There are Days Life is the Title of a Book

There are just days that you can tell all that happens in life by quoting titles of books (read only the titles or this won't make sense). So I am going to express myself through some of the few titles that line our bookshelves.

This was the feeling after the spring breeze kept calling for me  to just stop and relax....which came after one of those days.

And these days just make me want to be 

All of which was just started by this

Leaving me feeling 

 .

Causing me to what to shout!!!!......

But these words come through strongly

As I allow God to continue to teach me that

Just a fun way to say that God is refining me through all the circumstances of life and preparing me for the His glory. Sometimes it is just fun to see it through silly eyes.  Do you have a title of a book that can tell your day, week, or life?

Preparing My Heart

In preparation for Easter this year the Lord is drawing me to Him.  This season He is teaching me more on His Sovereignity.  A word we throw out in Christiandom, but to get our heads around the concept of sovereignty is another story. The beginning of preparing my heart for the victory of the RESURRECTION I am reading through Bread and Wine by varies authors.  Since God is teaching through different authors I will be sharing through their words on different writings that have penetrated my heart and spirit..

Discipleship and the Cross - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

But there is yet another suffering and yet another disgrace that no Christian escapes.  Only Christ's own suffering is the suffering of reconciliations.  Yet because Christ did suffer for the sake of the world's sins, because the entire burden of sin fell upon him, and because Jesus Christ bequeaths to the disciplines the fruit of his suffering - because of all this, temptation and sin also fall upon the disciples.  It covers them with pure shame, and expels them from the gates of the city like the scapegoat.  Thus does the Christian come to bear sin and guilt for others.

Individual Christians would collapse under the weight of this, were they not themselves borne by him who bore all sins. In this way, however, they can, in the power of Christ's own suffering, overcome all the sins that fall upon them by forgiving them. Thus do Christians become the bearers of burdens: "Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ" Gal. 6:2  Just as Christ bears our burdens, so also are we to bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters.  They law of Christ which must be fulfilled is the bearing of the cross.  The burden of my brother or sister that I am to bear is not only that person's external fate, that person's character and personality, but is in a very real sense that person's sin.  I cannot bear it except by forgiving it, in the power of the cross of Christ, in which I, too, have a portion.

Those who are not prepared to take up the cross, those who are not prepared to give their life to suffering and rejection of others, lose community with Christ, and are not disciples.  Discipleship is community to the suffering Christ.

Praise God for the Cross!!

Hope Chest

As a senior in high school she knew what she wanted in her future...to be a wife.  When graduation came around, parents, family and friends were inquiring what she wanted for graduation.  Although she was already enrolled in one of the largest Universities in the country, her eyes were more focused on becoming a wife.  She anticipated the day she would be engaged and began to prepare for the fulfillment of her dream.

Instead of the usual accessories asked for by a college co-ed, she asked for a "hope chest".  Family and friends were more than thrilled to start the collection of household items, even if a proposal had not occurred.  Her Dad was delighted to buy a well-crafted, "piece-of-wood" for his daughter.  Her style at the time was contemporary, having no clue what her decor would be when she finally had a home.  The "hope chest" was bought, walnut with straight contemporary lines and lined in cedar.  Each celebrated occasion the "hope chest" was added to.  Everyday dishes, stainless steel flatware, linens, a wooden rolling pin and a bunny rabbit cookie jar.  Each item added to the chest brought anticipation of the fulfillment of the dream.

Yes, it has survived all six children, and yes, five boys and a hubby!  No scares!

There is very little that remains from the items placed in that chest over 32 years ago.  The dishes have long been broken, the flatware was mainly lost outside in the dirt from her boys, linens worn out and the rolling pin has fallen apart... but the bunny rabbit cookie jar remains.

Her "hope chest" still sits at the end of her marriage bed, continuing to be filled with memories from her union...  baby books, baby clothes, children's awards, pictures, shoes, and cards collected through the years. In other parts of the world, it has the name "glory box"... an appropriate name for a box of life's treasures.

This year, I am going to find my own daughter a "hope chest", one that she can start collecting her dreams in. I am sure her style will be very different from mine.  Hers will come for her 20th birthday and I am sure she will fill it with different items.  My prayer is that her "hope chest" will one day be filled with dreams that have gone beyond everything she could have "hoped" for.

My "hope chest" still has room to hold memories from my grandchildren one day....maybe it will be passed down and enjoyed in the future by a granddaughter or great-granddaughter.  Maybe I will be able to place the first item in her "hope chest".  Maybe they will see it as their "glory box."

