Happy Birthday to ME!

The Car

By Maya Coleman

My family is a car

My Dad, the steering wheel

in control of every movement.

My step-mom is the engine,

bringing the car to life.

My Brother is the air conditioning,

good when you need it, annoying when you don't.

...And I am the radio on the dashboard,

playing any music you want, anytime!

Well, I have my MRI this morning...I am nervous. I have been up since 5am. I watched our local news when it came on and they had a girl on that was talking about the Springfield kick off for Relay for Life today, and she had a soft cell sarcoma tumor in her right leg... It left me uneasy. What is really interesting is that during all David's tumor issues, surgery, recovery and so forth, I was a wreck. But for me, I haven't really worried about this "lipoma tumor" on my leg until today (they are almost always benign). I guess it's b/c David is my world, so if something would happen to him I wouldn't know where to begin... But for me, I just chalk mine up to one more awesome genetic defect I inherited from my parents...like alcoholism and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It will be fine. I am resting on my very favorite scripture in the whole Bible... and while this scripture may be a little selfish in nature, it brings me great peace and always has.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

I am going to say my prayers, and then heading to the basement to get myself reacquainted with the treadmill. I would appreciate any prayers you might wanna throw my way today! I know all will be fine! :)

Sunday goodness

Here is my day:

Super nice day at church, great sermon on Love...and living by the spirit, the flesh, or the law...wow. *smacked in the head* Needed to hear all that. Kelley and Katy came over so we could help Katy with her Pyramid project, and Noah and David, being the creative souls they are really got 'er done. Looked great! :) Kel and I made Theresa's corn salad, and some Rotel, had a bite of lunch. We took our creations to the Ladies Weigh in at church...and boy did I WEIGH IN! Yikes! If that wasn't motivating, I don't know what would be! A quick meeting at Renovate about the kid's stuff and off to Avatar in 3d; man, that was like pure eye candy, I felt like a little kid as I didn't want it to end. Kids are in bed, David is doing the dishes, I am sleepy and all is right with the world. Busy little day, I'm pooped!

The mind of a mad woman

I'm mad. Yes, mad. My iPhone is on the fritz. If you have been on FB and seen my status you saw what has happened. If not, I am not in the mood to explain it, I am mad, remember?

I got a good chuckle out of Kelley telling me about the misadventures of building a dang Egyptian pyramid outta popsicle sticks for a project for Kaitlyn. Why do teachers make kids do such mundane stuff? What are they really learning other than you have to spend $30 at Hobby Lobby to get an A? Kelley, you need a blog, b/c you had me crackin' up.

I smell my sugar cookie Scentsy burning along with some vanilla walnut, it's making me HUNGRY for cupcakes or twinkies, or heck I dunno, I would even stuff my face fulla marshmallows right now for some sugary goodness! GRR! I have been sugar free for 5 days, booooooo! Sarah is ON the dang wagon...in more ways than one.

Ok enough complaining, onto something worthwhile... Is it wrong to ask you to pray for my iPhone? lol
My dear friend Theresa (aka T-Gabs, T, Chica, Mama, Oma, friendy) talks about "redirecting" alot...as in, when you are pissy, REDIRECT it into something good or worthwhile...so uh, let's see, here I go....Redirecting.... 10 things...10 good things...

1. Did you see the email I sent you about the the boy with no name that Stephanie Freed found in Cambodia? So sad, but a blessing Stephanie found him. David and both looked at each other and said, "We will take him!" How do some cultures totally devalue life? I suppose it's because it's a type of poverty none of us can even begin to fathom...that is all I can figure. I wonder about him, I am glad they gave him a name.

2. We are up to 30 weddings booked for 2010! Wahooti! Gonna be another busy year, looking forward to it!

3. Biggest Loser at church starts tomorrow...dreading it, but excited on the other hand. Time to shed some pounds. I wish everyone luck!

4. Tatoes is the coolest. If you didn't know, you better ask someone. Enough said there.

5. I love my new washer and dryer, now that we have a working dryer! Doing 3 loads at a time really does save time and this "he" washer really does use quite a bit less water. Now that we have a Sam's membership and are able to buy bulk we are saving some $$ too on detergent, TP, and things of that nature. My way to go "green" again this year is to NOT use any paper plates (unless I'm hosting a party or something).

6. I have so enjoyed the snow! I hate to see it go, but am really ready for it to warm up. It was fun hanging on for dear life as David gunned it up our slick 45 degree angled driveway trying to maneuver one of the cars into place in the garage. I screamed like a little "school girl"! He He

7. My orchids are totally in hibernation. I love it because it allows me to look forward to them blooming again in the Spring when the days get longer. Orchids are the gift that keep on giving; what other gorgeous flower keeps it's blooms for 6 months at a time? They make me happy. I get so excited when they have new blooms, like it's giving birth or something!--uh, yeah I know, I am a nerd. lol.

