Times by Tenth Avenue North

I've had this CD for a while, but haven't listened to it in a month or two. Guess I never "heard" the words to this song - it brought tears to my eyes, and I listened over and over.
It reads like a conversation between me and God, and oh, isn't it so wonderful that He doesn't care where I've fallen, doesn't care where I've been, He'll NEVER forsake me, His love for me NEVER ends. How blessed I am to know HIM. HE is ALL I need, HE is sufficient.

I know i need you
I need to love you
I love to see you, and its been so long
i long to feel you
i feel this need for you
and i need to hear you
is that so wrong?
oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
now you pulled me near you
when we're close i fear yous
till im afraid to tell you
all that i've done
are you done forgiving?
or can you look pass my pretending?
Lord i'm so tired of defending
what i've become
what have i become?
oh oh, oh oh, oh oh. (repeat 4)
i hear you say "my love is over,its underneath, its inside, its in between
the times you doubt me, when you can't feel the times that you've questioned 'is this for real?
the times you've broken, the times that you mend
the times you hate me and the times that you bend
well my love is over, its underneath
its inside, its in between,these times you're healing
and when your heart breaks
the times that you feel like you've fallen from grace
the times you're hurting
the times that you heal
the times you go hungry and *are tempted* to steal
in times of confusion and chaos and pain
im there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame
im there through your heartache
im there in the storm
my love i will keep you by my power alone
i dont care where you've fallen, where you have been
i'll never forsake you
my love never ends, it never ends
mmm, mmmoh oh, oh oh, oh oh

Goodbye For Now

**tears**

I am just too busy with work, home, kids, church - I just don't have time to dedicate to this blog anymore. It's been a good outlet for me - I will miss you all. I may be back someday . . . .

Do you iphone?

My phone is falling apart! Really, it is no longer a flip phone, it's a flop phone - rarely can I get it to stay closed!

I know a few people who have and love the iphone. I don't have the money for it right now - but if I can hold out on getting a new phone - tell me, is the iphone worth it? If not, why? If so - what is the best thing about it?

Free Books!

Enter the WaterBrook Multnomah Summer Reading Beach Bag Sweepstakes! Click here to enter! Good Luck to you - but also wishing I win!

Go here to be a part of TLR Summer Book Splash - and win free books!

Tears . . . .

Tears, I shead them easily. My grandmother has always said that my tear ducts are close to the surface. I cry when I'm sad, when I'm happy, when I'm mad, really, when I feel any emotion strongly. I wish I could control it better than I can. I simply can't stop them if they decide to come. Believe me, I've tried. All. My. Life.
My Dad always hated my tears. He'd get so MAD when he saw them. He'd tell me to quit, or else! I'd try . . . . .
Luckily, HWH isn't bothered by them. After 17 years, he's quite used to them. My 14 yr. old son doesn't get them, and can be embarrased by them.
Hey, my dental hygenist says I make a lot of spit. Perhaps, all those water making functions are just very active in my body!?

Preparing for St. Vincent

Well, only about 11 days till we leave for St. Vincent! While there our Teen Group will host two Youth Rallies where they'll play games with area kids and then the gospel will be spread. We'll spend a week teaching VBS to the area kids as well. It's going to be lots of fun! I'm told it will be very hot, full of mosquitoes, no air-conditioning, and tiring - but we are all excited about going and meeting new people and sharing our love of Jesus!
Now, the challenge is packing all that we need in one suitcase that weighs 50 pounds or less! Any suggestions???

One of My Favorite New Websites . . . .

The Intentional Home is one of my favorite new websites. If you live in the triangle area of NC - go take one of her classes as soon as you can. I now save at least 50% on my grocery shopping each month! Su has a heart for women, their households and God. Her heart has been a blessing in my life!

Summer Reading List

I have been out of the blogging world for a couple months. Life just gets so busy sometimes. I won't make any empty promises about posting - we're getting ready for our mission trip to St. Vincent with the teens of our church. I am still reading though! And Teen Lit Review is having a Summer Reading Splash - go here for details!

Following is my Summer Reading List:

When I was Older - Weyr

Found - Haddix

Book of a Thousand Days - Hale

Trouble - Schmidt

Big Fat Manifesto - Vaught

My Name is Chloe - Carlson

Notes From A Spinning Planet - Ireland - Carlson

Facing Terror: The True Story of How An American Couple Paid the Ultimate Price Because of Their Love of Muslim People - McDonnall

We'd love to have you join the fun - even if you only list a couple books, or they are books you read together with your kids, whatever - splash right in!

