Not only is it Monday...

You would think that the fact that it is Monday would be enough. Sometimes I feel bad for Monday because I think it gets an undeserving bad rap, but not this Monday. No this Monday is totally deserving!
So anyone that has known me for any amount of time, knows that since the day I understood what sleeping in meant, - I love it. So these mornings in the dark season of winter are not my best friend.
But this particular morning, I awoke to my husband being a particularly extreme brand of funny. Not that I was all that amused in my half-wakened state, but that is neither here nor there. I crawled out of bed, glowered at the not so early morning darkness, & prepared to take on the day. I ate a semi-healthy breakfast, packed my lunch, got dressed of course, and headed to work. That is when it all started downhill. Which would be fine if I lived uphill from work........ I dont.
The first thing was the fact that the streetlights were still on. Streetlights = Darkness, Darkness= Night, Night = should not be on the way to work! Even after that though, I was still okay.
Then I reached the local high school.
Two minutes away from work, with 2 minutes to spare.
A little man in a reflective yellow jacket. (Little as in short, not in character I'm sure, but then again I do question it after his actions.)
His job title is crossing guard. He walked out into the middle of the road. He's allowed to do that.
The problem this morning as has happened several other mornings, is that he stops traffic (traffic that is on their way to work) to allow all 150 buses to pull out & go on their merry way. I sat in my car & said "this is so stupid! stupid! stupid! stupid!" until the word stupid itself sounded stupid. (it's looking a little stupid now too) Not only is it annoying because I'm still trying to get to work while their work is done (for the moment) but the school also has an entrance/exit that leads to a road that leads to a traffic light that intersects with the road that they are pulling out onto! (follow all that)
Anyway, nothing to wake you up on a Monday morning, than to get you blood bubbling! (it wasn't quite a rolling boil)

Of Pillows & Such

I was laying in bed in the early hours of the morning today, unable to sleep cause I got too warm.
Go figure, we're in the middle of a cold spell, & I'm suddenly warm?
As I struggled to bunch & roll my pillow in order to get comfortable, I was once again reminded that I am in desperate need of a new pillow.
I dont know how it goes in your house, but here's how it works in mine.
I have 1 pillow.
It's my favorite pillow (perhaps cause its my only?)
I've had it for as long as I can remember.
& I've got a pretty good memory so that's pretty long.
I distinctly remember the day the tag (do not remove under federal law tag) finaly fell to shreds. That end always went in the pillowcase first, cause I don't like feeling crinkly tags while I sleep.
Now that I think about it, I think it was one of my Christmas presents from back in the day, & I think my older sister got one the same time. I should ask her if she still has hers.
At sleepovers friends would "freak out" over my pillow. ( Like we didnt have enough freaking out to do over the cute boys!) It was all lumpy and bumpy. I liked it that way tho, cause there was always somewhere to stick my bob when i was laying on my back :)
Time goes on, and I now find myself in that place of having to find a pillow. The lumps & bumps got smaller, & the pillow got overall thinner. Guess old age can have that affect.  I hate the thought of a new pillow. They have so many kinds. Firm, Medim Firm, Super Firm, Contoured, Down Filled....The list goes on & on! I have no idea what I like! They dont have a catagory for lumpy & bumpy. Every time I go to Walmart, or Target I look at them, but in overwhelmed exasperation I decide I'll figure it out "next time".
Eventually I'll have no pillow, and anything will be better than nothing I guess.
Speaking of pillows, C uses two. Yep, Two. Stacked one on top of the other. When we got married two came along with him. One was very heavy, very thin. Think cardboard (ok, a little exageration there) The other pleasantly plump. He decided to replace the thin one with a down one. He now sleeps with his head at a 90 degree angle from his body. Tell me, Is this normal?
The other frustrating point is that sheet sets come with 2 pillowcases, so there is always one pillow with a different case. Guess I have to start buying them individually.

Nothing like a ridiculously long post about oversized marshmallows!