8. Is it not the best feeling in the world to get all your Christmas decor down? There is something really clutter free, and freeing about the whole process. You are so excited to get all the stuff out, but if you are like me, thinking all the while...wow, we have ALOT of Christmas stuff and it's going to take days to put it all away. Then when it only took us 2 hours to take down all the inside stuff, we both laughed at the fact that EVERY year without fail, we forget it always takes wayyyy longer to put it all up, than pack it all away. And just like that, it's GONE! Poof...and a sigh of relief, gone for another 10 months...see ya gingerbread men! (although our lights are still up outside b/c of all the snow) ;)

9. I got my first pair of real Ugg boots this week, they were a Christmas present from DJ, and was waiting on a return for a different style, and they came! They are divine. There is nothing finer in foot comfort, I do declare. It's like tiny angels came and wrapped my feet and ankles in soft, warm, furry clouds of yumminess. Could I wear them in July in Missouri?--Not a chance, but for the time being I am enjoying the heck outta their pleasurable pampering on my tootsies.

10. I guess I will leave you with something I was thinking about today. I prepared communion for the first time today (thanks for the ride, Renee). I was chatting with Kay as she taught me what to do, and I began to think... "This seems like alot of fuss". Now that thought might sound cold, odd, or selfish, even lazy I suppose. But all the placement and stacking of little bitty cups, and all the little tiny pieces of crackers, and then the little drippy squirter thingy... It's alot of little tedious motions. Renee dropped me home, I got mad at my phone, talked to my hubby and Kelley for a bit, and with TV off just had a moment to myself. I realized, that I prepared the Lord's Supper for everyone that will partake it tomorrow. There might be someone taking it for the first time, there might be someone who takes it without thinking....I don't know. And while I was preparing the "Great Value" grape juice, and the little crackers that come in that weird little box, I had missed it. Missed it completely. I was doing it out of obligation. I was doing it because I had told Kay I would MONTHS ago...and January had FINALLY caught up with me. Here in our little church, is the humble opportunity for me to serve, in a very small way, and I am not seeing the bigger picture. It's not just generic juice from Walmart, it's not just little crackers ordered from a Christian supply catalog. It is my Lord's blood, and broken body in symbolic form, that I all too often take for granted and I GET to prepare. How could I have missed that? Sometimes church things become ritualistic, boring and routine, but it's the really important ones like communion, that we are to revere. I realize that I, a lousy complainer, a sinner, one that must constantly "redirect", often look over the simplest of concepts that God has tried to show me in all His glory and wisdom. It's so easy to lose what is important and good, behind what "must just get done". I do that ALL the time! I lose sight of what the "greater good" is, and just do what I say I will do, so noone will be upset with me, so I won't disappoint anyone. Going "through the motions", I believe they call it? That is the wrong reasons and I know it. So after my little confession here, I guess of all things, I am at least "keepin' it real"... and that's about it. I hope next week I can approach servitude a little differently, keeping in mind Jesus' sacrifice and not resenting my own, of a little time and energy. Progress, not perfection, right?

jotting down in January

It's 1 lousy degree outside! I will be staying in today, thank you. I have started my new regimen of meds for my PCOS...the acne seems to be maybe starting to clear up some!
Last night we watched Julie and Julia, and it hit me while Julie was blogging and had an argument with her hubby, how self serving it really is. However, I need to do this, when I get things down on "virtual" paper, I seem to feel better, feel good, feel heard. I spent a large portion of my life not being heard. Some might think it's silly, I just feel blessed to have an outlet.

I started thinking about the homeless people we serve today, how are they doing it? I see the wrinkled faces and the rough exteriors at ICO and I just think to myself, it's times like these that cause such lines and wrinkles. Years of battling nature, addictions, poverty and pain. I wonder about their families. Do they have relatives? One man, Randy, told me he prefers to live on the street. He doesn't want to go to a shelter or camp with the others. He prefers the solitude. Where is he today I wonder? Then I feel like a loser of a human being for sitting inside in the warmth speculating about all this in my comfy chair. I see flurries outside. More to come?

I ran across this today, and thought it was too great not to share:

"Until you settle the issue of your own worth, it's impossible to bring holiness into anyone else's life. Until you understand that your worth is already determined by the fact of your birth, everything else is an exercise in propping up a dying tree."
~ Carol Brazo ~

In a world where we are bombarded with things to make us feel crappy about ourselves it's so important to remember we are wonderfully made. For God's reason I am Sarah, sometimes I wanna beat her, I surely don't like her body, and sometimes when my own family is hateful to me I can feel pretty unlovable. But then when I look at the larger picture, that I am in recovery, to share that with others and glorify God through the work he has done in my life. I am a step-mom to two kids that try my patience, but truly need my guidance, unconditional love, and support. I am married to a wonderful man that accepts me flaws and all. My life is nothing more than a vessel. I am exactly where I am supposed to be, I feel like I am continually blessed. Now lemme tell you, am I this introspective about God's will for my life and my role to please Him every day? No, no I am not. In fact, I wish that I could be. But today after I read that quote, it just put it in perspective for me. I'd like to hold onto that hope and inspiration in my feelings about myself for as long as possible. I hope my few little select folks that read this can take away the same feeling, you are wonderful and just who God intends you to be, flaws and all! How often are we trying to "prop up a dying tree"?

First Post

Welcome,



It's my first post, I've been inspired by other's blogs before, and while Facebook is nifty, I have too many friends on there to see my personal thoughts I might want to write about in a "note". So here I have arrived at a little blog spot. Good, bad, ugly...sometimes I just need to get it down in writing; sometimes not even to be read, or sometimes it needs to be read. It will be here, out in cyberspace floating about... Let the fun begin!