Here's a funny video that my pal Andrea forwarded to me - and it is
especially relevant to ME, since I can't find my "travelling" Bible for the life of me. It is in a book cover with handles, and the fabric has khaki-colored flowers on a blue background. Please let me know if you've seen it! I am afraid I've left it at the Lake or something, but it could be anywhere. I've searched all the cars - and I wonder if I've just left it somewhere. Either that or I've put it someplace "safe" so I wouldn't loose it....you know how that goes.
An anecdote: I remember when, years ago, our Sunday School class was getting together to put up lights at RRR or something - anyways, we carpooled, and someone not in that class had left her Bible in the back seat of one of the cars. Well, the owner of the car (a person in leadership, no less), chuckled when they saw the other person's Bible in the back seat. They said, "Oh, I see that 'Carrie' (not her real name) left her Bible in my car after I gave her a ride home last week. I can see that SHE has not been in the Word for awhile!" Then he kind of laughed it off, I guess realizing how this comment had sounded.
But you know, I remember the name of the person whose Bible was in the back seat. I will ALWAYS remember her name - because she was being judged and criticized for not "being in the Word" or reading her Bible. Now, the person who said that had no way of knowing whether Carrie had a stack of Bibles around her house from which to choose to read daily or what. He should have known better, too, but certainly as a Christian this person should not have been so judgmental - and certainly should not have pointed it out to others. It is THIS kind of behavior that turns off others to Christianity - the fear of being judged or looked down on because they are not good enough - or do not follow "the rules" well enough or whatever. Bottom line is, though, that ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
That event - over a decade ago - taught me to one, keep good track of my Bible and not leave it at church or in others' cars (!), but mostly to try to not pass judgment on others. Of course, I still do, and I catch myself up short more often than not. I don't want to, though...and mostly because I don't know the whole story, and above all because I don't know anyone's heart - I only see the outward appearance. I know there are hundreds of ways I could be judged for my actions and my appearances (and you'd be right!). Unfortunately, being a fallen sinner, I end up often giving in to the temptation to set myself up above others through judgement. That is the fallen, sinful nature of the flesh.
My earnest prayer is that the Holy Spirit will help me to resist the temptation to judge anyone - for I am no better than anyone else, it is just that I have been saved from the curse of Hell and have been promised eternity in Heaven with Jesus Christ and other Believers who have asked Him into their hearts. It is so easy to speculate about others - we have a wonderful brain that can think and come up with all kind of creative ideas and thoughts - but as Christians we are commanded to keep our thoughts under control and submit them to the Lord, not be tempted to think poorly of others.
So, all of this to say, would you please call me if you find my Bible? I have some reading to do.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Why the Internet Works for Me
As someone confided in Andy in a discreet yet direct manner yesterday, I have been slacking off my blogging, as I haven't had a new post since December 18 - of lastyear! Whew! And here's two in one morning! That's what a sleepless night will getcha.
I've not abandoned the Net by any means. I've been following a couple sites for crafting ideas, mainly since most of my Christmas gifts were home-made, and I am gathering ideas for next year.
And by the way, I will NOT wait until December to get to work on Christmas. This year was NO FUN! I am going to have my lists ready by February 1 and I will be FINISHED by November. Thanksgiving at the latest. I just won't do what I did this year. On December 26 I was wrapping presents to take to Tidewater - and leaving that afternoon. Now, that is just crazy. I was so focused on getting them done that I lost two presents en route and forgot to give three others. No, no, no. But I digress.
The site on which I've been lurking is One Pretty Thing, and if you want to see what you are getting for your birthday, Valentine's Day, Christmas, etc., then pop over there and take a look. I am so hooked on this site! Its not just the site, you see. Follow a craft project link to the creator's site and then look at their other crafts and posts. Then take a look at the blogs and sites they follow, and soon three hours have passed and your husband is snoring (if he snores, of course mine is adamant he doesn't) (yeah, right) in the background as the clock ticks off into the wee hours.
But that is what I like about the Internet. You pick up a thread and follow it to where it links, choose another thread, follow that one awhile, go to the next and so on. PERRRRFECT for those of us with short attention spans. And those of us who like bright shiny pictures.
