Rachel and Thomas to try...not budging with them, either.

Fifteen minutes have passed since the ordeal began, and one of the kids had the presence of mind to suggest calling a friend in the 'hood who also goes to their school; they were able to hitch a ride. Tad told me he'd come home when he could and fool with it (a 30-minute one-way commute). We figure it was hit by the previously-mentioned lightning strike. I cut my losses, come inside, find something productive to do (at least loading the dishwasher and starting a load of laundry is forward progress), and drink another hot cuppa joe.

Half FULL~I LOVE a good storm; it's one of those times you can see and feel and hear the power of God. My bed is oh-so-comfy. We did not lose power in the rest of the house. My children woke up and got ready early (originally, so we could leave earlier than normal). Thomas finally found his pants in Stephen's room AND they were clean :). Stephen brushed his own hair; you'd think at 9 he wouldn't need help, but the kid's hair has a life of its own (sometimes even I can't do "anything" with it...). There was a ready flashlight. My kids knew exactly how to respond to me in this situation (stay outta my way til I call 'em). I have Tylenol and Advil. Our neighbor hadn't left for school yet. Nothing else electronic was destroyed by the lightning (and our house didn't burn down--we had friends years ago who lost theirs to a lightning stike).

And my knight came home to rescue his damsel in distress :) (picture little cartoon hearts floating out of my eyes right now). He didn't even give me a hard time about not being able to figure out all you had to do was take a wrench and whack the latch release a few times.

My morning's antics pale in comparison to what a lot of people wake up to :(. I am well aware that many have no house to call home, no family to love or be loved by, no husband who can fix just about anything, no neighbors (or friends) to call when in need.

Half full glass? I think not.

Mine is over flowing.

This one might just make my husband laugh. Out loud.



I picked it up from Everyday Mommy, who picked it up from someone else.

Wanna play? Here's the link (or check out these Google Hacks.)

Consider this a Public Service Announcement. Walk away from the light! Ignore the buzz!! You already know everything you need to know. Wanna see some slithering serpents? Go to your nearby aquarium or the zoo. It'll be a better show for the time and money.

The short answer is yes, it was about snakes on a plane. Lots of 'em. Mean muthas, they were, indiscriminate in their attack. Except they seemed (at least initially) to feast on the female or male anatomy that made their victims decidedly male or female.

The movie had a PG-13 rating, but evidently, post production they went back and added a few scenes to rev it up to an R. It deserved the "R", but I woulda preferred the PG version. No question about the added scenes: [1] A predictable "mile high" clip:/. This young & restless couple were the first to "meet" the snakes. They never made it out of the bathroom. [2] Samuel Jackson had THE line of the movie. For the profane-weak-of-heart, that should be enough to keep you from the film. For everyone else, whether you see it or not, you'll eventually hear it. Personally, I think anyone would be screaming what he did after a couple of hours 35,000 feet in the air, confined in a tin can with cobras & vipers & pythons, oh, my!

But this is what floors me more than the movie itself. There was a six-year-old kid in front of me, and a ten-year-old behind me. THAT is insane!!! WHAT were their parents thinking? I mean IT WAS RATED R!! That means sex/violence/language. This movie had all three! I wondered if the opening scene was added after the fact, because although it didn't show direct contact, you begin by seeing a bloody-faced man, hanging upside down after being thrown off a bridge. The next scene is the assassin wielding a baseball bat, apparently mistaking the man as a pinata. Mr. Assasin ends up with the "pinata""contents" all over his suit. If the snakes didn't drum up enough nightmares for these two kids, that opening scene should conjure up a few.

It was kinda campy...there were stereotypical characters you wanted to get venomed, predictable heros, and humor interjected throughout.

Bottom line is it delivered exactly what it promised....why I felt the need to go is beyond me.

He's at it again....

[1] "Mom...I had the BEST dream last night!!! I checked and had tiny specs of armpit hair."

[2] (Said to Rachel & Stephen regarding their fashion sense, or more likely, lack thereof) "Y'all have NO vanity! Me? I'm a peacock."

