NaBloPoMo? Check it Off!

I know you think this is just another Monday, but this is not just any ordinary Monday.  Do you know why?  Because it's November 30th, which means it is the final day of NaBloPoMo.  I have written a post every day this month, which means I broke a Discovering Liz record.  I bet y'all never thought I could do it.  Can I get a wOOt wOOt?!?  {Thank you, Ronnica.  I heard you there in the back.}

I think we should all celebrate this incredible accomplishment with a Peppermint Mocha.  Who's in?

{Laughing}

Have a great Monday, guys.

Sunday Thankfulness

I just realized that it's the end of the day, and I need to write something if I want to keep my NaBloPoMo commitment. I mean, how could I make it through the entire month, only to miss it on the second to last day of the month? No way! I'm going to finish this thing.

I would like to do a thankfulness bullet list for tonight, seeing as I can probably list several items...

• I'm thankful that my Sunday school class was well behaved today. Truly a blessing!
• I'm thankful for the grace of God that enables me to do hard things.
• I'm thankful that God shows how present and active He is in our lives when the pastor uses several verses in his sermon that I had already been thinking about through the day, and he uses texts that were covered in my Sunday school lesson with my kids.
• I'm thankful that we don't have to remain the same; we can become different in Christ.

I hope everyone had a good and restful weekend. I sure did. It's back to work and routine tomorrow, though. Starbucks sure sounds in order for Monday. See you tomorrow...the last day of NaBloPoMo. Woot!

A Tale of Yogurt

You must hear about my latest venture.  A few weeks ago I had ordered a dehydrated yogurt starter culture to make my own yogurt.  It was enough for two batches, in case the first try didn't work.  It was a bit expensive, just to do a kitchen experiment.  If it worked it would be worth the money because the plain organic yogurt I buy is expensive.

Unfortunately, neither the first nor the second culture worked.  I pretty much gave up on that idea.  Obviously, there was some factor in my kitchen that was hindering yogurt making, and I wasn't ready to figure it out.  I'd just as soon continue buying my yogurt at the store, if it's going to be that much bother.  I've never been Susie Homemaker. You know what I'm sayin'?

Then recently I came across a recipe on a blog for making yogurt in your crockpot.  It sounded pretty straightforward, so I figured it was worth one more shot.  Well, guess what?  I made yogurt!  And a lot of yogurt, at that.  It's 2 quarts, and I'm going to have yogurt for the next year.  {Laughing}

After the big crockpot unveiling this morning, I put it in the fridge and thought about it the rest of the morning.  I wondered if it would taste right.  It sure smelled right, but I just wasn't sure about all this.  I mean, we're talking about milk that was left out all night and the bacteria growing.  You might not know this, but I'm sort of a germaphobe and worry about cooking food until it's done because I'm afraid of getting food poisoning. 

At lunch I put a little in a bowl and prepared it as usual with a little natural sweetener and some vanilla.  The yogurt definitely tastes right.  It has a very creamy texture and is quite a bit more runny than store-bought.  I ate a little, but I kept thinking about whether or not it was okay to consume.  I decided that's all I'd try and then wait until later to see if I die or something.  So far, I'm still alive.

If you're interested in making your own yogurt, you can find the instructions at Nourishing Days.  It really is very easy and involves nothing more than heating milk in the crockpot, stirring in a little of your own yogurt, and then leaving it to sit overnight wrapped in a towel.  I say you should go for it.

A Thanksgiving Recap

We had a terrific Thanksgiving with my family yesterday.  It included my parents, my grandmother, my sister and brother-in-law, their four kids, my husband, and me.

First, a note to self:  Do not make more than one can of yams.  My sister's family does not eat them, and you will have yam leftovers for a week.

Remember the pie dilemma?  Well, my sister had read my blog the night before, and she razzed me all day about my pie that was not homemade.  I think that at some point in the future I will have to make one again and prove to her that I am capable of making one without Marie Callender's help.  Honestly though, if you're gonna get help from any other pie baker, you might as well use Ms. Callender.  She makes a delicious apple pie.  I'm just sayin'.

