Red and Green Friday

I don't do Black Friday. Lately when I say that I feel like I just stood up in a Twelve step meeting and said "My name is ... and I don't do Black Friday".
Everyone rushes to tell me how to remedy my condition, about how amazing 10, 12 or 24 straight hours of shopping really is.
If only people coul hear what you think while they are talking. Admittedly murder would increase but, Wow would we have to clean up our thoughts. Needless to say I don't agree on the fun factor of such an adventure. If I cannot find it cheaper on the internet or a quiet non holiday store morning, I don't really need it.


I dearly treasure my Red and Green Friday. That's the day our family decorates our house for Christmas.

our Tree

I was pretty excited to tell the kids we got two small trees for them ($10 4ft'ers from Family dollar). They collect an ornament each year. My daughter gets a nutcracker or ballerina and my son gets an M&M ornment. I on the other hand, love gingerbread ornments. We all had a good time and appreciated the finished results.
Okay, maybe the cat thought it was a bit much.

I once saw a gingerbread ornament with the phrase "Jesus warms my heart" on it and something clicked for me. It just seemed to capture how I feel the whole month of December. Snuggly, home, music, family, worship, sharing love with others, warm food, etc... all the great things about celebrating the birth of Christ.

I do struggle with wanting to spend too much money in all this. Finding that elusive gift- not expensive but also useful, not tiresomely hard to make but heartfelt, something just right. Trying not to "Martha Stewart" the house because I do know that's really not the point.

I have a pretty cool idea for hand painted ornaments next year, that might keep me on the straight and narrow.

I have nothing to complain about, my Red and Green Friday was great.

The list

Like the little tike, who at Thanksgiving dinner proceeds to give the 10 minute thank you prayer, mentioning things like socks and glue sticks right along with Grandpa and food- I take up the gauntlet to do a top 20 of the most random and monumental things I am thankful for.


20. Rain- especially when it means my beloved plants will be flourishing because of it.
19. Cats, Dogs, fish, birds, all those sweet animals that share our lives and remind us what pure trust looks like.
18. Sisters- enough said
17. blue jeans- enough said
16. songs that make me cry, dance, or otherwise experience life.
15. calculators
14. My kids for a zillion reasons and a zillion more.
13. Books
12. My husband for a zillion reasons and his beard.
11. Cable knit cotton
10. 100 year event 6 " of snow that looked like a white miracle.
9. The beach
8. Parents like http://www.kellehampton.com/ and Michelle Duggar. Make me stretch ladies.
7. Valentine cards
6. Friends who know you and yet still love you
5. Snuggly bed covers
4. a father who never lets Parkinsons have the last word and a mother who encouraged me to talk- a lot
3. Cheesecake in all flavors
2. My family by baptism all over the world.
1. Christ, The Holy Spirit and God the Father


Seriously sometimes Grandpa and the gluestick just need to be appreciated at the same time.

My Bio-suit is Malfunctioning

Your body, you get pretty attached to it.
It sees you through all the early stuff like learning to walk, run, ride a bike, etc...
You have parts you like and parts you want to see a plastic surgeon about.
I am a nature person so I occasionally see my body as something like a Jeep, getting me up hills and across streams to cool places my brain can have a vacation in .

For the past few weeks my jeep has been running on empty.
I don't know if it's sinuses or the medication I take for sinuses but I am so tired, which for me is very weird.
I am hyper normally. A cleaner, an organizer, a gal on the go.
Lately I just want to take a nap. Sit still and pet the cat. My patience which is not famous, is on low ebb.

My mechanic ran all the diagnostics and every thing seems to be in running order.
Funny how easy it is to forget how useful the old Bio-suit is.
I have a great one. My whole life I have been speeding along with little maintenance.
Could it be that 35 years is a mile stone for Bio-suits?
Could it be that the man above is reminding me that one day far in the future (hopefully) I will have to trade in this bio-suit because it will be worn out?
That what stirs deep inside me is far more important that what contains it?

To all those who operate with only partially functional bio-suits- God has power for living.
Don't let your vehicle define you.

I tip my hat to these lovely souls:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4HGQHgeFE
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Foffh-gneRs

Here I am up too late

A.) I hate it when I don't have a picture for the post. I hate it worse than not having a really good subject. Hey, I'm visual.

B.) Realized this week, I am not the Holy Spirit. 
Why, what a blasphemous thing to think you were!?!!

Well, I may not have thought it but I sure act like it at times. 
If I could just say the right thing, If I could just do the right thing, If I could just stir the church to action, lives would be changed.
Screech... that's that slamming of mental breaks right there.
I do not stir to action- the Holy Spirit does.
I do not transform lives- He does.
I do not create opportunities-He does.

I do have to be obedient, faithful and sincere in my worship.

Romans 12:1   Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Sounds like a lifestyle of worship.
Lord, let me worship you in each action I take, each word I say, each choice I make.

And if that leads me in a head on collision with your Holy Spirit as He is stirring souls, transforming lives and creating opportunities- Thank you!

I am weak and poor but all I have is yours.

PS- evidence of my weakness: before spell check it read blasphomouse (yes, four innocent mice blasted).