[3] (To his teachers the first week of school...:/) "I don't know why "she" stalks me. Wait, have you seen this face?" (This one had motions with it--running his fingers through the front of his hair, brushing it back. The teachers are doing him no favors--they asked him to repeat it for others. This just spurs his imagination for the next way to get a laugh.).

Ai yi yi...to tame this tiger (**sigh**). I don't think this is a case of insecurities masking themselves as bravado or strictly the middle child vying for attention...this kid is truly a legend.in.his.own.mind. Oh, to harness that enthusiasm and zeal for life into something PRODUCTIVE and other-minded; to do so, would serve him (and in the meantime, US) well.

I admit it...like the impossibility of passing a trainwreck without Gumby-like rubbernecking, I am drawn inexplicably to this decidedly kitschy B-rated movie. I don't like horror flicks, not since my high school slasher days (now remind me, why did I watch them then?).

But this one seems s p e c i a l. Perhaps because of all the hype. Perhaps because bloggers have basically re-written the script and I have an affinity for bloggers. Definitely not because I have an affinity for snakes!

Here's a look-see for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about:

OFFICIAL WEBSITE :)

Ok...so the Active X coming up twice every time I moved from one screen to the next was getting on my last nerve. If you have any interest in looking further, go to their site & check it out. SSSSSSSSSsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss;)

He's been hooked on posting comments only until now, but he finally got a BLOG of his own. If you have time, hop over to Cycle-On and welcome him to the blogosphere :). This helps explain his blog name, at least in part.

I have received my first "blog awards" and I'm not quite sure how to handle the "accolades". Willowtree is a wild Aussie ride, and only someone with that kind of creativity could have come up with the award categories. There were plenty to go around, and I must say, sucking up does nothing to insulate you from his.....recognition.

How else could I be the proud recipient of OUAB's "Most unsuccessful attempt to dodge the bullet", "Most unsuccessful desperate attempt to dodge the bullet" and "Best Endurance Effort".

Thank yew, thank yew very much :).

Because I thoroughly enjoy reading her blog, I'm finally getting around to Heather's "tag". I was slow to respond because this one requires more than one-liners.......and since I'm slogging through a soon-to-be-published post, something on the lighter side was particularly attractive.

1. A friend who has blessed me: You know what makes me REALLY happy? If I was gonna list people in Tennessee, I'd have a difficult time choosing one. We've been here three years now, and let's just say the move was harder than expected--to be able to say I have friend(S) is A BLESSING! That being said, I gotta name two from SC--Cassie and Erin. They know why :).

2. An unexpected gift: Two popped in my head simultaneously when I read that, both worth mentioning: #1. An archery set from Tad, for our, ummm, 17th wedding anniversary. I had romanticized the thought of shooting a bow for years, and he h e a r d me and "pulled the trigger" for me :) (If I could draw little hearts right there, I would). The neat thing is all of us ended up shooting it, and that Thanksgiving we had an archery tournament at my-inlaw's (everyone played along, even Noni). I didn't win. It didn't matter.

#2 was even more unexpected. Joy (her name suits her!), a friend I had just met at the Youniquely Woman "finishing school" I attended in March, is the niece of Emilie Barnes; she heard it was my birthday and dropped a pile of cercies (can anyone tell me if that's the correct spelling?) in my lap. She cheerfully and emphatically explained (as she skipped away while I stood there with jaw dropped), "Everyone needs some surprises on their birthday!" I think she felt sorry for me since I wasn't with my family and friends (she wasn't counting these).

#3. A kind word shared with me recently: From e-mom "Robin, your (long) posts usually move me, almost to tears. This one is so well-spoken and touching...." Occasional commentor Chas/Chunk/Chuck sent a more-than-kind text about a recent post, too. I wonder if I should add my husband's recent announcement to our adult Sunday school class...nah....(it made me blush, and I. Don't. Blush.).

4. Something that makes me stop and praise God: I LOVE Heather's answer to this! Ditto :). Two other thoughts that are so true for me are 1) beauty in creation (don't have to go any further than the illumination of a firefly, the dazzle of a rainbow, the thunder of waves crashing on the beach...ALL inspire me!); and 2) the "renewing of my mind" as I see God changing the way I see people, His Word. I think differently than I used to.

