Everything We Need

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3

Your grace is enough

More than I need
And your word I will believe
I wait for you
Draw near again
And your spirit make me new
And I will fall at your feet
I will fall at your feet
And I will worship you here

Your presence in me
Jesus light the way
By the power of your word
I am restored
I am redeemed
By your spirit I am free
And I will fall at your feet
I will fall at your feet
And I will worship you here

Freely you gave it all for us
Surrendered your life upon that cross
Great is your love
Poured out for all
This is our God

Lifted on high from death to life
Forever our God is glorified
Sovereign king
Rescued the world
This is our God

Finishing My Task

" However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24

I have been in a state of almost-panic for the last 2 weeks.  The holidays are getting closer and so is my Bar Review course.  This means that I'm just about to the point where I'm going to have to bury my head into a pile of law books and keep it there until the end of February.  Unfortunately, I'm not like other law graduates who can literally spend 24/7 in a law library for 10 weeks.  I'm a mom.

I'm really not sure that there are enough hours in the next 3 months for me to sleep, work out, do my devotions, blog, play with my children, cook meals for my family, keep up with our laundry, clean our house, work on phonics with my son, sit for 4-5 hours doing legal work at my home computer for my job, and still manage to keep up with my Bar study schedule on a daily basis.  Oh, and that doesn't even include doctor visits, hair appointments, church activities, church conferences, play dates or any other spontaneous activity that might occur.  Just thinking about the next 3 months almost makes me cry.  How in the world am I supposed get everything done and make everyone happy?

I think the answer to this question is simple--I'm not. Jesus has called me and has given me a task.  Every single day, I'm just going to have to do what He has called me to do for that day.  And if that day's to-do list doesn't include mopping the floors (I really hope it doesn't) then, I won't mop the floors.  Ok, I'm not trying to shirk housework here.  What I'm trying to say is that my above to-do list sounds great and noble from an earthly standpoint.  But from an eternal perspective, some of my activities might not be so important on a daily basis.

I haven't been called to live my life to please everyone else, or to have the most presentable house.  I certainly haven't been called to be a Martha Stewart, Supernanny, and Nancy Grace wrapped into one person.  (Although, sometimes I feel that this is what I've been wrongly striving for.)  Instead, God has called me for His purposes.  I am to testify to the gospel of His grace by doing the tasks that He has designated for me to do.  If I can just focus on that mission, then I'm confident that He will give me the grace to accomplish His purposes in me.  Day by day, God can and will reveal His plans for me.  I just have to wait on Him.

So in the upcoming weeks, when you see me and catch a glimpse of panic in my eyes (more likely craziness), please remind me to take it day by day.  And please pray with me that God will extend His grace to me to let me accomplish what He needs me to do.

Football Pick 'Em Week 12: Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

I watched him do it!  He pulled up my picks this week and decided to intentionally change his picks so that they would be different from mine.  He knows that he's running out of time to make up for all of the lost points.  So either my husband was being really brilliant by this bold move or he was just asking to get spanked by his almost-cheating maneuver.  Only one of us had a chance to benefit from his desperation. 

Thanks goodness it was me.  I have now expanded my lead by 8 points.  Mainly, because I am the beneficiary of changed picks that would have only been useful if teams like Auburn and Notre Dame could have pulled off upsets.  I also benefited from my husband's irrational loyalty to picking the Colts.  I'm pretty sure if he had taken my advice and NOT picked Indy to win and Green Bay to lose, he could have saved himself a few points.  (He obviously didn't think I knew what I was blogging about a few weeks ago.  After all, I am just a girl who really doesn't care about football.)

I almost felt sorry for the guy yesterday when I saw his fantasy football quarterback get pounded.  Looks like Leinart won't be helping much for the rest of the season.  I'm pretty sure my husband's taken enough beating in his pick 'em game against me.  I really hope he can still pull out his win in our church fantasy football league.  I think I've put him through enough suffering this season. 

And for the record, my newest fascination, Tim Tebow, pulled off another win yesterday.  (Applause please!)  It might have been in overtime, but it's still a win.  Can't wait to see if he can scrap together another win next week. 

I guess playing the Pick 'Em games has been good for me this year.  It's not getting me to watch much more football than in previous years (sorry Dear Husband), but it is giving me an idea about how much time can be wasted in the fantasy world of sports.  And I suppose, I've learned a few "picking" skills that my husband could benefit from in the future. 

In the mean time, don't lose heart Dear Husband!  The Cubs and the Colts feel your pain.  As they're learning up in that part of the country, there's always next year.

Major Changes

We finally bit the bullet and decided it was time to expand our little family.  Fortunately, this latest addition did not require 9 months of morning sickness.  He was adopted.  The newest member of our family is a little Australian shepherd.  His name is Major.

