Tag, I'm it!

Here we go. As if you don't know enough about me. I've been tagged!

1) What was I doing 10 years ago today?
Iwas frantically preparing for my son Michael's graduation open-house. Can you believe it has been that long?

2)5 things on my to-do list.
Get the laundry done. Clean the house. Wash the bedding in Becky's room. Make Peanut Butter Pie. Go for a walk.

3)Snacks that I enjoy.
Anything chocolate. Popcorn.

4)Things I would do if I were a billionaire.
Pay off our house. Buy Phil a pick-up truck. Cook a huge meal everyday and invite lots of people over.

5)3 of my bad habits
Talking too much. Eating too much junk food. Drinking too much coffee.

6)5 places I have lived.
Tecumseh, Mi. Adrian, Mi. Caro, Mi. Tecumseh and Tecumseh

7)5 jobs that I have had
Babysitter. Data Entry Operator (Bohn Aluminum and EDS). Receptionist (Airport/Flight School). Monitor at ACE School. Cashier (Hobby Lobby) But the best job of all is "Wife" and "Mother"

I tag: Beth Williams, Becky Arnold, Ryan Watters, Hannah Avery and Michael Arnold

Let's take a walk!

"C'mon, Emma, let's go for a walk! It's a beautiful day!" I didn't have to say it twice. She was ready to go. "Do you want to take the baby doll?" That sounded like a good idea. So, she put her baby in the cart, along with a lid to one of her dishes, a spoon, two horses, a plastic cup, three plastic fish and a rubber ducky (evidently all necessary when going for a walk). Then, just before walking out the door, she grabbed a hard hat. This is serious stuff! Down the driveway we went , took a left and began our trip around the small city block that "gramma" lives on. Oops! We took that turn a little too sharp (it's hard to steer with one hand), spilling the contents of the cart all over. Frustration!! Starting to get angry even!! "Gramma" comes to the rescue. Everything now back in the cart. "Do you want to go back?" "Nope". Oh look, there's a lady across the street. We must stop and wave. She doesn't see us, so we must yell, "Hi"! She not only sees us, but comes across the street to visit. This is fun! We show her the doll, and everything that's in the cart. Let's keep going! We turn the corner, this guy has some Bear Statuary in his garden. We stop to talk to them. But, not for long. What's that noise? It's a couple of teen-aged boys going down the middle of the street on their skate-boards. Oh, look! A flower! Cute! We must get down there and smell them! Let's keep going... didn't see that crack, but....it's ok. We'll just brush the knee off and keep going. Oh, wait! We've been so distracted with everything going on around us. Where's "gramma's" house? "I tan't see it!" Look!! A kitty in that window! "Can I hold it?" "Peeze?" There it is! I see "gramma's". C'mon, "gramma". We turn up the front walk,push the cart to the side and sit on the front stoop. That was quite the "walk". "Was that fun, Emma?" "Dat was fun!"

As I related this little story to Phil (every little detail, because just talking about Emma makes him happy), this thought came to mind:

I'm taking a little "walk" down the "sidewalk" of life. My destination: HEAVEN (my Father's House) You may think that I've taken some "silly" things along with me in my cart, but HE understands that they give me comfort. I've had some frustrating situations when it seems that everything is out of control. But my Father was there to pick up the pieces. I've fallen and skinned my knee, but look at the friends that I have made along the way. There have been some distractions and I thought I had lost my way, but, no.. I'm still going in the right direction. What about the "kitty" and the "bears"? I've even stopped to smell the flowers!!! C'mon! Let's keep going! Isn't this "walk" fun!? You may want to grab a hard hat. You just might need it!!

Let's Party!

Hello again! Now, before you start thinking all those things about me....just let me explain. I say that a lot, don't I? I was asked to speak at our Mother-Daughter Banquet next month. I'm very excited!! We have been using Emilie Barnes' book "The Spirit of Loveliness" in our monthly meetings this year and had a different speaker each time take a chapter of her book and give their perspective on it. In glancing through the titles of the chapters....I started feeling like maybe, just maybe, Cheryl had asked the wrong person to speak at this event. Some of the titles are as follows: "The Spirit of Welcome" (I think I could handle that), "The Spirit of Creativity" (oops...that reminds me of the knitting loom), "The Spirit of Femininity" (we won't even go there..), "The Spirit of Stillness" (ummm....me?) and on and on......until I came to the last chapter and......there it was. The perfect thing for a Banquet!!!! "The Spirit of Celebration". I think I can do this!!!

Here is a quote from the book. "We should be led to God by the joy of our lives as well as by the sorrow, by the light as well as by the darkness, by human fellowship as well as by human loneliness." I love it!!

So.....that's why I say, "Let's party". Not to loudness (although I do contribute to this type of thing sometimes), not to "disorderly conduct" so to speak, but to a "spirit" of celebration that brightens everyday of our life. We ought to live our lives EXPLODING with joy---like we really believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead!

As we prepare to "celebrate" another day in which to worship God, let's open our lives and hearts to Him and let his Spirit fill our lives. Let's "celebrate" HIM.