After dinner the kids went off to play, and me and my sister went into the living room for our usual post-holiday-meal banter.  She went and found my mom's laptop and pulled up Tim Hawkins' web site.  If you haven't ever seen a Tim Hawkins video, you are missing out.  He is the most hysterical Christian comedian!  Kathy and I laughed so hard, and we would repeat the funny lines at the same time, only to laugh harder.

Awhile later it was time to cut the pies.  The kids all dove into the crustless pumpkin pie that my mom made.  She makes it crustless just for the kids because they always scrape the pumpkin off and leave the crust.  My Marie's apple pie was delicious, especially with the vanilla whipped cream I had whipped up FROM SCRATCH, and so was Mom's lemon meringue.  {I had just a small slice to taste.}  I had forgotten that I really like lemon meringue until I tasted it.

By the time we got home, just before 6:00, I felt like a zombie.  No energy to speak of and pretty much loafed the rest of the night.

Today has been recovery mode for me.  It meant getting on the treadmill this afternoon and watching my calorie intake all day.  Back to reality, I guess.  I know my waistline will thank me later.

A Losing Battle

I was tidying up a bit in my kitchen and food storage area, and I came across another contraband item that my husband smuggled in from the store.  Sometimes I wonder if he hates me.  {totally kidding}  This is what I get for being married to a man employed by a grocer.

Do you see what I'm up against?  CANDY CANE CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES!!!

Maybe I could have just one...

Pie Trouble

You've probably been checking my blog all day, waiting for a new post. Yeah, me too. I've been wondering what I'm going to write about tonight.

I guess I'll tell you about the pie I'm making to take to my family dinner tomorrow. I volunteered to make apple pie. I have done it several times in the last few years, so I figured I could do it again. The only problem is I'm trying to eat "real" food these days...you know, the things that are closest to nature...not man-made manufactured food. Well, that sort of throws a monkey wrench into the whole pie making process.

I've never been one to make a crust from scratch. {I've never been one to make anything from scratch.} I always use the very nice pre-made crusts from the little doughboy, and then I lovingly spread two cans of apple pie filling into the pie pan, sprinkle with my special Pampered Chef korintje cinnamon, dab on a streusel topping, and pop it in the oven. My pies turn out lovely.

So I had some options today:

#1. Make an apple pie entirely from scratch, which would include making a pie crust of which I felt doomed to fail, peeling-coring-slicing my apples, and then adding my spices.

#2. Go with my usual method of buying a pre-made crust and pre-made apple pie filling, which is full of high fructose corn syrup, which is bad bad stuff.

#3. Buy a frozen pie, bake it, and pretend I made it myself, in which I will throw all caution to the wind as to the preservatives and whatever else is in it that might contribute to my early demise.

I weighed all 3 options, and I finally decided I would buy a pre-made crust but make my own filling. It seemed like a fair compromise if I went half-homemade.

The only problem is that I have no zeal for baking. None. Nada. Zilch. Zippo. I'm sure trying to like it, but the feeling is just not coming. So this pie predicament has been weighing on me all day. I decided to put it off until tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll have more energy then, I thought. Maybe....

Yep, that's what I was gonna do... until about 4:00. That's when I decided to go with option #3 {translation=EASY!}. I went to the store on the way home from church tonight, and I bought a frozen apple pie. What can I say? I caved.

My thinking is, Thanksgiving shouldn't have to be hard or dreaded. It should be enjoyed. So I'm getting help from Marie Callender and plan to relax and enjoy.

I hope you relax and enjoy too!

*Photo courtesy of Microsoft clip art

Random Dozen - Thanksgiving Edition

1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinarily adventurous?

We pretty much eat the same things every year.... turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, yams, corn casserole, etc... Hey, if something is delicious, why mess with the classics?

2. Tell me something concrete that you're thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like "hope.")

Family & friends

3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you're thankful for.

I'm thankful that God keeps me. Every morning when I wake up I still have my faith. It's not something I have to go to bed hoping I still have the next day.

4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory.

I think I've shared this photo before, but it is what I think of every year at Thanksgiving time. When I was in kindergarten everyone in our class was supposed to bring in a vegetable for stew, and then we got to eat the stew together. I remember the school hallways were filled with the aroma. We made Pilgrim and Indian hats and tops out of construction paper. Here I am modeling the Pilgrim. Isn't my prairie apron with applique adorable?