5. Something I'm looking forward to: Thomas' first game. Wait, I just thought of something else...my blog re-design...it's in the beginning stages for now....

6. A particular part of me I'm pleased with: Contrary to what you might think (by the sheer number of mentions on this blog), it's not my feet! I actually DO have a "body part" I'm "pleased" with, but some things are better left to mystery;). Instead, let's go with the fact I'm VERY comfortable in my own skin. I'm a recovering people-pleaser, and yes, I think that can be both a positive and a weakness; in my case, until fairly recently, the latter won out.

7. Something in my life that I wanted but never expected: I could think of nothing for this until I realized I've already given you the answer--archery equipment.

8. A place that moved/moves me: The beach and the base of a waterfall. Not one in particular, any will do. Their power and majesty and beauty and vastness and untameability render me silent upon first sight, and my response is to worship their Creator (although sometimes in short order I "snap out of it" and attend to my kids :) ).

9. One thing/person that always makes me smile: Aussie, our australian shepherd--how can you NOT smile when EVERY time she greets you, it's with a FULL body wag? She's the personification of "happy". Of course, Thomas, when he's "on" leaves me rolling.

10. Most recent "love note" from God: I just began a Beth Moore study on Daniel, and my, that woman has her finger on the pulse of WOMEN! She's every girl's "best friend" and she doesn't pull any punches. Today she simply stated that "the enemy wants us to think we've made no progress at all. He wants you back in that old, familar pit." Timely reminder for me personally.

Been spending some time in Romans, too.....This is a beautiful love note if ever I saw one!:)

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:28-39, I highlighted my favorite parts :)

Oops! I almost forgot...who to tag? who to tag? E-mom, do you do these? And, Anna Venger, how 'bout YOU?! (I'd love to read this from all my favs...you know who you are;) ).

... all because a lightning bug "blinked" at me as I locked up for bed. I needed that wink, and I'm not even sure why. It was a gift, a lovely punctuation at the end of a day where I found myself sinking a bit. He was right outside the window of our back door in the garage...not sure I've ever seen one there before.

After a thousand years, these little creatures still amaze me.

There is little more delightful than an early summer evening when the yard is ablaze with the intermittant flashes of these automatic smile-makers....replete with a symphony of crickets, cicadas and toads, each a familiar tune of the season.

...and little ones (not so little?) filling mason jars with hole-studded lids...to bring inside a night sentry, but just until morning, the perfect light to chase away lions and tigers and bears ;).


I saw this at this at Julie's Another Chance Ranch and thought it ap-pro-pro to include it here.

Beer...healthfood? V e r y interesting. Hmmmm, do you think they'll repeal Resolution #5 in light of this cover story in the Ale Street News?


I doubt it.

See Robin. See Robin smile. Smile, Robin, smile.

Everyone's excited in these parts..........first day of school tomorrow:)--thank goodness my kids can't wait! Clothes are laid out, new school supplies tucked away in bookbags, they already know what they want for lunch. Two middle schoolers and one in 4th (wait a second, I HAVE TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS??!). Teachers they hoped for...friends in their classes....life is good :).

And I will be alone in my house for the first time since May :).

Hence the smiles :) :) :). Plenty of those to share--really, take one:).

The summer's been great................but me likey quiet time. Twelve hours and counting (not that anyone's counting).

...so what are you waiting for? CLICK like a chick! No theme this week, so you'll get quite a blog menagerie.

To begin, I'm keeping things light today, it IS Friday after all. Next week the kiddos go back to school, and I have all kinds of things swirling in the ol' "pensieve" just waiting to be written. Yep, when I get serious deep spiritual not-so-"light", it takes me much longer to write, and I just can't do it with distraction...right now I have three bodies in motion vying for attention, so there ya go.

Second, if any whack jobs googled "fetishes" and got me, move along. You are not going to get what you're looking for here.

THAT being said, I DO have some kind of foot thing going on. Why else would I even think about taking this "family photo" when I was at the beach? Not to mention, two of my profile pics have been of my feet, and an entire post was written about 'em.