Does Their Life "Count"?

This past weekend on a cable channel I was watching a show that told about the lives of many genius, extremely gifted children. One parent was saying that it was his responsibility to help cultivate his child's gift so that the kid makes his full contribution to this world, and his life is not "wasted". It came out in the story that the parent was gifted such as his son, but no one guided him and his "gift". So, I guess what this Dad is saying is that his own life was "wasted"? And really, is his child's life "wasted" if he doesn't push him (several times you saw the dad prodding the child to answer a question by pushing his son's elbow, saying "go on, answer")?
I mean, yeah - I would of liked to have a child who is a piano genius or national spelling champ, etc. - and perhaps they could have been - if we had gone at life with the single-mindedness of say, Tiger's dad - but, first off, our life is not all about our children. We encourage them to do what they enjoy - but we aren't going to spend every free moment doing it with them. We want them to be happy, relaxed, well-rounded kids.
However, just because my child is very smart, or is an excellent pianist, or superb soccer player - I don't feel their life would be "wasted" or not "count" just because he/she didn't live their life doing only that.
So, what are your thoughts?

Don't Cry Over Spilled Candy!

Yesterday youngest had a bowl of M&M's in the car that he was snacking on. He set them on the armrest and when I went around a corner they spilled into the seat next to him. He struggled within the confides of his seatbelt to pick them up. After about a minute of gathering his M&M's he asks me:

"Mom - was that the 5 second rule?" I replied "Yes"
He confirmed "So I got them in time?"
I assured "Yeah, you got 'em in time!"

He was SO serious, really concerned and believing that the 5 second rule had a magical way of fending off germs, dirt and ick! Oh, to be so clueless - how freeing that would be!

Wannabe Missionary?

Well, one thing I've always wanted to do is be a missionary. Yeah, I know that I can be one everyday, everywhere I go. And well, to be honest, I'm probably not as good at that as I should be. Even so, I am going as a sponsor/chaprone with 12 teens from our church to the island of St. Vincent. There the teens and chaprones will run a VBS for the community and have a couple youth rallies. My son is one of the teens going, and my HWH is another one of the chaprones. One thing I know about myself is that I learn best by doing. In all aspects of work, schooling, and such. When I am teaching Sunday School or leading a Bible Study I suspect I learn way more than I am able to communicate to those in my classes. I don't expect this adventure will be any different.

My heart has always had a burden for teaching others about Christ and his love and life lived and forfeited (ahh, to rise again!) for them. I feel certain that without Christ as my Savior I wouldn't be alive today, and I pray that I can help spread the hope that is in Jesus, just as someone spread to me. Please pray for us as we begin preparing for this July trip!

Wannabe?

A reader recently asked me what do I "wannabe"? I've been thinking about it.
I'm really happy with me at this point in my life. Yeah, I wannabe about 25 pounds lighter. Yeah, I wannabe more likable, more charasmatic, more outgoing. But, I am what I am. I'm working on the 25 pounds, but who knows . . . . I know I want to be all that God has planned for me. I pray that I don't let my busyness or laziness get in the way of being that. I actually pretty much know that I'm not living up to my potential in many areas, and I have excuses like time, energy, prioities, etc. So I guess my real "wanna be" is that I want to be surrendered to God's will for me. That is actually a minute by minute decision for me. In the way that I speak to someone, in what I am choosing to do at that time, at the words I say, the thoughts I think, the smiles I give and the tears I shed. I don't surrender 100% of the time. Probably not even 50% of the time. But I'm working on it, and learning, and through it all I have faith, that God will get me through - through to the places where he wants me to be.

Winner!

I know I'm late, late, late - but the winner of the UBP giveaway - the book "Shadow Baby" - is Composing Hallelujahs! Check back soon for the next drawing!

Ultimate Blog Party 2009! Book Giveaway!

Welcome party goers! I am enjoying the party - but mostly visiting other's parties! I've been so busy I haven't taken time to host my own. Lately, I haven't had time to blog very much - I keep hoping that will change. But, as my kids get older it seems my life gets busier!
I hope you'll look around my blog a bit, and maybe come by and visit after the party winds down and we can get to know each other better. Please also stop by my other blog - Teen Lit Review - and enter to win a couple of teen books!