Do you have a "hope chest"?  I know Kim at Field of My Dreams has a hope chest...maybe she will share her memories also.  Whether we have a "hope chest" or not, I am sure we can all tell about how our dreams have been fulfilled beyond our imagination.   Spring just seems to pull me back into dreams and the magical days of youth...how about you?

Life through the Eyes of a Five Year Old

Both son and mom's pictures...he already has an eye!

Celebrating the beginning of Spring, Benjamin and I went to the Botanical Gardens, after our viewing of the children's musical play Pinocchio.(if you have never seen the musical it is great)  As we entered the gardens Benjamin asked for the camera while voicing, "Oh they are so,so, so  beautiful."  Fifty pictures later he had documented all the beautiful flowers, fountains, and art sculpture through his eyes.  So today we send you a glimpse of our Spring with temptatures in the 80's.

I am painting my toe nails, grabbing my flip flops and breathing in the joy of Spring.
My Simple Pleasure this week....Life through the Eyes of My Five Year Old and Spring.

Spring

by Celia Thaxter

The alder by the river Shakes out her powdery curls; The willow buds in silver For little boys and girls. The little birds fly over And oh, how sweet they sing! To tell the happy children That once again 'tis spring. The gay green grass comes creeping So soft beneath their feet; The frogs begin to ripple A music clear and sweet. And buttercups are coming, And scarlet columbine, And in the sunny meadows The dandelions shine. And just as many daisies As their soft hands can hold The little ones may gather, All fair in white and gold. Here blows the warm red clover, There peeps the violet blue; O happy little children! God made them all for you.

Why We Don't Pick Our State Flower

I am going to share with you my home state of TEXAS and her unique beauty.  As with most things, there is a strange mixture that goes with beauty and so it is in my home STATE of TEXAS.  We are serious about not picking our state flower, the bluebonnet.  Here are some scenes of our beautiful hill country roads, blanketed with bluebonnets in all of their glory.  These photos were taken around my home town of Austin.

Our State Flower.....BLUEBONNETS!!!

They line the roads of the Hill Country!

They make spring drives wonderful!

A Native Texan!

When Texans say don't pick the Bluebonnets, We Mean It!!!!

This came through an email from my sister.  Yes, I have had more than enough encounters with this native, poisonous snake, the Diamondback Rattler, but I still enjoy the Hill Country and all of it's beauty.

Big Girl Panties

google image

I saw her coming up the street, hair blowing in the wind from the convertible, make-up all in place (since she used to be a make-up artist for the stars, she makes sure she looks like one) and a smile on her sun-glassed  face.  I walked over to assist her from the passenger's seat.  She handed me her hot pink cane and I helped her from the car.  I turned to pull out her purse and started to laugh. She was carrying a canvas bag lined in polka-dotted material and trimmed in hot pink boa feathers.  I told her how much fun her carrying bag was and she explained, "well this cocky-young-good-looking male has to carry my bag for me from one therapy treatment to another and I thought it would be funny for him to have to carry this!"  I just burst into laughter imagining my own 20-plus year-old, muscle-bound, young sons having to carry this purse.

I expressed, "I love it!"  She said, "well you might not if you read the other side of the bag."

google image of what was on her purse

Now don't you just love her?

I flashed back to my friend who embraced me when we moved  to our new city 13 years ago.  The Lord had provided me with a kindred spirit within weeks of our move.  So it was not unusual for me to ask to come to my new friend's house to help her pack for her upcoming adventure of a new home purchase.  As I set on the couch she said, "well, while I am doing this, could you....fold the clothes?" I was delighted to serve her in that way as we continued to get to know each other while chatting.  As I went through the clothes basket, I came to an item that so many of us moms neglect.....can you guess?

Panties!

Yes, hers resembled so many of us mom's panties (or should I say underwear... panties sound pretty)....they had stretched-out elastic, faded with hoses and were far from sexy!  I turned with loud laughter and said, "okay, if we are going to be friends and you are now getting this big house, don't you think it is time for new PANTIES?"

Our friendship was forever cemented together as we both laughed over a garment of clothing that most people don't see and so easily neglect.  Through the next 12 years she would turn to me over and over again and say, "Pull up your Big Girl Panties and Deal with IT!"