I'd like to do more sewing this year, and finish at least two quilts: a denim one and a scrappy patchwork quilt. I'm motivated by this - and the fact that I realized WalMart has a great serger by Brother for...wait a minute. It was on Rollback before Christmas for $204 and now its at $232. Oh, well, I guess that means I'll have to save up a little longer. But that is my goal, anyways. Feel free to donate to My Cause - just write "serger" in the memo line of your check :)
I've not abandoned the Net by any means. I've been following a couple sites for crafting ideas, mainly since most of my Christmas gifts were home-made, and I am gathering ideas for next year.
And by the way, I will NOT wait until December to get to work on Christmas. This year was NO FUN! I am going to have my lists ready by February 1 and I will be FINISHED by November. Thanksgiving at the latest. I just won't do what I did this year. On December 26 I was wrapping presents to take to Tidewater - and leaving that afternoon. Now, that is just crazy. I was so focused on getting them done that I lost two presents en route and forgot to give three others. No, no, no. But I digress.
The site on which I've been lurking is One Pretty Thing, and if you want to see what you are getting for your birthday, Valentine's Day, Christmas, etc., then pop over there and take a look. I am so hooked on this site! Its not just the site, you see. Follow a craft project link to the creator's site and then look at their other crafts and posts. Then take a look at the blogs and sites they follow, and soon three hours have passed and your husband is snoring (if he snores, of course mine is adamant he doesn't) (yeah, right) in the background as the clock ticks off into the wee hours.
But that is what I like about the Internet. You pick up a thread and follow it to where it links, choose another thread, follow that one awhile, go to the next and so on. PERRRRFECT for those of us with short attention spans. And those of us who like bright shiny pictures.
I'd like to do more sewing this year, and finish at least two quilts: a denim one and a scrappy patchwork quilt. I'm motivated by this - and the fact that I realized WalMart has a great serger by Brother for...wait a minute. It was on Rollback before Christmas for $204 and now its at $232. Oh, well, I guess that means I'll have to save up a little longer. But that is my goal, anyways. Feel free to donate to My Cause - just write "serger" in the memo line of your check :)
Book Review
2. forty. five. Was the last time I looked at the clock last night. My eyes are sandpaper and my head is lead. This happens every time I find a really good book - or good author - I just can't put it down and I avoid looking at the clock, knowing I'll be dragging when (if?) I get up to fix Andy his lunch at 5:45 in the morning. Last night was one of those nights.
The author keeping my attention, recommended by my friend Loretta out in California, is Linda Nichols. Clifton Forge Library and CP Jones in Covington each have a selection of her novels. Put that name on your list and check her out next time you go - DO it. At the Scent of Water was probably my favorite - but Finding Eden, set in Abingdon, Virginia and Thurmond, WV, was a close second (It even mentions Clifton Forge!). Nichols is a Christian, but her books are far from being sappy or preachy, and she does not shy away from controversial or distrubing topics, but then she is not voyeuristic, either. There are a few authors who try so hard to get the Message across that the story gets lost; in Nichols' work, it is a perfect blend. I was running out of Amish Fiction: Wanda Brunstetter, Beverly Lewis, and B.J. Hoff.
Actually I turned the light off at 1:20AM, but I think my brain was stuck in about third gear and I had trouble shifting down. By this time it was too late to take a Benadryl, which I sorely needed because of what I think is a sinus infection. I lay (lie?) in bed for about 15 minutes, staring at the too-light walls from moolight reflected off light cloud cover. The cat came in and jumped in the window, his body tense and his tail flicking. He did that thing that cats do - focus intently on something unseen, then shift his head and shoulders to get a better, different view. Now, in Chesapeake, that freaked me out because there was always the possibility that indeed there WAS an axe murderer lurking in the dahlias, but here its usually a possum, a deer or Andy's friend, "Mr. Skunk." By the time I retreived my glasses, I couldn't see any of the critters that the cat was stalking, even though I went to the kitchen window and checked under the bird feeder in the unlikely event there was a bear at the sunflower seeds. No such luck. So I trotted back to bed to not sleep some more - moved the cat and snuggled in to watch the shadows on the wall.
