Weekend Wrap-up

Had a nice quiet weekend. I worked 8 hours overtime on Saturday, so when I got off at 6p I went home and hubby and I went out to dinner at White Castles. Love those little sliders. haha Then we went home and relaxed watching TV, reading a good book and messing around on the computer.

Sunday was church and we had two really good services. Picked up KFC chicken for lunch and then took a nap and read some more on my really good book. Finally finished it around 11pm.

In his sermon Sunday morning, hubby reminded us that if we let God fight our battles we will win every time. What we're going through may not be easy, but God always wins. My husband says that God just wants to make sure we know that He is the one whot wins the battles for us and nothing we do.

Then when reading my "really good book" it hit me (I love it when a good fiction book actually teaches me something too)that sometimes when we pray and God answers our prayers with a yes and gives us what we asked for, that still doesn't mean the answer will be easy. There have been things in my life that I wanted and prayed for and then when I got it, its been super hard. But I know as sure as I'm sitting here that God answered and gave me the desires of my heart. But I still had to deal with the hard things. I've been guilty of wondering if I asked for the wrong thing but God let me have it because I wouldn't quit asking. In fact, I've had someone suggest that before when I was going through a hard time with the thing I asked for. But I know God worked it all out and gave me that thing and that it has been a blessing, even though it is sometimes hard. I guess I'm saying, just because a thing is hard, doesn't mean it's not God's will.

I don't know if I'm making this very clear or not...but this is what is on my heart this morning and I just wanted to share if with you.

Have a great day.

Random Thoughts

Today I just have some random thoughts I think I'll share. Nothing profound for sure.

Pinterest: For the last couple of weeks I've been hearing bits and pieces about it, so I requested an invitation and received said invitation and signed up yesterday. So far I've pinned just a couple of things and I've already gotten a couple of followers. I think when I have some time to spend figuring it out, it may be something I'll enjoy. So are any of you on Pinterest and if so, what do you think of it?

Larry Crowne: The girls and I went and saw this movie tonight. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm not sure if they did or not. Maybe their too young or the characters (and me) are too old. But anyway, I thought it was good.

Harry Potter: When we got out of the Larry Crowne movie it was almost 11:30pm. When we went outside there was a long line of people waiting to get into the theater to see the new Harry Potter movie. Now this is just at our small hometown theater where all movies are $5. It was kind of exciting to hear all the buzz and to see some of them with their capes and stuff on. It almost made me wish I could get in line with them. But alas, as I said above, I'm old and no way I could stay up that late and then work in the morning. haha

We sure had beautiful weather today and I hope the weekend will be nice too, but I think it's supposed to get really hot again. But I'm still looking forward to the weekend, no matter what the weather is.

Hope you all have a great weekend. I'm sure going to try to.

Back to Work

Well Christmas break is over and it's time to go back to school and work. Kelli is already gone for the day (man it's so nice that she's driving now and we don't have to take her that early. Looks like Kerri is ready (she's on FB right now while she's waiting on me to finish getting ready). Hubby is ready (and he's waiting on me too because I have to drop him off at the church since he left his van there last night). So now, I guess it's up to me. I must quit putting it off and go finish getting ready and go back to work.

I must say I have enjoyed being off (for the most part-I worked 3 days) the last 2 weeks. I think I could get used to being retired real easy. I didn't get too bored ever. There always seemed to be plenty to keep me occupied. Yep, I think I could retire with no problems. But alas, I guess it's not time yet. Yes I have more than enough years in the system to retire, but unfortunately I don't have enough money in the bank to retire. Not with 2 kids still in school! Now, don't get me wrong...I'm very grateful to have a job. I know there are many people who don't. And I don't really hate my job or anything. I just really enjoy being off!

So since I can't retire, I've decided I must change my attitude. So here goes. I'm so delighted to be going back to work. I get to catch up on all the paperwork I missed and I get to catch up on all the December reports and then all the year end reports and then open all the books for the new year. Doesn't that sound like a ball...Nope, sorry, this is just not cutting it. Sounds fake even to me!

So, instead ....Thank you Lord for my job. Thank you for the respite you've allowed me to have these past 2 weeks. You know I'd like to stay off, but you know better and I know you have reasons for me to still be working there. Help me to go back in today and have the right attitude and be a witness for you. Help me to see you today and listen to you and if there's someone you want me to tell about you, help me to see. In the mean time, help me to just praise You!

There, now that sounds more real to me. How about you? Are you going back to work today and how's your attitude? You don't have to tell me. Just tell Him. He understands and He already knows and He cares.