Fast Forward to today.  That friend and I have both had some major life changes.  She just recently dissolved her marriage after 20-plus years, leaving her a single mom to continue to raise two children.  We both got together recently to just love on each other and remind each other that we have been with each other for years...even though visits are rare these days.

While continuing our babbling, we strolled through a store where she turned to me in a teenage girl squeal....."LOOK!". It was a sign for her new life adventure bedroom!

google image

I now have a lot of friends who have pulled up their big girl panties and dealt with the blows of life. I am sure many of you have done the same.  My neighbor again reminded me of the lesson my friend taught me over and over again, "Pull up your big girl panties and deal with it!"   What a fun way to just smile and deal with life or maybe I just need to go buy some new PANTIES!!!  Are you a member of the "Big Girl Panties Club"?


This post is dedicated to two of my favorite "Big Girl Panties Club" girlfriends.  Both have birthday's this week....Diane, aka Ethel, hits the double nickel and Beth, welcome to the 50's club. Love you both!

Bathing Suit, Who ME?

I just cringed when my 5-year-old asked if I was going to get a bathing suit this year.  He wants me to swim this summer...not sit on the side at our neighborhood pool.  Can you say, "I'd rather go to the dentist"?  I don't think he has seen me more than once in a bathing suit and if I had my way, he never would.  What is the solution?

google picture

I love this one...now why did these bathing suits go out of style?  Notice they are not designed to expose your  figures...and they do allow modesty, which I know is no longer in style.  SOAPBOX...they also left some mystery and allowed the woman's body to be saved for her husband....just saying!  Nowadays, the body is exposed for all males to see...how sad, nothing left for just hubby.(No, I am not bitter because I don't look good in today's styles... I didn't wear them when I was in my dancer-shaped body)  Since I can not turn back the clock on swim-wear, I need to find a happy balance.  Realistically reducing my weight, while wearing a modest swim suit needs to be my goal.


Continuing my work-out each day, I also added my spring cleaning routine.  Did you know you can lose calories while "whistling while you work" at spring cleaning your house? Just to encourage your cleaning efforts, I am listing calories burned...this is for an hour at each activity:

• Dusting - 204 calories
• Gardening - 327 calories
• General cleaning - 286 calories
• Bed making - 136 calories
• Cooking a meal - 136 calories
• Putting away groceries, this also goes for loading them yourself at the store - 170 calories
• Scrubbing floors, tubs, showers - 258 calories
• Laundry - 136 calories
• Putting away clothes - 204 calories
• Washing dishes/kitchen cleaning - 170 calories
• Sweeping/vacuuming - 238 calories

Now I was encouraged...I have shampooed my carpet, washed windows, light fixtures, doors, baseboards, grouted and cleaned out drawers and reorganized my kitchen.  I am so excited to see I "killed two birds with one stone"...a cleaner house and one step closer to some type of bathing suit!  Oh My...can't I just hide?

Happy Spring Cleaning!!

Oh That Weed! UGH!

Spring has always been my favorite home school season because it allows me so many practical opportunities to instruct my children.  There has never been a spring where I didn't take one of my children outside to pull weeds from the yard.  Each time we would examine the root system... the length, width and depth of the weed we were trying to remove from our yard.  There would always be those weeds whose roots had burrowed down deep, making a gentle pull impossible for their removal.  We would water to help loosen their grip in the soil.  I would begin to instruct.  "See how easy it is to pull this small weed with the small roots? See how much work it takes to remove these large weeds with the roots holding fast and deep in the soil?  Do you see how this is like sin in our lives?  It is so much easier to remove the sin before the roots have expanded down deep and intermingled with the soil of our lives?"

Each child would nod in agreement as God would always speak to me personally about a weed He needed to address in my life.  This year wasn't any different, except He brought His truth to me through two examples of lives that I observed:

Lady #1 - She recently had a injury that has left her in a wheel chair with months of rehabilitation in order to walk again.  It will be close to a year or more before she is able to return to her former self.

Lady #2 - Her husband just recently received a promotion, giving them the ability to achieve a higher level of the American dream....new house, private schools for the her children... and more freedom for her.

One lady just voiced all of God's goodness and blessings.  She has seen Him through her life at so many turns.  She was giving God the glory. I was ministered to through this woman, instead of me ministering to her.

The other lady was upset about the inconvenience in her life.  The change isn't something she wanted. I prayed that God would transform her heart and for her to have a new joy.