It's on my mind again, because yesterday I thoroughly enjoyed pure indulgence--a pedicure. From the Flip Flop Fabulous collection, my toes are now "Yellin' for Watermelon", and THAT just makes me smile:D! (They're "caliente" in the picture above)

Working for OPI would be a dream job...well, being the official "Color Namer" would be. 1) I am rather certain, to perform the job effectively have the job, trying out ALL the colors MUST be a requisite ...manicures...pedicures on a daily basis. Oh! to suffer that indignity! 2) Colorful libations with umbrellas or fruit garnish are probably tools for the trade. How else could you come up with "It's Toe-tally Summer", "Chick Flick Cherry", "I'm Not Really a Waitress", "Don't Socra-tease Me", "Friar, Friar, Pants on Fire", "Suzy Sell Sushi by the Seashore", "Have a Tempura Tan-Trum"...and the list goes on. 3) You'd be making lots of girlie-Qs very happy as they sported the fruits of your labor 4) Your creativity and artistry would be on display all over the world.

Ok...enough on OPI. Back to my foot wierdness. I DO like to have my feet messed with, NOT tickled. I DO NOT like the sensation of "tickle". I think I could love me a reflexologist...in the meantime, Tad does a nice job, thank goodness he doesn't mind.

I told Teri-the-best-pedicurist-in-the-world yesterday toes are tiny creatures at the end of your feet (he he); she agreed. Can you imagine what SHE sees that's nothing more than "all in a day's work"? Yikes! Long & skinny, short & stubby, buniony, hairy, fungusy, LOL...THIS IS GETTING DISGUSTING! I'd like to think mine are none of the previous list, but I'm afraid my kids often make fun of my pinky toes...they're little and pointy and look like they really might have cried "wee, wee all the way home" (no idea what that means, it just sounded funny to me).

In any event...my toes are ALWAYS well dressed, whether painted by me or a professional (it's always worth the money, so guys, if you're looking for a great gift, you can't go wrong here). And, interestingly, I never wear color on my fingernails; they're always clear. If they're long and clear, it's because they have a coat of Nailtique (Nailtek??) on 'em. That's a product worth trying if your nails are prone to breakage.

Okay...enough of my insanity and randomness for the day. At least I ended with a practical product endorsement, even if I can't spell it!

Got this in an email this morning. The subject line read "Why kids should not be left alone" and I thought I had received it before. I hadn't..........and it CRACKED ME UP! How much do I love to start my day with a BIG grin?

Prehaps Kotex has a new advertising campaign going on I didn't know about.

That's a sexy title, huh? Guess it makes the point though, which is my "bad guy" post wasn't about "mother guilt". Not this time, anyway, lol.

Honestly, I was surprised by the number of comments and appreciated EVERY ONE. I was gonna go back and comment on the comments in the comment section (he he), but I figured it's taken me long enough that y'all most likely would never see it. Sooooo, my "personal comments" won't be quite so personal, since it's front page PENSIEVE, not pop-up window, behind-the-scenes stuff.

First, though, my clarification. Following Christ requires sacrifice. Sometimes big ones, but I think for most of us, more often it's the small things we give up. In this instance, particular songs from a band I like, not so much for my sake (because frankly I'm oblivious to the language...it just doesn't offend me, so I don't "hear" it), but for my kids' sake. It's what parents do. I guess my post was more a rail against responsibility than anything else...kinda like a child stomping her feet and whining saying, "But, I don't wanna!"

The clock is ticking on the time we have left influencing our kids in our home; I am keenly aware their behavior is shaped more so by our example than by our words. They know I make mistakes. I don't try to hide the obvious because I think hypocrisy is more damaging than screwing up, owning up, then moving on.

Which is what I think I'll do, on to my comments to my commentors, so the rest of you buzz off (ummm, you know I say that in the kindest of ways, right?)! If you choose to read 'em, go back to the original post to get their links--they're ALL worthy of a visit!