Love you all and I hope you have a great Monday!

The Sun is Shining!

We received 2 phone calls this morning telling us both girls' schools would be closed for the day. Yes, that's right. You guessed it. More snow! Yuck. Again, I had to get up and everyone else could stay in bed. I really don't like that. I know I've complained about that before. Anyway, I made it to work safely, with no problems driving. Thank You, Lord.

So, now I'm eating lunch at my desk and I have a window in my office (which I'm so thankful for) and it's beautiful outside now. It's no longer snowing. The sun is shining and the sky is so blue! I love it like this. I don't even mind the snow on the ground or the cold when the sun shines! I don't even mind that I'm at work and everyone else is home. My whole demeanor changes when the sun shines.

I think I need to work on remembering that even when the sun isn't shining, the Son is shining! Then maybe I wouldn't be so moody on a day like this one started out to be.

Thank You Lord for the reminder.

Fireproof

We (all four of us) went to see the movie Fireproof last night. The church where my daughters attend youth showed the movie and invited anyone who wanted to come. Let me tell you, it was a really great movie. I know it's about marriage relationships, but it really speaks to any kind of relationship. It's not just for married people. My daughers really enjoyed it too.
The movie just made it so clear that we first have to have a relationship with Jesus Christ before we can truly love someone else the way they deserve to be loved. When we love Christ and really realize how much He loves us (and this is the key, HE LOVES US) then we can learn to love others, whether that be our spouse, our child, our parent, or our friends.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." That just blows me away, that God gave His Son to save me. Me! Wow! And He gave His Son to save You too. Grab onto that and believe Him and then your other relationships can become what they were meant to be.
So if you get the opportunity to see Fireproof, I would strongly recommend it.

Thankful

Remember the prayer I committed to praying for 3 weeks. Well I'm still doing it and you know what? God is starting to change my attitude a little. Today, for the 2nd day in a row my kids have no school and hubby stays home too (although he's still working, you know, Pastors can get away with that). Now normally, I'm pretty jealous, cause I want to stay home too. But instead today I've decided God is in charge and knows what he's doing. So I'm choosing to be happy for them instead. The girls are still in bed and will get to relax today and I'm glad for them. But you know what, I got an actual "hot" shower today. Usually, by the time I get the shower, the water is just luke warm. (Thing to be thankful for.) You know what else, hubby got up and got ready and he's going to drive me to work so I don't have to walk so far from a parking space in the ice and snow (another thing to be thankful for). Guess what else, yesterday when I came home, the house was pretty clean and the driveway had been scraped. (another thank you). You know God is in charge and He does such wonderful things for us. And here's another thank you. Hubby is in the kitchen right now looking for ingredients so he can make supper for us and knowing him, it'll be really good and it'll be ready when I get home.

God is so good and I'm thankful, even though I have to go out in this weather. Guess what? It's really beautiful too!!

So let's be thankful for whatever happens to us and look for the good things God is doing today. Thank you God!!!

If I Had My Life to Live Over

I read Sarah's post at Life in the Parsonage and she was talking about how I believe most of us women feel. Take a moment to go read what she has to say, then take a moment to read this that was written by Erma Bombeck. It helps me to remember what is important!

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER
By Erma Bombeck (written after she learned she was dying of cancer.)
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it ... live it .and never give it back.

Stop sweating the small stuff.

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.

Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with.

And what we are doing each day.

I hope you all have a blessed day.

Isn't that just awesome! I'm not quite there yet, but I am working to live my life more like this.

I Give Up!

I guess I won't be posting the video after all. I finally got activated on Godtube, but the maximum download for video is 100MB and mine is over 500. So, on to other things instead. Suffice it to say they did a really good job and received a standing ovation. They were pleased and so are we. I'm so glad my girls are brave enough to participate in stuff like that. At their ages, I was always too afraid to be up in front like that. I'm so proud of them!

I'm starting the 2nd week of the Esther study (on my own) and it is awesome. I can't wait to do it with the whole group. It's going to be so fun and we are going to learn so much together.

I signed up for the Beth Moore Bible Verse Memory thingy the other day. I missed the first one, but the second one started on the 15th and it's not too late for you to sign up if you want. You pick your own verse or you can memorize the one she is working on. The goal is to have 24 verses memorized by the end of the year. For my first verse, I chose, Psalm 25:5 in the NLT Version. It is: "Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you." This is my desire to be lead by God into His truth. There is no one else to put my hope in because He is the only one who can save me. Thank you Lord!