Which reaction went with each lady?  Can you guess?
Lady #1 was the one giving God all the glory.  At the age of 71 she could only speak of God's faithfulness, while she held herself up with a cane and asked me if I was okay. She just glowed with the Glory of God. Her many years of trials have produced refined silver.  She sees her trials as blessings.

Lady #2 has years ahead of her.  She was trying to see how God was going to use this change in her life. She was very distraught.  Her years in ministry hadn't prepared her to receive the blessing she now sees as a challenge.  The American dream doesn't always create in us refined silver.

MY WEED!!!  God so gently bent down to start the removal of the large grown weed, whose roots have gone too deep.  "Janette, which one are you?  Have you taken my blessings, which so many times come disguised as trials, and called them curses?  You say you want to spiritually walk like Lady #1, but aren't you walking like Lady #2?  When was the last time you didn't complain about the road of blessing I have you traveling?  Don't you believe that the plans I have for you are for your good and not for evil?"

It is time to 'YANK'....I am not feeling too comfortable right now, the watering of His word and spirit are allowing the soil to loosen it's grip on my deeply-held roots of sin.  I know it is His timing.  Spring looks wonderful....it is time to weed!

Stones of Remembrance

Inheritance of past Godly generations that walked faithfully before God.

Joshua 4:4-7 - Joshua called out the twelve men whom he selected from the People of Israel, one man from each tribe. Joshua directed them, "Cross to the middle of the Jordan and take your place in front of the Chest of God, your God. Each of you heft a stone to your shoulder, a stone for each of the tribes of the People of Israel, so you'll have something later to mark the occasion. When your children ask you, 'What are these stones to you?' you'll say, 'The flow of the Jordan was stopped in front of the Chest of God as it crossed the Jordan -- stopped in its tracks. These stones are a permanent memorial for the People of Israel.'" (MSG)

I have been revisiting my stones of remembrance.  Those places throughout my life where I met God.  Standing on the edge of the waters that He parted, I can take my children down memory lane of His faithfulness.  I also prepare my heart to pass my memories of His faithfulness on to the next generation.  Recently I was asked to write out my testimony...that began the flow.  Later, I looked at the decor in my home...stones of remembrance.

• My childhood years with Godly Parents - accepting Christ at the age of 5
• My creative side, which was encouraged through my parents - sewing, high school photography, cross-stitching, painting, cooking and dance
• My years of pregnancies - the doll's name is Fertile Mertyle 
• My young years of motherhood - photo with our firstborn... after two miscarriages 
• My dancing bear - reminder of my years of dance training- now it says "I Love You", a gift from my daughter

• 27 years of dedicating myself to motherhood and the home
• creative pursuits - smocking, cross-stitching, sewing, interior design business, painting, cooking -"home-making"
• home schooling 22 years
• marriage of 30 years to a Godly man, whom I met at the young age of 15

Sometimes it is just good for me to look back and see what I did accomplish.  I don't have a resume' an employer would desire, nor degrees to hang on the wall, but I have treasures.  Stones of Remembrance, that  will be eternal, mark my memories.  When I start to walk down paths of regret because the world offers up its list of successes for my age...well, I just walk through my house and nod, I chose what was right for me!  God knew we would need to recount His faithfulness.

I have worn alot of different hats, but the one I treasure the most is "daughter of the Most High God."  My Bible is marked with spiritual Stones of Remembrance. The pages are worn because each time I stood at edge of waters that seemed to want to drown me, God spoke through His word.  The waters parted and I walked to the other side, having placed my Stones of Remembrance on His ground of victory.

Boys, Tools and You Tube

Now just what is it with me and things...well, things biting the bullet?  You don't see this 50-year-old just breaking down and quitting do you?  Well then, why should my appliances have that luxury?

So my dryer, which has probably tumbled thousands of loads, it was bought when we had a household of seven, four of which were boys and all five were involved in sports,.....decided it was tired.  Sports means a lot of washing and drying.  Now my dryer is having lighter days, only a household of four and only one in sports. Its tumbling days have slowed down, so it should be rejoicing.  WELL, NO!!!  It must have needed some attention because on Monday, my wash/dry day, it decided to throw a fit and it broke the drum belt.  In protest, it said it would not tumble anymore.

Just wait...I am a Rosie the Riveter and I have access to a talented, teenage boy and You-Tube!  So, with our arsonnel at hand, we ran to the computer, found out the name of the broken part and watched a video on how to replace it. No need to wait for days for my modern-day servant to be back in working order...I HAD WET CLOTHES TO DRY! (we are not allowed to have clothes lines in our subdivision).