 

I honestly couldn't have picked a better personality for my puppy if I had tried.  This little guy is happy, lazy, and extremely chill.  He only barks when he's playing with the kiddos.  He sleeps through the night without whining.  He actually gets along with my cats.  And he loves my little boys.

I kind of figured that this little one would give me something else to blog about, but I never anticipated it would happen so soon...

After church today, our oldest son decided to run around the backyard with his new pal, Major.  All seemed to be going well until we heard this awful screaming sound.  There was no telling why my son was screaming, but I assumed it had to be in response to the dog.  Before I could reach the back door, my little guy came bursting through the door in his t-shirt and underwear.  I suppose on an ordinary Texas day, this might not shock me.  But it's cold outside today, and I was pretty confident that he left the house wearing wind pants.  When my husband asked him where the pants went, he started laughing and said that the doggy took them.  Sure enough, the pants were in the middle of the back yard with the dog. Looks like the dog won whatever game he was playing with my son.

It also appears that we have found ourselves a puppy who likes to play practical jokes on people. Friday morning when I got out of bed I was flabbergasted to find that one of my slippers was missing.  The dog had slept in my son's room, so I really couldn't imagine how the slipper had disappeared.  But on a hunch that the canine had some responsibility for misplacing this essential article of clothing, I got down on my knees and asked him where the other one went.  If I was going to have to go outside with him in 40 degree whether, I really needed my slippers.  In response to my questioning, he took off running through my room and scampered behind my bed.  So much for asking a dog for help.  I then decided to search my closet, the family room, and anywhere else that the slipper could have gone.  When I returned, my little friend came trotting up to me with my slipper in his mouth.  He might be mischievous, but at least he's smart.

Looks like we're in store for some Major changes in our house.  And maybe even a little more fun.

The Undomestic Goddess Can Cook

So apparently I did inherit some cooking abilities.  Or maybe I just read directions well.  Either way, the turkey turned out pretty well if I do says so myself.  Nobody has contacted me with complaints of salmonella poisoning, so I think Thanksgiving dinner was a success.  Just to prove to my New Life family that I did successfully cook something that didn't come in a box or from KFC, here's a picture of my little turkey:

Even though I was really focused on making sure all the food got onto the table, I devoted Wednesday afternoon to making the table look good.  For the first time, I found a wonderful use for my white antique dishes. 

Unfortunately, my table was not large enough for the turkey, stuffing, green beans, potatoes, pasta (my Northern element), corn souffle (Southern element), Mom's homemade dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin bread.  But our family dinner with my parents, brother and sister-in-law was nice.  Next year, I'm just going to have to bring in another table and find some other hungry people! 

Who knew that cooking for Thanksgiving was actually fun?  Maybe this stay-at-home mom thing is finally starting to kick in...

The Perfect Thanksgiving Decor

Not long ago, I shared with you, my dear readers, that my idea of interior decorating involved seeing pictures that I could copy.  For some reason, my creative side needs a little inspiration when it comes to the art department.  One might think that the changing color of the leaves and the rustic beauty of fall would really impact my ability to imagine interior design.  But let's be real here, Texas leaves don't turn pretty colors.  And when "cold" in Texas means it's not 80 degrees, it's really hard to feel like I'm in the holiday spirit.

Since I'm hosting the family Thanksgiving dinner this year, I decided to seek some inspiration from the internet.  I was really curious.  What is a Thanksgiving dinner supposed to look like?  If it involves cornucopias and Indian corn, I'm definitely going with a Christmas decor. (For some reason, my spirit needs NO inspiration at Christmastime.  I think I was made to celebrate Christmas all year long.)

Fortunately, the world wide web did not disappoint on the Thanksgiving front.  In fact, I'm kind of wishing I had a real dining room so that I could actually set the scene for my dinner this year.  Maybe someday I can move into a cool old house with a dining room that has character so that I can share my incredible pictures with you too.  This year, however, I'm just focusing on cooking an edible turkey.

Anyway, if you're wondering what my idea of the perfect Thanksgiving looks like, here you go:

Rustic

 

Charming

Intimate

Warm

 

Classy

Ok, well maybe I liked the last picture because it's shiny and I like a lot of bling.  (Probably another reason I love Christmas decor.)  Regardless, Thanksgiving should be a warm and inviting holiday for every family, even at the most simple tables.  The idea that our entire nation is sitting down giving thanks to God for the great things that He has done makes every dining room a precious place this year.  

 Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  And let's hope my turkey turns out as good as these rooms look!!!

From the Mouths of Children

"From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease."  Psalm 8:2

One of the greatest things about living with toddlers is getting to hear what they have to say.  Sometimes I think they need muzzles because they say too much.  But sometimes their innocent brilliance shines forth when pearls of wisdom or genius statements of fact come from their mouths.  These are the days when I do a double take and ask, "How did you know that?"

