hope

somethings about me never change. they are as constant as my favorite tree.

living a double life has never been my "style"

i am who i am no matter where i am.

so it's goofy of you to try to change me, and expect that i will be someone else.

while you pretend your better than me.

because on the outside we are all very neatly packaged and beautiful

but when we are opened up we are all a bit complicated and chaotic

so let me live where i live

drink where and when i want to drink

no one is super hero enough to change me except God.

and i'm pretty sure he don't be needing your help.

if you want to know me

talk to me

ask me

let's discover how we can make this work

there is a much bigger picture worth looking at

you have no idea how many times i get to

plant seeds because i'm not afraid to break the rules.

you have no idea because you don't ask.

when i come to you.. when i bring this subject up

it will be between you and me.

and maybe both of us will get to see a whole new friendship emerge.

and maybe the body will be healthier

because our differences will not be as important

as glorifying God.

i sure hope so.

Epic.

i'm hesitant to write today. it's an important day on so many levels. here's why...

#1....WHOOHOO!!!! it's my 100th post!! when i started this last january i was so sure i didn't have anything to share that was earth shattering, i was soooooo very scared to even push send, that first post just sat there for about 2 hours. funny, only when you go back and read the two sentences that i thought were so important. the most important thing however that has kept me going are the side comments either through facebook, or in texts, or in even in person. my words have been used, and for that i'm thankful. so, thanks for sticking around and living life with me, giving me grace and mercy to share with you my simple yet complex heart. thank you to you my readers... you make my day!

#2... it's Christmas Eve. that alone is enough for a post. but i actually feel i'm ready for Christmas.. i even have all my gifts wrapped! which is SO not like me.

#3... today we are having "epic" weather... apparently a foot of snow is quite unusual for Christmas Day... who knew?

#4... i woke up in another country. ok so not really. i still live here in the USA. but i'm not feeling it's so united. they passed health care reform this morning, and i believe and know it's wrong on so many levels. so i pray for so many that will have their eyes opened, if ever we get to actually read this bill they have voted on... and see the truth after the fact. it will change America, but not in the way we want. ultimately, i believe God will have the last say, and if this is one step closer to having Jesus come get me.... then i pray that i'm prepared to help my neighbor through what maybe our darkest time before our home-going.

well, i hope and pray that you have a fantastic time with your family.. and if you live in the midwest.. drive safe!

weekend in review.

retired after 37 years of work.

got mauled by the littlest cousins.

met the most beautifulest little in the whole world.

i secretly wanted to steal this one.

but this guy who i ran into at wally world after not seeing for

13 years, prolly would have had a major fit... daddy's tend to do that.

took middle world changer to a birthday party

played with birthday girls little brother at my house while party was in progress

met my cousins's new bride.. decided that i love her.

met the taco salad flinging champ of the weekend.

admired the ring of my lead singer's bff.

decided that praying and listening and talking all at the same time

gives you a REALLY big headache.

attended church while sitting at a table.

said later pater to our senior pastor and his family.

spent an afternoon with the youth group

and way too much money at the mall of america

listened to my vikings blow it.

and then crashed into a stupor to wake up and find this..

maybe i'll put some in their stockings.. or maybe i'll just smile more.

expecatations.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Just wanted to tell you that your amaxing. You gave us families here on earth. It was Your design, Your gift, Your plan. Please gently remind me that during this Christmas season it's Your plan that i should remain in You. I often get caught up in thinking thoughts that aren't from You. i pray Lord that you jolt me back to reality when i place expectations on people in my family that they can't fulfill. Families are important and i often take that for granted, and i confess that sin to you. Please give me new eyes and a new heart to be the wife, mother, daughter, sister, auntie, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, and grandchild that You want me to be. also, if it's not too much to ask, i pray that i don't break a bone sledding down the Boone hill today.. cause that would really stink. in your precious name.. amen.

today i feel.

i'm kinda irritated that this didn't turn out.

it started out as such a great idea.. then it immediately took a turn for the worse right from the get go. with magnets that didn't fit inside the outlines that i drew on my beloved amy butler scraps. i couldn't waste the fabric, nor could i go and purchase new magnets. i just needed to finish the gift. i'm so sad.

it was my birthday recently. and some of my favorite people

in the world gave me exactly what i always wanted.

it just doesn't get any happier than that.

Blizzard!

blizzards are a blast when you make yummy breakfast quickies to munch on.

then, of course you get to sew a apron.

but all in all, your very thankful for your daddy that comes and blows you free.

it's just potatoes.. right?

would you rather be

needed and not wanted?

or

wanted and not needed?

certainly a person doesn't need a certain 4 year old to belly up

to the sink to help peel potatoes for thanksgiving dinner.

in fact, it might prove messy, take tons of more time than necessary

and just plain frustrate you.

but....

if you allow him to have a job he can handle and even

just pretend you need him

he will most likely

not remember not being wanted or needed...

but instead

will remember being needed AND wanted.

i SO want to win ;)

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?

• warm slippers (no heat in my crafty/creating room... lovely old house feature.)
• fingerless mittens ( typing in the winter in my room is near impossible with frozen hands.)
• a day in a bookstore with a starbucks.. then i want a unlimited amount on a gift card to buy a few)
• a new ladle. (i just noticed the one and only one outside in the snow... )
• an unlimited supply of fabric from amy butler... yeah.. it's just that good.

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?

• anything from my world changers.. they are too precious for words.

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

• this list is WAY too long. but i am chipping away at it one gift at a time.

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

• my dad once gift wrapped a t-shirt in an egg carton. proudly wore my "i'm pushing pork" shirt.

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?

• legos
• legos
• legos
• and they all put socks on it too.. they hate matching them when they come out of the dyer. new socks are easy to find matches for.

6. What is your favorite holiday food?

• my mother's christmas morning meal.. all of it.

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

• if i told you here.. it would spoil ALL of my gift giving fun..

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?

• i don't have time for such.

9. Favorite holiday song?

• anything my world changer's school band plays, or my lead singer sings.

10. Favorite holiday pastime?

• Christmas Eve soup candlelight soup dinner at my house.

Click here to see an example.

Send us a link to your post to mailto:%20info@todaysmama.com with “Wish List Meme” in the subject line. You can even tag a few friends to participate in the meme. (Spread that holiday cheer!)

Thanks to all of our generous sponsors that helped make Mama’s Holiday Wishlist possible!