So I have been tagged by the sweet Theresa. I think she does this to get me to blog! :o)

Here are the rules:

1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.

2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.


Here we go:

1) I am a rule follower. Last week my husband told me to park behind this white car and I parked DIRECTLY BEHIND the white car! He laughed at me.

2) I love magazines

3) I didn't get married until I was 39

4) I met my husband at York College 25 years ago :o)

5) I really like Bobby Knight, Texas Tech basketball coach

6) I've been on 4 cruises, but none with my husband.

7) If I am going to any kind of get-together, I want to know what others are wearing so I am neither over- or under-dressed

8) I make my bed every morning


Even though I am a confessed rule follower, I don't have 8 people I can tag. So I tag Doug, Jeannie, Shane May and Tammy.

"IF you believe God is sovereign, you have to take a stance of TRUST. "
That one hit me right between the eyes!

So this week's lecture was on my favorite story in the entire Old Testament: Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace. The lecture started out talking about how King Neb built this huge gold image and wanted everyone to bow down to it/him. Beth Moore said, "If Babylon is about anything, it's about building an image. If you and I, in truth, are different from what we seem, we are image builders." As I am typing this, I realize this goes right with our video Sunday night at small group talking about going through the motions of "church". Does God really have our hearts? Or are we just going through the motions?

I was on the verge of tears through most of this lecture. God was speaking straight to my heart. I am an image builder. That is part of why I struggle so much with B. It just hit me!

Beth also talked about three different scenarios when people of God face a fiery trial:
1) we can be delivered FROM the fire
2) we can be delivered THROUGH the fire
3) we can be delivered BY the fire

"Full deliverance means no longer smelling like smoke." I never noticed this before, but Daniel 3:27 says that not only did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego come OUT of the fire, they came out unharmed, not a hair on their heads was singed, their robes were not scorched and THERE WAS NO SMELL OF FIRE ON THEM. So often we make it through our fiery trials, but people can still smell the smoke on us. I don't want to be stinky. I want to come through whatever trials God will allow me to experience, bringing HIM glory and honor.

Back to that first comment about if God is sovereign we have to take a stance of trust: pray that I will do that in every aspect of my life, but especially regarding B. God is certainly not finished with me yet; why would I think He was finished with this boy?!

Hello, Blogland! Long time, no....blog! :o) In light of recent blogworthiness discussions, I was thinking: Aren't blogs mostly for just....well, blogging? To me, blogging is sometimes serious, deep conversation and sometimes just yakking. I'm afraid, though, that I have fallen into that category of bloggers that feel you have to have something worth saying to blog, which in reality defeats the purpose. So, blogworthy or not....here I am! :o)

I am beginning my second week in the study of the book of Daniel. WOWEE!! The only part of Daniel I have ever really studied is Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the lion's den. Already, in just one week, I am overwhelmed AGAIN! how God's Word fits exactly together. It's very cool! I'm excited to see what God is going to teach me in the next 10 weeks or so. Already He is teaching me that I have bought into our culture's teaching of "it's all about me" and the smarter,more beautiful, and younger you are, the better. One comment that was made in the video today was that we need to be culturally relevant without being spiritually irrelevant. In the world, not of it.

My theme statement over the last couple of years has been: There's a plan! Who knew? I am still having those moments where I see the Bible in a way I never have before. I guess that's why the Hebrew writer says that the word of God is "living and active". (Hebrews 4:12)

At the beginning of the year, I decided not to do BSF this semester, but I wanted and needed to do something that was somewhat structured in regard to Bible study. So I chose a Beth Moore workbook, "A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place". It's about the tabernacle. I just never realized how much the tabernacle had to do with Jesus!