5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year?

I'm going to eat pie. That's the one and only thing that I'm absolutely sure of.

6. Do your pets get any left-overs?

We can't feed Dixie "people food" because she usually gets an upset tummy.

7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying?

We always say a prayer before the meal. We sit at the table, hold hands, and Dad leads it.

8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing?

My parents have never been into sports, so no we won't be watching football. A tradition of the past has been to watch a Christmas movie. One of our favorites is the musical Scrooge with Albert Finney. In our family's opinion, it is the BEST telling of Dickens' story A Christmas Carol.



9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing?

I have never tried it, nor would I want to. I'm not sure I know anyone who has had oysters in their dressing, either.

10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving?

I believe I have a pretty good grasp on the story of the first Thanksgiving.

11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying?

Apple & maybe Pumpkin at my mom's. I'm hoping maybe I can snag a slice of Pecan at our church fellowship on Wednesday.

12. Do you feel for the turkey?? (This is a humorous throw back question related to the 12th question in another Random Dozen!)

Nope, not at all.

So glad you stopped by today. Please take a moment to visit Linda's 2nd Cup of Coffee blog. She's a fun lady.

Nov. 23, Thankful for Normal

I don't know why, but my energy level has come back. Just after I had the blood work done to check for a thyroid issue (no problems found), suddenly I'm feeling alright and not dragging anymore. Who knows? Maybe it's the cod liver oil that I started taking. Well, no matter. I'm just thankful that I feel normal again. (Whatever normal is.)

Blog Design Change

Yep, I did it again. I changed my blog background. When I found this little penguin, I just couldn't resist. I wanted to wait until after Thanksgiving, but his cute little penguin-ness kept calling out to me.... C'mon, Lizzy. You know you want me on your blog. So I went and grabbed his little penguin code and made the change.

If you are looking for a cute, free background, this is where I got mine.

Nov. 22, Thankful for God's Faithfulness

I'm thankful that God is faithful to me, even when I am unfaithful to Him. My heart and my thoughts were a mess this morning at church, and I responded sinfully at every turn. It's hard to believe that I prayed for my junior class with an emphasis on their need to honor God with their actions and words. I'm sure God must have been shaking His head at my own stubbornness and disobedience.

But He's faithful to chasten His kids, and He's faithful to forgive. I'm thankful for that because I sure do need His grace.

Nov. 21, Thankful for the Weather

I must say, I'm thankful that our November weather in northern Indiana has been so mild. When the last week of September hit (I remember it so well), it turned cold, windy, cloudy, and drizzly. And that was pretty much October in a nutshell.

Once November settled in, the weather took a turn for the better. We've enjoyed many sunny days, and the temperatures haven't been too awful bad, either. As I write today, we are enjoying bright sun, blue skies, no clouds, and warmth enough to just wear a sweatshirt outside. That's not typical.

I hope you're enjoying November where you are. It's hard to believe snow will fly soon.

How to Lose Weight Fast!

This week I discovered the fastest way to lose weight is to get a haircut. I had this much hair. It was driving me nuts, and I was ready for a change.

So on Wednesday I took the plunge and cut it all off.


Now I have this much hair...

Seriously, I lost 1 pound! And what a difference that feels like. I wasn't entirely sure I loved it the first day and was even nervous the next day when I was styling it. Two days into the new cut, and I think I like it.

Nov. 19, Thankful for Answered Prayer

I'm thankful for answered prayer today. It was a biggie! I'm also thankful that the Lord sheltered me. I am a worrier, and my thoughts and imaginations run away with me sometimes. The Lord just helped me so much by keeping my thoughts reined in and reminding me that all my days are written in His book and were ordained for me before I ever existed. Why should I worry if He is working for my good?

Give Me a Shout Out

Hello, blog readers. I'm wondering if you might do me a little favor today. I am curious about you and would like to know how you have come to read my blog. I do have a stat tool that gives me an idea of whether you clicked a link, landed here via search engine, or just typed in the URL. I just don't think the tool is extremely thorough.

So if you're a regular reader, a semi-regular reader, or just happened to wander here for the first time today, would you please give me a shout out? All I want to know is whether you read my blog from a feed reader, if you click over from Facebook, or if you have the link bookmarked in your browser. Post it in the comments below.

