Pretty Cool

Exciting news! Below are listings for two devotional books that will be coming out in October. I was blessed to be able to contribute ten devotions to the first one and four devotions to the second one. If you click on the title of each one you'll be able to see what the cover looks like and read a description.

I hear the photography throughout them will be really beautiful. When I was working on this project, writers were asked to provide a description of what they "saw" as a fitting visual for each devotion submitted. It'll be neat to see the finished products! Just wanted to share--I'm pretty stoked! :-)

Coming Soon
Quiet Reflections of Hope
120 Devotions to Start Your Day
ISBN: 978-0-8007-1928-9
Price: $12.99
Format: Hardcover
Publication date: Oct. 09 Division: Revell

Coming Soon
Quiet Reflections of Peace
120 Devotions to End Your Day
ISBN: 978-0-8007-1929-6
Price: $12.99
Format: Hardcover
Publication date: Oct. 09 Division: Revell

Farewell to the Vine

Bad news! The Vine is no more. (sniff, sniff)

Those of you who've been out to the Lay house in the past year or so have no doubt heard of the vine and have probably even been invited to swing on it. An endless source of entertainment for our kids, the vine was perfectly located. It hung from a high tree on the top of a pretty steep hill in the woods by our house.

When it was first discovered by our three junior explorers, it was rooted in the ground AND secured somewhere at the top of the tree. So they'd make a run and swing out in a wide circle over the drop off and back. Good times!

But the bottom attachment broke pretty early on, which opened up a whole new world...now the kids could grab on, make a run for it, and swing clear out over the little "valley" below where there'd be about a 20 foot drop if they fell before making it back to the top of the hill. Even better times! (Cuz ya know riskier is more fun!)

So yesterday the kids had been begging me to video tape them swinging on the vine. I was finishing up a few things so I told them to go ahead and start playing on it and I'd be there shortly. Videographer Maisie of course took the cam with her and just happened to catch the vine's final swing on film...

(**Video is supposed to go here--apparently this computer is too slow to upload a 30-second video as it keeps timing out! I'll try to get it up somehow!)



You really can't judge the height of the hill from the video, but I PRAISE GOD that the vine broke before Lexi and Skylar had gotten out very far. Though we'll miss the vine, better a broken vine than broken bones, AMEN?!

We Are Marshall

In case you missed it on the news...



Thanks, Marshall Lions! It's been an AWESOME ride! ;-)

Cue John Mellencamp's "Small Town"

Okay, so I'm sitting here working away at work (seriously) and out of my second floor window I hear squealing brakes followed by a crash. I fly to the window to see a white car stopped in the middle of the intersection. There's some denting on the front passenger side, but nothing major. A man gets out and I see him talking to someone I can't see because the gazebo is obstructing my view. I move to another window and see another car. This one is in worse shape as the whole front hood is buckled up into an "A" shape.

As I was considering who to call or whether I even should (both drivers had cell phones), I watch a police car pull up. (It's not often you see what goes down in an accident unless you're directly involved!) I see an officer--who happens to play bass guitar in a certain praise band--step into the situation and take control of things with a smile on his face.

Seems like a weird train of thought, but that little scene made me think, "Man, I LOVE livin' in this small town." Crazy, huh?

But I love that the officer who was there to help is not only a praise band bass player, but also an elder at church and a coach and role model to many.

I love that his wife will teach my girls next year. And that one of their sons used to go to the same baby-sitter my kids did.

I love that I see my daughter's teacher out running every evening and setting a great example of being fit to all the kids she influences (and their families!)

I love that my son's teacher has been a dear friend for years, that her older son is the same age as my girls, and that we'll be attending the same sporting events until they graduate.

I love that another dear friend is a co-worker who I've looked up to and loved since I first met her. My whole family loves KK and Marty and given the choice to play anyone at UNO, they'd choose Marty first. ;-)

I love that we see our dentist at 4-H functions, our chiropractor at church, and our doctor's nurse at basketball games.

In fact, I love that I can walk from my desk at work and BE at my chiropractor's in less than 120 steps.

I love that our youth minister is also a coach and that our bank teller gives the kids piano lessons. And the list could go on an on.

I guess that's what it means to be part of a community. And I'm so grateful to be a part of this one. (And Officer Sisson? Where in the Sam Hill was your coat?! It's 14 degrees out there!) ;-)

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. ;-)