Here ya go, Gretchen! I think I posted one like this awhile back, but it might've been a different one? Anywho...
1.What is your occupation right now? Administrative Assistant to the Chief Judge
2.What color are your socks right now? Blue
3. What are you listening to right now? The clock ticking out the seconds until 4:00!
4. What was the last thing that you ate? string cheese
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Yes and I kinda miss it!
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Secrectary at an attorney's office.
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? YES!
8. How old are you today? 39 (won't be able to say THAT truthfully for much longer!)
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Illinois Basketball
10.What is your favorite drink? cappuccino (iced when it's hot)
11.Have you ever dyed your hair? Yeah, and I think I'm starting to regret it because of maintenance.
12.Favorite food? My current favorite food is Ichiban sushi, but who knows when I'll have it again! $$
13. last movie you watched? Madagascar at home for family movie night
14.Favorite day of the year? Any holiday that I'm off work!
15.How do you vent anger? Cry
16.What was your favorite toy as a child? Weebles and inchworm
17.What is your favorite season? I'm always ready for each new one.
18.Cherries or Blueberries? Both
19. Do you want your friends to e-mail or blog you back? If they want to
20.Who is the most likely to respond? I think they already have!
21. Who is least likely to respond?
22. Living arrangements? Live with Hubby, three kids, one chocolate lab, one hermit crab, a minnow, and there might even be a few creatures in Maisie's room I'm unaware of.
23. When was the last time you cried? at church
24.What is on the floor of your closet? shoes, a special neck pillow, and a few bags
25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to?
26. What did you do last night? laundry
27.What are you most afraid of? missing the call
28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese (and some spice doesn't hurt)
29.Favorite dog breed? Labrador retrievers
30. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
31. How many states have you lived in? two (Illinois, Texas--for a summer)
32.Diamonds or pearls? Both?

Rick Warren' Inauguration Prayer

I was very happy to read that Rick Warren was chosen by Barack Obama to deliver the inaugural invocation on January 20th. The article focused on what reactions the prayer will have if Warren "offers up the prayer in the name of Jesus." Apparently, Franklin Graham and others who have prayed at past inaugurations have drawn criticism for "invoking Christ."

The article says, "Warren did not answer directly when asked whether he would dedicate his prayer to Jesus. In a statement Tuesday to the Associated Press, Warren would say only that, 'I'm a Christian pastor so I will pray the only kind of prayer I know how to pray. Prayers are not to be sermons, speeches, position statements nor political posturing. They are humble, personal appeals to God.'"

I love his answer because I think it basically assures Christians (have you ever heard him pray?!) that the Lord will be given authority in the prayer. But I think it's interesting and heartbreaking that there are people ready to lash out in negativity if the name of Jesus is mentioned.

I see it like Franklin Graham, who had this to say: "For a Christian, especially for an evangelical pastor, the Bible teaches us that we are to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. How can a minister pray any other way? If you don't want someone to pray in Jesus' name, don't invite an evangelical minister."

Amen.

Pray for My Friend?

You might remember my Minnesota email friend, Tammy, from my Oct. 7th post. (I tried to put the link here but I guess with no title it doesn't work?) Anyway, this sweet young mom and 3rd grade teacher--who was being checked for something else--was told she has some blood on her brain. She will see a neurosurgeon to get more details, but I can tell you her faith is an inspiration. Please intercede and pray that God will render it all harmless. Thanks, guys.

You Might Be a Redneck If...

You might be a redneck if...

...you drive a muddy Ford F150 with deer remains in the back to work because the Mercedes is in the shop. (The Benzo is just a cover anyway.)


...you're belting out country songs with the radio while you and your daughter grind the meat of two deer that have been hanging in your garage for too many days now. (Thank goodness it's been cold!



Seriously. That's how Maisie and I spent this evening. Basketball Coach Dad had a 4:00 and a 6:00 practice with each of the other two kids, so it was up to Mais and me to get the venison in freezer-friendly form. Shane had gotten everything set up for us so our system was practically up and running for us. We just added the elbow grease. :-) Now that's country, y'all!

Christmas '08

Just a few pix from this Christmas season. We really didn't take very many!

Here's Skylar on the night of his chorus concert.

And with Lexi and Maisie after the concert.

A family shot in front of the tree. I liked it better when our tree was in front of the window, but we did something different this year.

Penny the uncooperative reindeer didn't want to look at the camera!

Fess Up

I was thinking about this the other day: in our family, nicknames, and even just some words in general, don't remain in their original form. They always evolve. Sometimes into something really stupid. Shane and I will be in goofy moods talking in "Lay"-man's terms (get it?!) and then we'll just be like, "Do you think other people do this or are we the only nuts?"