Thats what Faith Can Do

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
you think its more than you can take
but you're stronger, stronger than you know
Dont you give up now the sun will soon be shining
you gotta face the clouds to find the silver lining....

i've seen dreams that move a mountain
hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do

Family Camping

It's close
It's fun
It's family

This is the second year that we went camping in the Back 40. Otherwise known as the big area behind my dad's shop.

 

Dad watching over breakfast.
I think its kinda cool how the tripod frames an A for Aaron ;) 



Kirsten digging her mini marshmallos out of her hot chocolate.



Saturday was a clean up day at the shop. For some reason the men like doing things like driving the Hyster & pulling tress out by their roots, walking on the roof and pulling down tree branches, and going up in high lifts to fix windows on buildings.

While cleaning up a spot right near the campfire, Curt found a snake... thus the eager anticipation of Lucy & Christine to see but not be food put them on a higher level :)

 

Dad or otherwise refered to as Grandpa...enjoying some food with a few of his girls.



Dave going up to do the window.

Hauling fire wood

 

The happy littlest camper :)



I think this was during church.

It was a great weekend. Laughing, Talking, Playing settlers...Doing things that family was meant to do.

I'm an Aunt again!

Diving In...

Peace

Tranquility

Solitude

Freedom

Serenity

Silence

Stillness

These are the words that have been flowing through my brain the last week or two. It all started one night when C convinced me that anyone can float, and talked me through my fear (most of it) of water & right into a floating state. :) Since then it has become one of my favorite things to do in the pool.

Floating ears submerged beneath the water, all you hear is quite, silence. The traffic noise, my annoying incessantly barking dog, the neighbors lawn mower, even the birds. Its all gone. & when I find myself in that place of complete silence, my mind can think freely, and my heart can listen... Its therapeutic.

"Be still & know that I am God."

I've loved these words for so long. Maybe it is because in my life, there are few still moments. Or, maybe it is just the amazing thought of knowing that He is God, and all that it entails. Maybe it is because the Hebrew term for "be still" meant that which is slack, or to let drop, or in some instances, to be disheartened or weak. Cause in all honesty, I've felt that.

If you feel disheartened or weak, know that I am God.

To me, that speaks amazing things to my heart.

Whatever it is, those words were on my mind. & floating in the silence of my little backyard swimming pool, I felt it. The cares on my shoulders couldn't push me down - I was floating. The noise of controversy, I couldn't hear it. It was just me and God. Me floating in the water, with God's blue evening sky domed over top of me. Nothing could reach me. It was beautiful.

And then my mind kicked into analogy mode. It does that every so often.

You see, I told you I learned how to float. & I did. I just float, with one hand grasping the edge of the pool. & before you protest, that it doesn't mean I can float until I've left go of the edge, let me tell you I have. I know I can float. I'm just too scared to float beyond the reach of the poolside. I'm terrified of letting my head go under the water. I'm fearful that I might drown. Even when C is right there saying "I wont let you go under"

I should be fine with it all. After all, he is even an EMT.

And despite the fact that I wonder if I'm missing out on the full experience floating in the middle of the pool, my fear (so far) has kept me from finding out.

And as I lay there floating, I wonder if that is how I am with God sometimes.

I hold on to my safety nets, and my security blankets. God is there saying "Let go... I'll catch you...I won't let you go under", but I hold on instead of launching out with reckless abandon.

Fear is a crippling disease. It gets a hold of your mind, & turns you into a crazy person full of panic. & Satan knows that. He's the master of manipulation, and fear. & I wont let him control me when it comes to MY spiritual life.

It's MY life,

It's me & God,

We're jumping off the high dive together.

We're pushing off from the sides of the pool.

Be still & know that I am God

Dare to love....

If we could see through His eyes Then we could dare to love the way God loves If we could see through His eyes Then we would understand the way God understands For His eyes see through the surface right down to our needs Far beyond where we are to where we can be If we could only see through His eyes