My handsome, young teenager son being his Mom's hero!

A trip to the parts place, a willing teenage boy who let his mom oversee him, and we had the dryer back in better-than-working order in no time.  The same dryer that had tried to eat my bra....(Do You Hear Your Mother's Voice, post click to read) had lost yet another battle.

My Simple Pleasure this week.....A Working Dryer, A Helpful Son and You-Tube. This Rosie is now looking at all "fixing" challenges with delight...another learning opportunity in our home school house.  Just months ago, my son and I replaced the door handles on my car.  Now technology is becoming my friend. It is much easier to train this teenage son than it was my first son, 14 years ago. The biggest simple pleasure was seeing the pride on my son's face after the job was complete.................priceless.

Blow a Trumpet of Praise

Proverbs 27: 2
"Let another praise you and not your own mouth, a stranger and not your own lips."

Today I set my mouth to the trumpet to blast a THANK YOU to Jill at Pathway to Purpose  She so compassionately felt for my worn out kitchen accessories that she sent me a lovely gift in the mail. I am going to dream it is my own "Over the Hill - Married Kitchen Shower" gift.

Aren't they just lovely?  She made them!!  What a smart girl!  She has achieved all this while adventuring into her first year of home schooling her daughter.  Can you hear my applauds for all she is juggling?

She also has her own cottage business and sent me one of her lip balms.  Now how would she know these old lips need the treatment?  Check our her web-site Simple Delights. (click to check it out)  Now don't we all need to pamper ourselves some?


Thank-you Jill....you are a doll!!!

Let's Go Fly a Kite

Something about spring just yells, "Enjoy Life."  Just a gentle reminder as the windows are opened, the rains softly fall, the flowers pop their heads through the soil, awakening from the slumber of winter and the call to come outside whispering from the breeze..."Awake, Enjoy Life."  It also beckons us to go fly a kite.

“Let's Go Fly A Kite” from Mary Poppins

Mr. Banks:
With tuppence for paper and strings
You can have your own set of wings
With your feet on the ground
You're a bird in a flight
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite

Oh, oh, oh!
Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite!

Bert:
When you send it flyin' up there
All at once you're lighter than air
You can dance on the breeze
Over 'ouses and trees
With your fist 'olding tight 
To the string of your kite!


Following the instructions from Mary Poppins, (now who doesn't follow Mary Poppins!), Benjamin and I made us a kite.  Celebrating March, we assembled a kite and took it to the open field to fly.  You know flying a kite is a lot of work...you have to run, you have to throw it up in the air, you have to slowly release the string, avoid the tree limbs and then step back and watch it soar.  As I played with my youngest child, I remembered Erma Bombeck's article on kids are like kites.(click to read)  My season of watching some of my children as they soar is exhilarating.  Holding my breath as I see them lose altitude or head toward the encumbrance of  tree limbs, as well as delighting and rejoicing when I see them soar high, where others can now see the beauty God has created in them.  As I watch those kites fly, I am also training two others to fly solo one day also.  The lesson learned while flying a kite....it is easier when the kite soars high with the wind....effortless, no struggling, relaxed...like when I allow the Lord to bring me up high with Him.  Soaring with Him allows this mother to release their strings and allow them to soar.

My Let's Go Fly a Kite Spring Mantel

May you enjoy March, may you Go Fly a Kite and have a child's heart.  May God be the wind beneath you as you soar into all the adventures... with the dips, spirals, nose-dives, circles, then gliding with the plans He has for you and your family.


When was the last time you flew a kite? How about the last time you sang the song from Mary Poppins?

Note to Self - Laugh

NOTE to SELF - Never try to enter a conversation or should I say, try to relate to another woman who is clearly more successful in an area than you are.  Did this wisdom pop into my middle-aged, metabolism-zero,  50 pounds-overweight, grey-haired head...........WHY NO! 


I just jumped right into the exercise conversation with a possibly100 pounds-soaking-wet, gets-up every morning at 5-am-to-work-out for-two-hours, in-training for a-5K to-be-run with her-in-shape-husband, exercise-expert-mother....to try to relate.  Can you say...."Oh SEE it Coming."  I charmed in with, "yes, I am working out an hour a day with a 5 mile walk/jog video."  As the conversation left my area of success, I felt it all hitting the fan.  It went this way, "you know you have to work out an hour to maintain your weight and two hours to lose weight...that is for women our age."  Now she was trying to relate...which can't happen since she is years younger and doesn't have an ounce to lose.  I continued to inhale my plate full of food and crawled home to... EXERCISE..............NOT!!!!!  To mourn the fact that after two complete months of walk/jogging up to 17 miles per week, my scales are climbing....not declining.  