I just finished reading a book entitled, Heaven is For Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back.  The book is written by a small-town preacher whose son had an emergency surgery at the age of three.  During this surgery, this little boy says he went to heaven and visited Jesus.  As a result, he describes "God's son" as wonderful and loving.  During the next 4-5 years of this little boy's life, he shares various stories and descriptions of heaven.  He never once contradicts himself.  Every description is consistent with the Bible.  And the little boy consistently reveals facts to his parents that he could have never known about them and their lives.

Now I'm typically a skeptic when I hear about out-of-body experiences.  This story, however, just seems real.  This child and his family have an amazing testimony and are using this experience to impact the world.  For some reason I'm not skeptical about this story, because reading this book changed me.  I feel like I suddenly have some peace about some questions that I've had about heaven.  Of course, we'll never know exactly what heaven is like until we get there, but hearing a 4 year old describe, in detail, the same description that John writes about in Revelation is pretty amazing.  And it makes me even more confident that John's writing was a literal description of heaven and not allegorical.

In addition, this book also gave me a new perspective on children.  I love children.  As a nurse, they were my favorite patients.  As a nurse in law, children are the clients that really tug at my heart the most and cause me to work extra hard.  As a mom, my children make me happier than any career or personal success I could have.  But this book made me realize that I can never love children enough.  They are special.  And Jesus loves the children very much.  Specifically, Jesus loves MY children very much.  As Psalm 8:2 says, God uses the mouths of children to "make the enemy and the revengeful cease." I believe that's what God is doing through the little boy in this book.

I don't want to spoil the "amazings" of this story, so I'm not going to tell you about all the jaw dropping statements that this little guy makes.  I heard him tell his story on one of the morning shows a few months back, but I didn't realize then how incredible the story really is. This book was so captivating that I read it in 2 days.  My husband read it in even less time.  If you have a spare afternoon this holiday season, please read it.

Football Pick 'Em Week 11: Better Luck Next Time

I think I actually lost our head-to-head picks this week.  No, actually, I know that I lost this week.  College football hurt me. But come on, college football should have hurt everyone.  If this weekend's crazy upsets hasn't convinced die-hard football fans that the NCAA needs to ditch the BCS and needs their own winter madness playoffs, then fans need to pull their heads out of the sand.  College football is really messed up. 

I'll admit that even though I picked both Oklahoma schools to win this week, I also cheered against them.  As much as I'm not a Baylor fan, the idea of Baylor beating Oklahoma just made me giggle.  Something about losing my college picks really didn't make me feel bad.  As I said before, college football is a mess.

On the other hand, I still think professional football is mostly predictable.  I think my husband and I ended up with identical picks this week, meaning that I couldn't have lost or added points in the pro pick 'em even if my teams won.

That said, I have decided that for the sake of the rest of my season, I need to take an interest in at least one player.  Maybe caring about an individual will make football more interesting.  I decided to choose Denver's own superhero.  I am completely fascinated by the phenomenon also known as Tim Tebow.  Everybody keeps calling him the worst professional quarterback, yet he keeps winning.  Plus, the fans and players love him.  Something tells me that if our eyes were really open, we'd be able to see Tebow's angels in the end zone.  That guy truly has some divine purpose and power behind him.  Go Timmy boy!

And just so you don't think that I've truly given up trying to be a good football fan, I also want you to know that I intentionally listened to sports radio this week.  I thought that maybe hearing a bunch of guys drooling over professional athletes might make me enjoy the NFL a bit more.  It kind of worked.  Those guys taught me an interesting football fact. Can you guess what quarterback has the winningest and best record in November?  Think about it.  You'll get to see him at his best on Thursday afternoon!  It's America's own Tony Romo!!!!   (Funny statistic, right?)

Sunday School Lessons

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10

On the way home from church this morning, my son informed my husband and me that he learned something in Sunday school.  He said that he learned about being a servant leader.  My husband and I were pretty impressed at this sophisticated terminology.  It's not very often that you hear a 3 year old talking about servant leadership.  So naturally, we were curious to know what he learned about being a servant leader.  He was a little stumped by this question, but he said he knew he was supposed to be a servant leader.  He said he just wasn't sure how.  I almost giggled when he said that, because I know plenty of adults who don't get this concept either.

It occurred to me that leadership is a valued concept in our society.  Go-getter, bossy people are often praised for their leadership abilities.  And this seems to be something that we promote in our children.  We want them to be the team captain, the drum major, the doctor (as opposed to the nurse), or the lawyer (as opposed to the paralegal).  This emphasis on leadership, however, seems to do a disservice to all of the people who don't know how to be led.  Very few people are actually taught followership (a.k.a. servant-hood.)