Today, Missy posted about weird things her family does, so I thought I'd go ahead and share a little more about this strange thing our family does.

Take the name of our dog, Penny. That quickly became Penny-Poo. Which somehow became Penny-pooberly. Which was sometimes shortened to Pooh-bear. Which became Pooh-berry. Then out of the blue came Penelope (which I sometimes pronounce Penny-lope). Shane one day came up with Poobulon. Any combo of the aforementioned could also be used, such as Penny Penny Pooberry. Add a stupid "itsy boo" voice to that along with some serious belly rubbing and you pretty much have the picture! Poor dog answers to about 25 different name combinations.

I won't even get into our names for each other because, well, I'd punch anybody who wasn't blood who called me what I get called in this house. ;-) But you get the picture, right?

So the question is...are we just odd (I prefer to think of it as "fun in a quirky way"--after all, WE enjoy it!) or does anyone else out there do it too? Come on now, fess up.

Oui Wii!

Over Christmas break, the kiddos got used to staying up way too late at night (MAN! Who parents these kids, anyway?!) and sleeping way too late in the morning. So when Sunday night rolled around and the kids faced the first early morning they'd had in weeks, I knew I'd need to play hardball to get them into bed at a decent hour.

Enter Wii...

At 8:00 I said, "Kids, we have a new rule in our house. Whoever does not have their teeth brushed, shower taken, PJ's on, clothes for the next day laid out, and is not in their own bed by 8:30, will not get to play Wii the next day."

They scattered like cockroaches when the light's turned on.

It worked! All three bodies were in their respective beds by the designated time.

And tonight it worked again! I don't know how much I can milk this before the novelty wears off and one of them decides he or she doesn't mind skipping a day. But for now, it sure is good!

The Gauntlet

Uh oh. Denn-I done went and threw down the gauntlet. Read his comment on yesterday's post. He didn't just DARE me to post every day this year, he TRIPLE DOG dared me! That's pretty hard to turn down. But it would make it more interesting if a family dinner were on the line. ;-)

Three for Three

It just dawned on me yesterday as I clicked on "publish post" that so far in '09, I had posted every single day! (Sure, it was only Jan. 2, but hey, it starts where it starts!) Having a perfect average so far inspired me to see how far I can take it. I'm not setting the unrealistic goal of posting every day of 2009. That would be setting myself up for failure and maybe guilt and who needs that?

But it did take me back to a thought I keep coming back to time and time again: I need to be more disciplined in my writing. Big time. If you want to become a great basketball player, you practice and at least mess around with the ball and the hoop. A lot. If you want to become a great chef, you experiment and readjust and get creative. A lot. Not every shot will go in for the b-ball player, and not every dish will be a hit for the chef. But the odds of a swisher and a five-star gourmet meal increase with each attempt.

It's the same with writing. So even though most of my posts will fall into the category of "random" and will likely fade into oblivion, some of them may turn into devotions. Or articles. Or who knows? Every great work began with a random thought. And even random thoughts--if God-inspired--are great.

Isaiah 50:10-11, "Who among you fears the Lord and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon lie down in great torment."

Lord, I really want to develop a discipline for this area you've entrusted to me. I ask for your spirit of diligence and self-control so that I can better ready myself for you to work. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

A Perfect Gift

My bro turns 47 today. I knew exactly what to get him...

If you knew him you'd agree this is the perfect gift.

Good times. They are a'comin'! ;-)

A Lay-style New Year

As the final minutes of 2008 ticked away into history, the four people that I love the most were gathered with me in the family room playing Wii. (Thanks, Santa! We LOVE it!) Though we'd indulged in Ichiban earlier in the day, and were now full of cheesy garlic biscuits, we were still trying to improve our fitness ages and raise our scores to the professional level. Congrats to Lexi who is now a tennis pro!

At 11:59, we began the sixty second countdown. Then...Happy New Year!

We wanted to sleep in the glow of the Christmas lights one last time, all of us together in the living room. (Okay, FOUR of us did.) As we talked about some of our favorite memories from 2008, it was clear our vacation ranked high for everyone. But you know what else did? And this was from the kids..."Really, all the times were great except when someone was hurt or we argued." Amen. Lord, You've been so good to us.

As the first rays of light of a brand new year slipped over the horizon, this is what 2009 found... A dad and a mom who were in their bed (how'd that happen?), three precious kids slumbering in a nest of pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals on the living room floor, and the peace of knowing that God's presence is infinite, awe-spiring, sometimes confusing and uncomfortable, but always trustworthy.

And what's this? One little cherub face had been marked up with lipstick as she slept blissfully unaware.

Yeah, I'd say that's about right in this house!

Thank You, Jesus.

Happy 2009!