Some of my favorite past posts:
From An Overprotective Mom
Lost My Child - The Most Terrifying 20 Minutes of My Life
You Never Think

LEAVE A COMMENT HERE - if you'd like to win a copy of Shadow Baby by Alison McGhee. Drawing will be Monday, March 30th, around noon EST. Enjoy the party!
Description: Eleven-year-old Clara is struggling to find the truth about her missing father and grandfather and her dead twin sister, but her mother refuses to talk. When Clara begins interviewing Georg Kominsky--her elderly neighbor--she finds that he is equally reticent about his own concealed history. Precocious and imaginative, Clara invents versions of Mr. Kominsky’s past, just as she invents lives for the people missing from her own shadowy history. Her journey of discovery is at the heart of this beautiful story about unlikely friendship and communion, about discovering what matters most in life, and about the search to find the missing pieces of ourselves.

A few of the wonderful prizes offered I'd like to win from the party:
15 — Two winners will Win a pair of ChicBud Earphones with Swarovski Crystals
Provided by: The IE Mommy
19 — $50 gift certificate to Target Stores
Provided by: Shoot-Me-Now
21 — $50 gift certificate to Target Stores
Provided by: Agoosa - Funny Name, Sound Advice
22 — $50 gift certificate to Target Stores
Provided by: Beginner Baby Blog
42 — 5 kajeet phones with $5 of airtime
Provided by: kajeet
58 – Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer
Provided by: Moms Who Think
121 — $10 Gift Card to CVS
Provided by: Tia Saving Cents
INTL 1 — Available to English speaking bloggers. Custom Basic Blog Design
Provided by: Sweet ‘n Simple Design
INTL 3 — $15 gift certificate to Amazon.com
Provided by: Angela at mommy bytes
INTL 19 — $130 Sponsor spot on Tip Junkie
Provided by: Tip Junkie (For the Teen Lit Review website!)
INTL 23 – Blog Makeover BLOGGER platform only
Provided by: Busy Mama Blog Design

Winner!

Paula H is the winner of the drawing for the book Wind Dancer by Jamie Carie. Congrats and enjoy!

Amazing Place(s)

I am currently at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, TN for a business conference. It is a HUGE hotel!

I am missing the snow we received back in NC - HWH says we received about 3 or 4 inches. Hope the kids enjoyed their snow day!

I have some exciting news - I'll post about it when I get back in town. I'll give you a hint - it involves this island:

Book Giveaway! Pass It On!

I was going through my bookshelves, trying to de-clutter and found this fabulous book that I haven't "passed-on". Because books are too precious to only be read once - PASS IT ON! If you haven't read Snow Angel: A Novel (my review here) or Wind Dancer by Jamie Carie - you are missing out. They are both awesome books! I have my slightly used copy of Wind Dancer to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment with a way to contact you if your name is drawn. I'd also love to hear what you're reading now! I will draw a winner on March 6th. Good Luck! Oh, if you'd like to earn extra entries you can mention this and the drawing for Zoe Lucky: and the Green Gables' Mystery over at Teen Lit Review - I'll give you 5 extra entries for each of the links you post on your blog.

PS - I (wink, wink) could be persuaded to trade my copy of Wind Dancer for your copy of The Duchess and the Dragon - the one Jamie Carie book I haven't read! Leave me a comment-we'll talk! :)

Snow Days, Snow Days . . . and Make Up Days!

Well, my kids had to go to school on President's Day - what a shame! jk! Actually, I think school is a great place to be on President's Day - a great place to learn . . . about Presidents! The reason they were in school - was to make up a snow day we had in January. It was really the first snow that my 7 year old has seen that was deep enough to play in. Below are some photos of the family having fun on our snow day!

It grew, and grew, and grew and . . .

The Stimuls Bill - which in my last post was about 650 pages - is now around 1,100 pages. You can read the current version here.

I am afraid this may be the end of America as we know it. . . .

Thank You!

I would like to thank the following Democrats who voted against the Huge "Stimulus" Package!
Allan Boyd (D-FL)
Bobby Bright (D-AL)
Jim Cooper (D-TN)
Brad Ellsworth (D-IN)
Parker Griffith (D-AL)
Paul Kanjorski (D-PA)
Frank Kratovil (D-MD)
Walt Minnick(D-ID)
Collin Peterson(D-MN)
Heath Shuler (D-NC)
Gene Taylor (D-MS)

Whatever your reason - I don't really care - I am just happy you voted "NO". It was the right thing to do.

If you'd like to read over the almost 650 page stimulus bill - you can read it here.