Becoming a follower has not been easy for me.  I had to learn this concept pretty quickly working in a hospital though.  It didn't matter how horrible the doctors treated the nurses, we were still supposed to follow and obey.  And it especially didn't matter how nasty the patients and their families were, because our job was to ease and please our patients.  I am thoroughly convinced that anyone who can handle working with surgeons and nasty patients can learn to work under anyone (even lawyers.)  Yet, I must say, that working in the hospital taught me what it meant to be a servant leader.

I once worked with a surgeon who was fantastic.  He called me at all hours of the night shift to check on his patients.  He would make rounds on Saturday mornings where he would spend a good half hour with each patient.  He also made it his own personal policy to be the person who changed his patient's dressings and to help them up to the chair on their first day post-op.  All I had to do as the nurse was to get his supplies and be his back-up.  He literally did my job for me.  But he did it because he cared about providing the best possible surgical care for his patients.  As a result, all the nurses wanted his patients.  We would have jumped through hoops for his patients, because we knew that he had our backs as well.  This surgeon was the epitome of  a servant leader.  He went above and beyond for everyone, even though he didn't have to.

I want to be able to teach my son to be like that surgeon and to go above and beyond for everyone else as well.  I can already see that he is smart and gifted and is a natural leader (he is first-born after all.)  But I want him to see that God has given him these gifts and abilities to use for other people.  God makes leaders out of those who are willing to do whatever it takes to be the best for others.  Those who are willing to work and "employ" the gifts God has given them for the sake of others can be a witness of God's grace to the world--even if that means doing grunt work.

Wouldn't it change the world if we really could instill the servant-leadership mentality into our children at the age of 3?  Thanks New Life Kids for the lessons you've taught my family this week.

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By the way--The song I was struggling with so much last week went pretty well today.  Praise and worship was really awesome this morning! As the words of the song state, "Oh magnify the Lord together, exalt His name forever!"

Nothing Scary at Our House This Year

On October 31st, I couldn't resist letting my 3 year old live out his fantasy of being a shark.  We really lived it up that day.  We  didn't go trick or treating.  Instead, he lived in full costume all day long, and he shared his shark face with everyone he encountered.  Then, we had our own backyard party where the shark could roam free. My in-laws arrived with Halloween goodies and bubble guns.  (Who doesn't love glow in the dark bubble guns?)  Then my parents showed up with an amazingly carved pumpkin, pumpkin cookies, a smoking cauldron, and their camera.  Fun night!

Let me introduce you to my favorite shark and his astronaut buddy.

 

 

Ok. It wasn't your typical Halloween.  We had nothing scary.  But my little guys did have a blast with their bubbles, candy, pumpkin cookies, costumes, and all the attention that they had.  Maybe next year our party will be a little more elaborate.  Regardless, we're definitely doing it again.  Sometimes I think holidays are more fun when we add our own spin.  Even though I nixed the trick or treating and the scariness from our Halloween, my kiddos had a blast.

Oh, and yes, in that last picture my little guys is attempting to fill up his lawn mower with gas, courtesy of our air pump.

Loose Lips

"A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. " Proverbs 16:28

I heard a rumor about myself today that was so absurd it almost made me laugh.  I'm not sure how the rumor got started, but someone apparently has a very negative opinion of me.  And I really don't think that the someone who instigated the rumor knows me as well as they think they do.  Let's just say that this person is from my past, like a decade ago in high school. 

Part of me wants to tell you the rumor that was said about me (and my husband) and to clarify the facts for you.  But if the facts really mattered, people wouldn't be saying bad things about me.  So I'm not going to waste your time.  Let's just say that the rumor painted a nasty picture of my husband and me as parents and as lawyers (even though I'm not actually a lawyer yet).  None of of the rumor was true, and the people who know us would immediately know that the rumor was untrue.  So, what was actually said doesn't really matter.

Regardless, hearing what others have said about me does make me think.  What have I been saying about other people?  Is it possible that I've said something negative about someone else that got twisted and contorted until it turned into something ridiculous and foolish?  I hope not.  As Proverbs says, I don't want to be perverse or a separator of friends. Instead I want my words to be "only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." (Ephesians 4:29).

So the next time you hear a juicy secret about someone, don't repeat it.  Don't believe it unless you know it's true.  And whatever you do, don't add to the story and make it worse than it was before. 

No More Horrible, Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Days

"But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, 'It would be better for me to die than to live.' But God said to Jonah, 'Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?' 'I do' he said. 'I am angry enough to die.' But the Lord said, 'You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Ninevah has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about this great city?'" Jonah 4:7-11

Something inside of me just went off on Sunday.  My inner, tortured musician soul flared up.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you're not a musician.  Let's just say that when a musician gets frustrated, you should stay out of their path.  Band practice did not go well for me on Sunday, and I carried my frustration for the rest of the day.  Literally, I was a grouch all day.  I even went so far as to tell my husband that he needed to let me be in a bad mood for the rest of the day.  I promised I would let it go on Monday morning.

