Just This Simple

HE BECAME FLESH

Does that not just completely blow your mind? HE BECAME FLESH! FLESH!

The Sovereign Omnipotent God, Creator, Divine Artist, The Potter of everything that lives and moves and has being----He became flesh! FLESH! Just Boggles the Mind!

Happy Birthday Jesus. Thank You for coming and saving us from our dirtiness, our sin, ourselves......thank You for becoming flesh.

Christmas Stockings

Another tradition we have is being able to open our stockings the night before we open our gifts. This Christmas Eve we will be opening all our gifts, we have such a busy, blessed day on Christmas that we won't have time. So on Sunday after dinner we will open our stockings. That is why I have to get them all wrapped tonight. Now every year there must be the favorite candies of the person you are giving the stocking to, a lifesavers storybook (which by the way has grown quite smaller since I was a child) and a candy filled candy cane---usually M&Ms. Then whatever else can fit in it--usually a small gift or two.

When I have to work the day after Christmas we usually open gifts on Christmas Eve if I have it off and then Christmas day we get to enjoy them when we can amongst the food, people, love and hugs (which by the way is the best part of Christmas)............

Parties, Teeth & Tests

Nonny got excited with every passing day this week. We have a chalkboard santa that she counts down on everyday and she started at 40 days this year---lol, she tortured herself with that....she happily displayed 2 this morning. She wrapped my gifts last night and put them under the tree---I am just like a kid at Christmas yet I am trying not to guess what anything is.....

She was not feeling well when she came home last night, little achy and a slight fever....that got knocked out with some prayer and she is looking much better today---she didn't eat much last night but she ate breakfast this morning.

On Tuesday we straightened her hair---oh it is so beautiful--not that it was not beautiful before---it is amazing right now. I had to do the normal stuff of doing her hair and then I had to use a special comb and blow dryer to dry it, then add some thermal lotion and use straightening plates (my daughter's hair is very very thick) layer after layer. We started around 6 and did not get finished until after 8 pm. Yet it is worth all of it....to see the look on her face when she looked in the mirror made every second worth it--she kept saying as she stroked it "I am dreaming or you put a wig on me" lol. Now she swings it about and combs it and all that....it is wonderful.

She had her school Christmas party yesterday and brought in scoops & salsa and chips & dip. She came home with books from her teacher and a bag full of candy (and not feeling well).

Oh yeah and she lost another tooth! I can't take it! lol

She will 10 this coming year and I don't know if I am ready for it. She asked for the "High School Musical" theme for her party. Oriental Trading has a great deal on the theme pack. And then I will just buy more yellow and red plain plates and cups--then I won't spend an arm and a leg on stuff...Oriental Trading is great for stuff like that and keeping it within a means. She also picked out tie dye goody bags there--I don't know why she didn't want the Hight School Musical bags but she didn't.

She asked for the movie Mary Poppins so I will get her that and another board game (because we love those) & something else. She asked for pizza and wings, so we will do that--alot less work for me...last year she wanted fried chicken and macaroni and cheese! Then a cake and ice cream of course!

The state's language arts test is coming up the first week they are back from Christmas vacation, so her teacher sent home a test from some years ago for her to practice---yes I know homework over the holidays--yet I want her to be ready for the state exam.

Whew! Be back with more Nonny adventures.

Munchie Days/Secret Santa/Wrapping Gifts.......

Well, this week just flew on by! Work was hectic being that we have Monday and Tuesday off. Monday I had the MRI, Tuesday there was a big holiday luncheon at work they served turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and then a variety of sugar food, you know, cookies, cakes, pies, cobblers etc.....Wednesday I finished my shopping --for real this time. Thursday was my departments Christmas munchie day; lasagna, salads and more sugar food--lol. Then this young lady I am doing a bible study with and getting to know came over and we watched Smallville (her new favorite show), exchanged gifts and had left over munchie day dinner (subs, lasagna and salads). We talked so much (haha) that it became late and she spent the night on my couch and left the next day.

We had a secret santa at my job and you write down 3 things you would like, so I asked for photo frames, reeses peanut butter cups and unique Christmas tree ornaments. I received this beautiful snowman photo frame, it is gorgeous. I received a unique ornament, it is a snowman, the bottom of it is a gold ball and then a wooden painted top and where it was put together a little handmade scarf is--it is really cute. Come to find out it was all homemade. My senior at work gave me boxes of chocolates with a father Christmas ornament. I love those. My Dad collected old fashioned santa's and somehow I have now fallen in love with this collection.

Then last night my best friend came over and helped Nonny wrap the gifts for me.I got 11 presents under the tree!!! I feel like a little kid again. I can not wait to invest in a digital camera so I can take quick pics and put them on here so you can see.