I don't have much more to say, except KJS' basketball team won again tonight. Yeahhhh!

All's Quiet and I Wish I Were Napping

It's all quiet in the lives of the TCKK family and quiet is not bad (except when you're searching for something interesting to blog about)! In fact, in our home quiet is very good and does not occur very often. We're all back to work and/or school and getting back into the swing of things. Of course, the girls had a 2 hour delay because of weather this morning. They were loving that! I wish they'd give me a 2 hour delay at work. Of course, I've never been able to talk the bosses into that. hahaha

Over at The Roost, Jules was talking about napping and she started me thinking (very dangerous, I know). She has some darling pictures of animals napping, so be sure to check her out. Anyway, I think here in America we should have a required nap time or siesta, like they do in other countries. Wouldn't you just love to "have" to take a short nap every afternoon. I've tried to convince the boss that this would be a good thing too and that we'd all be so much more productive. Actually, I think he agrees with me, but he could never get his boss to agree to it. Oh well, I guess a little wishful thinking isn't such a bad thing.

So, I guess I better just finish eating my lunch and get back to work because the nap thing just ain't gonna happen today.

I'm home now and just realized this is my 100th Post. Yeah!!!!!!

Blessed - That's me!

Finally, I'm feeling better, almost back to normal. Of course, now hubby has the cold. I hate that I passed it on to him, but honest, it wasn't on purpose.

The first day back at work wasn't too bad. There are lots of month end and year end things still to do, but it wasn't as bad as I expected. Thank you Lord for that and for co-workers who kept up on the entry work so now I can do those reports that need to be done! It's so nice to have co-workers that go the extra distance for you and do things they don't have to just to help you out. God has been so good to me and given me good friends at work. Some are christian, some are not, but they are all good people.

Today, I'm just feeling that my life is so blessed. Again, I say thank you Lord!

Back to Work

Ok, I'm not ready, but it's time to go back to work. I have absolutely enjoyed being off these last almost 2 weeks. We have had the best time, but now it's time to get back to the other life. Mind you, I don't want to. But I have to.

You know our kids have a tendancy to think when they become adults they can do whatever they want. No one will tell them any more what to do. That's why they are in such a hurry to grow up. Well, I've got news for them. It doesn't work that way. Huh?!? You mean, I can't do whatever I want whenever I want? Uh! Nooo! If I could do what I want when I want, I certainly wouldn't be going to work today. I'd be back over in the bed either sleeping or reading a book. But real life calls and the bills need to be paid, so off I go to get ready for work.

But that's ok. I've had a bit of a respite and I know God will go with me and I will survive. hahaha

So onward and upward, I go off to face 2009 (well at least today!) One day at a time is all that's necessary! So have a great one everybody!!!!

Cathy

Home

We made it home from vacation safely. Thank you Lord. We had a terrific time. Watch in the near future and I may post some more pics from the trip. Unfortunately I came home with a bad cold. I've pretty much just rested and read all day. I've not accomplished much of anything, except to take down the Christmas decorations. I was just in the livingroom and noticed there are still several things in there we missed. I'll get them tomorrow maybe and then get everything cleaned up and back in order.

I love traveling, but I love coming home too. To me there's no better place than being home with my family. Have a great weekend everyone!

Twilight - My Opinion

Okay, so I treid to read Twilight. Just couldn't get into it. I read up to about page 156, but still just couldn't connect with it. I enjoyed the movie and maybe that's the problem, because as I'm reading the book, I pretty much know everything that's going to happen, so why read it? Anyway, I had told you I was going to read it and give my opinion, but, this is it. I'm just bored with the book and I have too many other things I would rather be reading.

So, if you decide to read it, I hope you enjoy it, but it's just not my cup of tea. Maybe somewhere down the road I'll try again, but for now, I'm done with it.

Cathy

2009

This is the question Kim from Cafe Chat asked. What is one thing you will commit to do in 2009 that will draw you closer to Jesus? (This is not a New Year’s Resolution)
In a previous post I said that my prayer for 2009 was to do this verse.
Psalm 25:5a "All day long I put my hope in you." I believe if I do that, instead of depending on myself, I can't help but stay in His plan and perfect will for my life.

Today has been a Great Day!

1. I got to sleep in. I got up around 8:00am. While that's not really late, it was when I woke up on my own and not with an alarm clock. That is always good.

2. I spent some time doing a Bible Study about joy and found some really good stuff. I mentioned some of what I found in the previous post.