True to my word, when I woke up on Monday, life was happy again.  Tuesday I was a nice person.  And now that it's Wednesday, I'm actually feeling embarrassed and guilty about my attitude on Sunday.  It was no one else's fault that I was not feeling the music on Sunday.  And it really doesn't matter.  At some point I'm going to figure out this song (which happens to be a fabulous song), and we are going to sing it in praise and worship at the top of our lungs.  It's going to be great.  I had no right to allow that one song to turn in me into a complaining grouch for the rest of the day. 

I don't know why I feel entitled to have a bad day every so often.  Sometimes I think that it's ok to be a miserable person and to whine about everything going on.  I have even been known to justify a trip to Starbucks or to the mall, because of these "bad days." 

Today in my Bible study, I came across the story of Jonah.  In just four short chapters, Jonah has numerous bad days and a blatant bad attitude.  He doesn't want to do anything that God tells Him to do.  And as a result, God has a fish swallow him, sends him to minister to the people he most dislikes, and allows him to experience some physical misery.  In the end, however, God tells Jonah that he does NOT have the right to complain.  God called Jonah to minister to a particular people in a particular place.  That's all that mattered.  God really didn't care if Jonah wanted to be there or not.  God's plan was to use Jonah to influence the lives of many.  Jonah's momentary unhappiness and sunburn because of a dead vine did not give him the right to get angry or to be miserable.

What a great reminder.  God usually makes it clear when He wants us in a particular place with a particular people.  We don't have a right to be angry about where or how God is using us.  We just have to be willing to be used.  And when we start griping and complaining about little things in our lives, all we do is prevent ourselves from being useful for God's purposes.  As God reminded Jonah, we don't have the right to complain and be useless.

I'm going to try my hardest to stop having bad days.  I don't have that right.  I'm not entitled to unhappiness and misery.  I've been called to be useful and obedient for God's purposes.  So I guess if you hear me complaining, please remind me not to be a Jonah.

Stay on the Sidewalk

"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'" Isaiah 55:8-9

We had a pleasant evening the other night as we wandered our local main street in search of photo ops.  And thanks to my brilliant mother, we ended up with some great family pictures--something that is rare with toddlers.  During our little outing, however, I almost went into heart failure a few times as a noticed my 3 year old bouncing around the sidewalk and occasionally veering into the road.  My husband and I repeatedly told him to calm down and to stay on the sidewalk, but he seemed unable to comprehend that the curb was his boundary line.  It was just so tempting to step over the line.

When we explained to our son that the road is dangerous, I could tell that there was a comprehension gap between our thinking and his.  He didn't really believe us.  He's never witnessed an accident or seen someone get hit by a car.  So I get that it's hard for him to grasp the concept.  That said, I expect him to stop immediately whenever I say, "stop."  I don't care if he doesn't understand my reasoning. I will reinforce the need for immediate obedience with discipline if necessary.  I'm not about to have my child get hit by a car because he doesn't take me seriously. 

I wonder how often God feels that way about us.  He clearly defines our boundaries in His Word, and we tiptoe all around them.  Sometimes we jump the curb for a couple seconds and think that we're ok.  Or we justify crossing the curb so that we can help others onto the sidewalk with us.  But we don't realize that God has a reason for commanding us to stay on His sidewalk.  We don't have to understand why.  We just have to obey.

We can't doubt God.  We shouldn't question His judgment.  And we certainly shouldn't gripe and complain about where He has placed us.  If He wants to lead us to another block, He will do that safely in His own way.  In the mean time, we're called to stay on the sidewalk and wait.  God has His reasons and His Word "will not return to [Him] empty, but will accomplish what [He] desires and achieve the purpose for which [He] sent it." (Isaiah 55:11)

It's amazing the lessons you can learn from parenting a child.  It's also amazing how much better it is for everyone when we obey.

Football Pick 'Em Week 10: No Glass Slippers in This Sport

OK.  It's official.  I prefer basketball over football.  This oh so great and exciting game is clearly way too predictable.  I now have a 33 point lead over my opponent.  I'm pretty sure I can avoid watching any more games this season and I'll probably still win.  You'd think at this point, you would know that some NFL teams aren't worth picking.

For example, one should NEVER pick Indianapolis or St. Louis. It's possible, they might win a game here or there, but odds are they're going to keep losing. Yes, I know that St. Louis did win in week 8, but that was clearly a fluke.  So if my dear hubby wants to keep picking Indy to win, that's fine with me. But really, these teams are reliable losers.