Tonight I have to wrap all of Nonny's gifts especially the stocking gifts (there is a reason why, this will go in my "Holidays Traditions and Celebrations" label). Do you know I have already started thinking of next Christmas??? Shame on me! Yet the sales are going to be wonderful! lol

I will be next shopping for Nonny's 10th birthday party (she is going to be 2 numbers now)...which for that day I promised her a small bash-lol. And my best friend's birthday which is the same month's as Nonny's.

And tonight I have drama practice at my church. We are doing a skit called "The Caroler's Rebellion", I am playing the narrator this time. This skit will be quite simple because we have really had no time to practice, so, our 'carol' books will be holding the actual skit....lol. It is going to be so much fun!

Oh yeah and on Monday we had our last women's group before Christmas, the topic was "Moving from Anger to Love"---it was quite eye opening and such a blessing too.....be back

Christmas Shopping & Spoil-Spree

Nonny is definitely excited about Christmas, she has a little stuffed santa that has a chalkboard that she counts down the days on.

Her paternal grandmother and great aunt took her shopping on Wednesday. They took her on a spoil-spree is what I call it. This is what she received:

1)winter robe--gorgeous powder blue, soft & warm
2)black slippers--they have little 'diamonds' on the top of them
3)brown velour jogging outfit and a khaki shirt to go underneath
4)2 pairs of blue jeans
5)black patent (sp?) leather shoes---you don't want to know the price on them
6)pretty aqua color shirt with little tiny jewels around the cuffs
7)black gloves
8)pocketbook--fatigues
9)black wallet
10)hair dryer
11)black belt
12)shampoo and conditioner that will last a while --Nonny has biracial hair texture so she needs "special" shampoo and conditioner and it can become quite expensive

I believe that is it....can you believe it???? Oh my goodness.....I wanted to go shopping!

Then guess what happened today? She lost another tooth!

She went shopping with my best friend on Saturday to go shopping for me and her best friend. I can't wait to see what she got me!

No Church Today & Still Blessed

Hi, well, we got a lot of snow and though it tapered off earlier, then it became freezing rain and now it is snow again! Pastor decided to cancel church today and then the lady who was holding the single women's Christmas brunch cancelled also. So, it turned into a really blessed day also.

I played backgammon and hangman with Nonny. She is pretty good (of course she had a great teacher hahaha). Then we watched a movie, have I told you she likes dinosaurs--well, we watched Jurassic Park: The Lost World...you know the second one. We ate chocolate Christmas trees and Lays potato chips (and no, you can not eat just one!) I love them.

I did some cleaning, prepared lunches for tomorrow and had left overs from the Senior Pastor's Christmas party for dinner again (what a blessing) then took a really nice long hot shower and am now relaxing. I don't get to do this often you know, so I am taking a little advantage of it!

Tomorrow is the big MRI day. Almost had to cancel it. The lady who would usually bring me to appointments like this and then to work is now currently having car trouble so I had to shoot an email out and I have a ride to the MRI and to work. How great is our God? I would ask that any of you that is reading this would pray for me....prayer is such a wonderful tool.

So I will be late to work tomorrow and will have to use paid time. That is okay. I need to know what is going on with my feet and arms and hands. For those of you who do not know--it feels like someone has taken a broken bottle and scraped the bottom of my feet and then set them on fire with a blow torch---yeah--the medz I am on are helping and lots of prayer gets me up and out to work everyday.

Also, I know I forgot to blog it or may just so excited I don't remember: I will be working from home soon---yes you read that right! I can not wait! Then I won't have to worry about car pooling or using my vacation time for doctors appts I can make all the time up and I won't have to go to work on someone else's schedule! It is so wonderful I could just shout!!! It is wonderful. I filled out the paperwork on Friday and handed it all in--boss says that I am looking at the date of February 2008 which is great! I am so blessed! So blessed! What a God we have!

Be back soon,

The Lake House

A friend of mine had told me to watch this movie when I had the chance. It stars Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock---kind of funny how they keep getting hooked up together in movies huh? Just an observation.

I did enjoy it, although rather strange. Sandra Bullock plays a doctor at a Chicago hospital in 2006 and Keanu Reeves plays an architect in 2004. Exactly. They meet up 2 years apart! Kind of hard to explain. The lake house was built by Keanu Reeve's character's Dad and the dog Jack is owned by both Keanu and Sandra.

It is a romantic type movie---there is no gushiness and no sex which automatically gets a thumbs up. There is a couple of kisses but that is it.

I am a stranger than fiction and science fiction fan, so this hit 2 types of interests in me. If you enjoy Sandra and Keanu you will enjoy this movie. Most of the movie is about letters put in a mailbox at the lake house.