Cheeky, I already got to you but I thought I'd add, when I visit you, guess I know where I'll be staying ;).
Karmyn, good reminder at looking at everything, not just the patently obvious.
Heather, INTERESTING timing for your comments; I've just spent a fair amount of time looking at Philippians, and I agree with your difficulty. Complaining = the path of least resistance, so perhaps that's why we indulge it so often.
Willowtree, oh, my! What can I say? Glad to have found you, a good "LOL" is balm for the soul. You offer much balm. Appreciated the shout out from the Outback, I simply love the accent.
E-mom, ever the encourager, finding you in the blogosphere has been delightful. I'm grateful for the "research" you do over at Chrysalis to expose your readers to a variety of writers/topics.
Pamela, St. Francis is good for a few repeatable, scripture or not! I hadn't heard that one, so thanks for a newbie. Plus........as ALWAYS, your second comment had me rolling. Ahhh, more balm for the soul :).
Malissa, the 1 Corinthians 6 and 10 references often cross my mind with life "issues"; thanks for the reminder here. So thankful that we have a Standard to whom we surrender :).
Amanda, Welcome! You ARE who I thought you were:). And you have a great point--I do use colorful language for emphasis, expression. Also, I do temper my language based on the "audience" and my relationship with them. That's not hypocrisy, to me, it's discretion and respect. I suppose others could call it a cop out. Your "open minded" remark reminded me of a post I wrote about Screamo music. Ha! Y'all should check it out AND click the links included.
Shelly, I wondered if you'd stamp my passport one...more...time! btw, Jana said email her and she'll give you the down and dirty;)
Jana, always glad to see you back for a visit, and your post got me thinking... It just ain't about the music, my kids hear CRAP from commercials promoting the new fall line-up on TV (or whatever)...I literally CRINGE from the stupid commercials!! Sheesh...think about the junk that's in your home just from tv or surfin' the net :/.
Jennifer, Love it when you visit, too. Time's been tighter this week, so I'm not bouncing quite as much (sigh...), but soon. I gotta get faster, lol. Odd how I "hear" language much more loudly when my kids are in the room; otherwise, if it's not excessive, I'm desensitized...:/
Iris, a visit to your place is always refreshing, and uno what? I like MOST genres of music. Drives our kids nuts when we play the throwbacks ;) (I'm thinking swing right there, lol).
Julie, good to see you back, and yeah, I think my personality splits when the car door closes...or at least on the interstate...or in traffic around town...or perhaps anytime I'm behind the wheel! Really, REALLY working on that one with a near 14-year-old!

Wow...all the feedback leaves me with no time to post something new...does this count?

...'cause I'm a mom...a mom who's trying to follow Christ and model that for our children. And sometimes that means making decisions, frankly, I don't like.

For instance, I'm a Green Day fan, I guess my first known exposure was during Seinfeld's farewell montage; "Good Riddance" (Time of My Life) was the background music, and the song was perfect. During the late 90s and into the new millinium (lol, does anyone say that anymore?), I listened almost exclusively to contemporary Christian music, that of the pop variety. Now, looking back, I was pretty one-dimensional in those days, really almost sleeping my way through life, but that's another story. I'm not proud to admit I pretty much thought if you listened to anything else, you might have just purchased a one-way ticket to hell. This was a sub-conscious thought, nothing I was even aware of, but I can recall being "concerned" that a "Christian" would listen to anything else. Ugh...the arrogance, smugness, sense of superiority...ouch :(.

Let's fast forward to now, without me webbing or convuggling. OBVIOUSLY, if I can call myself a Green Day fan, that's no longer the case. Suffice it to say that following a time of spiritual desert, God found a way to break me and then build me into a woman who loves Him deeply, but stripped of much of her pride and arrogance (although those things still find ways to creep in when my focus slips even a smidgeon). I'm little more than a ragamuffin, and that's enough, because God loves me, chooses me, forgives me, accepts me, graces me and redeems me, in spite of my imperfections. Ah, but I'm a daughter of the King....the King of Kings...and I bear His image...and THAT makes me a princess:)! Now that's good stuff!

Anyway, I AM webbing, so back to me being the bad guy (sorry....).

The only GD songs I've heard are those given radio airtime; we don't own any CDs. Thomas wanted to download American Idiot (nice title), but when I googled the lyrics and saw the F-bomb in the opening stanza, I nixed it. THAT wasn't hard to be the bad guy, T understood.