Thanks! =)

Time for Random Dozen

You know what this picture means, right? Looks like Linda has some tough questions today.

1. If you could master one sport, what would it be?

Golf! It doesn't require speed, running, or playing on a team that's depending on you to make a play.

2. When you make a major purchase, do you go with your gut instinct, or do you do research to make an informed decision?

My husband and I do research. More my husband, but since he likes doing it, I just let him.

3. There is an old kids' game that says you can find out what your movie star name would be by using your middle name as your first name and the name of the street you grew up on as your last. What is your movie star name?

Anne Belmar

4. Would you rather give up your favorite music or your favorite food?

I believe I would rather give up my favorite food than favorite music. I have already given up some of my favorite foods like donuts and Oreos (and my flavored creamers are on their way to extinction too), but I can't do without my music. I love my Kari Jobe and Sara Groves because they speak to my heart.

5. There are two types of banana preferences. One is pristine yellow, almost to the point of being green; the other is spotty and more ripe. Which is your preference?

I prefer my bananas spotty and more ripe. As long as there is no green showing, a banana is perfect. They're sweeter that way.

6. Your favorite tree is?

A great big Maple. They were the kind that most of our neighbors had when I was growing up. There was one across the street from my house, and it had terrific shade. My friends and I would sometimes have a picnic lunch underneath it on a summer day. Good memories.

7. On a scale of 1-10, how tech savvy are you?

I think I'm a 7 on the techy scale.

8. Has H1N1 touched your family?

My niece and nephew both got a flu a few weeks ago, but the hospital wouldn't test them. They may or may not have had H1N1.

9. Are you an analytical person, or do you just accept things the way they are without questioning or scrutinizing?

Oh mercy, what a question for me! I question everything, analyzing every in and out of a thing. Rarely do I ever accept things the way they are. I've got to know the why.

10. Is your personality more like that of a dog, cat, or Koala?

I had to look up Koalas on Wikipedia just to find out what they are like. I didn't exactly know what Koalas do. Now that I know they sleep most of the time, have a slow metabolism and basically live on Eucalypt leaves, I can see I have nothing in common with them.

I guess I'm most like a cat. I'm fairly independent and sometimes aloof. I like to greet people on my own terms and don't like being pushed into anything I don't want to do. I like things to be my own idea.

11. Do you keep in touch with friends you made years ago?

Facebook has pretty much changed that for me. I never was one to keep in touch with friends from the past. It has been an interesting experience, and I do enjoy learning about where they are now and what's happening in their lives.

12. You are checking out at a grocery store. In the express lane, there are more people than the regular lanes, but of course, their load is less than those in the regular lanes. Which lane do you choose (assuming you qualify for the express lane) and why?

It would be a gut decision. One day I might choose express, and another day I might choose a regular line. It's something I weigh out at the moment and then go with my gut as to which line would move faster.

Well, that's all for me today. Be sure to visit Linda's blog for more Random Dozen.

Test Results

I got the results of my blood work Monday. My thyroid is normal. That's good news because I want to be med-free as long as I possibly can be. The only down-side is that I don't know why I feel tired all the time. I can't help but think maybe it's a mental thing.

Would you believe I felt pretty energized yesterday, even after having gotten up at 4:30 AM to drive my husband to work because his car is broken down? For all practical purposes, I should've been tired. Go figure!

A Fresh Look at a Psalm

The memory verse that I need to memorize for this week's First Place study is Psalm 139:13-14. It's a pretty familiar verse to me, as I've read it innumerable times.

When Judy teaches she will sometimes read a verse in the Amplified version to convey the deeper meaning of a scripture, but we often kid about how LONG a scripture is in the AMP. Teasingly, I mentioned that I would memorize all the verses in the AMP from now on, just to be an overachiever.

Seriously, though, I decided it would surely help me grasp the fuller meaning of a scripture, especially if I'm memorizing familiar verses that I might not give much thought to due to their familiarity. So that's what I did.

This week's psalm is amazing. It's long, but its words convey to me so much more than what I read in a King James or New King James Version. I love it!

For you did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb. I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are your works, and that my inner self knows right well.