And here it is Friday with no definite plans for the weekend, except for Andy to work on the Subaru-oooo, which appears to have a blown headgasket. After my doctor's appointment this afternoon (where I hope I will be prescribed something to fight the goo), its off to WalMart to fill prescriptions - and oh, we're going to look at a desk over in Idlewide I saw on Craigslist.
Hannah just shouted to Abigail, "Get out of here, you're too stinky!" So I better go get fresh pants on that baby....
The author keeping my attention, recommended by my friend Loretta out in California, is Linda Nichols. Clifton Forge Library and CP Jones in Covington each have a selection of her novels. Put that name on your list and check her out next time you go - DO it. At the Scent of Water was probably my favorite - but Finding Eden, set in Abingdon, Virginia and Thurmond, WV, was a close second (It even mentions Clifton Forge!). Nichols is a Christian, but her books are far from being sappy or preachy, and she does not shy away from controversial or distrubing topics, but then she is not voyeuristic, either. There are a few authors who try so hard to get the Message across that the story gets lost; in Nichols' work, it is a perfect blend. I was running out of Amish Fiction: Wanda Brunstetter, Beverly Lewis, and B.J. Hoff.
Actually I turned the light off at 1:20AM, but I think my brain was stuck in about third gear and I had trouble shifting down. By this time it was too late to take a Benadryl, which I sorely needed because of what I think is a sinus infection. I lay (lie?) in bed for about 15 minutes, staring at the too-light walls from moolight reflected off light cloud cover. The cat came in and jumped in the window, his body tense and his tail flicking. He did that thing that cats do - focus intently on something unseen, then shift his head and shoulders to get a better, different view. Now, in Chesapeake, that freaked me out because there was always the possibility that indeed there WAS an axe murderer lurking in the dahlias, but here its usually a possum, a deer or Andy's friend, "Mr. Skunk." By the time I retreived my glasses, I couldn't see any of the critters that the cat was stalking, even though I went to the kitchen window and checked under the bird feeder in the unlikely event there was a bear at the sunflower seeds. No such luck. So I trotted back to bed to not sleep some more - moved the cat and snuggled in to watch the shadows on the wall.
And here it is Friday with no definite plans for the weekend, except for Andy to work on the Subaru-oooo, which appears to have a blown headgasket. After my doctor's appointment this afternoon (where I hope I will be prescribed something to fight the goo), its off to WalMart to fill prescriptions - and oh, we're going to look at a desk over in Idlewide I saw on Craigslist.
Hannah just shouted to Abigail, "Get out of here, you're too stinky!" So I better go get fresh pants on that baby....
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Christmas preparations
Spoiler alert! Grandparents' Christmas Presents pictured below!!
I try to be a good mom. I try and try and try. I know that kids like to help. Since I know they like to do things that are messy and I don't mind the mess - I (usually) clean up after them OK. I'm having them make "chip clips" as presents for the grandparents. Who can't use a chip clip, I say! Its truly a clothespin painted with glitter or arrayed with faux diamonds, and they are truly handy. My goal of this activity is to teach them about GIVING vs. RECEIVING during Christmas. Too much of the gimmes. (Tangent: We got a huge, 1" thick Fingerhut catalog a month ago that Hannah won't give up....she sleeps with it and the toy pages are well-worn. I didn't even think we were on the Fingerhut mailing list!)
Back to my story. The trouble comes in for me - who, of course, as you have guessed from a lack of Christmas cards in your mailbox, is nowhere NEAR ready for the holiday - when the little darlings EAT the glitter and EAT the glue
and paint their baby sister with glue when I have gone to put away laundry (gone for all of 3 minutes)
(I can hear you saying, "NOOOOOO! Not THAT sweet girl!") , it is just too much for me.
No pictures of the latter; camera ran out of batteries. Probably a good thing. Mama was NOT happy.
That big one is getting close to getting switches and coal in her stocking. But then, my learning curve is pretty steep. Due to past history, I should know better not to turn my back on her with paint, as Daddy-o did here during our May 2007 bathroom remodel:
Whoops, well, add glue to that list.
Gotta run. Have to give the littlest girl a bath to rid her of her glue 'do.