I've wanted to hear the rest of the "American Idiot" CD (everything I have heard, I liked, heck, I even liked the title track until I read the lyrics.). This weekend my sister-in-law handed me the jacket (is that what you call it?) from her gifted copy of "American Idiot". Ai yi yi! half the songs drop the F-bomb. More? I can't remember. I gotta tell ya here, generally speaking, profanity isn't offensive to me (exceptions of course--excessive or gratuitous use, taking the Lord's name in vain, an adult who knows better in front of children, say, at a sporting event, etc.).

So, I'm left with a dilemma....it seems to me, I can't in good conscious listen to it, and that ticks me off! Like I said, it's not personally offensive, and honestly, when I listen to music, I rarely hear all the lyrics (I'm EVER THANKFUL for the availability of lyrics online, to help me help my children--me--make good choices). But, in light of my desire to please God, to let Philippians 4:8 goven my thinking, it seems like the decision is made for me.

This is not a "living under the law" issue to me; I am NOT a legalist! But........I know my kids are watching me (which is just ONE reason I'm having to re-learn how I drive, cusswords cusswords, they KNOW I'm the one with the lead foot in the family :/ and are quick to tell ANYONE about it!). They understand why I won't buy a Green Day CD...and now why I won't even listen to the rest of their stuff (unless it's free of the garbage).

My tongue is an issue; it's quick and at times wicked. My kids know this (well, anyone who knows me knows I'm spicy, and not always in the "good" way). This summer we "eliminated" some words from our vocabulary, and anyone who uses them gets to enjoy a spoonful of vinegar for 30 seconds. Guess who was the first person to use one of the prohibited words? Yep...me...and for the record, you can't rinse your mouth with water after the 30 seconds and THAT...IS...NASTY! (but hopefully, lasting in effect) Why is it whenever a "law" is passed, I'll rebel against it? It'd be funny if it wasn't the truth.

Anyway, the bad guy. I have to say "no" to not only my kids, but sometimes myself. It's never fun. But often times, the right thing to do is also the most difficult. I can live with that.

...more or less, anyway;).



Click the pic to start counting the reasons..........! (Mine are right here.)

Nope, it's not because Blogger is ticking me off this time. It's because I have to enable word verification on comments due to newly-found comment spam (thank goodness so far it's only on old posts)! >:( This DOES NOT please me. Sorry for the inconvenience...then again, most of y'all are used to it anyway.

If I find the culprit, I'm gonna kick some (in Cheeky-ese) bootay! No more Mr. Nice Guy!

Off to make the changes (grrrrrrrrrrr)!

Blogging.

What's up with that?

Why do those who do it, do so wholeheartedly, at times unveiling thoughts that would rarely, if ever, be spoken aloud?

And when asked about it, excitedly explain about carnivals and memes, blog friends and blogrolls, learning (or trying to...!) a new language (html), trackbacks, comments and links, blog traffic and hit counters, buttons and blinkies and more. While the listener is sitting there, eyes glazing over, nodding politely but inwardly thinking, "This person is OBSESSED!"

Hehe, yeah, we know. And we don't care.

For those who blog, it's a creative outlet. After reading through the Blogging Chicks "Favorites" Carnival, I discovered the majority of those who write also love to read. Many of us don't have a "professional" forum, so this is it. We can complete our thoughts here, explore them, laugh out loud, think with others. It hasn't happened here much, but I really appreciate a thoughtful response to those deeper posts; Janice from 5 Minutes for Mom meandered through my archives and picked up a post I had written long before I gave out my link to anyone. Although my posts are often on the light side, when I slow down and become contemplative, a like response is very encouraging (even if the commentor doesn't agree with me).

We don't limit ourselves to just writing, though. As we progress, we enter the lives of other bloggers and a relationship may be born. Not always, just sometimes. But when you find a "blog kindred", you just know it. My friends IRL don't blog, so I'm thankful for my virtual friends who enjoy this ride with me. It's a similar investment in relationship because it does require time to develop, and it's a much slower evolution, but it's "real" nevertheless.

Quite unexpectedly, I have found blogging to be VERY educational. I posted on that recently, but silliness aside, learning is a by-product I didn't anticipate. How many of you woke up one day and realized you'd "been asleep at the wheel"? Have you ever said or had a thought that goes something like "I used to be smart and then I had kids and my brains got sucked out in the process..."? OF COURSE, I realize everything on the 'net is not accurate and has its own bias, and that bloggers are merely expousing their own opinions or agenda. That being said, they've raised the bar for me :). Many bloggers have challenged me to think--sometimes about things I've never before considered or known about, but also driving me closer to God, as I've sought what HE thinks about whatever is the issue-du-jour.