On the other hand, Green Bay and San Francisco are predictable winners.  Unless they're playing each other, it's likely that they're going to win.  So failing to pick these teams as winners is like handing me points too.  I honestly can't imagine the season getting any more interesting than it is at this point.  There's really no chance of a Cinderella story in football. 

I'm sure you're thinking, "What about college football?"  I suppose it's true that no one expected Texas Tech to beat Oklahoma or for TCU to beat Boise State.  And in some deep dark place in my heart I do take great joy in seeing what college teams are overrated.  But at this point when the season should be at a peak intensity level, we all know that the BCS has ruined our holiday season.  Without true playoffs, the teams who ought to be competing won't, while the teams who have better PR are going to be hoping for a good match-up.  This is an utter waste of a post season.  It's meaningless.  And it's about as dumb as handing out trophies to all children who participate in little league football, because this method ensures that there will never be winners.

So, I guess I prefer college basketball.  Anybody can win.  March Madness keeps it real.  Nobody goes on strike or sues over antitrust issues.  And at least in basketball, sometimes Cinderella finds her happily ever after.  Who wouldn't live happily ever after with a glass slipper like that?

Prayer for the Soldiers

I have always been in awe of the American Soldier.  Last week I finished reading Jeff Shaara's The Final Storm, which describes the culmination of the Pacific war in 1945.  This book provided an interesting portrayal of the American Soldier.  

The American soldier is honorable, proud, loyal, and committed to his cause.  He will give his life in order to save mine.  He will do everything in his power to ensure that war will stay far away from my home.  And he knows that his fate is in the hands of an Almighty God. 

This fact was portrayed in the book when Paul Tibbets asks a 25 year old chaplain to write a prayer for the men of the Enola Gay, men who have no idea if they'll survive their mission.  Below is the prayer that was read to the men of the Enola Gay by Chaplain William Downey prior to their atomic mission.

Let us not forget to pray for the American Soldiers around us--for those who have fought and are trying to get on with life, for those who are currently fighting to ensure our freedom, and for those who have yet to serve. 

I am so proud to be an American and to be represented by our men and women in uniform.

Pumpkin Pictures

So I had this brilliant idea that we could take my boys to the pumpkin patch to pick out pumpkins.  (Ok, I'll admit that I cheated and took them to the Farmer's Market.)  While we were there, we would then take some amazing pictures.  Well, we got our pumpkins, but the pictures were a complete disaster.  I underestimated the adventurous spirits of little boys.  Who wants to take pictures when they can explore through the pumpkins and flowers? 

And who really wants to pick out a pumpkin when they could be pulling around a wagon?

Why wouldn't we want to march around the pumpkins with our own wagon train?

How do you expect us to pick out pumpkins when there are so many to choose from?

How can anyone be expected to smile and pose when he'd much rather be running around?

Who knew that wagons were large enough to carry boys and flowers?

 

Why didn't anyone tell us that it's easier to climb up hay than to get off ? (You probably can't see it, but the little one is hanging on for dear life because he can't touch the ground. He was scared to death.)

Why didn't Mommy realize that pumpkin patches are supposed to be out in the country where little boys can roam free?  Mommy might have to be a little more creative next fall in order to get her pumpkin pictures.  But Mommy had fun exploring the farmer's market with her little guys.  Everything is always an adventure.

NFL Pick 'Em Week 9: Winner Winner Buy Me Dinner

Ok, I know in Vegas it's not really "winner winner buy me dinner," but I'm feeling that my husband is going to owe me a really romantic dinner and a new designer handbag at the end of football season.  Yep, sounds about right.  Win or lose, I'm definitely earning it (although winning has been much easier than I expected.)

Ultimately, I'm earning the dinner not just because I'm winning, but because I'm still watching football.  It's so incredibly boring.  I feel like I'm watching the same thing every week.  Yesterday afternoon I sat on the couch watching pro football for all of 2 hour and I honestly don't remember much about it.  Football just doesn't do much for me.

That said, I had a decent weekend as the "winner."  I gained 2 points in my college picks and 2 points in my NFL picks.  I have some recollection as to how I won my college picks, but I don't have much of a clue about how I won my pro picks.  And it really doesn't matter, as long as I win.

Maybe the time change is getting to me and making me tired.  Or maybe I'm finally realizing that football is a barbaric sport.  But I realized this weekend that I'm going to have to keep my eye on my beautiful leather prize in order to survive the rest of the season.  And who knows, if I keep picking the games right, maybe my husband will even take me to Vegas for dinner!  Although I'd be fine just going to Ruth Chris.