Twitching

I think my eye stopped twitching today. I can't remember a twitch at all. I probably hadn't mentioned it here, but last Saturday my eyelid started twitching frequently and hadn't stopped. Until today. I have had that happen before, but I never went looking for a reason. I just accepted that it's one of those goofy things our bodies do from time to time.

What I discovered through an internet search is that eyelid twitches are really a muscle spasm that signifies one of a few things...

1. Stress
2. Fatigue
3. Too much caffeine

Well, I could nix #3 off the list because I cut pop out about 3 months ago, and a cup of coffee every couple of days is on its way out too.

Stress? Well, the real question is, when don't I have stress? The degrees of stress vary from week to week. When the twitching started, I was not feeling stressed.

So that leaves fatigue. Now that could very well be the culprit. I have been feeling sluggish for months. Can't say for sure when I really started feeling it, though. I just know that I wake up feeling tired. I go to work and feel tired. I come home feeling tired. I walk on the treadmill and feel energized. I get off the treadmill and feel exhausted. I perk up after dinner, but then I'm tired again.

I mentioned it to my nurse practitioner the other day, and she ordered blood work to check my thyroid. I'll learn the results of the test this week.

I'm just tired of being tired. You know?

Nov. 14, Thankful for...

...my husband taking care of dinner tonight.

Translation = pizza delivery.

I know it's not whole food, but I was tired and starving. And he loves pizza. As far as I'm concerned, that's a win-win situation.

My half was veggie lovers. I only ate two slices, and I had an orange on the side. See? Totally healthy.

The Deer

It was dark, but I could see him at the side of the road. He was confused, turning this way and that, trying to decide where to run. So he ran into the road, directly in front of me. It was a good thing I had seen him and knew his indecision. I came to a stop and watched him bound across the road.

But then, just as quick as a blink, a truck coming from the other direction slammed into him. I heard the impact of body meeting metal. It was loud. He was stunned, turned, and then fell to the ground. I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. My hand flew to my gaping mouth in horror. And the truck drove off as if nothing had happened.

I started to accelerate slowly, but I felt unsure how to process what I had seen. I watched the deer still lying there, legs jerking and writhing in pain. What's a person to do with that knowledge? I've never seen an animal killed or injured before. If it had been killed instantly upon impact, I could've handled it. No suffering. But the animal was still alive in excruciating pain. I wanted to do something.

I drove a half mile up the hill to pick my husband up after work. Needless to say, I wasn't good company for the drive home. I looked for the injured deer as we drove back down the hill. He must have died soon after I had driven away because he was clearly deceased by the time I passed the second time. Somehow that was a relief to me, even though the image of the accident was fresh in my mind.

Nov. 12, Thankful For Sleep

It has been a really long day, so all I can say for today is that I'm thankful sleep is coming soon.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning. I needed to have some blood drawn, and it took four tries before they got any out of me...twice in one arm, once in the other, and finally after warming up my hand under hot water, they were able to find a vein in my hand. It wasn't a big deal. I've never been queasy when it comes to having blood drawn.

Later in the afternoon I got a call from Rich. He couldn't get the car started, so I needed to go pick him up...after I had just been in the vicinity of his employer only one hour before.

Rather than taking a nap, which was at the top of my list, I decided I could get myself psyched up to get on the treadmill for at least a half hour. Forty minutes later I was off the treadmill and moving on to a shower and the next phase of the day.

Dinner. We have nothing but a roast in the freezer right now, so I needed to run yet another errand and drove around the corner to pick up Subway sandwiches. {I might add I'm thankful for Subway being around the corner, especially on nights like this.}

Oh yeah, then I remembered I hadn't had a chance to start the laundry yet. I forgot and then remembered about three times. The option for having clean underwear tomorrow was riding on my remembering. Don't worry...the load is in the dryer as I type.

By 6:00 it felt like 8:00. It's early bedtime for Liz tonight. I'm zonked.

Random Dozen... Again

Do you know what day it is? If you guessed Wednesday, you're right? Since it is Wednesday, then you should know it's time for another edition of Linda's Random Dozen at 2nd Cup of Coffee. Woo Hoo!!!

1. What was the last song you listened to?

Barry Manilow singing "The Christmas Song"... Yes, I am listening to Christmas music already, but only when I'm at the office. It brings out the warm fuzzies and makes me feel nostalgic.