Illegal immigrants WILL be getting money back from the government in this bill. Illegal folks. Breaking the law people. They are taking our money and giving it to people who are breaking the law to live here.

From looking over the bill - it appears that this bill will provide many, many jobs in the government. Problem with that - is that to pay those employed by the government - the government must take our money to give it to those working for them. (Unlike a private sector job - where you are paid by people partaking of your product/service.)

However, if you are in the construction industry - there will be A LOT of jobs for you - because the bill has a lot of money set aside to build new buildings. Oh and computer companies should do well - there is a lot of money to update technology and get new computer systems.

OK, when the money from this "Stimulus" bill runs out - what happens to all the new programs started with that money? Do we then have to "cut" programs - that people have become dependent on - or do we just keep taking our money, more and more of it - to keep the programs going?

Inkheart

This past weekend I took my 13 year old son to see the movie Inkheart. We both read the book Inkheart and enjoyed it. I reviewed the book here - at Teen Lit Review.
Eldest and I enjoyed the movie, it stayed pretty close to the story. It wasn't a great movie, or one I'd buy - but it made for a fun outing for us. You can see a good review here.

Awesome Article!

Thaks to BooMama for the link to this article - awesome! **tears**

Hope you all have a great week! I will be getting my coupons in order in anticipation of another Harris Teeter Triple Coupon weekend!

Church

About a month ago I made the comment here that I wish churches were full of Jesus instead of people.
I said that because there were some things going on at our church that involved a bit of conflict. I hate conflict! BUT, I know it is a part of life, and is not always bad.
Often, I believe people get too caught up in the petty details, and forget to take their disappointments, concerns, and problems to Christ FIRST.
However, please know - I LOVE my church! I believe one of the ways God cares for us is that He gives us a spiritual family to do life with, to support us, challenge us, and help us when times get tough. That spiritual family is a church - one that believes that Jesus Christ is the answer to the biggest problems in life and that God revealed Himself to us through Him and through the Bible.
Finding a good church is a job my husband took very seriously. It is important to him that what the church believes in and teaches has Jesus Christ at its center, and the Bible as its foundation.
My church is full of wonderful people (not perfect people) who are loving, caring, giving, forgiving, and full of joy and hope. I am very blessed that God cared enough about my family to lead us there!

Why I Hope Obama is Not Successful . . .

I AM glad our country has elected it's first African American president.
However, for me - it has never been about color. It's about principles, values, and integrity.
I value human life, even that still inside a mother. I don't view that baby as a choice. I view the baby as person with the right to LIFE. Obama does not share this view.
I value the free market and capitalism. Obama wants to expand the government.
I believe in protecting our borders. Protecting our borders keeps people out who have not gone through the proper channels/laws to live here - as well as keeps illegal drugs out. Obama has no plans that I have heard to tighten our borders.
I believe in strong national defense. Our ancestors fought hard for this country - they took chances and believed in this country. We fought against those who wanted to rule over us. Obama is looking to close Gitmo - let terrorists go.
I do not want socialized health care -- provided to me by the government.
The government controls education - they tell me what schools my kids MUST attend, even if there are three schools closer to me. They tell me what they are going to teach, even if I don't agree with it. Yes, I have the choice to send them elsewhere - but that is not an option for me. Perhaps it would be with vouchers . . .

Here is an excellent article that puts my feelings into words!
from the article: "Of course I will support Obama on things in which we agree with him on and I don't think anyone should oppose him gratuitously for purely partisan reasons. Indeed, I would rejoice if Obama were to morph into a free-market enthusiast, national security stalwart, champion of the unborn and protector of our borders.
But such talk is academic, as the chances of Obama being substantively Reaganesque are less than his becoming obese, which means that during the next few years, the articulation of principled conservatism could never be more important. They must resist pressures for bipartisanship from those who will continue to use it as a weapon to intimidate principled opposition."

The CHANGE that is coming worries me. But, I will keep the faith, pray, and HOPE for America to prosper.

Survivor - Tocantins - Premiers Feb. 12!

OK, so I really enjoy the show Survivor! HWH would be awesome on that show - but he won't even entertain the notion - he does not like reality shows at all.

My FAVORITE thing about Survivor is not really the actual show - it's playing along on Lance's Survivor Pick'em Game! There, I get assigned to a random tribe and each week, we make our picks, participate in "challenges" and go to tribal council - all for the chance to "win" one million dollars (not real money). I have "won" the million one time - and it's so much fun to play and outwit, outplay, outlast!