I have been working on this Bible study on my own and really enjoying it. This past Sunday night, Melissa Smith and I were talking about Bible studies and she told me she was doing a Bible study at Jenks that her mother-in-law was teaching, a Beth Moore study. I asked her which one and it was the same one I am doing! She invited me to come with her. I asked her where they were in the study and they were on the same week that I am! (As I am typing this I am thinking of all of the details of the tabernacle and how God spelled out every single thing He wanted them to do; and we wonder if He cares about the details of our lives?! Look at this example!) So I went this morning. It was really great. It was a variety of women. I was very blessed!

I'm feeling guilty for not blogging in such a long time. I am home alone tonight; my husband had a business dinner. I love giving him a hard time for eating at Mahogany's while I am at home eating a ham sandwich. :o) Anyway, I am watching Gilmore Girls and messing around on the computer. Oh...and doing Workshop stuff.

I love the Tulsa Workshop. I have loved it since the first time I got to come as an 18 year old from Iowa. WOW! So now I live in Tulsa and this is my second year to be the Workshop Coordinator. I have the BEST co-workers in the entire world! I get to work with Terry Rush and Becky Andrews, two of the most wonderful people I have ever known. We are a team. We love each other and the way we work together is what most people only dream of! And so, as planning gears up and I wonder if there is anything I have forgotten, I try to remind myself daily what a blessing it is to get to do this. As Terry would say, "I love right now!"

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

It's always been one of my favorite holidays, probably because my birthday is the next day. And I love hearts. Yet I didn't have a Valentine until I was 37 years old. But guess what? He is STILL my Valentine, my one and only love! And the best news is, he will be until the end of time. I am beyond blessed. As one of the cards that I gave him today said, he knows me better than anyone else and he loves me anyway. :o)

Yeah, I waited a long time for a Valentine; but boy, was he worth the wait!

I love you, Moto!

I have times of whining. I know, probably most people do. The last week or so has been one of those times for me; that is part of the reason I don't blog during whiny times. Who wants to hear that??

Things have been....interesting at our house the last week. There are things that are unknown and I don't handle that well. I am known to some as "Polly Planner". :o) This morning I was doing a Beth Moore Bible study- A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place. I am only on day 2 of the second week, but it's been so fascinating! One of the things I love about Beth Moore is that she ties the Old and New Testaments together like no one else I have ever experienced. It's amazing to me how the Bible fits together! :o) The study is about the tabernacle, the place where God chose to dwell among the Israelites. Today, they had just been rescued from the Egyptians while crossing the Red Sea and then they are complaining that they don't have any water. So they get to water and it's bitter. God shows Moses a piece of wood which he throws into the water and it becomes sweet. The place of the bitter water is called Marah, which means bitter. Beth talked about how bitterness is a cancer and keeps us from living life as God has called us. She referred to 1 Peter 2:24 which talks about Jesus bearing our sins on the tree-wood that takes away our bitterness and makes us sweet again. WOW!

Apparently God is trying to make a point with me today because as I was reading blogs, I came across this sentence on Whit's blog that blew me away: "Can you hear Jesus calling us out of the boat even though it seems utterly foolish to hope that we could do such a thing? " I have been staying in the boat on the subject of B. It seems utterly foolish to me that this situation can be fixed. YET I KNOW that my God can do ANYTHING! And He will, if only I will ask....and trust Him. If my dear friends can trust their newborn baby to God, when the doctors gave them very little hope, why can't I trust Him with my teenage stepson??

I think I need to step out of the boat.

TAGGED!!!

It's amazing what people will do to get you to blog! And I didn't even think it had been that long! Oh well...here goes.

The game goes that you pick up the book closest to you, turn to page 123, go four sentences down and record the following three sentences. Please give the author, name of the book and tag three others.


"More often than not, these two women maintain a wary distance from each other. The stepmother backs her husband. If he has an adversarial relationship with his ex-wife, his current wife usually adopts a similar stance."

Encouraging Words for New Stepmothers by Jean McBride

The closest books to me are many; there's a book shelf right around the corner from the desk. So I suppose I cheated somewhat, since I looked around and chose this book. But it was interesting in light of what is going on in our lives right now. :o) It really is true that God works in mysterious ways!