Michele, by example, has taught me to be generous in what I'm learning. She's a model of patience, thoughtfulness and intelligence. An "exchange I had with another blogger over at Paradoxology forced me to exercise restraint (from sarcasm) and to find "a better way" to express my thought; although I felt like I had major mud on my face, it was fun to play it out to the end. Gosh, there are others I wanna mention here, but I think I'll stop before I start, since that list would be all over the place, lol. Suffice it to say, I'm enjoying spending time with you, and by "you" that could mean just about anyone in the blogosphere (loving the chicks, especially those who visit me regularly--you know who they are by their comments;) ).

Much to love about blogging...I'm sure if you're reading, you feel much the same even if you'd find another way to express it.


BTW, if you like the graphic I used above, you can buy the tee shirt here. Tell David I sentcha; he'll have NO idea who I am, :)!

...e-mom over at Chrysalis. This is a "new blogzine..sparkling with HUMOR, inspiration, compelling quotes, books, and web links. There's cool MUSIC and photography too." I got a nice surprise when I hopped over for a visit: PENSIEVE is listed as one of her Worthwhile Reads under her "Cool Chrysalis Commentors". If I had a section of "worthwhile reads", this site would be at the top of the list--she covers a w i d e spectrum of Christendom, so be sure to check her out.

Paybacks aren't always hell, are they:)?

What I write when I'm kinda all over the place...random seems to fit.

1) I have a favorite sports writer which is really quite hilarious since I'm such a sports enthusiast in general...r i i i g ht! Rick Reilly. Love him! Lovehimlovehim...LOVE....HIM! Tad doesn't mind, he likes him, too. Doesn't matter what he's writing, he "has me at hello". Guys read Playboy for the articles...I read Sports Illustrated for the last page ('cept I'm telling the truth). Click around his archives if you haven't read him before; if you like humor, you'll have a new crush, too. Here's a glimpse into his dementedly delightful mind. Far from one-dimensional, however, when he has something more serious to say, he does so with reverence and respect but equally engaging (like here). Hope you can click those links without a SI subscription, if not, you can still check out the old archives.

2) Here's my cercie (how the heck do you spell that?) from Tad & Rachel's trip out west :)--my NEW favorite coffee mug!!! They picked it up at
The Bunnery, what became their favorite breakfast place. Tad had seen it on $40 a Day, and predictably, Rachael Ray was right on the money with this pick. The boys got tee shirts, but I must say, mine tastes much better!

3. I'll share some of their pictures soon, new camera, figuring out the transfer, it makes me think of my first post. OMW, I'm grinning right now! Sometimes I DO pine for a chocolate/vanilla/strawberry kind of world where I don't have sooo many choices! Like NOW, where this camera is concerned. Gotta get through a daggum college level course to take advantage of all its features. Later.

4. Lance Bass, raised as a Southern Baptist and former *NSYNC boytoy, has just publically "outted" himself. I was scanning the People magazine cover story last night while in line to get our NEW 19" flatscreen monitor (waahooo--gotta LOVE THAT kind of a sale!), and somewhere in there, he commented on how he used to respond to band members (others? can't remember) when they questioned him not taking advantage of the hot groupies who chased him. He attributed his ability to resist to being a "good Christian boy". Gee, what to think about that :/.........

5) My boys are barbarians even if I sissy out on occasion. Here they are riding Goliath, an amazing thrill ride and artistry in adventure if there ever was such a thing...it's pretty!
At nine, Stephen was the surprise--he was scared of nothing. I DO think both boys were fine with Deja Vu being down. A lady in another line with us explained that two people had heart attacks riding it and she thought a small child fell out once...since I didn't see the press on that, I figured it was a Six Flags urban legend. I don't know what started the trend in pretty roller coasters, but all the new ones were colorful, attractive...and seductive. But, no, after falling into temptation once, I resisted their disceptive allure.