2. Have you ever had “buyer’s remorse” over anything?

I typically get buyer's remorse when I buy a new pair of shoes, try to wear them the next day, only to find out they pinch somewhere. Drives me nuts! It's too hard to choose a good fitting shoe in those few moments of walking up and down the aisle at the store.

3. What is something in your life that you are thankful for now that you didn’t think you would be at the time of the event? (Something that seemed ill-timed, inconvenient or hurtful which turned out to be a good thing)

I went through a painful break-up when I was in college and not one that I had chosen for myself, but I believe it was for the best. I'm sure I would've been a different person if I had remained with him. God works in mysterious ways.

4. Do you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade every year? If so, do you have a favorite float or balloon?

I usually have the parade turned on, but I'm always doing other things while watching it. Sometimes I'm folding laundry, surfing the internet or cooking. I really can't just sit and watch it, though. And I don't have a favorite float.

5. Share a quote, scripture, poem or lyric which has been an inspiration to you lately.

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." I've been needing to meditate on this one a lot the last few weeks.

6. This is meant to be a fun question, and this is a G-rated blog, but please share a “guilty pleasure,” something that you enjoy that’s probably not the most edifying, time-worthy or healthy thing you could be indulging in. Did I mention this blog is rated G?

Oh, is this an easy one! A Starbucks PEPPERMINT MOCHA TWIST. (Sorry, Starbucks.) It is sooooo not good for me with all that sugar, but it is ooooooooh so delicious. I have to drink them sparingly.

7. What Thanksgiving food are you looking forward to?

I think I most anticipate pie on Thanksgiving. It's one of the few times during the year that I eat pie. It doesn't matter what kind either, just so long as it's pie.

8. What is your favorite book to read to children, or what was your favorite childhood book?

I read "Charolotte's Web" a couple times because I enjoyed it so much. I remember being home from school in the 5th grade with a pain in my back and deciding to read the entire book that day.

9. Do you collect anything? (Feel free to post a photo.)

I used to collect Boyd's Bears and Cherished Teddies because I worked at two different gift shops early in my marriage. At this moment they are all boxed up and sitting in my loft, never seen since our move 3 years ago.

10. Gift bags or wrapping paper?

I prefer to use gift bags, but it always depends on the size of the gift and what I happen to have on hand in my gift wrap stash. Gift bags are just so convenient.

11. Share an after-school memory from when you were younger. What was your routine like on an average day?

I can't remember a specific routine, but I know I spent a lot of time playing outdoors with my friends. I was either on the swings in my backyard, playing basketball with the boy across the street, or riding my bike through the neighborhood.

12. True story: Once, in a job interview, I was asked this question and told there would be no clarifying; I simply had to answer the question: “When you’re fishing, do you feel for the fish?” So what about you? Do you feel for the fish??

When I read this question I took it to mean one thing, but I wasn't entirely certain what Linda was going for. I went and read answers from a bunch of other bloggers, and it seems some of them are uncertain as well.

I first took it to mean that when I'm trying to catch a fish, do I feel for the tug on the end of the line? If that's what you're asking, Linda, then the answer is "yes". I do feel for the tug on the end of the line.

But if you're asking me if I feel for the fish, as in, do I feel sorry for the fish? Then the answer is mostly "no". That's not to say I don't wonder what goes through the fish's mind when he's caught his mouth on that hook, but there's nothing like that feeling you get when you've caught a walleye and your friend hasn't. {winking at Judy}

Nov. 10, Thankful for Bible Study

I am quite blessed in that I have plenty of opportunities to participate in Bible studies through the week. I know it helps me stay focused on spiritual things.

This morning in my quiet time I was in Joshua 23:1-9. Joshua is getting ready to die, and he exhorts Israel one final time to obey God's commands...

Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, and lest you go among these nations, these who remain among you. You shall not make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause anyone to swear by them; you shall not serve them nor bow down to them, but you shall hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day. (vs. 6-8)

I'm a Christian living in the world amidst darkness, and I have an enemy. Reading, meditating on, and observing to keep the commands of the Lord keeps me from falling to attack and idol worship, and that's why I want to be in Bible study as much as possible. I fall so quickly.