So in keeping with this fun game, I tag:

1) Doug
2) Theresa
3) Clint

I'm kind of cranky.

Frankly, I am tired of this weather. I have been venturing out, but it's frustrating and the roads are SO bumpy!

I've been lashing out at my husband; I hate when I do that. (Sorry, Moto!) Everything seems to bug me.

And then the important things jar me back into what really matters in life. One of our missionaries and a good friend of some good friends were killed in a car accident yesterday in Uganda. Another friend lost her grandmother today.

Now why was I whining???

The Meaning of Life....

My mind is whirring right now, so might be kind of rambly. :o)

I started to type something funny, like "Before you get excited and think I have found the meaning of life...." But haven't I found the meaning of life? If I have a relationship with Jesus, I have. So why do I let other stuff get me down and wondering about life and its purpose?

This past Saturday Doug and I went to OKC to attend the funeral of the 32 year old son of a friend of mine. It was really sad. The service was nice and I know Eric had a relationship with God, but it was still sad. Sad to think about his 3 year old growing up without her daddy; sad to think of his wife losing the one she loves most; thinking about my friend losing her firstborn child. Yet even though he was so young, his life was SO full!

Afterward, I saw many friends that I used to work with in OKC. The most asked question was: "So...what do you do with yourself now that you're not working?" This is not one of my favorite questions. Although I always feel like I keep busy, I could not tell you much about what keeps me busy.

I was blessed to be able to stop working almost 3 years ago. WOW! It doesn't really seem like it's been that long! I have to say I LOVE not working! I love just being able to do whatever, whenever. I have enjoyed being in a women's Bible study, helping occasionally in the food pantry at church, helping my friends with babysitting, helping with Workshop....

So today, I had lunch with a friend. I have been thinking about what makes my life matter. What is important to me and am I doing something about it? It's popping up everywhere: in conversation, in magazines and blogs that I have been reading....and then there was that question: "so what do you do with yourself now that you're not working?"

I want my life to make a difference. I want it to make a difference in Doug's life. I want it to make a difference in B's life. I want it to make a difference in my friends and acquaintances. I want people to see a difference in me.

My husband mentioned to me last night that I hadn't blogged in a while. I seem to often need a nudge in this area of blogging. :o)

I've been thinking alot already about New Year's resolutions. My number one resolution that I am working on already is to not think so negatively about myself. It's not going to be easy because I have had almost 43 years of practice!

I suppose many might argue this next point, but I have got the absolute best husband in the whole world! He is SO patient and kind and generous and loving. I learn so much from him! He has blessed my life in ways that I didn't even know needed blessing! :o) I am thankful for him every day, but today, I wanted you to know.

OK...Seems I have been tagged by a "friend" to list six weird things about me. So I know I'm weird, but I was hoping no one else had noticed. :o)

So here we go:

1) When I fold towels, towels of the same color may not be stacked together.
2) I love salsa, ketchup, pizza sauce, etc....everything tomato-y, but NOT tomatoes.
3) Actually, I have many food issues. Eggs: I will only eat them scrambled HARD and can barely stand to be sitting with someone who is eating them fixed another way.
4) I love school/office supplies. (Post-It notes, pens, pencils, calendars...)
5) I am addicted to lip balm. At any given time, I may have 6-10 different lip balms in my purse.
6) I am a chronic ironer. I even iron something I am planning to wear underneath something else. (NOT my underwear though!) :o)

Hmmm...that was much easier than I anticipated....that can't be good!

Ahhh...The weather has finally changed. Don't get me wrong: 75 degrees on Thanksgiving Day DOES have its advantages. But I LOVE cooler weather! And there is just something wrong about the window being open behind the Christmas tree! So I am excited that seasonal weather is arriving. I'm sitting here in the quiet of my house, listening to the rain. It's 4:40pm but it's pretty dark. The only lights on are the Christmas tree lights. I have been catching up on blog reading and have been wowed with what I have read. (I have some pretty amazing friends!) I'm feeling blessed....and I just wanted you to know.