So, today I celebrate my SIMPLE PLEASURE for the week....LAUGHTER!!! and mainly laughing at myself.  After the following email was sent to me by a friend, who is in the same exercise shoes as me...(now I changed some "course" words which I don't use), but it got me off my ever-expanding bottom and I walked/jogged six miles.  I hope you can join me in the laugh, even if you are one who doesn't need to lose an ounce.  I am sure not telling others how to do lose weight....I am not an expert, but I can tell you how to gain weight.

You can visualize your own trainer!

Dear Diary,
For my birthday this year, my husband  purchased a week of personal training at the local health club.

Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.
I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Ronaldo, who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.

Friends seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

MONDAY:
Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Ronaldo waiting for me. He is something of a Greek god-- with dark hair, dancing eyes, and a dazzling white smile.  Woo Hoo!!
Ronaldo gave me a tour and showed me the machines... I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!

Ronaldo was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!

TUESDAY:
I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door.  Ronaldo made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then he put weights on it!  My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile.  His rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT!  It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY:
The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it.  I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals.  Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.

Ronaldo was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members..  His voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying.

My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Ronaldo put me on the stair monster.  Why would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators?  Ronaldo told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life.  He said some other crap,  too.

THURSDAY:
(You can pick a word) was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl.  I couldn't help being a half an hour late-- it took me that long to tie my shoes.

He took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom.  He sent some skinny witch to find me.

Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine-- which I sank.

FRIDAY:
I hate that donkey Ronaldo more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic, little aerobic instructor.  If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it.

Ronaldo wanted me to work on my triceps.  I don't have any triceps!  And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the darn barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.

The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher.  Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

SATURDAY:
Satan left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice, wondering why I did not show up today.  Just hearing his voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel..

SUNDAY:
I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over.  I will also pray that next year my husband will choose a gift for me that is fun-- like a root canal or a hysterectomy.  I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

---------------  
Thanks to my friend and her email, I enjoyed the Simple Pleasure of Laughter! I hope your week brings you many opportunities to laugh.

Do You Like to Talk to Tomatoes?

I can't help but hum this tune as I move through the produce aisle of my local grocery store.
If you like to talk to tomatoes
If a squash can make you smile
If you like to waltz with potatoes
Up and down the produce aisle...
Have we got a show for you!
VeggieTales, VeggieTales, VeggieTales, VeggieTales,
VeggieTales, VeggieTales, VeggieTales, VeggieTales!


Then there are times like Saturday when I announced my search with, "Oh Where Is My Hairbrush"...another silly song by Larry.

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I have chuckled through "Bellybutton" and "Cheeseburger" more than once and belly laughed at "The SUV Song".  


This is the world of Veggie Tales, which draws me in  as I plant my garden, putting "Bob the Tomato " plant into the soil and seeds into my mounds for "Larry Cucumbers". I am hoping for more produce this year from my efforts.


These children's videos/DVDs have been part of our family for years.  With each children's silly song there was also a truth from God's word around the silly song.  This mom has been convicted more than once by the vegetables telling truths from God's word.  Recently, while going through the Good Samaritan video with my son, this song, with it's catchy tune, reminded me how often I allow "busyness" to steal from the best.

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Archibald (Mayor): "I'm busy, busy, dreadfully busy. You've no idea what I have to do. Busy, busy, shockingly busy... Much, much too busy for you." Larry: "Oh, I see." Archibald and Doctor: "We're busy, busy, dreadfully busy. You've no idea what we have to do. Busy, busy, shockingly busy. Much, much too busy for you.'Cause we're busy, busy, frightfully busy. More than a bumblebee, more than an ant. Busy, busy, horribly busy.We'd love to help, but we can't!" Archibald: "Ta ta!"

(In the video, this song was the excuse for not helping out the person in need)

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.  God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong?  I Corn. 1:21

Today God talked to me through singing vegetables.  Is there anything impossible with God?


If you have missed a chance to hear some of the Veggie Tale songs, you can Google them on You- tube or even buy a DVD....maybe for grandchildren one day! Do you have a Veggie Tale favorite?