3. We went to Red Lobster for lunch. I had shrimp and it was really good!

4. My daughter got a lot of books for Christmas this year. One she got was Tilly by Frank Peretti. I had read this book many years ago, but couldn't exactly remember the story. I borrowed it from her this afternoon and read it and it is so good. It's sad and sweet, but most of all it reminds me how much God loves us and He forgives us for the mistakes we make. God is so good and merciful. If you get a chance, read Tilly. It's very short, but very good.

5. Santa brought our family the game of Life for Christmas. We just played and it took us about 2 hours to play. Hubby won (as usual), KLS came in second and KJS and I tied for third place. Oh well, it was fun anyway!!

6. Now I get to blog and read or watch TV or whatever!

Definitely my kind of day. I love this vacation so far!!!

Prayer for 2009

These verses came up in my Bible Study this morning and they meant a lot to me. Psalm 25:4-10 NIV. You know how you can read a verse and it seems like you've never read it before, even though you know you have. That's what it was like with these this morning. I really hope to remember the last part of verse 5. "All day long I put my hope in you." I believe if I do that, instead of depending on myself, I can't help but stay in His plan and perfect will for my life.

4 Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow.
5 Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.
6 Remember, O LORD, your unfailing love and compassion, which you have shown from long ages past.
7 Forgive the rebellious sins of my youth; look instead through the eyes of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD.
8 The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
9 He leads the humble in what is right, teaching them his way.
10 The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all those who keep his covenant and obey his decrees.
Psalm 25:4-10 NLT
If you get the chance, read the whole chapter. It's really good!

Christmas Memory

One of my favorite Christmas memories is when KLS was 5 and KJS was 2. The whole family went to Grandma and Grandpa's (my mom and dad) house on Christmas Eve, like we do every year even now. The grand kids are always so excited and can't wait to open gifts. They about die every year, because they have to wait until after everyone eats supper before they can open their gifts. My sister delights in eating as slow as she can, so she can torture them with having to wait even longer.

That year KLS was so excited when they started passing out the gifts. She'd open a gift and exclaim over it and then she'd say, "I want another one, I want another one." I don't think she'd ever seen so much stuff. Over and over she'd ask for another one. We have it on video and we all like to tease her about it. KJS was excited too, but she was only 2 and really didn't understand it all and would just take her time opening her gifts. I think KLS is kind of embarrassed now about doing this, but maybe in some ways she had the right idea. I think God would like us to be like KLS and be that excited about receiving the gifts He's given to us. We should be so excited when we receive the gift of His Son, that we'd say I want another one or I want more of You and what You have for me.

Maybe that's why He says we need to receive Him like a child. We should be so thrilled to receive Christ and all He has for our lives; like love never-ending and peace that passes all understanding.

Lord I pray that you will make me more like a child wanting all of You.

Mary Did You Know?

Do you know the song, Mary Did You Know? that was written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene? I love this song. It has such great words.

I love the thought from their song that when Mary kissed her baby, she kissed the face of God. How awesome would that be? Can you imagine what it must have been like to kiss the face of God? And some day we'll get to see Him face to face. What a time that will be!

There's also a line in the song that says "This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you!" Again, what an awesome thought. But that's just what Christ did. Through his death and resurrection, He's delivered each one of us, along with His own mother. All we have to do is believe that He is the son of God and accept Him as our Savior.

My prayer this Christmas Season is that each one of us will take time to think about Jesus and what He has done for us and that we'll accept Him as Lord and Savior of our life. There is no greater gift than this!

Mary

I love Mary, the mother of Jesus. I love the fact that she was such a young girl when she was visited by the angel and told that she would give birth to the Son of God, the Savior of the World. I love that she was so willing. Luke 1:38a says: "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."


My prayer is that I'll be more like Mary. That whatever the Lord asks of me, I will do. Without complaining and whining and without fear of looking foolish and without worrying about what everyone will think of me. I mean, if anyone really put themselves out there, it was Mary. But her response was "be it unto me according to thy word." What an awesome and brave person she was.

"Lord, help me to hear your voice and always be willing to do whatever you ask of me."

Blink

I finished the book "Blink" by Ted Dekker. Very good book. It's not the type book that I normally read, but I really enjoyed it. The main character kind of reminds of Charlie on "Numbers". If you're looking for a good exciting book to read, this may be it.

Now I've started reading "Twilight". I haven't gotten very far yet, so I'll keep my thoughts to myself for now.