Tag, You're It

I was tagged on Facebook, so I thought I would post it here as well...very random, kind of silly...

1. I thought Sampson and Delilah was a love story until I read the Bible for the first time after I became a Christian at 22
2. I love GOOD Southern Gospel Music...think Bill Gaither...
3. I love to bake
4. I love history
5. I Love to read, especially biographies
6. I was an adult before I knew that the American and French revolutions happened close together and one spurred the other on...pathetic, I know...this is why...see next item
7. When I teach history to my children, we have a main unit...Fall of Rome, Rise of Early Church...then we go around the world to see what else is happening...Mt. Vesuvius explodes, info on St. Valentine, Bar Kockbha, etc...I think it gives great perspective.
8. I have read (and understand) the Constitution
9. I had lunch in Italy
10. I have been to the top of the Eiffel Tower (and never want to do it again)
11. I would love to travel all around the Mediterranean region...Israel, Egypt, Italy, Turkey, etc...to see all of the great relics of ancient civilization
12. I have been making my own laundry soap and I love it...my husband has not had any allergic reactions to it.
13. I would love to take a year and travel all throughout the United States to see everything that is great about each state...
14. I would love to go to Washington DC and see all the great things to see there.
15. I really enjoy scrapbooking...I love that it preserves the past and inspires the future...
16. I think I am losing brain cells in my sleep!!!!
17. I love being at HOME
18. I am kind of obessive about grammar (even though I am not great at it)
19. I am also obsessive about spelling ( not perfect at that either)
20. I have a blog (Digging deep here...this is harder than it looks)
21. I LOVE coffee
22. Science and math are my least favorite subjects
23. I have been caught up on laundry for about a week and a half (thanks to the wonderful words of a good friend...Just Do It...yes it took me that long to do it, and you would never know it to look at my laundry room!!!!!)
24. I like tea (but mostly, I LOVE COFFEE)..whew, almost done!
25. I know that freedom is not free...and it can be lost...

Today, I am going to a friend's house and she is going to give me some tips on soap making...I want to try that...I have wanted to try it for MANY years, but couldn't find anyone crazy enough, I uh mean ADVENTUROUS enough to do it with me...well now I have and I think we are going to have a great time!

I think I may write more a little bit later, but for now
So Long,
C~

Graciousness

Graciousness...this is something that I hope I always have...when you know gracious people, it is so evident...you think them about the sweetest people alive. It is relatively easy to be gracious...I think it involves thinking about how your words and actions will affect others and doing what you would want done to you...sounds a lot like the Golden Rule...do you remember that? Doing unto others as you would have done unto you...
Yet in this world today...it's all about me and looking after number one...does that get us anywhere? Or does it just breed more anger, discontent, strife, and a whole host of other things?
I am not one of the political intelligenzia, so I do not comment on political things very often...I know the limits of what I can safely talk on...President Obama had the opportunity to be gracious to former President Bush on Tuesday, but instead he chose to cut down and place blame...it seems like President Obama will soon see what the life of a president is like...I hope that he can pull this great nation out of the crisis we are in...but he is not my savior...My Savior is Jesus Christ...the one who can really save...who can give peace, hope, joy...and graciousness... as for us, I think we need to be on our knees praying for mercy from the judgement of God and the long time that this country has chosen to snub its nose at God and do its own thing...

Junkie

Well, this is a confession, of sorts...I am a Gaither Junkie...I love Bill Gaither, his Homecoming friends and the Gaither Vocal Band...I felt like I came home musically the first time I listened to a little bit of this music...as you can hear, I have a few selections on my playlist...I would have more if I could find more, but alas, not everyone loves it as I do...

Well, there is a change in the Vocal Band...and, for the most part, it is an amazing change...the new Vocal Band will have Bill Gaither (of course), Mark Lowry, Wes Hampton, Michael English and David Phelps...I am very excited about this...now I am sad to see Guy Penrod and Marshall Hall moving on, but what a group of singers they have in the new line-up...now I am looking to see when they may all be coming to my area...I definitely do not want to miss this!

C~

Just Today

So, it is just...today...not a special day...just today...and really, that is all we are ever guaranteed...not even ALL of today, just right now...and my thoughts are rambling and I thought I would keep some of them here...
Co-op starts soon...and the kids are SO happy...they love co-op...not necessarily all of the classes, but they love being around their buddies. They are counting down the days.
Miss Princess turns 7 pretty soon...just a few more days...she is so excited about that. She will be having a birthday party with a few friends from church. I am hoping to sew a couple of dresses for each of them for their dolls...
Then Lou turns 11 next month...I cannot believe how fast time flies when measured by growing babies...Life is but a vapor...
JC will be paging in a little over a week. He will be in our state capital as an "Official" go-fer...he is not looking forward to it, but I think it is an opportunity of a lifetime...and I am excited for him. He also had the opportunity to apply for an intern position with a homeschool family that we respect and trust...I am hoping that God will give him favor in the decision, but he does not have much experience and that could be a problem for him...as I understand it, there have been MANY applicants. He is excited at the thought and I know we both appreciate being given the opportunity. He was blessed with a notebook computer for Christmas (thanks to the generosity of Grandma) and we have found out since that the charger for this does not work, so I will need to get him a new one as I am sure he will be needing his computer for this position if he does get it.
JD is keeping busy with hockey...tending the net...I have not yet been able to get to a game for a variety of reasons, but to hear Daddy tell it, he is doing a great job...He also got glasses a few months back and has a condition that has a small window of time to correct. His eyes have improved, but we are hoping for even more improvement before this window of correction is closed...
Well, I think that is about all of my random thoughts for right now...the older four are at the house of some good friends, so I need to get busy and redeem the time.

Blessings,
C~

Thanks for the help

Well, my blog has a new look thanks to an online friend, Scrapping Amy! She knows so much more than I do about all this and I really like all of the things she has done, suggested, etc...Amy, I really appreciate all of your help and I love how it looks!
Thanks!!!

Days of Praise and New Years Resolutions

I love this verse and the basic implication of this devotional...which I will try to emphasis below....This verse will be the springboard of what I hope to accomplish this year and a part of my mission...


"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8)

The tradition of making resolutions for a new year dates back to ancient Babylon. It was connected then with the New Moon, which signaled the end of the winter season. Roman emperors managed to manipulate the calendar enough to get the event out of sync with the moon, finally declaring in 153 B.C. January 1 as the New Year. And the early Greeks used a baby to symbolize the rebirth of their wine-god Dionysus as far back as 600 B.C.

These celebrations were the pagan ceremonies of pantheistic or polytheistic systems of worship, and the early Church fiercely fought these sensual revelries. However, by the Middle Ages, many of the pagan festivals and gods had been "Christianized" by various missionary efforts. Thus, by the twelfth century, most of Europe had integrated many of the pagan celebrations into Christian "holy days." That battle between the "traditions" and the effort of Christians to focus their families and churches on worship of our Lord continues today. Commercial entities praise "Santa Claus" over the birth of Jesus Christ. And the "Easter Bunny" vies for attention over the Lord’s resurrection.

Today, as we face the tradition of "resolutions," we must remember three important restrictions from Scripture. First, whatever we promise must be genuine, truthful, and from our hearts (James 5:12). Second, God takes these "vows" seriously (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5). And finally, God’s requirements for our lives are both simple and profound: Do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God (our text). Maybe the best resolution we could make is one like King David’s plea: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). HMM III



C~