I really wanted that last blog post to last forever. I know....VERY unrealistic! So B came to spend fall break with us; it was really good....for the first couple of days. Then on Friday night, his mother called asking some questions. It seems he had told her that his dad said something, which he didn't. Then it came out that he had told his dad something that his mom had said...that she didn't. So, his dad confronted him when he got home. It didn't go well. So now it's been 2 1/2 weeks since he's been here. Seems he can't tell the difference between the truth and a lie. And seems he can't admit that he was wrong. So he's "punishing" his dad by not seeing him. I wish he could see how is he punishing himself. Ah, but he's a teenager!

Then it hits me: are we so different? Don't we sometimes twist things around enough so a lie looks like the truth? Sometimes we get in so deep, we don't even know what truth is anymore! And then the even more convicting part: how difficult is it for us, for ME, to admit when I am wrong?????

I can't believe I have waited this long to blog this! Last Thursday, B came over to mow the lawn. He was EXTREMELY chatty, which I love! So he mowed and then he wanted to go skate before dinner. So he left and came back to eat with us. He called to say he was going to be late (he already was!) and that he had gotten stopped on his way to the skate park. Yes, his first speeding ticket. Needless to say, he was not thrilled. BUT he pretty much got over his anger quickly and we had an enjoyable dinner. Afterward, his dad had gone upstairs to do something and it was just he and I downstairs. He was talking my ear off! Telling me about school and stuff, LAUGHING...it was really great. It was one of those moments where I thought of Mary, the mother of Jesus and how she treasured all these things in her heart. That's what I am trying to learn to do; is treasure those really fun times and let them overshadow the not so good times. He's spending fall break with us. Pray for more times like this and that God would break through all the walls B has put up.

I know! I'm going crazy with all this blogging! :o)

Today I had a day of beauty at Ihloff Salon and Spa. My husband gave this to me for our anniversary back in May. (Isn't he awesome?!)

It was FABULOUS! I was sort of nervous about it, you know all shee-shee fancy and not knowing what to expect, but it was terrific! I started with a facial, then a massage, a manicure, got my hair washed and styled and then a makeup application. FUN!! I felt like a princess!

Thanks, babe!

The two dogs on the right are my sister's dogs, Scully and Mulder. (Yes....big X Files fan!) Scully is the one in the back/middle. (The other dog is Barnum and belongs to my sister's roommate.) Dina emailed me last Thursday and said that Scully had terminal, inoperable thyroid cancer that had spread to her lungs and was not expected to make it more than a month or so. She was acting fine, so she was just going to wait until Scully seemed to be in pain before making any decisions. Well, that time came Sunday afternoon. She started coughing up blood and was extremely lethargic. So they called the vet. They had to put her to sleep. Now, those of you who know me know I am NOT an animal person. But this dog: she was so sweet! She was 10 years old and my sister had gotten her when she was a puppy. So I chose to post this picture today in honor of Scully; and also in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as they are wearing their pink ribbon bandannas.

I DID IT! I can't believe it! WHOO-HOO!!! This was taken in Burlington, IA; that's the Mighty Mississippi in the background.

I LOVE FALL!!! It's always such a long time coming around here, but it's SO worth the wait!

It finally happened: On Friday afternoon, I was actually so bored that I vacuumed! VACUUMED! Of course, my carpet needed to be vacuumed, it was just the idea that I couldn't think of anything better to do than VACUUM!

We had a nice weekend. It always goes way too fast though. B was here and was pleasant. That's been nice. Thanks to all of you who pray for us; keep it up!

Well, I talked him into going to eat at Ted's last night. :o) It was YUMMY!

My husband has traveled a lot this week. I have not. Consequently, he wants to stay in tonight. I do not. Oh well....I guess I better think of something to make for dinner.