I try to be a good mom. I try and try and try. I know that kids like to help. Since I know they like to do things that are messy and I don't mind the mess - I (usually) clean up after them OK. I'm having them make "chip clips" as presents for the grandparents. Who can't use a chip clip, I say! Its truly a clothespin painted with glitter or arrayed with faux diamonds, and they are truly handy. My goal of this activity is to teach them about GIVING vs. RECEIVING during Christmas. Too much of the gimmes. (Tangent: We got a huge, 1" thick Fingerhut catalog a month ago that Hannah won't give up....she sleeps with it and the toy pages are well-worn. I didn't even think we were on the Fingerhut mailing list!)
Back to my story. The trouble comes in for me - who, of course, as you have guessed from a lack of Christmas cards in your mailbox, is nowhere NEAR ready for the holiday - when the little darlings EAT the glitter and EAT the glue
and paint their baby sister with glue when I have gone to put away laundry (gone for all of 3 minutes)
(I can hear you saying, "NOOOOOO! Not THAT sweet girl!") , it is just too much for me. No pictures of the latter; camera ran out of batteries. Probably a good thing. Mama was NOT happy.
That big one is getting close to getting switches and coal in her stocking. But then, my learning curve is pretty steep. Due to past history, I should know better not to turn my back on her with paint, as Daddy-o did here during our May 2007 bathroom remodel:
Whoops, well, add glue to that list. Gotta run. Have to give the littlest girl a bath to rid her of her glue 'do.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Santy Claus
We joined some pals the other night for a visit with Santy Claus at the Western Sizzlin the other night. Hannah was eager to tell the jolly fellow (whom we had also spied in the BK last Sunday after church) just what she wanted for Christmas. Quite a change from last year when she would have nothing to do with the man....
The picture I didn't get was of her dark eyes after she left his lap with a gift (a "princess" puzzle).
"I'm so MAD at that Santa Claus."
"Why? Han, you got a nice new puzzle!"
"I TOLD him I wanted TRAIN CARS and he just gave me this puzzle. I am MAD because I wanted TRAIN action, not a puzzle."
"Well, Hannahkins, we have to be grateful for the gifts we DO receive, and anyways Santy has to make his list and you might get train cars under the Christmas tree. What about that?"
"I'm STILL mad. I wanted train cars TONIGHT."
"Han, you are going to end up with switches in your stocking."
"Oh, no I won't!"
And then we have the Sugar Baby. Who wouldn't let Santa get too close. So she reeeeee-ached over and took the teddy bear with her fingertips. Satisfied with her 'score,' she smiled back to mama....
But she's all about giving hugs, so I got a picture anyways. I'm not about to make 'em scream if they don't want to sit on the lap of a costumed old man....but if I can coax them and coerce them, then its good for the photo album.
Let me know if you see Thomas the Train on sale. Or if you have a willow tree in your backyard.
The picture I didn't get was of her dark eyes after she left his lap with a gift (a "princess" puzzle).
"I'm so MAD at that Santa Claus."
"Why? Han, you got a nice new puzzle!"
"I TOLD him I wanted TRAIN CARS and he just gave me this puzzle. I am MAD because I wanted TRAIN action, not a puzzle."
"Well, Hannahkins, we have to be grateful for the gifts we DO receive, and anyways Santy has to make his list and you might get train cars under the Christmas tree. What about that?"
"I'm STILL mad. I wanted train cars TONIGHT."
"Han, you are going to end up with switches in your stocking."
"Oh, no I won't!"
And then we have the Sugar Baby. Who wouldn't let Santa get too close. So she reeeeee-ached over and took the teddy bear with her fingertips. Satisfied with her 'score,' she smiled back to mama....
But she's all about giving hugs, so I got a picture anyways. I'm not about to make 'em scream if they don't want to sit on the lap of a costumed old man....but if I can coax them and coerce them, then its good for the photo album.
Let me know if you see Thomas the Train on sale. Or if you have a willow tree in your backyard.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Clifton Forge Christmas Parade
If you like fire trucks, cute kids, local celebrities and cloggers, then you've logged on to the right blog!