Again--if you have nothing to do one day (wow-I know I am pushing it)--lol, when you get the opportunity and you like the actors you should watch it....

I know I may be somewhat late in reviewing it but I just watched it last night on HBO.

Have fun!

Family Traditions Part I

One family tradition my daughter and I have started is she gets a new ornament for the tree every year and so by the time she will have her own (many many many years from now right?) she will have ornaments to start her tree.

We lost 3 ornaments that were hers in the fire, including 'Baby's 1st Christmas 1998' so I will have to search to find one like that again.

This year it was all about Lucy. I bought her an I Love Lucy ornament. It is heart shaped, red and has Ricky and Lucy on it with Ricky looking up at the ceiling while Lucy is obviously trying to "Splain herself". Nonny loves Lucy and I have over the few years collected some DVD sets for her. I ordered her an I Love Lucy mug for her birthday coming up.....

So that is one family Christmas tradition that is mine and Nonny's. There are more sure to come, hang in there!! hahahha

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Wow! It is Christmas time is it not??? On Friday our Senior Elder had a party at his home and the food was excellent, stuffed chicken breasts--Italian green beans, salads, garlic mashed potatoes, lasagna--all yummy and all the appetizers and desserts OH MY...Its the most wonderful time of the year.

Today we were up and out of the house before 9:30 am. Hit a huge sale at JC Penney; I would have spent like $400 and only spent $147. Then on to WalMart where I did very well also--which also had some food included I spend $160. Then home for ham and turkey sandwiches for lunch and off to the supermarket where I spent another $80 whew! Then here I am home, just finished wrapping a whole bunch of stuff. Found some really cute tree ornaments for some people at work, my secret santa is a friend of mine who collects fireman memorabalia and I was able to get a collector's fireman santa with the dalmatian dog and all for quite a steal. I picked up some goodies to eat---and had left overs for dinner and now here I am trying to catch up.

We had a blizzard, the first one the other day (Thursday), it started around 10:45 am while we were at work, we left early, 3:00 pm and there was already 6 inches on the ground! Then it was alot of ice the next day. Now late tonight we are expecting what we call a Nor'easter. Probably around 12-16 inches of snow, won't be surprised if there is more! There may be no church tomorrow and I have an MRI appointment on Monday I won't be able to make it to unless I can find a ride to work after the MRI or I will have to take some time from work.

Well, it is off for now...I have to go catch up on some other blogs and see what is going on! Be back later!

Making Time

It is so busy this time of year and I am really going nutty here! lol. This will be the last check to clean up Christmas---which is good...Nonny's birthday is in February so she will get stuff then too.

I have a few things to buy for her and she loves dinosaurs & bugs (always has) and she lost her entire collection in the fire last February, so I am hoping to get some for her. I have a babysitter to buy for and the lady who rides me to work and back. Nonny will buy for her best friend. I would like to get for a couple of ladies who really helped out at work this year when I was not understanding new programs. Things like that.

I really have not had time to sit down! I had a home group meeting on Friday where we are studying the life of David and it was about his and Bathsheba's first child dying. Then Saturday I had friends over for dinner and Nonny did not come home till after 9 pm. Then yesterday was church and then off to the laundromat--and then boom it is time to get ready for the work week again!!!!

I really have to find some time to blog and get caught up in other labels because I have stuff for them!

I will be back soon---

Christmas, Health......

It has been a few days since I have been here and I apologize. I have so busy. I had a Womens Group on Monday, Tuesday I was 'rearranging', Wednesday I had received a blessing of clothes for my daughter from this woman at work and wow what a blessing, Thursday I have a young lady that comes to my home that I 'mentor' for lack of a better term, Friday I had Homegroup. Whew! Tonight I am having a few ladies over for dinner. I am serving baked chicken breasts, Mack & Cheez, steamed veggies and rolls.

Alot has been going on in church with people also:

*a woman had knee surgery
*a woman's mother had a stroke
*a man's father was placed in a nursing home and then right after his mother had a stroke
*two sisters father had to have emergency surgery
*one of the above named sisters, while her dad was in surgery her husband was placed in the emergency room----whew!

The devil is trying---but, he did not and will not win. The woman with knee surgery is home recovering, the womans mother who had a stroke (93 by the way) is going home, the two sisters father and the one sisters husband were released from the hospital to go home the same day!!!!!

And for those of you who know I have been experiencing alot of nerve pain--at the womans group on Monday all the women gathered and prayed on me and the pain scale went from 12 to 2 instantaneously! And it has stayed there ever since, not budged--so I am standing firm and believing for a complete healing!!!! Yes I am.