This year, there is a girl on the show from the city I live in - so it should be fun rooting for her!

Kids Exchange

This weekend I'll be preparing my sister and my kids clothes for the Kids Exchange consignment sale. Kids Exchange is a HUGE sale - where hundreds of people take their used clothes/toys/baby equipment to a HUGE building down near our Fairgrounds. The clothes are all hung on hangers, priced and organized by sex/size for sale during a four day period. I don't really shop there too much anymore - I got most of my baby - size 4 clothes there. But when you get to buying size 8 and up - people seem to just think too much of their used clothes and price them too high. And when I can get a new set of pants at Target or Kohl's for $6 I'm not going to pay $4 for a used pair. That's just me. Anywho - my sister and I combine the clothes that I've given her (her's are all younger than mine) and her kids have outgrown - and we sell them at this consignment event. Last July we made about $500 (we had a LOT of clothes!) The Kids Exchange keeps 1/3 of the selling price.
So, if you have a Kids Exchange event near you - I urge you to participate - another way to make a little extra spending (or as in my case - bill paying) money! Just google Kids Exchange and your city name (or a close by big city). Have fun!

Bits and Pieces . . . .

I was just trying to figure out what to do with all the chicken that's taking up so much room in my freezer (thanks to HT buy one get 2 free)! So, I went to my FAVORITE recipe blog 365 days of Crockpot Cooking! I LOVE coming home to a dinner already cooked! So, we'll be having Brown Sugar Chicken tomorrow!

I just finished The Shack. If you read the reviews on AMAZON - there are people whose life has been changed by this book. I don't understand how. I find the theology very flawed. To say as The Shack does that reading the Bible or praying is unimportant is very contrary to what I have experienced in my own life and to what God has told us in His Word - the Bible. I would advise you to skip this book - it wasn't anything special and there are much better fiction books out there that would be a better way to spend your time reading.

I also read Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1). I wasn't going to - but someone in our book club picked it, so I gave it a try. Most of the ladies in book club LOVED it - and went on to read the whole series before we met. One lady said it was like reading 540 pages of Foreplay! I would have to agree with her. Especially the scene in the clearing in the woods - where Bella was caressing Edward's arm. Personally, my opinion, I found the book easy to read and interesting. Have I read the second oe? Not yet. Will I? probably eventually. Would I let my 13 year old daughter read it. NO! (I don't have a 13 year old daughter - my daughter is 11 - but she won't be allowed at 13.) How old would she have to be? Not sure. Hopefully by the time she's 13 the "fad" will have blown over and she will be interested in something else. Plus, she prefers fiction with animals in it!
Twilight has BY FAR been the most controversial and commented on review on Teen Lit Review. You can check out the comments and review HERE.

I'm now reading Beyond the Reflection's Edge (Echoes from the Edge)by Bryan Davis. It is a YA fiction book. I wish that before I had bought it I would have remembered that for some reason I have a hard time getting into his books. My son has the Raising Dragon series and neither he nor I was able to get very far in the first book. Hopefully, it will get better and I can give it a good review!

My husband is urging me to read newer YA fiction - that those reviews would be more relevant. I agree, however I don't want to have to buy them all - and they can be difficult to get from the library. I usually just read YA books off my 14 year old son's bookshelf. He reads about 2 books a week - and receives more books at birthdays/Christmas than I can read in a year! Amazon has a list of YA 2009 books - but they look to be a lot of girly books. I like to review the ones that my son may want to read.

Finally Free!

Over the summer the kids and I participated in this swap. Well, I say participated, but we never did get our half of the swap out to our partner. We took the pictures and such, but I never got to the "scraping" of our summer and the sending it off. My failure to live up to my end of the bargin has weighed on my heart every day. I am the type of person that if I say I'm going to do something, I fully intend and expect myself to do it. So, finally, way too late - I got my act together and printed out the pictures, arranged them and sent them off to our swap partner! I feel SO much better now that I have done that - it is a huge weight off my heart!

Alas, I did not take picutes of what I sent off - but Misty has blogged beautifully about it - please go here to see the arrival of Tessa the tiger at her new house!

Misty sent us Brennan - you can go here to meet him. He and Tessa are now best friends and my daughter loves him dearly!


If you ever have the opportunity to participate in swaps such as this - I urge you to. My kids really, really love doing them!



Here are Brennan and Tessa together right before we sent Tessa off to her new home.


Ya know, I just thought about how nice it was that Misty didn't comment on the silly clothes my daughter INSISTED they both wear!