A shot of where we were standing to see the parade...Andy's office is in that building to the left of Town Hall.
"Is there going to be candy at this parade, Mama?"
The first group of cloggers - Hannah's favorite
Talking shop....HEY Andy! Lookit the parade!!!
THOU SHALT NOT COVET the tractors in the parade....
ERV's were there from Covington, Alleghany County (Dunlap!), Sharon, Glen Wilton, Lexington City, Selma, Iron Gate...who am I leaving out??
It was SOOOOOO cold! About this time my camera started to freeze and it hesitated between shots, so some of the last pictures started to look a little psychedelic - I was getting about every third shot at this point....
Of course, out here, Santa trades his reindeer for a tractor!
Regardless of numb noses and toeses, we had a great time. I have over 100 pictures, so if you're a 'local' and want copies, let me know and I'll burn a CD for you. For some reason, Blogger isn't letting me size the pictures the way I wanted so some may not show up as clearly as I'd like...
We were looking forward to going to the Covington parade last night, but it took us until about 6:45PM Saturday to thaw out from Clifton's shindig! Thank you to everyone who braved the cold to show us a great time!
A shot of where we were standing to see the parade...Andy's office is in that building to the left of Town Hall.
"Is there going to be candy at this parade, Mama?"
The first group of cloggers - Hannah's favorite
Talking shop....HEY Andy! Lookit the parade!!!
THOU SHALT NOT COVET the tractors in the parade....
ERV's were there from Covington, Alleghany County (Dunlap!), Sharon, Glen Wilton, Lexington City, Selma, Iron Gate...who am I leaving out??
It was SOOOOOO cold! About this time my camera started to freeze and it hesitated between shots, so some of the last pictures started to look a little psychedelic - I was getting about every third shot at this point....
Of course, out here, Santa trades his reindeer for a tractor!
Regardless of numb noses and toeses, we had a great time. I have over 100 pictures, so if you're a 'local' and want copies, let me know and I'll burn a CD for you. For some reason, Blogger isn't letting me size the pictures the way I wanted so some may not show up as clearly as I'd like...
We were looking forward to going to the Covington parade last night, but it took us until about 6:45PM Saturday to thaw out from Clifton's shindig! Thank you to everyone who braved the cold to show us a great time!
Friday, December 5, 2008
CVS score
I am only an elementary-level shopper at best when it comes to scoring great deals at CVS, as there are several blog sites I follow where they are expert and advanced in their cvsskills. But yesterday, I think I did not bad:
Transaction #1: Instant Energy 6 hour 2-pack drink: 5.24 (with tax)
RECEIVED: $4.99 in Extra Bucks
Transaction #2: 2 bags M&Ms, 2 26oz. jars Ragu, 2 10oz. bottles Dawn Dish soap, 3 tins Altoids, 4 packs of Dentyne.... used .20 Dawn coupon, 3 "peelies" for $1 off on Altoids, 4.99 in Extra Bucks from transaction #1, and a $5 off a $15 purchase coupon that printed on my transaction #1 receipt - - for a total of $.94
In summary, I paid $6.18 for all of this! (Its minus a bag of MMs because we girls shared them 3-way to celebrate on the way home....) Normally I don't buy gum or altoids, but they make good stocKing stuffers and as an "attachment" to wrap with gift cards and restaurant gift certificates! Woo-Hoo!
Transaction #1: Instant Energy 6 hour 2-pack drink: 5.24 (with tax)
RECEIVED: $4.99 in Extra Bucks
Transaction #2: 2 bags M&Ms, 2 26oz. jars Ragu, 2 10oz. bottles Dawn Dish soap, 3 tins Altoids, 4 packs of Dentyne.... used .20 Dawn coupon, 3 "peelies" for $1 off on Altoids, 4.99 in Extra Bucks from transaction #1, and a $5 off a $15 purchase coupon that printed on my transaction #1 receipt - - for a total of $.94
In summary, I paid $6.18 for all of this! (Its minus a bag of MMs because we girls shared them 3-way to celebrate on the way home....) Normally I don't buy gum or altoids, but they make good stocKing stuffers and as an "attachment" to wrap with gift cards and restaurant gift certificates! Woo-Hoo!
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