The Terminated Sentence

 My chains are gone I've been set free My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains Unending love, Amazing grace

 

The Weekend of Champions has come to North Texas.  Bill Glass and his team of volunteers are spending 2 days ministering to the people in local prisons and lock-up facilities this weekend.  My husband was blessed to have the opportunity to be one of these volunteers.  They are bringing the Gospel message and personal testimonies of God's grace to a place where few would venture.

I have to confess that the idea of going inside a prison makes me nervous.  These people have committed crimes and have proven that they can't adhere to our societal norms.  Typically, they are a danger to themselves and/or others.  I know the recidivism rates with criminals and I've always wondered just how many of these people can be helped. But last night, my husband gave me a new perspective.

After spending all day behind bars, my husband came home and told me the story of Jack Roland Murphy, one of the event's key note speakers.  Jack (a.k.a. Murph the Surf) pulled off the biggest jewel heist in American history by stealing gems form the American Museum of Natural History.  The heist was such an ordeal that they even made a movie about it.   He was later convicted of murder and sentenced to 2 life sentences + 20 years.  As a prisoner, he heard the Gospel message when the Bill Glass volunteers came his facility.  And he was radically changed.  The State of Florida eventually released him to lifetime parole because of his work in the chaplaincy program and his ministry to inmates.  He then started working with Bill Glass and other prison ministries and became an ordained minister.  Eventually, Florida terminated his sentence altogether.  Jack is now the International Director of Champions for Life.  He is truly changed.

As I reflected on this story (and read the Wikipedia version at Jack Roland Murphy), I was convicted.  Prisoners are just like us, except their sins are usually public, violent, and a violation of man-made law.  Before God, their sins are just as bad as ours.  The Bible is clear that the sentence for ANY sin is death (Romans 6:23).  But that "whosoever believes in [God] shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).  Thus, from an eternal standpoint, without God, I'm in the same position as a man on death row.

I am so thankful that God, in His grace, has terminated my death sentence.  Why wouldn't I want to share the truth about His grace with others as well--even criminals?  Thank you dear husband for your example.  I may not completely understand your passion for wanting to work with criminals, but I do understand that you're right where God wants you to be right now--sharing the Gospel behind bars.  I'm praying that God will terminate some eternal sentences today.

The Pass List

The Texas Board of Law Examiners posted the July 2011 Bar Exam pass list yesterday afternoon.  Even though I didn't take the July Bar, I was actually nervous when I pulled up the list.  It didn't take long to see names that were missing from the list that I was expecting to see.  But then I saw the one name that mattered.  My law school study buddy made the list!!!!  You go girl!!!!  Now she's only days away from being sworn-in as a full fledged attorney.  I'm so happy for you.

And I'm also happy for me.  There's nothing like heading into my own Bar exam season knowing that my law school study buddy passed.  She's my inspiration.  She proved it can be done.  Now it's her turn to say daily prayers for me as I venture off into the world of BARBRI (the bar review course.) 

So to all of my wonderful friends who worked your tails off all summer and passed the Texas Bar--Congratulations!  I knew you could do it.  You might not have had as much fun this summer as I've had, but you definitely earned your reward.

Hospital Visitors

It's that time of year again.  No, I'm not talking about the time of year when we celebrate the holidays or the change in the weather.  I'm talking about the time of year when people start to realize that they need to get their medical procedures done so that the bill applies to this year's deductible.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, just get pregnant next April and have a baby during the next calendar year.  Somehow all the money you pay on the prenatal treatment in year 1 won't wrap into the next year's deductible.  Surprise!

Thus, begins the time when hospital activity picks up.  Everyone wants to get their surgeries right now so that they will be recovered by Christmas.  And of course, they want to fill up this year's expenses.  It's a nurse's nightmare.  Been there, done that.  Not missing November in the hospital.

Since I am aware that many persons will be visiting their friends and family in the hospital this "season" I thought I would share some rules that every nurse knows and nobody else seems to care about when it comes to being a patient's visitor. 

1) If the patient asks you not to come, then don't.  Some people really like their privacy and don't want visitors.  Ask the patient.  If they want you, they'll give you a time frame in which to visit.  Respect this time frame.

2) Never visit someone in the hospital without bringing a gift.  Trust me, they're going to be drugged up, in pain, or embarrassed.  To the patient, your visit makes them feel like a museum exhibit.  You get to see them without hair done, make-up applied, and in a horrible gown.  It's really a freak show.  But, if you come with a gift, you're demonstrating that your visit is not for personal satisfaction.  The gift demonstrates that your care about the person.

3)  A hospital gift doesn't have to be flowers.  Depending on the person and reason for the hospitalization, here are some other great gift ideas that I've seen: a toy for a child, playing cards for a man, cupcakes, candy, slippers with good soles (or socks), a robe, books or magazines,  MP3 player with songs downloaded, diapers for new parents, foot cream for a woman, shampoo/shower gel in 1, chewing gum, Carmex lip balm,  a Sonic or Starbuck's drink, or a nice blanket.  Be practical and creative.  There are great gifts at every price point.

