Origin of Nicknames 101

Carol asked about our nicknames and I thought I would clarify. When I started blogging I used everyones real names, but I tried to keep specifics about our life vague. I didn't post our last name, our city, our church, or anything else that would be a give-a-way as to our actual location and everyday lives. While I realized that someone, who had gads and gads of time could probably reasearch every corner of my posts and decifer something that I might have overlooked, I never really stressed about it.

Until the "anonymous" comment.

Back in

That comment kind of jadded me and made me realize that some people do have gads and gads of time and choose to spend it making random, full of lies statements.

Playing House in the White House

This is a slide show presentation of a letter written by the Bush girls on the occasion of the Obama girls taking up residence in the White House. This is only part of the letter, to read it in its entirety click here.

I am so impressed by the grace that is given and the wisdom that is imparted.

Before you watch it, make sure you scroll down and pause the music that is playing on the blog.

Enjoy, it gave me hope that politics doesn't jade everything.

You can read my own letter to President Obama here.

The Passing of the Torch

About Last Night 1/23/09

Last night we celebrated Crack's birthday with family dinner here at home. The Outlaws were here, and the birthday boy choose the menu. I made Grilled Chicken with Fettuccine Alfredo, garlic bread, and blue cheese wedge salad with bacon bits and balsamic vinegar.

As we sat down to eat, The Beez asked if she could say the blessing. This is how it went.

Me: "Go ahead Beez, we are ready to eat."

Beez: "Is everybody ready? I am going to pray now."

Me: "We're ready."

Beez: "Reeeeaaadyyyyyyyy? OooooooKaaaayyyyyyy!!!!!! Dear Jesus............"

The poor child is so excited about being a cheerleader, that it has overtaken everything, even her prayer life!!!

He's 12

He is 12 today.

My firstborn.

My likeness.

My heart.

My love.

My son.

My joy, and occasionally a pain in the rear.

But, he will always be mine.

I thought I would share a few pics with you on this the occasion of his 12th birthday.

Cheap Grace

I just read ICorinthians 6:19 &20 to my kids for their Bible lesson. This is what it says:

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

How often I live in the shadow of "cheap grace". Because redemption is free to me, I live like it was free to Him who redeemed me. Instead of living like one who was "bought for a price", I live like I am His only by way of some cheap scam where you buy one and get a hundred...for free.

Oh, that I would remember daily to honor Him with all I do...the simple and mundane, like homeschooling, cleaning, cooking, paying bills. May I also honor Him with the Holy, like in prayer, repentance, worship and grace.

Just reading over those words reminds me, not only that I was bought for the ultimate price, but that He willing paid it. Oh, that I would think of my GOD with the reverence that such great sacrifice deserves.

In a "me" world, I would be well served to remind myself how valuable I am...not in my own or others eyes, but instead, in the eyes of the Lord.

And the Golden Measuring Tape goes to...

ME!!!!!!

Yeah for the Bloggy Awards!!!

Bridget over at Don't Blink gave a little blog love to me and now it is my turn to share it. First let me say that Bridget is who I want to be when I grow up. She is hilarious, beautiful, a little wacky, and a lot in love with Jesus. She home schools her kids, loves her husband, and doesn't take herself too seriously. Oh, and she lives in my home state of California, which makes it even better.

Now, on the the specifics. I have to do three things with this award.

First, I have to say something nice about my main man....okay, he is my ONLY man, but he is pretty great, so this is not hard. For a longer diatribe on husbands in general, read this from last week.

Here goes: Big Daddy, is all that. He is madly in love with me. He adores our children, and he is vested in the people they will one day become. He is the picture of hard work...but knows how to relax and enjoy things.

But my number one accolade is this: He loves my body. He loves it exactly the way it is. He has never suggested I diet, lose weight, work out, color my hair, do my makeup differently, nothing but "Babe, you look hot!!!" and he has even has gone the extra mile by telling me I am beautiful with NO MAKEUP and my hair pulled on top of my head, with pj's and baby spit up on the shirt that I thought was clean.

Now for those of you who do not "know" me in the flesh, but only thorough this blog, here are the facts. I am just shy of six foot. My skinny is a 14 long and an XL shirt. I am broad in every way. I not only have hips, but I have a butt and a gut. Yet some how, waking up with him next to me, reminds me that I make 200 pounds look good!!!

And while I may dream of a 12 long, it is my dream and not his. And that is a blessing that I never thought about when I dreamed of my dream guy, but boy is it a fringe benefit that I wouldn't trade for anything.

Off that soapbox and on to number two.

Second, list six ways in which I measure success.

6. Stewardship - Not how much money you have made, but what you have done with it.

5. Humor - Any level of success, comes with some degree of failure first. Most people do not share their failures, and worse yet, they have not learned for them. If we take ourselves too seriously, than we are missing the point. Laugh at yourself. Out loud if possible.

4. Goals - I find wisdom in planning. Everyone might have have different goals, but just having them means that you are trying to succeed at SOMETHING. And to me, that matters.

3. Journey - I am not interested in people who "have arrived" I am interested in those who are on their way, knowing that growth and character comes from the journey, not the destination.

2. Empathy - When I had kids, I was immediately burdened by raising empathic children, who would grow into empathetic adults. It does not matter where you are in your own life, if you can NOT understand where someone else is in theirs.

1. Love - Loving God and loving others is what it all boils down to. If you have all the other things, but lack love, than you lack the ability to reach people and to make a difference.

Third, I need to pass this on to someone else.

Brandi and Pete
Carol
Bridget (in OK not Cali)
and lastly to my Mom, who while new to blogging, will be wildly successful once she gets going.