I'm Officially Old

It was bound to happen one day, and somehow I had a feeling it was coming soon. Today is the day I am officially old. "Why?" you ask.

It's been a long day, and a weird one at that. Neither Rich nor I are feeling up to par. As we sat on the couch enjoying an episode of Property Virgins on HGTV, I told him a funny story about something that happened in Sunday school yesterday. It made him think of our friend who works in our Word of Life Club, and suddenly he asked, "Did we have a meeting tonight?!?"

My mouth dropped open and I looked at him with wide eyes. "I think we did!" He handed me the phone, and I called our head coach to check into this. Yep, there was a meeting alright, and we missed it.

I cannot believe that I actually FORGOT ALL ABOUT A MEETING! I don't forget appointments or meetings or events. I mean, there have been times I've forgotten early in the day and then remembered later that I had somewhere I needed to be, but I've never completely and utterly forgotten I needed to be somewhere.

So what I'm wondering now is, will this just be the norm from now on? I feel as if I've crossed into unknown territory here. What is the next thing I'll forget? I'm already thinking about a doctor's appointment I have for Thursday morning. Am I going to forget that too?

This all has been a bit disconcerting. I think I need to lie down.

Nov. 8, Thankful for a Good Day

Oh my! I almost forgot to do my thankful post today. Sundays are always busy for me, so this is really my first opportunity to sit down and do it.

I'm thankful that I had a good day at church. I am pretty pleased with how well my Sunday school lesson went this morning, for the opportunity to spend time with friends, and even having served in the toddler room this evening with one little guy. I don't think he's ever interacted with me before, and he was pretty content to be there with me. We put puzzles together, and he read books to me. He was quite entertaining.

It was a good day!

Nov. 7, Thankful for My Dog

Yes, I really am thankful for my dog. She delights me so. I have always been a dog person and even had a dog when I was a kid. My childhood dog wasn't quite the dream dog, though, because she didn't learn tricks, made messes in the house, and pretty much ran out the front door any moment she had the chance. Not fun!

I'll admit that I had to beg my husband to finally agree to bringing a dog into our home, but the waiting was worth it. I wanted a dog that would fetch a ball and follow me places and snuggle on my lap while watching TV. Dixie has got the fetching down, and she DEFINITELY follows me everywhere (to the point I sometimes have had to ask her to go away). The snuggling is not quite there because she's a busy little Sheltie with things to do and cats to keep in line. But she gives great doggy kisses, and has a sweet Sheltie expression that melts my heart. I adore her!

Nov. 6, Thankful I'm Never Alone

I've just gotta make this my thankfulness thing today.

Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. - Psalm 73:25-26

No matter who abandons me or doesn't meet my expectations, God is always there. He will remain, even when all others are gone. He will be my portion...as long as I choose Him to be.

Nov. 5, Thankful for Scripture

I'll be honest. I'm struggling to be thankful today. I wasn't even sure how to write a post when all that's staring me in the face right now are my worries, confusion, fear, and failures. But the Lord did give me something. It's a scripture that speaks to a spiritual need I have.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. - Proverbs 3:5-6

I'm thankful today for the comfort of God's Word.

It's Another Random Dozen

I enjoy Linda's Random Dozen, but I don't always have time to sit down and give much thought to her questions. Let's see if I can do it today...

1. It's early morning, about 2:00AM, and you're driving home. You come to a red light and sit there. There is no one in sight for miles around. Do you wait it out or run the light?

I'm really into obeying rules, so I would wait for the light to turn green before going...even at 2:00 AM.

2. If you had the chance to re-do the last 24 hours, would you change anything?

Yeah, there are a lot of things I would do differently right now. I'm struggling with the way I use my afternoons at home. I have plenty to keep me busy but can't quite figure out what to do first, and I have a lack of energy. Hoping to get it figured out soon.

3. When you reply to someone's comment on your blog, do you reply in your comments or go to her blog and comment? (Or email her)

I try to send a reply by email, but often people don't have their email turned on for their account. So I will just reply in the comments area.

4. Your favorite Disney movie is:

Oooh, that's such a hard one, picking a favorite Disney anything! You know I'm a fan. I think I'm gonna have to say "Finding Nemo". Dory cracks me up!