4) Don't come during lunch or dinner hours unless you're bringing food.  It's really embarrassing to sit and eat while people are trying to visit.  But hospital food is gross enough when it's warm.  It's pretty unbearable when it's cold.  This really puts the patient in a bind.

5) If the patient is drugged up or sleepy, then leave.  They're not going to remember you at all.  But, they will notice your gift when they wake up. (This is why you HAVE to bring a gift.)

6) If you can't visit the patient, send flowers.  Patients love to show off their flowers and talk about who they're from.  Plus, the flowers get rid of hospital smells.

7) It's ok to wait and visit patients when they get home from the hospital.  They're going to need groceries and food.  Don't hesitate to bring a meal or to order them Chili's to go.  Just call before you drop by.

Any nurse will tell you that part of the healing process is feeling supported by your team of people.  But, if the patient is annoyed or stressed out about that team, the healing is going to be put on hold.  Be a nice visitor.  Be gracious. Obey your patient, even if it drives you crazy.  Trust me, the nurses will confront you even if your intentions are good.  And we all know the most important rule of all--never tick off the nurses.

Oh, and by the way, November really is a great time to have that knee replacement.

Work With What You've Got

If you watch fashion makeover shows on TV or even just go sit and people watch at the mall, you notice an important fact.  People don't have to be skinny to look good in clothes.  And many skinny people actually look rather dumpy.  To look good in clothing, you just have to know what looks good on you.  And you have to make sure you are "put together." In my opinion, the right clothing can hide a multitude of oreos, a plethura of cheesecake, and pounds of ice cream.  This doesn't mean that we should partake regularly of these indulgences.  But this does mean that we should find the right clothing to hide them. I do believe that the right clothes can not only hide our flaws, but accentuate are assets.

Unfortunately, many women (of different sizes) think that they can hide their flaws through various methods.  These women seem to forget the concept of accentuating their assets. Instead, they utilize some worthless methods of hiding their flaws.  These methods don't work, but we've all seen (or have been) these women before:

• First, there are the women who wear the big tent-like dresses because they think they're doing themselves a favor.  Instead, they're making themselves into gigantic walking blobs of material--neither attractive or modest.  Just blobs. 

• Then there are the women who continually dress in black.  Hey, black's a slimming color, right?  I suppose when done correctly, black is very slimming.  But just wearing black makes a person look like a little Johnny Cash wannabe or maybe a Zoro fan.  But seriously, black is not the solution to size issues either.

• Some women dress in big t-shirts and jeans (or capris) because they figure the more androgynous they appear the less we'll notice their lumps.  Sadly, the only thing that we notice about this look is that you're sloppy.  Jeans and t-shirts are great around the house or when you're planning on moving dirt in your backyard.  But they don't say "I'm a woman" or "I think I'm pretty."  In my opinion, if you're not a man, don't dress like one.

• Other women think that wearing all the newest trends and styles will make up for their flaws.  Trust me, we've all done this.  But some fashion trends cannot be pulled off by all people effectively.  For example, I look taller and skinnier when I don't tuck my jeans into my boots.  I have short legs and boots make them look even shorter.  Even though I do occasionally do the "tuck," I have to be VERY careful with jeans and boots.

•  Lastly, there's the woman who thinks she can wear whatever she wants because nothing is going to make her look good.  Some of these women dress like 5 year olds in strange play clothes and bright colors.  Some think that the hoochie mama look is attractive.  And some think that eccentric means wearing whatever floats your boat.  (This is an insult to the eccentric people who actually look good.)  Unfortunately, not trying is worse than intentionally wearing all black or a tent--it just shows that you're not trying and don't care.

 So what are women supposed to do?  Well, for starters, we're supposed to try on clothes and see how they look.  If they flatter us, then we know we're on the right path.  If they make us shapeless or lumpy, we need to keep looking.  But most importantly, we need to embrace our bodies and dress our bodies for what they are.  If you're not a leggy 17 year old, then don't dress like you are.  And if you're not pregnant, then don't wear maternity-like clothes.

Just watch the Style network some Saturday night when they're doing makeovers on people and I think you'll be amazed to see that a good hair cut, color, and well-fitting clothes can make a woman attractive.  You don't have to have Angelina Jolie's body or Jessica Simpson's extensions to look good.  You just have to work with what you've got.  Don't give up on yourself.  And stop saying that you'll dress yourself when you've lost 10 lbs.  Do it now.

Don't believe me?  Check out some great makeovers: How Do I Look's Gallery.