A friend of mine, her animal became seriously ill and had emergency surgery. The animal is coming home today and has to be nursed for the next few months.

Next week I finish off my Christmas shopping, we are doing an ornament swap at a womans home next Sunday after church. She has a single womans brunch every year for Christmas. The ornament swap is new. I want to get something for the lady who rides me to work, my daughters babysitter....there is another lady at work who always assists me with certain things and never grumbles--even if she did, she is very helpful to me--I feel I want to show her how much I appreciate her....she never says no, she never blows anything I ask her to do off---I want her to know how much I appreciate that.....

Hopefully I can get this caught up, I have so much to say. My daughter is at a friends basketball game and I am thinking I might get dressed and walk over to join them-then bring my daughter back with me to help prepare the house for tonight.

I will be back.....more to say

Thankful for Grace

In the spirit of this holiday season I have noticed that many people are really stressed out. This is the time of year for it. Do you know that the statistics for suicide and attempted suicide is at its highest at this time of year? Depression, anxiety, heart attacks, overdoses, alcohol related incidents--up at this time of year? Yes, sad to say that the time of year that should be reminding of us of Him, well, the world has commercialized it, put it in a place of no direction and have to buy it...bills are not paid, people go in debt, families fight, travel plans hindered, Christmas card lists, pies and cookies.......Have to buy this for them, have to buy that for her....have to have to have to.....ahhhh for those of us who know Him....yes Him....Just to sit in His grace at all times makes this time of year much less stressful.....My daughter does not get many gifts, I do not buy for anyone but her (not because I am some kind of grinch) but because I can not afford to buy for my entire family and I can not buy for one and not the other--so let's keep it simple. My bills are paid in the monthly budget as always....my credit card is not overcharge.....I do enjoy cooking--so I will have some parties and hand out meals and goodies...the point of this holiday is HIM. And His Grace is sufficient for us during all times....we should not be stressing ourselves out over this commercialization....I know families who do not buy no more than one gift for their children--not because they are poor, but, because of the true meaning of this holiday season. This is the time of year to look up, remember God came into the world---for you, for me, for us--to save us from our sins, certain death....to restore the relationship between us and Him and to show us He is tangible and available and with us wherever we go.....His Grace, I am very thankful for His Grace.

But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Don't give in or give up....keep the holiday season for what it is....don't become a statistic by being depressed, stressed, broke....Keep it all lined up with HIM.

Amazing Grace

This is another true story. It is about a man named William Wilberforce played boy Ioan Gruffudd was amazing. He was a member of Parliament in the 18th century who used "back room" politics to end the slave trade in Britain. He was 21 years old when he was elected to the House of Commons and for over two decades he took on the people against abolishing slavery until he succeeded.

This is a wonderful inspiring movie. This man loved the Lord and wanted to do the Lord's work and found a way through politics to get the Lord's work done. It has inspired me to never give up on what your heart, the Lord has put in you to do. Wilberforce was born to do the exact work he did. I recommend this to anyone. As I sat and watched it last night in our Church, I had to keep grabbing tissues to wipe away tears. The movie brings you through a slave ship and shows you how the Africans were treated from Africa to the America's or Jamaica (the Indies)...I cried with sorrow, with joy, with compassion, with watching this man's life battle to get slavery abolished finally break through. This is heartwrenching and inspiring....I recommend it to anyone who again loves history, true stories and the hand of God in people's lives...

It also has its own website: http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/ enjoy! And yes I will be purchasing this film also......

The Pianist

On Thanksgiving day we watched this movie at my friend's home. This is a film by Roman Polanski. It is the true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish Jew who detailed survival during World War II. He was a composer and pianist who played the last five songs heard over Polish radio before the Nazi's hit. He was not deported from Poland due to someone else's aide but watched his family (parents, brother & sisters) be taken off to their deaths in concentration camps. He stayed in the Warsaw Ghetto. You watch as he tries to stay alive in this ghetto.

I will be purchasing this movie. It is phenomenal and heart wrenching. Adrien Brody who plays Szpilman is fantastic. You watch the hand of God in his life. There were so many tmes that the Nazi's just started picking people and killing them and never killed him----I don't want to tell you everything....but, definitely worth the watch.This movie is very violent, they don't hold back much. Remember it is a true story. There is alot of widespread killing that he witnesses and is shown in the movie. Also, remember that he is in a ghetto and is pretty much being starved so you see this happening.

I recommend this movie to anyone who like history, biographies and seeing the Grace of God in someone's life......

The movie has a website : http://www.thepianistmovie.com/ that has all the cast & crew and the making of it....if you watch it you will find your time spent worth while.

The top left picture is that of Wladyslaw Szpilman.