5. Do you recycle?

No. I would, except I think I have to go downtown to an office to pick up a bin, and it's not that important to me.

6. Games of strategy or games of chance?

I don't really play games, but I guess strategy would be my pick.

7. Do you have any recurring dreams?

Not in more recent years. A couple years ago, though, I would have dreams from time to time where I had to use the (ahem) facilities in very odd places. VERY odd places. If anyone has any idea what that might mean, feel free to share.

8. What did you learn from your first real job?

I practically grew up at the mall. That's because my father's family owned a small chain of full-service shoe stores, and as kids we spent much time helping at the store. When I became a teen I helped off and on during big sales and such, so I guess that would qualify as my first real job. I learned two things. #1-Women lie about their shoe size, and we were taught to bring out 3 different sizes for ladies to try on in case the size they claimed was not the right fit. #2 - All the really cool high heels would be entirely out of style by the time I was grown up enough to wear them.

9. Do you buy or borrow most books?

I like to both buy and borrow. I guess I do a fair amount of both. Typically, I'm such a slow reader that when I check out books from the library for the 3-week period, I then have to renew them for another 3 weeks. Sometimes I still don't finish them. So buying books at least takes the 6 week pressure off of trying to finish before time is up. A semi-solution to that problem has been PaperbackSwap.com. I trade my books for others I want on the website, and I can take as long as I want to read a book. Then I repost the book to swap for another.

10. What fashion trend of the past did you say you'd never wear again but did?

I was just a kid when they were in fashion, so it wasn't that much of a tragedy, but...bell bottoms! Okay, so they don't call them bell bottoms today. They're bootcut, flared or whatever, and I love them.

11. When do you start Christmas shopping?

Christmas shopping doesn't typically begin for me until two weeks before Christmas. Last year I waited too long to get a particular gift I could only find at the mall and did a big no-no, venturing out to the mall on the Saturday prior to Christmas. Traffic was backed up a mile from the mall, and I think it took me 30 minutes just to drive that far. I think I almost cried.

12. Have you ever been so happy that you literally jumped up and down for a few seconds? If so, what was the occasion?

When I finally got to the mall to buy that Christmas gift. Ha! (See #11.) Just kidding. Actually, I was pretty happy a couple weeks ago when I finally reached a weight goal I had been working at. I don't think I jumped, but my jaw dropped and I did a cha-ching with my arm. Is that close enough?

Okay, peeps. Go read Linda's blog now and see how everyone else answered the questions today.

Nov. 4, Thankful for the Fat

Alright, I know you may laugh at my thankfulness for fat, but I am entirely serious. A few months ago I learned that saturated fat curbs your hunger and keeps you from having insulin spikes. So I started eating bacon and eggs with butter for breakfast. Wow! It makes such a difference to eat a fat full breakfast and be sustained until lunchtime. No more sneaking into Dad's stash in his office to eat a couple fun sized candy bars mid-morning because I'm starving. (By the way, his stash is for the grandkids, not himself.)

So... Thank You, Lord, for the fat. You definitely knew what you were doing when you created it.

Nov. 3, Thankful for Encouragement

I've been discouraged for a couple months about one of my ministries at church. I'm thankful for the couple who stopped by last night to encourage me in that ministry. They brainstormed with me about changes we might make together to help with the issue. What a blessing they are to me to bear my burden, as if it's their struggle too.

Nov. 2, Thankful For My Father

I am thankful for my Heavenly Father who I can talk to anytime, anywhere. I am so weak and confused and helpless that I need His strength and wisdom continually. He's always there, ready to listen and answer when I call.

Nov. 1, Thankful For Grace

As this, the first day of November, I am participating in the NaBloPoMo. That is, National Blog Posting Month. The goal is to post a blog every day in the month of November.

I have chosen the theme of "thankfulness", since November is the month of Thanksgiving. Every day I will write about something I am thankful for. I believe this to be a very good exercise and commitment for me, since I don't express thankfulness to the Lord enough.

Today I am thankful for God's great grace that keeps me going day after day. The grace He pours into me when I humble myself under His mighty hand gives me the ability to change and to do, say, or walk through something that seems impossible in the flesh. Where would I be without it?